For someone who is not influenced by influencers on UA-cam, i have a strange desire to start making laundry detergent 😂😂😂. Thanks, Bonnie, for activating my " i must do this" mode.😂😂😂
I use the same ingredients as you, except for the soap I don’t use oats are use Fels NAPTHA I believe it cleans better get stains out better. And it smells really nice. I tried’s Zoat and I didn’t care for it even though it’s a pretty pink and instead of Oxsee clean, I use peroxide which is a lot less money and it’s basically the same thing it whitens. And I also use some salt to soften the water because my water is hard and harsh. When I dry my clothes, I use vinegar I soak washcloths in vinegar and I put it in with my laundry in the dryer and everything smells wonderful and is soft. And it’s all natural just like your soap.
In France we have a traditionnal and natural recipe for liquid laundry detergent. It's good for every kind of skin above all for babies. For 3 liters you need : 1/2 cup of grated Marseille soap + 3 tablespoons baking soda + 2 tablespoons washing soda + 3 liters (I think it's 6 quarts for the US) of water. Place the Marseille soap shavings in a large container. Boil 2L (4 quarts ) of water, pour the hot water into the container containing the soap and stir until it melts. Then add the bicarbonate and soda crystals, stir and leave to cool. Add 1L (2 quarts) of cold water. You can add a few drops of essential oils. Finally, dispense the detergent into glass bottles. Shake the bottle before each use.
One should be aware that using soap rather than detergent in a washing machine will leave a residue in machine and clothes, and can break the machine. That type of recipe is good for hand washing, not machine washing.
I use afresh or another where I clean the washer every 2 weeks to a month depending on the type. If you clean out your washer regularly then you should be fine.
This is the exact same recipe I use when I make my own soap! It saves so much money and it works the same if not better than any other brand I have used. Laundry is my job and I have a big family so I spend a lot of time washing, drying and folding! I have also swapped out the crystals for scent beads and different bars of the soap over the years and they all work!
Thanks for sharing your recipe. I've found that a five gallon bucket works really well for mixing either the dry or liquid homemade laundry soap. It's amazing how little soap it takes to clean the laundry. You're a blessing.
That probably would work better than a blender. I gave away my food processor because I didn't use it enough, but now I wish I had it just for this purpose.😊
I am just making laundry soap now. I microwaved fels napha and Zote, but 3 min off and on for each. It turned to dust in my Cuisinart. So much easier than grating it. The bars are also dry and hard so the last time, before the microwave trick, it was really hard on my machine. We bought a 5 gal bucket of borax and washing soda which should last us for years.
We use pink Zote as fishing bait, it works amazing! We live on a huge family property of land, over 650 acres, that’s been in the family over 115 years, several of my siblings have build their dream houses here, we have a huge lake we stock with fish, we catch them for fun but throw them back. It weirded me out when I first read you can use chunks of soap for bait, but it works wonders! I think it’s mostly because it’s made with beef tallow!
No way! That's crazy! I guess that makes sense if it's made of beef tallow, but I would think the soapy taste would not be appealing and it would dissolve really quick.
I been making my own for a couple of years now and I love it! It lasts forever and no lugging heavy jugs home from the store. It’s real soap no filler. Liquid is just 90% water.
I make this similar recipe using the Fels. I don't double it because a single batch last 6 months and I use probably double the amount she suggest. I do a lot of laundry each week. I however, put mine in a large rectangle shaped plastic container that I can snap the lid on and off. You can also use any bar soap of choice, just make sure it grates well. I mix it all up with a very large serving spoon. Just pour everything in the plastic container and mix well with the spoon. You may also find other powdered cleaning agents of your choice to add to your batch. I like the bar soap to be grated into fine powder, so I use a grater with very small holes. You can get it from a beauty supply store.
I find that if you open your soaps a few weeks in advance it helps the soap harden and makes it easier to grate and break down. I also have shredded my soap with my food processor attachment. Let the shreds dry out for a few days and then they blitz up super easy into smaller pieces. I have been out of the habit of making laundry soap but your video inspired me to make some today:)
Also Bonnie I also enjoy watching your videos so much! I love watching you stretch out of your comfort zone and growing as a person and a channel. You are awesome!!
That is totally true. I take my soap out of the package or tear a hole in it so my bars of body soap dry out as well. They last considerably longer that way and I don’t feel like the soap is too soft and goopy.
people have been making their own laundry detergent like this for years without problems. My guess is that rumor was probably started by the detergent manufacturers. lol
I am actually uploading a video right now that addresses some of these concerns. But, to answer your concern quickly here, I can only tell you my experience and I have used it in both top loading washer and a front loading washer and have never had to do repairs on them. I've been using the same recipe for 12 years, so I would think I would have run into a problem by now if there was going to be one. The only reason I got rid of my top loader was because it would get off balance a lot and it drove me crazy, so I passed that along to my daughter who doesn't have quite as big of loads, and now I have a front loader. The top loader I had for about 8 years before I passed it along and now I've had my front loader for 2 years.
