I thought your first video was clear. I think people just have a hard time grasping the differences between soaps and detergents, even though you explained it really well. Also, I am a lover of all things old and vintage and some people lot that stuff too, but they have a hard time admitting that not everything vintage is useful for how it used to be used. 🤷🏼♀️
What a great comment and not to mention a great observation as well. I'm glad you spoke up and said this because a lot of what's going on in social media is rooted on polarizing opinions or the lack thereof. Most of what people generally keep to themselves when in dialogue is out in the open. Rarely do you find people focusing on the facts & getting what they come to get without getting triggered over little opinions.
I agree with you 100% Crystal that our appliances are not as hard-working as years ago. About 15 years ago I bought a Toploader that did not have an agitator, the salesman assured me that even though it is a water saver and it did not agitate, it still did a good job cleaning clothes. Well, The paperwork did not show the length of time for each cycle that should’ve been my first red flag, the cycle I used was so much longer, The water barely filled to the top of the clothes, and once I realized that my husband‘s bluejeans were not getting as clean I threw in a few kitchen towels that were still folded and guess what? When the cycle was done they were still folded! Then, we moved and I bought a front loader, a very well-made high end front loader and what I found was that even though I put it on hot cycle,The washer did not allow straight hot water to come into the washing machine(yes- I do have my hot water faucet all the way open on the hose). Also,I stopped making homemade soap after about a year, my towels were waxy feeling and my husband‘s bluejeans still looked very dirty after the cycles. He is a horseshoer (farrier)his bluejeans get really dirty! There is hope however; My sister did a lot of research and found that Speed Queen still makes a commercial washer for residential homes and it works fantastic! It was an investment, it is not a water saver the tub fills all the way up and it does a great job!
I have a top loader HE and previously I had a front loader HE.. I can't say I've been overly impressed by either of them. But they seem to do the job. But I find your experience very interesting! Especially the folded towels!!.. I have heard so many good things about the Speed Queen washers. If I had been aware of them years ago I would have probably purchased one! I also had the waxy feeling towels and dingy clothes. -Crystal 🙂
Speed Queen is the best machine out there. I believe they keep a few of them around so the "evil doers" are still able to get a GOOD machine while the "useless eaters/proletariates" get the junk. I also bought a brand new machine and in just 3 days I told marched into the local Sears store and told them look at what that piece of junk washer did to my clothes. I brought them my EXPENSIVE sleep number sheets and showed them and all the customers in the store the big holes in my sheets. They picked up the machine the next day. I went to a local refurbished store and bought a 10 yr old machine and love it. The "new" water saving machines are a gimmik. They "save" water by only filling a quarter full of water. So you can't fill the machine with as many clothes and then you have to just wash 4 times more loads. It is discusting what they have done to our appliances, our cars, our EVERYTHING. I recently had a well pump go out. It was almost 40 years old!!!! The guy was shocked. I asked him..."why, how long is this NEW one going to last?" His reply 7-8 years.
My mother recently bought a Speed Queen front loader after her previous washer broke down and the repair man said it wasn't worth fixing. He told her that most appliances these days are junk and the only brand that builds to last is Speed Queen. They aren't sold in the big box home improvement stores, so he recommended a store and Mom called and ordered it over the phone. I think they only make one front loader model now. ? The only problem with it is that it opens to the left - the same as her dryer, so it's awkward transferring the clothes from the washer to the dryer.
For those who make their own soap, it’s recommended to use citric acid as an additive to reduce/eliminate soap scum. Also, all oils/butters used in making soap have different properties. Coconut oil is highly cleansing, so with a zero % superfat is ideal for soap that’s used in laundry soap. I dissolve the mixture of soap/borax/washing soda in hot water so that it will be liquid when using in a cold water wash. And those 100% coconut oil bars are what I now use at the kitchen sink to hand wash dishes that don’t go in the dishwasher, instead of a liquid dish soap. Works great.
I use citric acid in the rinse. I mix 5-6 tablespoons in a liter of water. Fill your fabric softener dispenser with each wash. Look at the ingredient in the new Downy Rinse and Refresh- Citric acid. Do not mix with fabric softener. I was able to release bad odors in clothes and brighten them after getting a build up from home-made felz naphtha soap recipe. I switched to the dawn laundry recipe, but even though I was no longer getting soap scum in my clothes because I started using a detergent, it did not strip the soap scum. You can strip clothes in a citric acid wash. If you look online for tips on cleaning your washer with citric acid, stripping residue from clothes with Citric acid, and as a laundry rinse aid. Citric acid works to clean coffee pots and many other things. If your washer ( not HE) stinks, you have hard water and/ or have been using soap to wash clothes, have dingy or stinky clothes... look into Citric acid. www.milliardbrands.com/pages/citric-acid-user-guide-1 This link to Millard citric acid will give you recipes.
Google making laundry detergent without soap. I found a recipe that says to mix up 1/2 cup Epsom salts, 1 1/2 cups baking soda, 1 1/2 cups washing soda, 1/4 cup sea salt, and if desired 20-25 drops essential oil (like lemon EO for brightening) Mix together, store in an airtight container, and use 1 to 3 tablespoons per load, depending on the size and dirtiness of the laundry
That’s similar to what I use, which is @raincountryhomestead ‘s recipe- 3 parts baking soda, 3 parts washing soda, 2 parts salt. It’s working great for me!
Several years ago I did some research on the topic of making my own laundry soap or detergent and came to the same conclusion as you. However the piece of information which put the nail in the coffin was that washing soda corrodes aluminium very aggressively, which is easy to test. As all home made laundry soaps and detergent use washing soda as an ingredient I determined that the relatively small savings were not worth ruining a washing machine. Every washing machine without exception, at least front loaders, have an aluminium spider which holds the back of the drum. It is made of aluminium because water and detergent will not corrode it. Frequent use of washing soda even in small amounts is guaranteed to ruin a modern machine. I have one caveat: do your own research. I'm not a chemist (though I am a mechanical engineer) and I don't pretend to know if the washing soda in combination with the other ingredients would eliminate the corrosive effects or not. I can say that a washing machine repair technician made me aware of this problem and he recommended that I only ever use washing soda to perform a deep clean of a washing machine annually, and then only if required, immediately followed by many rinses. I enjoyed your logical and soberly presented video. All the best from bonnie Scotland.