Wow!!!! I have always wanted to make my own laundry soap. Thank you so much! I’m sure this smells wonderful too or you wouldn’t use it. I can’t wait to run out of soap now 😂
Lol! It actually doesn't have much of a scent, which I had to get used to because I really like the smell of Downy, but once I found out how bad fabric softener is for your washing machine and also for your clothes because of the buildup it creates, I had to get used to a more neutral smell. I will sometimes add in a little OdoBan with the vinegar rinse and that does have a mild scent to it, plus it gets rid of any odors.
Hey Beautiful! We made this detergent today. It has worked AWESOME. (It is super hot, 98 degrees, hung laundry to dry on the windows from inside to provide shade indoors and avoid using the dryer. SFIXX sticker hooks are clear like windows, like a nanotape sticker if HOA's protest unsightliness. We have ozone pollution/fires in Colorado so drying laundry indoors protects clothes from pollution for loved ones with asthma or COPD/cancer, etc. for people who can't dry laundry outside due to fires.) Keep up the great work! Oh muh house smells loveleh!
Thanks for sharing! I make this recipe minus the scent beads,, baking soda and oxyclean. And I use fels napha instead of the zote. Zote had too strong of a perfume scent for me. I try and stay away from as many chemicals and added scents when I can. I use an old cheese grater for the fels naptha. I'm not mixing a soap bar in my Vitamix. lol I know it could handle it but, just don't seem right. lol I use a five gallon bucket with a lid to mix it in. I love that huge glass container. Where did you purchase that? I have a smaller one but, have never seen one that big.
I've had that glass container for quite a few years and, if I remember right, I just got it at Walmart. I was looking at similar ones on Amazon and they are like $72. Yikes! I know I definitely didn't spend that much on mine.
I use a star frit cheese grater, and started using my processor. I used to use a blender, but it broke on me. The processor works really great. I don’t use the processor for food, just my soap for laundry only.
I gave my food processor to a friend who had just gotten divorced and was starting over. It was something I hardly ever remembered to use, but I do wish I had one for this purpose. That's funny you only use it for the laundry soap and not for food.😅
food processor works well to grind the zote or fels naptha. those bars of zote are HUGE. they must be double sized. i bought some zote a while back and it smelled so strongly i couldnt use it straight away. i chopped it up, put it in a paper grocery bag and threw it out on the porch for about 6 months. plus, it was so soft that it was like old bubble gum. so being outdoors dried it out really well. i dont mind it so much now.
Yes, I think it was double the size of the regular zote. It's just what they had at Walmart when I bought this several months ago. I think that's a great idea to put the soap outside to dry out for a few weeks or months. It would make it a lot easier to grind up for sure.
Hi! Thanks for your video. How much ratio of soap to powder ingredients would you say? I also like to do big batches when it’s time to reup my recipe. I find fels Napa grates easier too.
That's a tough question to answer without going and pulling up my recipe. The recipe should be in the description and also at the end of the video where I put how much of each type of soap to use depending on which kind you are using.
Instead of the bar soap, can we use a little liquid Castile soap? I’m thinking The powder ingredients will absorb it to where it becomes dry but still has the foaming/sudding capability.
I use DIY in my home as well as some store bought products. I use about a 50/50 split. Laundry soap is one thing I won’t make at home. I will never tell anyone that their way is wrong. To each their own. I wash everything in cold water so I use liquid detergent. I have an he washer and because it uses less water I am concerned that powdered soap wouldn’t dissolve. It’s always interesting to see what other people use in their homes. Because of my physical limitations I wouldn’t be able to make it even if I wanted to. I have only one arm so cutting things up and mixing them up in a garbage bag is too heavy. I am glad you have a way that works for you and your family. Thank you for sharing.😊
You can cut the zote into smaller pieces and use a processor with 1cup bkg soda to grind up fine…could try that if you want…hope it helps…I’m rooting for you…
Is that normal hand soap? As we don’t stock any of the brands you use in America. Unfortunately the UK a no longer allow the manufacture of Borax? They do a substitute but that’s basically baking soda and cleaning Soda….. so not 100% what we would use….. Do you have a link for all of those products? Thank you
It's actually a laundry soap, but I'm sure there's something similar in the UK. Sometimes they even sell soap flakes where it's basically what I've shown here, but it's already grated for you. You can also Google laundry soap recipes without borax because I know there are several of those out there as well.
I like this so much. I hate to buy the big plastic jugs cuz I think the recycling movement has mostly died and most of what we recycle is not getting recycled. Plus I think our taste for detergents has been manufactured by all the commercials we’ve watched and it is unnecessary, expensive, waste producing and probably pretty toxic from the chemicals.
How is your laundry detergent in a cold water wash? I ask because that Oxi Clean kept caking up very badly in my cold water washes. Thanks! I am super interested in homemade laundry detergent or any other money potions, contrivances, tricks or tips you have! Thanks!
I'd like to know, too. And does the soap (Zote, etc) dissolve well? I have semi hard well water and other homemade detergents did not dissolve well in our water.
I can only tell you my experience with it because I do have a water softener and that might make a difference, but I've never had any issues with this caking up and the zote soap is made to dissolve easily since it is intended for laundry and it even dissolves when I do cold water washes. I'm not sure about why the OxiClean wouldn't dissolve unless perhaps you are using too much? I know that most people tend to use more detergent than necessary. I was guilty of that too when I first got married and then I learned to use about half of what I was using and it's cleaned just as well and didn't leave a residue on my clothes. So, I would suggest maybe cutting down the amount of OxiClean you use and see if it all dissolves and, if so, then maybe try making a batch of this and using just that tablespoon. That's seriously all I need and it works great.
That's what I do too!! Only I take more of this detergent, about 2 cups(yes!!) and mix it with 1qt of warm water to dilute it before pouring it on the laundry. I put lots of laundry in the bin. And then it smells so good and fresh, and it's so nice and clean. Thanks for sharing my recipe🤣🤣🤣🤣
The lady who I have been doing a lot of laundry for has sensitive skin and I've been using this detergent. She says she loves that it doesn't irritate her skin. That's even with the crystals, but you can definitely leave those out.
Ok Bonster. You know I love you more than my luggage but as an officially sanctioned curmudgeon, I am required by my HOA to be skeptical. So, is it safe to mix those chemicals? I assume you haven't noticed any disastrous effects such as your dog spontaneously growing a second tail. My second concern is price. I'm heading off now to calculate all those items and figure out the price per load vs my Costco knockoff. Lastly, what's Tote? Thanks for your tutorial, hope to more in the future (which I will skeptically ponder for myself).
Well, in fact, my dog does have a second tail, but it's kind of cute, so I don't mind it. 😂 Seriously though, I have been using this same recipe for 12 years and have never had a problem with it. I do use vinegar in place of fabric softener, so it probably also helps to take out any residue, if any, left behind, but with the minimal amount I use, I really doubt there is any. Some people will tell you that borax is not safe for your washer, but I think that's because they confuse it with boric acid which is not the same thing. I will have to look tomorrow for the article about Borax that I read and how it's very safe to use. And, as for cost, I will also do a cost breakdown tomorrow and add it to my video description, but considering that batch lasts me 2 years, I'm going to guess that it's probably 10 cents or less per load. Oh, and please don't tell me I accidentally wrote Tote instead of Zote in the ingredients. Now I need to go check that. It should be Zote. 😊
A plumber told my Uncle that borax can build up on drain pipes and create a blockage if you use too much. You are using so little that I’m sure that would not be a problem. I, on the other hand, use about 1/3 of a cup per load. Borax is an ingredient in one of the eye drops I use. So must be somewhat safe I would think. Love your videos!! Keep up the good work!!
It depends on what size bars you use because there is a 4 oz bar and a 3.1 oz bar. If it's the smaller bars, I would use 9-10. If it's the larger bars, I would use 7-8. You need around 30 oz. for the double batch.
I can only share my experience since I know some people have hard water and it could work differently with hard water, but I have never had any buildup. I do, however, use vinegar in place of fabric softener, so that probably helps as well. My clothes smell neutral. They just don't really have a scent.
BROOOOOOOO! These industries got us by the wallet!!! When I saw how much per load my dag-um mouth dropped!!!! I make the liquid version but I do believe I will be switching to this one. And how come they way us using them giant scoopers!!!!???
Dont those chunks of bar soap get stuck in your clothes? Seems like it would and also leave residue in your clothing. That sure is not very much soap you use. I would have thought about 1/2 a cup for each load.
Like @shovelmetimbers said, it dissolves just fine. I am actually in the process of uploading a video right now that will answer some of these questions I'm getting from this video and that's one thing I will talk about in it. It should be up in the next hour.
Good afternoon Bonnie! I am going to try this. It is only my son and I at our home, but the savings would be a blessing! God bless you and in my prayers. ~John
Two years !!! That will last me 2 weeks lol . That’s why the gain probably breaking me out now !!! I LOVE GAIN SOAP POWDER but it’s starting to tear my skin UP !
Yes. I was actually going to mention that in my video and totally forgot, but it just adds a little softener to the mixture. I always use vinegar for my rinse, so I probably could do without the crystals because the vinegar will soften it up as well.
I really enjoy your videos and appreciate the help you give to those who need it. The world could use more people like you. Question- I'm interested in making your recipe for laundry soap & and I wondered if you have figured up the cost per batch?
Thank you! I just went and added that information to my video. I figured it costs about 75 to $80 to make the double batch like I did here and, if you use just one tablespoon per load, that gives you about 650 loads, which equals about 11 to 12 cents per load. Pretty cheap!
I was watching again your video to try to do the same laundry powder, and I realize Borax is no longer available in shops in my country because it has been classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic to reproduction. I guess i will have to replace it with something else.
Well, that's kind of scary to know! However, I also know that it's been used for many, many years for cleaning and I'm guessing that it's rinsed well enough that it's probably not toxic in laundry. It's too bad that you can't get it anymore. I'm sure there is a recipe out there which doesn't use borax.