Great video. I was making my laundry detergent dry. Washing soda, Borax and laundry Zote soap. I noticed my clothes were getting dingy. So I put the detergent in a pan of water and desolved it on the stove in hot water. I deluted it down and then added it to my store bought detergent. I turned 1 gallon of detergent into 4 gallons. It seems to be working out ok. So far so good.
So, thank you Crystal- very interesting, helpful and informative. Here's what I got to thinking while I read through some comments...- for years now, I have been frustrated with dishwashers and clothes washers... hand-me-downs from friends and my own laundry (all of us using laundry detergent, myself using cold water and sorting into like colors, etc) I found all the things you complained about with your homemade soap to be the case with the 'convention method' as well. PLUS why is it that when I am using a brand new laundry washer or a brand new dishwasher, and I use the recommended detergents, it is also recommended to from time to time use a cleaner for the appliance. Why is that? Shouldn't be soapscum if you use detergent... And they just stop working well after about the first year even when you use the recommended cleaning items. I totally agree with the people who say things just aren't made like they used to be- I have been saying that myself...but sadly even the well made items eventually give up and you have to replace them... I saw comments from people about chemistry- very helpful but still doesn't explain why a new washer just doesn't do a very good job after a short time, even when following the instructions... I am now off grid and wash using a laundry plunger ($20) and Kirk's soap or Dr Bronner soap in a storage tote with a vinegar rinse then another plain water rinse then hang dry. So far so good, but its only been a year...it's amazing how dirty the water in both rinses still are, but my clothes are still in far better shape then they were when I used the washing machine and laundry detergent. The process has really got me diving into more of the science behind all of this- in the rare moment here and there that I have time... A side note about fabric softeners- I have been using dryer balls for years- probably about a dozen years now. I live in central Arizona- very dry air, hard water...- I have found that anytime I got hand-me-downs, thrift clothes, etc, it took 2 or 3 washings to get the static out and switching back and forth doesn't really work- it's all one or the other. That said, when I started hanging my clothes to dry, I was initially using the washing machine then hang drying. My clothes were so messed up. They were crunchy, they were covered in lint. It was bad. I have since come to the conclusion that fabric softener masks the terrible job the washing machine does. When I stopped using it and went with the plunger, 1) I use far less soap and far less water (even with that extra rinse), 2) I can see if extra rinses are necessary 3) no lint 4) no fabric softener and my clothes are soft, smell awesome, don't wrinkle so easily, no more crunchy clothes So... will see how things shape up over the years. Perhaps someday I can do a side by side comparison of different washing methods... Currently doing about 6 loads of laundry/week for a family of 5. I use the washing wand and my wringer is an old mop bucket with mop wringer. I have learned to make laundry my relax time by listening to audio books or catching up on you tube videos while I work...
Would love to see how you do laundry as off grid may be answer to poorly made products and chemicals, etc being put in everything. I'm fighting it now with printer and computer and cell phone. Tired of things becoming 'obsolete' and being forced to 'upgrade' losing more time and privacy. Do you catch rainwater or have a well?
We bought a Speed Queen and we love it. Washer and dryers are not made anymore to last. Most of them are made by one company and slap a different label on it. Speed Queen is American made and well worth it. We still have our old dryer going on over 30 years. I wish they made Maytag like they use too. We don’t buy appliances from big box stores, from a dealer. They have a service department which is great.
Good analysis. My 2 cents: First, HE detergent for HE machines. Next-there are many components to soil/dirt. For example, proteins like blood and egg must be denatured and then removed. Surfactants will NOT denature them-it requires an alkali (soap) or an enzyme. THEN the surfactants remove the denatured protein/aminos. o Is there a role for homemade laundry soap? YES! Basically you wash with the soap and then you rinse with a surfactant. For example I rinse with 3 ml. of Jet-Dry® (rinse aid for dishwashers). o Detergents used to be made from phosphates. You can still purchase tri-sodium phosphate (TSP) at hardware stores. This can be added to homemade laundry soap. However, modern detergents should NOT be added, because they contain added acids. Example: Google "SDS Dawn" to read the ingredients in Dawn dish detergent. The acid counteracts the alkali in the soap. o Alkalis like lye and sodium carbonate (washing soda) RAISE the pH of a liquid. Acids LOWER the pH. When combined, they react. E.g. the alkali in soap reacts with the fatty acids in oil and grease to dissolve it. So only use acids in the rinse cycle, if you use soap. o People who scour (wash) raw wool fleece have found soap does a poor job, but surfactants like whatever is in Dawn do a good job of cleaning. Some references: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfactant en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_scum en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laundry_detergent
I like to use All Free & Clear laundry detergent, too. Tide Free & Clear, and Arm & Hammer detergent for Sensitive Skin are good, too. Costco also has its own brand of Free & Clear laundry detergent (Kirkland), which is a good value.
I’ve had several plumbers advise against using homemade laundry soap. The recipe you use, the machine and whether you have hard or soft water all plays a part in the performance. We built a new home 6 years ago and we bought all the appliances directly from an independent appliance store who is an authorized dealer and repair center for a variety of brands. The salesman who used when remodeling our previous kitchen and also our daughter’s kitchen recommended we look at Speed Queen washers. They are primarily commercial suppliers but offer several models for residential use. We purchased a top loader. It came with a 5 year warranty which is unheard of. The average life of their washers are 25 years or more even with heavy use. It was about $250 more than the average top loader when we bought it but I couldn’t be happier with it. Because I have sensitive skin we use All Free and Clear or the Kirkland (Costco) version. I stock up when it’s on sale and I usually get it for 10 - 12 cents per load. I use dryer balls with crumpled up aluminum foil to control static cling in the dryer. But I still add half of a dryer sheet when drying towels. We have extremely hard water.
I've heard so many good things about Speed Queen washers. To me it sounds like the extra cost of purchasing a Speed Queen is totally worth it! It's something I'll look into in the future if my washer should fail. I'm feeling pretty much over HE machines. I also use dryer balls and love them. We have soft water (spring fed) and I still ended up with so many issues with the homemade. Thanks for sharing! -Crystal
Never used speed queen I think a local aundry mat has them I had an old Maytag it was 22 years old.never ever one single issue the washer sprang a minor leak a seal was replaced never leaked again the dryer had the heating element replaced i.wanted " modern ones" hate them should have kept the OLD tried and true maytags
When I use the dye/perfume free detergent, I use vinager (in a Downy ball) to help my clothes smell better. It takes away the smell from cloth diapers too. Also, it keeps the mold under control if you are using a front loader. I used to do laundry all day in a daycare center. It was very easy for mold to grow if we didn't use the vinager rinse or leave the washer door ajar on the weekends. I could tell you some stories about the nastiness we would find in the washer on Monday mornings.😂
Great video. I've used homemade laundry liquid on & off for years. I've always been aware of the soap issue so I did a few things to try to combat / prevent it. A lot of which you mentioned in this video! Firstly, use a dedicated laundry soap, not one for the body such as dr bronners as they have all been superfatted like you talked about. I also use much less soap than a traditional recipe calls for and add either a tiny tiny bit of dish soap or a little sal suds. Dish soap alone or even more than a tiny tiny bit mixed with the recipe can be just as harmful to the washer as soap. It strips the oil from the internal mechanisms of the machine and eventually kills it. Especially if you use Dawn or fairy here in Europe. I've also added in some calgon to some batches. I did the version by adding in a small bottle of cheap detergent and that worked well too. Id also suggest looking at the ingredients of the liquid you are adding, a lot of the cheap ones and pretty much all of the natural type one all have high concentrations of soap! (I learned that the hard way, by using one of those on my cloth diapers, they stopped absorbing) now I use my homemade on "clean dirty" clothes and use a good powder for things like diapers and whites, I the powder sort of clears out my washer of any potential build up. Its also very important to clean your washer every month!! Either with a commercial cleaner or bleach or using washing soda & vinegar on a very hot wash.
I dont add vinegar straight into the washer HD for 11 years now I add it once every three months to a towel or paid of socks then put in the wash I use lots of water with a good amount of powder to the mixture of zote, naphtha, borax not a lot of borax its really harsh clothes not exactly fragrant but very clean and soft when I have the money I add the crystals to the mixture but am careful with those as well mom of 5
I make my own detergent from dishwashing liquid and I never had any problems. The water in the drum doesn’t really touch the mechanism of the washing machine only the evacuation pump so does not strip the oil from the internal mechanism. I use 1 litre of dishwashing liquid, 500 mils of lemon enzyme ( lemon peels fermented for 3 months with water and sugar) , 50 mils of glycerin, 100 mils of hydrogen peroxide and add water in which I dissolve 3 tablespoons of caustic soda (45 mils) to make 5 litres of detergent. I use half cup per load and I tablespoon of Epsom salt with a few drops of essential oils. Works like a dream.
Agree .... Liquid soap is for handwashing and soap bars are for bathing. Neither is for laundry. Not liquid (aka soap) but just powder -- 1 cup Borax, 1 cup washing soda (homemade or purchased already made), and at time a load is being done will add OxyClean if doing colors or will add 1/2 cup bleach if doing whites. Just 1 Tablespoon DIY detergent powder is added per load added to washing machine. 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar for rinse cycle -- because it is good fabric softener as well as for a descaler since we have very hard water. For dishwasher 1 cup Borax, 1 cup washing soda, and when 1 Tbsp of the DIY powder is added to machine also add 2 tsp to 1 Tbsp lemon juice (for the citric acid; can be fresh squeezed or bottled). We add 1/4 to 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar for the rinse cycle -- only because we have very hard water; not necessary to add routinely if have soft water so can just use when doing a deep cleaning of dishwasher. Never had any issues with laundry being dingy or towels losing absorbency. However, if particularly dirty or sweat stained, the spots are pre-treated, scrubbed with a soft brush, and soaked prior to washing. Every once in awhile (2 to 3 times per year) towels and sheets or anything else that needs it are deep cleaned/descaled -- soaked in a tub of hot tap water with 1 cup of baking soda and 4 cups of distilled white vinegar for 4 hours prior to being soaked in a clear, luke warm rinse water for 30 minutes to an hour and then machine washed. Glassware from the dishwasher, however, tends to have water spots if left to air dry -- such as if turn on dishwasher before going to bed and don't empty it until the next day (we have very hard water and we do not use the heated drying function). We found that, after adding the tablespoon of DIY detergent to the dishwasher detergent cup, that if we topped the cup up with non-iodized coarse salt (as was recommended), it helped a little bit, but still not really all that great to make it worth doing it. However, it really is not a big deal to simply wipe off any water spots before putting the glassware up and only happens if left to air dry. Usually, however, water spots are not even an issue since we are normally towel drying them and putting them away before they've even had a chance to air dry and develop water spots. It is much harder to get rid of water spots, however, if the heat drying function has been used by a well meaning visitor -- but not something we normally use because that function over heats the house as well as shortens the life of the machine and eats up more energy. IF vinegar weren't being rinsed away and was just left undiluted on rubber gaskets then it probably would have an effect on the gaskets. However, that isn't the case and we have never had any issues with gaskets wearing out throughout the life times of either the laundry or dishwashing machines and we've always done this for decades. In fact, due to hard water, vinegar is necessary to keep all of our machines (ice maker, coffee makers, clothes washer, dishwasher, humidifiers, etc.) descaled and long lived. If washing dishes by hand then either a purchased dish liquid is used or after soaking the dish in hot water (or boiling water in any dirty pot to "deglaze" the grime off) a paste is made (2 parts baking soda, 1 part salt and just a little water to form a thick paste) to scrub/polish it. If particularly stubborn stuck on food or stains then will use baking soda, salt and make paste using bottled lemon juice concentrate (ensures at least 5 percent acidity). For super stubborn issues, treat with some baking soda and spray or sprinkle the baking soda with distilled white vinegar to get it fizzing and let stand for 20 minutes to dry; then add some fresh baking soda and vinegar and scrub; then repeat only if necessary to remove any additional layers of stuck on grime if particularly thick such as burnt on food or grease.