@@ABeautifulMessExtremeCle-zl1wp Yes it was very popular in my contry as well until a few years ago. I guess the authorities have chosen to be cautious in the event of a few cases taking legal action
I make mine very similar to yours except I do add a large bag of foca laundry detergent to stretch mine further, plus it's an actual "laundry detergent" I started making it back in 2010 I believe it was, and I wasn't happy with the laundry "soap" recipe without some actual detergent in it. I felt like my clothes weren't getting clean and were trapping odors without the detergent hope that makes sense? I also use dollar tree oxy orange stuff and their blue scent crystals to keep it even cheaper only one Zote soap, one box of borax, the larger bag of foca laundry detergent (the blue and white bag with the baby seal on the front), and one box of washing soda, a small box of baking soda (did you know you can make your own washing soda by baking your baking soda in a 200° to 250°oven for about an hour or so stirring 1/2 through till the chemical make up of it changes from soft to gritty?) There's another you tube video on that as well to help save $ even further in cost. Ours lasts us about a year using only 1TBSP per load. My hubby says it smells like fruity pebbles he loves using it. He has a cow when I try to do a load of laundry. I use watered down dawn dish liquid as a stain remover too. There are Soo many different recipes for this laundry soap though. Everyone does it different.
Yes, there are definitely a lot of variations on this recipe. I think the fact that I use vinegar as fabric softener rather than actual fabric softener helps to get rid of any residue that might build up, but I also don't use a lot in the first place, so I've never really experienced having that residue as some others have mentioned having. I do like the fact that you add the Foca laundry detergent.
I will usually still use stain remover for tougher stains, but I feel like it works very well for just your average dirty clothes. It's been almost 15 years since I've used anything else, so I don't really have anything to compare it to.
Interesting to watch Bonnie, thank you. I have never made my own laundry powder and I have no plans to, the thought has never occurred to me, but interesting to read here that many of you do.
I knew i lived in a cave, i have never heard of anything like this. But am going to try making some. It would help on cost taking care of my elderly mother. Thanks Bonnie ❤❤❤
For someone who is not influenced by influencers on UA-cam, i have a strange desire to start making laundry detergent 😂😂😂. Thanks, Bonnie, for activating my " i must do this" mode.😂😂😂
Haha! You're welcome.😄👍
I use the same ingredients as you, except for the soap I don’t use oats are use Fels NAPTHA I believe it cleans better get stains out better. And it smells really nice. I tried’s Zoat and I didn’t care for it even though it’s a pretty pink and instead of Oxsee clean, I use peroxide which is a lot less money and it’s basically the same thing it whitens. And I also use some salt to soften the water because my water is hard and harsh. When I dry my clothes, I use vinegar I soak washcloths in vinegar and I put it in with my laundry in the dryer and everything smells wonderful and is soft. And it’s all natural just like your soap.
In France we have a traditionnal and natural recipe for liquid laundry detergent. It's good for every kind of skin above all for babies. For 3 liters you need : 1/2 cup of grated Marseille soap + 3 tablespoons baking soda + 2 tablespoons washing soda + 3 liters (I think it's 6 quarts for the US) of water. Place the Marseille soap shavings in a large container.
Boil 2L (4 quarts ) of water, pour the hot water into the container containing the soap and stir until it melts. Then add the bicarbonate and soda crystals, stir and leave to cool.
Add 1L (2 quarts) of cold water. You can add a few drops of essential oils. Finally, dispense the detergent into glass bottles. Shake the bottle before each use.
One should be aware that using soap rather than detergent in a washing machine will leave a residue in machine and clothes, and can break the machine. That type of recipe is good for hand washing, not machine washing.
I use afresh or another where I clean the washer every 2 weeks to a month depending on the type. If you clean out your washer regularly then you should be fine.
@hollysego791 use white distilled vinegar as softener (or in bleach compartment). Softens clothes and cleans the machine at the same time
But how much do you put in a load of laundry
This is the exact same recipe I use when I make my own soap! It saves so much money and it works the same if not better than any other brand I have used. Laundry is my job and I have a big family so I spend a lot of time washing, drying and folding! I have also swapped out the crystals for scent beads and different bars of the soap over the years and they all work!
It's so good!
Thanks for sharing your recipe. I've found that a five gallon bucket works really well for mixing either the dry or liquid homemade laundry soap. It's amazing how little soap it takes to clean the laundry. You're a blessing.
I use a food processor to blend the grated soap with the powdered ingredients.
That probably would work better than a blender. I gave away my food processor because I didn't use it enough, but now I wish I had it just for this purpose.😊
Also fells naphtha in the microwave for 8 seconds softens it and makes it easier to grate
Great tip!
I am just making laundry soap now. I microwaved fels napha and Zote, but 3 min off and on for each. It turned to dust in my Cuisinart. So much easier than grating it. The bars are also dry and hard so the last time, before the microwave trick, it was really hard on my machine. We bought a 5 gal bucket of borax and washing soda which should last us for years.
So cool! I loved the soap-cutting sounds.
I love Fels-Naptha!!!! I use it to rub onto stains as a pretreater. Works great for baseball uniform pants.
We use pink Zote as fishing bait, it works amazing! We live on a huge family property of land, over 650 acres, that’s been in the family over 115 years, several of my siblings have build their dream houses here, we have a huge lake we stock with fish, we catch them for fun but throw them back. It weirded me out when I first read you can use chunks of soap for bait, but it works wonders! I think it’s mostly because it’s made with beef tallow!
No way! That's crazy! I guess that makes sense if it's made of beef tallow, but I would think the soapy taste would not be appealing and it would dissolve really quick.
@@ABeautifulMessExtremeCle-zl1wpmaybe fish have different taste buds from your average human. I wouldn't compare apples to oranges.
I been making my own for a couple of years now and I love it! It lasts forever and no lugging heavy jugs home from the store. It’s real soap no filler. Liquid is just 90% water.
I make this similar recipe using the Fels. I don't double it because a single batch last 6 months and I use probably double the amount she suggest. I do a lot of laundry each week. I however, put mine in a large rectangle shaped plastic container that I can snap the lid on and off. You can also use any bar soap of choice, just make sure it grates well. I mix it all up with a very large serving spoon. Just pour everything in the plastic container and mix well with the spoon. You may also find other powdered cleaning agents of your choice to add to your batch. I like the bar soap to be grated into fine powder, so I use a grater with very small holes. You can get it from a beauty supply store.
Food processor works better than blender for zote, or just buy zote flakes. Use a 5 gallon bucket to mix it all together and save wasting trash bags.
If you use flakes instead of bars how much . Two bars would be how much flakes?
Good idea to use bags mix...thanks for sharing
I find that if you open your soaps a few weeks in advance it helps the soap harden and makes it easier to grate and break down. I also have shredded my soap with my food processor attachment. Let the shreds dry out for a few days and then they blitz up super easy into smaller pieces. I have been out of the habit of making laundry soap but your video inspired me to make some today:)
Also Bonnie I also enjoy watching your videos so much! I love watching you stretch out of your comfort zone and growing as a person and a channel. You are awesome!!
This also helps bar soap last longer
That is totally true. I take my soap out of the package or tear a hole in it so my bars of body soap dry out as well. They last considerably longer that way and I don’t feel like the soap is too soft and goopy.
Absolutely love that idea! It would make it a lot easier to break this down into finer particles. Thanks for sharing!
Aw, thank you!❤️🙏
This was so enjoyable to watch. It was like you were making a magic potion. A magic laundry potion! ☺
😁❤️👍
I’ve heard this coats/clogs your washing machine, but I use it every other load. I alternate it with old fashioned powder detergent.
people have been making their own laundry detergent like this for years without problems. My guess is that rumor was probably started by the detergent manufacturers. lol
I’ve been using a similar recipe for around 5 years and haven’t had any issues, but maybe it depends on the type of machine.
@@jananneshipley3687 maybe? Typically, the computer panel in my washer gives up long before the mechanical parts anyway.
I am actually uploading a video right now that addresses some of these concerns. But, to answer your concern quickly here, I can only tell you my experience and I have used it in both top loading washer and a front loading washer and have never had to do repairs on them. I've been using the same recipe for 12 years, so I would think I would have run into a problem by now if there was going to be one. The only reason I got rid of my top loader was because it would get off balance a lot and it drove me crazy, so I passed that along to my daughter who doesn't have quite as big of loads, and now I have a front loader. The top loader I had for about 8 years before I passed it along and now I've had my front loader for 2 years.
I have made this before and it is very economical.
Wow!!!! I have always wanted to make my own laundry soap. Thank you so much! I’m sure this smells wonderful too or you wouldn’t use it. I can’t wait to run out of soap now 😂
Lol! It actually doesn't have much of a scent, which I had to get used to because I really like the smell of Downy, but once I found out how bad fabric softener is for your washing machine and also for your clothes because of the buildup it creates, I had to get used to a more neutral smell. I will sometimes add in a little OdoBan with the vinegar rinse and that does have a mild scent to it, plus it gets rid of any odors.
Hey Beautiful! We made this detergent today. It has worked AWESOME. (It is super hot, 98 degrees, hung laundry to dry on the windows from inside to provide shade indoors and avoid using the dryer. SFIXX sticker hooks are clear like windows, like a nanotape sticker if HOA's protest unsightliness. We have ozone pollution/fires in Colorado so drying laundry indoors protects clothes from pollution for loved ones with asthma or COPD/cancer, etc. for people who can't dry laundry outside due to fires.) Keep up the great work! Oh muh house smells loveleh!
Awesome! Yeah, I love this stuff.
Thanks for sharing! I make this recipe minus the scent beads,, baking soda and oxyclean. And I use fels napha instead of the zote. Zote had too strong of a perfume scent for me. I try and stay away from as many chemicals and added scents when I can. I use an old cheese grater for the fels naptha. I'm not mixing a soap bar in my Vitamix. lol I know it could handle it but, just don't seem right. lol I use a five gallon bucket with a lid to mix it in. I love that huge glass container. Where did you purchase that? I have a smaller one but, have never seen one that big.