Thanks for that vid :) You mentioned Ivy and soapnuts. If you want that liquid to stay longer, put part of it in freezer. A bottle that has the amount you use in a week or two. Or use an icecube tray, freeze them and use 1 or 2 cubes per laundry. So this way you can make larger amount of ”detergent”
I missed this video a while back but I am loving a homemade powder with no soap detergent. It is washing soda, baking soda, salt or Epsom salt and oxiclean. So I whisk this together and also add a small amount of my Ecos detergent. Together my clothes are super fresh and FEEL very clean. I use vinegar as a rinse. Hope that helps. People actually will use this powder alone (2tbsp) a load but I also like my Ecos so I add the smallest amt in. I also dissolve this in hot water first ( not much) before I turn it to warm water. ☺️ I have an old fashion Speed Queen agitator machine and love it. It works hard.
Thank you for sharing this. I have heard a lot of people using no soap, so this is great to hear what you are doing and sharing your experience with it. I think the Speed Queen would make a HUGE difference as well. The next machine I get will be a Speed Queen. I am not a fan of HE washers!! -Crystal
@@HomemakingontheHomestead Be warned that the Speed Queens today are not like the Speed Queen of yesteryear. Do the homework. I just had a heating coil replaced in the dryer (stopped heating up) and they asked how old my SQ was because the repair place they didn't work on the new models. Mine is a 2015. Not old but around that time Speed Queen changed things and they are not what they used to be. You might do better finding a good older model for sale. So sad they have changed the machine. We have the old nut and bolt mechanical one but maybe they are more electronic now?? I have the plain jane white "laundry mat" kind of machine. Nothing fancy.
thank you for the infos... I do not have problem *for the moment* i've been doing my laundry soap for 5-6yrs now... using Borax-baking soda-washing soda-a little bit of oxi-clean- bar of sunlight laundry soap- mix all that use a scoop all is good towels are great colors ok aswell thank you
I Have been using homemade powered in my front loader for 15 years no problems and never had dingy or non-absorbent issues the only thing different is I have always put a pair of sneakers in the washer (to beat the clothes) and put the powder in the drum. I also use my homemade bar soap its 100 % coconut oil.
I appreciate you so much for that breakdown. I dont make my soap, but was thinking of starting to, but always had the doubts and questions not getting answered correctly. You answered them all and gave excellent insight on the whole thing as well. Thank you!!😊
I was just getting ready to mix up a batch of homemade soap now I’m not going to. I would like to find ways to use my Fels soap as a pre-spot. What do you think about that?? I was extremely impressed with your explanation of why and how, that was a lot of work and research!
Years ago I made the soap recipe of Fels Naptha soap, washing soda and borax. I hated how it turned to a separated slimy mess in the bucket with big chunks of thick slime. I was broke, so I used it anyway for about 2 months and then I also noticed how my towels began feeling rough. My niece has a masters in chemistry so I picked her brain about what I could add to the recipe to keep it from being slimy and separating and turn out like commercial laundry soap instead. I gave her the recipe and she said what was happening to make it this goopy slime in the bucket (and what was being deposited on the towels to make them scratchy) was a chemical reaction trying to make a form of plastic - polymer strands. I asked her how to alter the recipe (more of this, less of that) so that didn't happen and she said it was impossible. Kind of like fat and lye make soap and altering the ratio's or adding something isn't going to stop the process of saponification. I don't think the issue is as simple as soap scum. I went back to my 'Free 'n Clear' commercial laundry soap because I didn't want to mess with it anymore. Now I'm curious, because Zote contains Sodium Cocoate which is a surfactant. I might grate up a bar and dilute just the Zote in a bucket of hot water and see if it tries to congeal like the old recipe does.
I saw another video with the Zote and it became sorta like a big, pink, gelatinous-spongy material. Then, the lady used a long stick attached to a drill and mixed it. At the end, it was viscous like detergent from the store. I still have yet to try making homemade laundry detergent but now due to the soap scum remaining I'll probably stick to my 'Free 'n Clear' (love that stuff). However, maybe I'll make hand soap from zote....
Right I don't use the whole zone buy aff fees naphtha borax and a bit of cheap regular detergent. Also, lots of water doesn't always smell super fragrant, but clothes are soft. Clean. Not dingy towels absorbent
...So recently what has been going on with store bought common detergents including Arm & Hammer, sensitive, non fragrant are causing cancer. New York State is suing those companies. This is why I am watching these videos diys. 😢
@@caissa6187 ...a woman on a video melts the soap bar and ½ bar flakes the bars and melts it in water in a smal to medium pot than adds it to her powders in a 5 gallon pot.
Make the 5 gallon recipe using borax and washing soda as usual. But use (1/3) bar of Zote and 3 cups of Tide powder OR Purex powder, Gain, WHATEVER. Stir well. Let set overnight and stir again. Use 1/4 cup per load. Works well. I always press EXTRA WATER on my LG front loader for better washing and rinsing.