I've had that glass container for quite a few years and, if I remember right, I just got it at Walmart. I was looking at similar ones on Amazon and they are like $72. Yikes! I know I definitely didn't spend that much on mine.
I use a star frit cheese grater, and started using my processor. I used to use a blender, but it broke on me. The processor works really great. I don’t use the processor for food, just my soap for laundry only.
I gave my food processor to a friend who had just gotten divorced and was starting over. It was something I hardly ever remembered to use, but I do wish I had one for this purpose. That's funny you only use it for the laundry soap and not for food.😅
Thanks for sharing your formulation with us!
food processor works well to grind the zote or fels naptha. those bars of zote are HUGE. they must be double sized. i bought some zote a while back and it smelled so strongly i couldnt use it straight away. i chopped it up, put it in a paper grocery bag and threw it out on the porch for about 6 months. plus, it was so soft that it was like old bubble gum. so being outdoors dried it out really well. i dont mind it so much now.
Yes, I think it was double the size of the regular zote. It's just what they had at Walmart when I bought this several months ago. I think that's a great idea to put the soap outside to dry out for a few weeks or months. It would make it a lot easier to grind up for sure.
Hi! Thanks for your video. How much ratio of soap to powder ingredients would you say? I also like to do big batches when it’s time to reup my recipe. I find fels Napa grates easier too.
That's a tough question to answer without going and pulling up my recipe. The recipe should be in the description and also at the end of the video where I put how much of each type of soap to use depending on which kind you are using.
I make mine in a 5 gallon bucket with a screw on lid. I can roll it around to mix it.
Possible to read out the recipe? How many cups/boxes of each? Thank you
I have done this for yers I bought a 5 gallon bucket w/lid from home depot and keep it in there’s it’s a lot easier for me😉
That's a great idea!
2 years worth WOW!
What is the size of the glass jar?
I'm guessing it's 2.5 gallons. I don't know for sure, but I literally just took my milk jug in there to sit next to it to try to guesstimate.. haha!
Greetings and thank you so much for your video! I am going to make my first batch today. Did you add a full box of borax, and the full arm and hammer?
Washing soda I meant
Yes and yes. Good luck!😊👍
Instead of the bar soap, can we use a little liquid Castile soap? I’m thinking The powder ingredients will absorb it to where it becomes dry but still has the foaming/sudding capability.
I use DIY in my home as well as some store bought products. I use about a 50/50 split. Laundry soap is one thing I won’t make at home. I will never tell anyone that their way is wrong. To each their own. I wash everything in cold water so I use liquid detergent. I have an he washer and because it uses less water I am concerned that powdered soap wouldn’t dissolve. It’s always interesting to see what other people use in their homes. Because of my physical limitations I wouldn’t be able to make it even if I wanted to. I have only one arm so cutting things up and mixing them up in a garbage bag is too heavy. I am glad you have a way that works for you and your family. Thank you for sharing.😊
You can cut the zote into smaller pieces and use a processor with 1cup bkg soda to grind up fine…could try that if you want…hope it helps…I’m rooting for you…
P.S. no one is right or wrong…just different…I’m left handed some things are clumsy but I adjust…some things may not work…I try at least 1X ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Wow! love this
I use my food processor to grate my soap into small pieces.
Just found your channel ❤
Welcome!!👋
Did you use one box of Borax or 2?
Is that normal hand soap? As we don’t stock any of the brands you use in America. Unfortunately the UK a no longer allow the manufacture of Borax? They do a substitute but that’s basically baking soda and cleaning Soda….. so not 100% what we would use…..
Do you have a link for all of those products? Thank you
It's actually a laundry soap, but I'm sure there's something similar in the UK. Sometimes they even sell soap flakes where it's basically what I've shown here, but it's already grated for you. You can also Google laundry soap recipes without borax because I know there are several of those out there as well.
Wow about 2 years,, that’s awesome, looks easy enough to try!! Thanks btw love your videos!!
Thank you!
Awesome! Thanks! 😊
I use my food processor with the cheese grate disk! Aint no body got time to kill them knuckles lol.
Awesome 👍🏾 thank you
When I said bad words as a child my mom would make make me chew on a fels nafta bar. I’ll never forget the taste.
I can't say I've ever tasted Fels Naptha, but I'm sure even the smell to you is probably traumatic now.. lol!
I like this so much. I hate to buy the big plastic jugs cuz I think the recycling movement has mostly died and most of what we recycle is not getting recycled. Plus I think our taste for detergents has been manufactured by all the commercials we’ve watched and it is unnecessary, expensive, waste producing and probably pretty toxic from the chemicals.
Thanks Bonnie! I hope you are doing well! 🙂
I am! Thank you!
Grind boost bears with soap and a little powder.
Why not just mix smaller amount in jar and shake it, it's much easier and saves time this way
Because then I would have to make a mess again several times a year rather than once every couple of years.
@@ABeautifulMessExtremeCle-zl1wp but you could do it on the same day as well 😄
I love how long it lasts!
How is your laundry detergent in a cold water wash? I ask because that Oxi Clean kept caking up very badly in my cold water washes. Thanks! I am super interested in homemade laundry detergent or any other money potions, contrivances, tricks or tips you have! Thanks!