I just want to say thank you for posting this. I watched both of your videos. I have been researching homemade laundry detergent for a couple weeks and my reason was to help reduce my use of plastic while also saving money. I was watching some last minute videos before going to the store (literally was going today) to buy everything. I have a front load HE washer. Pretty sure you just saved me lol. Im still not sure how im going to reduce my plastic but I'm glad I found this video. I had thought about the washer sheets from earth breeze, but turns out, i found another informative video about how the sheets have PVA which is plastic!! So i would be eliminating the plastic jug, while adding plastic to the water supply. Doesn't seem like a good trade. It's frustrating when you want to help the planet but there's no way around it. I guess i could invest in a scrub board and wash my laundry old school but realistically with a large family and a full time job its not very feasible 🙁 If anyone has any suggestions, i would love to hear them!!!!
I am experimenting with making my own laundry soap BUT i am trying a recipe that does not use the bar soap at all, 1/2 cup Epsom Salt, 1 1/2 cups Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda),1 1/2 cups Sodium Carbonate (washing soda) 1/4 cup sea salt and some drops of essential oil on a load by load basis and borax for my hot washes. Seems to work pretty well but I'm still testing . Thank you for your videos
I'm glad I ran across your videos before diving into making my own detergent. After the recent detergent ban in New York state, I decided to look into diy. I saw a couple videos on DIY detergents and thought it sounded like a good idea, until your video popped up. You made very good points and have done solid research. I am going to just stick with All Free and Clear because it was recommended by my allergy doctor. Thanks for saving me the trouble of going through all of that hastle. :)
You could attempt with a third bar of zote small amount of borax and mainly the free and clear lots of water you have to adjust the recipe to your clothes, frequency, hot dirty your clothes get etc. Not one way is ever the best way main thing is be careful take all with grain of salt use discernment and trial and test things out
Years & years ago as young homemakers we learned to use hot water to wash especially for white loads. I have always wondered with the newest methods for washing if this wasn't the reason clothes don't come as clean. When this method first came sbout i really liked the savings on electricity or gas but don't like that my wash isn't as clean. I just followed the recipe for stripping towels & will probably do that once a year & continue to use Arm and Hammer laundry detergent. I've never been a fan of bleach or fabric softner but used dryer sheets. I will discontinue using them too. All i can say is do what works for you. Thank you foran in-depth study.
You're welcome. I use wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. They don't work as perfectly as the dryer sheets. But they do work nicely without any issues that dryer sheets cause.
I changed my mind about making homemade laundry soap. I use Arm&Hammer detergent with OxyClean for around 9 dollars that claims to do 75 loads. If I realistically figure 60 loads, that comes to around 15 cents a load. I do around 5 loads a week- that is only 3 bucks a month. If I did 10 loads a week, it would still just be 6 dollars a month. How would making a homemade laundry soap that may harm my washer or clothes be worth making? Including all of the time spent making it? If 6 dollars a month is a problem for me, then I have other very terrible problems I need to deal with. I do however understand if store bought is causing you allergic reactions of any kind, you have no choice.!!
We have been using a small amount free and clear, from Seventh Generation for 14 years. But I add 1 cup of distilled white vinegar which I dilute in an empty gallon jug. I also add between 1/4 to 1/3 cup of diluted in hot water, baking soda only in a white wash. My laundry is soft, and towels are very absorbent. Cleans my husband's stinky, very dirty work clothes. We no longer wear any clothing, or have sheets or towels that have any manmade fabrics, such as rayon, or polyesters. We are doing better without dyes, perfumes and heavy chemicals. We also have very hard water and we do not have a salt based water softener. It was making us sick. Nothing else has worked for us.
I use vinegar EVERY single time I do a load and have for too many years to count and I use it every once in awhile in dishwasher...never had a problem with ruining anything.
Regarding stains: if you have a stained garment but no stain remover at hand, try rubbing soap on the stain before putting the garment in the washing machine. The stain will come out.
Ive made the original laundry soap a few times and it didnt clean that well. Then i added OxiClean and 1c of Tide powder to the mix. It transformed the liquid into the most amazing cleaner. My wife couldn't get over how well it works. So, adding a detergent will change the whole outcome. With Zote being present its important to only use warm/warm cycle amd never cold water. Also put vinegar in the rinse cup. Never add vinegar to a wash. It will cancel out the alkaline pH and neutralize the soap function. Vinegar is for softening and rinsing out the soap fat.
I always put a A STORE BRAND LAUNDRY DEREGENT IN MY HOMEMADE LAUNDRY SOAP BECAUSE IT HAS ASURFACTANTS IN IT AND YES IT WORKS GOOD I HAVE HAD MY HE WASHER FOR 15 YEAR I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM IF YOU DO NOT PUT IT IN YOUR HOMEMADE YOU MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM IT IS THE SURFACTINTS THAT MAKES IT WORK FOR ME I HAVE USE HOMEMADE FOR 40 YEARS SO DO WHAT YOU FEEL THAT THAT MAKES YOU FEEL SAFE
I make a laundry wash of borax, washing soda, oxilcean and box of dishwashing powder..Clothes get clean,smell very good and removes grass and grease stains. It also brightens my whites.
Another idea: At least for those in the Midwest. I now buy my free and clear detergent from a fundraiser. Sports teams do this sometimes. They have copycat detergents that they sell in big five gallon buckets for around $45 a bucket. This is probably not the cheapest option, but way cheaper then buying at the store.
I wash my hair with diluted soap nuts on occasion. If you have thin hair or nor even thin. If you want shine and body. I recommend. Some people might need conditioner after on their lengths.
I've been mixing Foca or Roma with borax and washing soda and I was also adding Fels Naptha but I ran out. I don''t plan to repurchase the Fels Naptha, I like the scent but I don't think it is needed. I add a scoop of Oxy Clean for whites to whites. I have hard water and a front loader. I prefer a powder because I think liquids gum up the washer more.
Several years ago I started making my homemade washing detergent with Zote. We had to buy a new washer HE. I had found out it says on the box not to use Zote Soap with a HE washer. As you just said you didn't want to void your warranty & I was in the same situation. Now 2-3 years later I have been using this recipe. I buy a cheap brand of detergent for HE washers. I add borax, washing soda, scent beads and if I feel I need I add baking soda or oxi clean. I have to be careful and add separate the oxi clean because it bleaches my tops or pants. The reason for this is making this recipe is still cheaper but also convenient. After 2-3 years I have had good luck with this recipe and feel it is safe with my HE washer. It also last a long time in comparison to use commercial detergent alone. Thanks for your informative and update.
i am wondering if the addition of an acidic addition to the soap, more for the home made lard soap, though citric acid comes as a powder, what that could do to the homemade soap powder.
I saw on your video you mentioned that you make your own bar soap and I just have to say your skin looks so beautiful and so healthy! I’m curious to know what you use for your skin care, if it’s store bought or something you make yourself?
Oh thank you, that is so kind of you. Really, the only thing I use is my own homemade soap. Occasionally I'll use some lotion.. but not often. My favorite lotion/cream is from The Seaweed Bath Company. amzn.to/3zX6Wox (affl link). If you're ever interested in making your own soap I have a video on how to make it in a crockpot.. it's easier then you think! ua-cam.com/video/SyqXawx9i9c/v-deo.html -Crystal
I recently started using the bar dish washing soaps. I also use bar soap to wash my hands at the sink. I have used the bar dish soap to remove the soap scum that the hand soap leaves behind. I wonder if this might be the answer that we are looking for with using the dry DIY laundry cleaner. 🤔 I will look into it more and see if it is a good option.
I have just moved to Nicaragua and will be washing my clothes by hand with a wash board. Since I will.be using friction, is adding the soap like Zote to a detergent okay?
I’ve been very fortunate. My homemade soap works great. I think it may be because I have a water softener. Water here is very hard so almost everyone has one. Interesting topic. 😊 Thank you!
I'm researching how to make my own, I have not made my own detergent yet. My washer doesn't have an agitator. I'm doing it because my son had eczema and I want it nontoxic. Which is hard finding a recipe without arm & hammer.
Every year I get so hype like I forgot about making homemade laundry soap… I bought all the ingredients… but then I remember I bailed bc I have an HE. Thanks for the reminder.
Interesting. I know store bought detergents use blue dye which is the "compliment" color to yellow. It thus counter "dyes out" the yellow dingy look of whites. So that can be why clothes may appear whiter with store bought detergents. But.. my experience... I have a front load washer, that I love. I have very hard water, that I hate. I started making laundry detergent about 10 years ago for health reasons #1. Then cost #2... (but I think you can find budget-friendly detergents). But now... I make laundry detergent still for health reasons & because I honestly think it cleans my clothes better & leaves my whites brighter. But I make my detergent different than you did... I add: 3 different laundry bars, add Oxo Brite Non Chlorine Bleach to the powders you used, SAL SUDS (detergent), & OdoBan. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #1. I use coconut oil for my laundry bar... which I think cleans amazingly! And, I actually use all 3 laundry bars: Zotes (better for whiting clothes), Fels Naptha (better to clean oils), & my coconut laundry bar (which is just all-around amazing, IMHO). I like making a couple 5 gallon buckets of detergent at a time though because I have room in my basement to store them, & it usually lasts a year or two. #2. I use 3 cups of Borax, 3 cups of Super Wash, 3 cups of baking soda, 3 cups of Oxo Brite No Chlorine Bleach powder. I grate my 3 bars & slowly melt them in water with Borax... Borax is like flour in gravy making. It will thicken your detergent. Water thins it. I pour my Borax & melted soaps bars in a 5 gallon bucket. I then add Super Wash & Oxo Brite. I do the normal mixing with hot tap water until the bucket is about 3/4 full (leaves stirring room). I then pour half of that into another 5 gallon bucket. I let each bucket thicken overnight. The next day, I will add about 32 oz of SAL SUDS to each 5 gallon bucket with about a half to a full gallon of lavender OdoBan in each bucket as well. I will add water until each bucket is 3/4 full. I leave my detergent thick for storage & thin my laundry detergent out with hot tap water as I fill up my detergent dispenser that I use in my laundry room. I sometimes add more Sal Suds if I feel the need when I fill up my detergent dispenser.
"soap" liquid with an amount of vinegar in the mix seems to be a good idea.also using a mixing paddle on a drill to beat the slime .I think if you were to use a half cup of bleach after every 5 loads or so just by itself in a full drum it will keep up on soap scum and keep the machine clean before it ever makes a problem.? Same concept with a dishwasher and using a cleaner pack to clean the machine.i wonder if a dishwasher cleaning pod or 2 here and there could work for a washing machine 🤔
Oh, and I just thought I would chime in again. I noticed that you mentioned that you are frustrated with your HE washer. I am assuming it is front loading. In the factory, the water level sensors are manually set to the most water efficient setting. Unfortunately, this makes them perform horribly. You can adjust the water level sensor, so it will fill with more water. Search How to Get More Water in a Frontloader or How to Adjust the Water Levels of Frontloader. I did this with my HE front loader and it improved performance a lot. I ultimately ended up buying an older Speed Queen laundromat washer to help me blaze through laundry fast....but adjusting the water level worked a charm of my HE front loader.