I'd like to know, too. And does the soap (Zote, etc) dissolve well? I have semi hard well water and other homemade detergents did not dissolve well in our water.
I can only tell you my experience with it because I do have a water softener and that might make a difference, but I've never had any issues with this caking up and the zote soap is made to dissolve easily since it is intended for laundry and it even dissolves when I do cold water washes. I'm not sure about why the OxiClean wouldn't dissolve unless perhaps you are using too much? I know that most people tend to use more detergent than necessary. I was guilty of that too when I first got married and then I learned to use about half of what I was using and it's cleaned just as well and didn't leave a residue on my clothes. So, I would suggest maybe cutting down the amount of OxiClean you use and see if it all dissolves and, if so, then maybe try making a batch of this and using just that tablespoon. That's seriously all I need and it works great.
That's what I do too!! Only I take more of this detergent, about 2 cups(yes!!) and mix it with 1qt of warm water to dilute it before pouring it on the laundry. I put lots of laundry in the bin. And then it smells so good and fresh, and it's so nice and clean. Thanks for sharing my recipe🤣🤣🤣🤣
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Is this good for sensitive skin? Could I leave out the smelling crystals?
The lady who I have been doing a lot of laundry for has sensitive skin and I've been using this detergent. She says she loves that it doesn't irritate her skin. That's even with the crystals, but you can definitely leave those out.
@@ABeautifulMessExtremeCle-zl1wp thank you!
Ok Bonster. You know I love you more than my luggage but as an officially sanctioned curmudgeon, I am required by my HOA to be skeptical. So, is it safe to mix those chemicals? I assume you haven't noticed any disastrous effects such as your dog spontaneously growing a second tail. My second concern is price. I'm heading off now to calculate all those items and figure out the price per load vs my Costco knockoff. Lastly, what's Tote? Thanks for your tutorial, hope to more in the future (which I will skeptically ponder for myself).
I think Tote soap bar. You can check google
Zote is soap
zote is a laundry soap bar. It's found near the laundry detergent in the store, along with the fels napha, which is what I use.
Well, in fact, my dog does have a second tail, but it's kind of cute, so I don't mind it. 😂 Seriously though, I have been using this same recipe for 12 years and have never had a problem with it. I do use vinegar in place of fabric softener, so it probably also helps to take out any residue, if any, left behind, but with the minimal amount I use, I really doubt there is any. Some people will tell you that borax is not safe for your washer, but I think that's because they confuse it with boric acid which is not the same thing. I will have to look tomorrow for the article about Borax that I read and how it's very safe to use. And, as for cost, I will also do a cost breakdown tomorrow and add it to my video description, but considering that batch lasts me 2 years, I'm going to guess that it's probably 10 cents or less per load. Oh, and please don't tell me I accidentally wrote Tote instead of Zote in the ingredients. Now I need to go check that. It should be Zote. 😊
A plumber told my Uncle that borax can build up on drain pipes and create a blockage if you use too much. You are using so little that I’m sure that would not be a problem. I, on the other hand, use about 1/3 of a cup per load. Borax is an ingredient in one of the eye drops I use. So must be somewhat safe I would think. Love your videos!! Keep up the good work!!
Why would you go to the trouble of making a natural laundry soap and add chemical scent crystals
just made mines thanks but i feel like i need more for the loads lol
If you use Ivory soap bars, how many would you use for your double recipe?
It depends on what size bars you use because there is a 4 oz bar and a 3.1 oz bar. If it's the smaller bars, I would use 9-10. If it's the larger bars, I would use 7-8. You need around 30 oz. for the double batch.
Thank you so much for your quick response! I really appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule. @@ABeautifulMessExtremeCle-zl1wp
Does it cause scum build up in your washing machine? Has it made the clothes smell so far?
I can only share my experience since I know some people have hard water and it could work differently with hard water, but I have never had any buildup. I do, however, use vinegar in place of fabric softener, so that probably helps as well. My clothes smell neutral. They just don't really have a scent.
Hi, I love this, but "your" Zote bar looks bigger than the Zote bars that you recommend on Amazon. I want to get this right. Please help.
I'm guessing you are finding the 7 oz bars. If that's the case, get four of them. You basically just need about 28 oz of Zote.
@@ABeautifulMessExtremeCle-zl1wp Thanks!!! take care
@@ABeautifulMessExtremeCle-zl1wp@ABeautifulMessExtremeCle-zl1wp Yes, thank you very much! I see the end of your video now with all the ingredients.
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I wonder if I could clean and dry a container that cat litter comes into store a batch. I’m tired of paying high prices for detergent.
Yes, I'm sure that would work great.
I make my detergent and it last about one year
Making diy laundry detergent can save a lot of money especially this inflation rate
BROOOOOOOO! These industries got us by the wallet!!! When I saw how much per load my dag-um mouth dropped!!!! I make the liquid version but I do believe I will be switching to this one. And how come they way us using them giant scoopers!!!!???