I use to have a front loader my current HE machine is a top loader.. wonder if I could figure out how to override the sensor on it? Hmm... 🤔 Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing Crystal, I used to always make the homemade laundry detergent as well but it made my clothes so dingy, so I stopped as well. I'm interested in the english ivy I may research that and try, I think the soap nuts are really expensive. Have a lovely day🤗🌸🌺🌻
Hi Christal! 😊 I found the English Ivy VERY interesting.. When I did the soap nuts math.. $39.80 for 2.2 lbs and it does 330 loads of laundry it came to 12 cents a load. When I buy All Free & Clear, on sale at Costco.. it comes to 12 cents a load. I don't see a huge cost savings using them and a lot more hassle to use (make the soap berry syrup or having to wash in hot water and pretreating stains, etc...) .. but if someone has allergies to detergents or doesn't want the chemicals in their laundry it could be a solution.. I wanted to try it out just to see what they are like.. but who knows if I'll get to that.. LOL 😄😄 I hope you are having a wonderful day today!! -Crystal 🙂
@@HomemakingontheHomesteadYou don't need to make a soap berry syrup. Just deseed and fill a handful into a linen bag and toss in with the clothes. Soapnuts can be reused till they become dry and fibrous depending upon the quality upto 6 times perhaps. I use two bags simultaneously, one new and one reused to get max use.
I've used soap nuts ( which are very popular for hair wash in my native country India) for my laundry. Just deseed a handful, put them into a linen bag and throw into the bin. Can be reused several times till they turn fibrous. Very economical as well. Ofc, I run the hot water cycle on my machine. Absolutely no need for softeners.
I use Earth Breeze laundry detergent SHEETS, and I also used to use OxyClean with my white towels, but it seemed like they had "residue" on them no matter how little I used (I even got down to only using 1/4 of the scoop that comes with it in an extra large load, and we have very hard water... I also have used it without the Earth Breeze sheets and still had the residue feeling). I tried the Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda (1 cup as they suggest) along with 1 of my Earth Breeze laundry sheets and they came out whiter and fluffier! I will be using it instead of the OxyClean from now on! My husband and I REALLY like the Earth Breeze sheets too, and they come in scent free and lightly scented. They are low-sudsing, but we do not have an he machine... just a regular top loader with agitator. The real bonus with them is that there is NO MORE gigantic plastic jugs going into landfills when you use them... I just love that! Think of all the plastic that would save going into the environment if we all switched! They even get shipped to you in a cardboard box and the packages they're in are a lighter cardboard. This also saves a lot in gas because it's much cheaper to ship them than it is a heavy plastic jug of regular liquid laundry detergent. It's just like normal laundry detergent, but they have removed the water and the dry sheets dissolve in your washing machine's water. I will say, I do fill an old plastic jar with hot water and add my sheet to that, then shake it up a little as some people said they had trouble with it dissolving in cold water, but my husband doesn't do this step and he said he never had a problem with it not dissolving, so you would have to try it for yourselves.
Ive been using washing soda, borax, dish soap & water. If you ever dont have washing soda..you can use baking soda...you just have to spread it out on a baking sheet ..bake on 400 degree for 1 hour..let it cool & use! It changes the baking soda into what washing soda is.
@@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane I also use the Earth Breeze sheets and like them very much. They clean well and I like not adding any more plastic to the environment.
Donna, I don't make it anymore. The recipe I made for years was a very basic one and it and variations are all over the internet. It had washing soda, borax and soap (Zote or Felsnaptha or homemade). -Crystal
Have you tried using a castile soap bar such as Dr. Bonners ( grating it like cheese) or me personally I like the liquid castile soap because i prefer making and using liquid detergent. Just be aware that using castile soap bar or your ingredient can leave a residue behind on your clotred clothing. You would notice it more on the darks and Deming. What has worked for me in the past when I used my powder recipe. I would add vinegar where tge fabric softener goes and that would eliminate the residue. You can also add some water and dissolve the powder to a liquid. Would help break up the soap. I think maybe that's why your laundry was not able to absorb the water properly and the residue over time was leaving the build up that caused your clothes to look dingy. Just my thoughts and suggestions. Love from Texas!
I just came across your videos and have a question. I have about 4 gallons of homemade laundry soap remaining. The soap is made with Zote as well as Borax, washing soda, Oxy, Baking Soda, and fabric softener crystals. I do have an HE top load machine and I don't want to get rid of my remaining mix. Based on your reported research on using soap as a laundry cleaner, would I be able to add dish detergent to the load to counter the oils in the Zote soap?
Everything I've watched so far, have not mentioned the use of Calgon water softener ( sodium sesquicarbonate ) as a surfactant. Is it still available? I'm into DIY laundry detergent and really want to get right, but, with all the sodium's available I sure am learning a lot!
Glad I watched this as it answered certain points I would have made. A couple of points I still want to make after watching this: 1. All detergents create scum. Nature of the beast, that's why you need to run the tub clean cycle on a regular basis, I assume HE washing detergents have something specific to prevent this but suffice to say soap scum is not specific to home made laundry detergents. 2. Lots of recipes use Borax, personally I think that Oxi Clean does a better job, it contains many of the ingredients you're talking about that brighten clothes, break surface tension, soften/condition water meaning that more of the soap is washed out. Not knocking the Borax but if someone has to choose I'd always advise to run with Oxi Clean. Obviously people have to find what works for them, I appreciate the advice here especially in suggesting using cheap washing powder/liquid as a base. That's a great idea and I think I'll run with that for making home made laundry soap in the future, it's still going to be cheaper than using just the soap albeit if the goal is less chemicals it may not be the way to go. :-) Appreciate you Crystal.
I agree with you about the soap scum. I wanted to mention that I made the basic homemade recipe and used Oxy powder in mine. I don’t know if it was the Oxy or just not having detergent but my reds and darks were losing their brightness/color. I assume it was from the Oxy. This time I left the Oxy out and just add it to my lights/whites loads as needed instead of all loads.
Thank you for all the useful information. A good presentation. My mother liked to use borax and soda… She learned that, of course, growing up… That’s been many years ago.😄 Jesus bless you and yours.
Did you end up finding a store bought brand that you like that works well in your front loader? Is it a powder and does it dissolve? I usually use liquid Tide, but I hate storing so much product (because of the water in it).....I'm looking for something more concentrated like a powder that works well in my front loader, and stores well. And thank you for this info. I was about to try making my own laundry soap.
I have a top loader. Currently I use All (or Kirkland from Costco) free and clear. My hubby has allergies to the scents. I use the liquid and it works well.