Dont those chunks of bar soap get stuck in your clothes? Seems like it would and also leave residue in your clothing. That sure is not very much soap you use. I would have thought about 1/2 a cup for each load.
Nope it all dissolves. Zote is a soap specifically made for laundry. I use 2 Tbsps for a large load. You don’t need much.
Like @shovelmetimbers said, it dissolves just fine. I am actually in the process of uploading a video right now that will answer some of these questions I'm getting from this video and that's one thing I will talk about in it. It should be up in the next hour.
Good afternoon Bonnie! I am going to try this. It is only my son and I at our home, but the savings would be a blessing! God bless you and in my prayers. ~John
Hope you enjoy! ❤️
Two years !!! That will last me 2 weeks lol . That’s why the gain probably breaking me out now !!! I LOVE GAIN SOAP POWDER but it’s starting to tear my skin UP !
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can you leave out the crystals?
Yes. I was actually going to mention that in my video and totally forgot, but it just adds a little softener to the mixture. I always use vinegar for my rinse, so I probably could do without the crystals because the vinegar will soften it up as well.
Can I leave rhe purex Chrystal out? I have allergies to anything with a scent to it.
Yes. I meant to actually say that in here. They just add a little scent and maybe a little softness, but you can totally leave them out.😊
I really enjoy your videos and appreciate the help you give to those who need it. The world could use more people like you. Question- I'm interested in making your recipe for laundry soap & and I wondered if you have figured up the cost per batch?
Thank you! I just went and added that information to my video. I figured it costs about 75 to $80 to make the double batch like I did here and, if you use just one tablespoon per load, that gives you about 650 loads, which equals about 11 to 12 cents per load. Pretty cheap!
I was watching again your video to try to do the same laundry powder, and I realize Borax is no longer available in shops in my country because it has been classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic to reproduction. I guess i will have to replace it with something else.
Well, that's kind of scary to know! However, I also know that it's been used for many, many years for cleaning and I'm guessing that it's rinsed well enough that it's probably not toxic in laundry. It's too bad that you can't get it anymore. I'm sure there is a recipe out there which doesn't use borax.
@@ABeautifulMessExtremeCle-zl1wp Yes it was very popular in my contry as well until a few years ago. I guess the authorities have chosen to be cautious in the event of a few cases taking legal action
I make mine very similar to yours except I do add a large bag of foca laundry detergent to stretch mine further, plus it's an actual "laundry detergent" I started making it back in 2010 I believe it was, and I wasn't happy with the laundry "soap" recipe without some actual detergent in it. I felt like my clothes weren't getting clean and were trapping odors without the detergent hope that makes sense? I also use dollar tree oxy orange stuff and their blue scent crystals to keep it even cheaper only one Zote soap, one box of borax, the larger bag of foca laundry detergent (the blue and white bag with the baby seal on the front), and one box of washing soda, a small box of baking soda (did you know you can make your own washing soda by baking your baking soda in a 200° to 250°oven for about an hour or so stirring 1/2 through till the chemical make up of it changes from soft to gritty?) There's another you tube video on that as well to help save $ even further in cost. Ours lasts us about a year using only 1TBSP per load. My hubby says it smells like fruity pebbles he loves using it. He has a cow when I try to do a load of laundry. I use watered down dawn dish liquid as a stain remover too. There are Soo many different recipes for this laundry soap though. Everyone does it different.
Yes, there are definitely a lot of variations on this recipe. I think the fact that I use vinegar as fabric softener rather than actual fabric softener helps to get rid of any residue that might build up, but I also don't use a lot in the first place, so I've never really experienced having that residue as some others have mentioned having. I do like the fact that you add the Foca laundry detergent.
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Wow, do you have your use those beads? We don’t like scents
No, you can leave out the Purex Crystals.
Does it remove tough stain on coloured n white clothes
I will usually still use stain remover for tougher stains, but I feel like it works very well for just your average dirty clothes. It's been almost 15 years since I've used anything else, so I don't really have anything to compare it to.
What about Epsom salt?
Hmmm, never tried that, but I bet it would work great!
@@ABeautifulMessExtremeCle-zl1wp I use it for a scent free fabric softener
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I thought u had to use more than that
I've also been making my own detergent like the way you do for the past 2 years. It has saved me so much money! Love your videos!
Awesome! Thank you!
Interesting to watch Bonnie, thank you. I have never made my own laundry powder and I have no plans to, the thought has never occurred to me, but interesting to read here that many of you do.
Did you put the oxy clean in?
she put the oxyclean in the blender with the soap to help it blend better
Yes.
My husband makes a similar detergent but adds water. He uses the Zote flakes instead of the bars also. Loved watching you fold clothes too.
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I used to make this year's ago it's really good, but now I'm an empty nester I don't need it as my clothes don't get really dirty. 💐
I knew i lived in a cave, i have never heard of anything like this. But am going to try making some. It would help on cost taking care of my elderly mother. Thanks Bonnie ❤❤❤
Go for it!🤗
Wow, at first I thought boy, all that trouble. Then I heard 2 years, I’m in! Thank you for this video!😘
You’re welcome 😊
5gallonbucket
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