I checked my regular washing detergents that I have on hand and they can be used in HE machines. You just use less. They tell you how much you can use in HE machines. Good to know.
@@HomemakingontheHomestead I haven't priced HE detergent but I'm guessing if you buy regular and use less it might be cheaper per load. Thx for responding!
That’s this round of tik tok version. The old version didn’t use any detergent, only shredded laundry soap bars, borax and washing soda. The newer tik tok versions are adding in cheap detergents ( foca, Ariel) plus oxiclean, which is a way to get more mileage out of cheaper detergents by using in laundry boosters. They also now ( correctly) say to use 2 tbsp which would naturally extend how long your detergent lasts.
Okay, so what else can I do with this batch I already made? 😅 I'm definitely not using it in my brand new washing machine now. I'll be sticking w/seventh generation free and clear detergent. Immediately after watching, I remembered the white film Dr. Bronner's soap tends to leave behind when used for cleaning.
Subscribed! Glad you weathered all those comments & Like your style-easy to listen to!!-.. So Has Anyone-Just used Liquid Murphys Oil soap? Not sure abt new machines-Thats why I don't have one-w out agitator they aren't for me- So even though it wld void warrantee prob-it isn't High Sudsing-& it works very well if allowed to "SIT" with or on whatever using it with. I've used it forever-- my white footie sock bottoms-use it & bleach to remove almost all dirt stain w out scrubbing & throw into washer. So when SHTF as peppers say-& $$ is very tight- I thought I would just get [Only buy] large bottles-[the spray is less concentrated & I van make it w the less expensive large bottle- **Stuff is worth 10 other cleaners!! I've seen cleaning floor videos where suggest using bottle of liquid laundry soap to wash floors & ppl wanted to try it??? $7-8 for a bucket of cleaning for a floor? Too much soap also.. I use 2-Capfuls!! Off Murphs & plenty in 1/2 ,to 2/3 bucket of cleaning water for floor or walls or anything-Linoleum floors-almost any surface can use Nurphys-doesnt have to be wood-Glass may be abt only thing wldnt just use for that-Otherwise I think if you need to spot treat your floors & cloths stains-bc of heavy use-& can't get to it as quick as you'd like- take Spray Bottle w Murphys ..just spray smaller areas on floor to spot clean at a time & allow to sit 3-5 min- Then wash with the Regular pail of Murphys-[thow in washer]. Really bad spots done at same time-& if it's very bad-RINSE your floor or clothes extra rinse cycle w towels if too much sudsing- or used too much soap.. w clean water & Clean mop of course- when done - **One big issue many ppl unknowingly use TOO nuch Manufacturers Soap! With Laundry Soap the Manufacturers Tell u to use more than is Necessary to. Sell more of course-but all of us arent farming or playing like kids etc-.most of us wear our clothes 8-12 Hrs & don't use them outside- just have perpetuation & maybe smoke or etc Odor to remove-So THIS can SAVE 50% of laundry cost possibly by using 50% less reg Laundty soap & pre Treating w Murphys. Or if Really financially strapped -& Don't have new front Washer style-Maybe try 4-capfuls of Murphys or good Dishsoap if it's cheaper-if that doesn't suds too much- That why the Murphys I think wld be better-Also if you need to remove bad ly soiled or greasy clothes frim working on cars etc-then splurge on Hit water wash if possible-Warm or Cold rince-warm water will warm the oil or greese up to remove it better-Esp if in a Top Loader-let it mix a sec w agitation & then stop to set min- or let it be a longer agitation cycle & give it time to be in contact as of you pre-treated with it-Thos is the Key of Murphys & other soaps i can imagine--it will do work for you esp if let sit for sec. Also Natural!! Most ppl LOVE the good small not chemical type either-- GOOD luck!
I am allergic to dust. I Always run my washes with hot water to kill the dust mites in my garments, everything. I haven't had a problem with my towels but my whites once in a while they need a little bleach to brighten them up. The colors are fine. I have a maytag top load with the oscillator.
I also love the scent of Roma I bought two bags of it at Walmart and sprinkle a pinch of zote in with each load. I don't mix my ingredients up, I have the bags of washing soda, Roma and grated zote sitting atop my dryer.
I use borax, super soda, fels naphtha and tide. I have not had any issues and wondering if others have used this. I make 5 gallons at a time which includes 72 ounces of tide. Any thoughts. I love tide but it's so expensive to use tide alone.
Yes, the addition of the Tide would be what is preventing any types of issues. I think that sounds like a great way to stretch out your detergent. -Crystal
Hi Pam, thank you 😊 I buy All Free & Clear and use the liquid. Years ago I switched to liquid because the powdered sometimes would not dissolve in cool water. They probably don't have that issue anymore but I just stayed with the liquid. I also have a small area right now that holds my detergent the bottle of liquid fits better there! 😄 -Crystal 🙂
This video was awesome. Well done! I look fwd to searching through the comments and would love to see a Part 3! Maybe you'll find a cheap homemade option that WORKS and maybe not. Either way, it would be great to hear from you again.
Does anyone know anything about using egg yolk as a detergent? I haven't read any comments and I haven't looked it up yet, but I remember my chemistry teacher saying egg yolk is a detergent. I have heard that it can take out stains too...
I hope you still check the comments on this video. I was wondering about liquid natural detergents that are plant oil based (as the manufacturer claims)? How do these work? Looking forward to your answer.
I honestly agree with her.😃 I tried every type of ingredient to make my DIY laundry detergent .😮 I tried dry ingredients.😮 I tried to dissolve the dry ingredients into liquid.😮 I tried to make it with only three to four ingredients .😮 I even tried to add more ingredients to make my DIY laundry detergent work.😮 Adding more ingredients just makes it cost more per load and makes no sense in making it when you can actually buy a name brand laundry (detergent) .😮 And adding too many ingredients to your DIY laundry detergent no longer makes it a natural laundry detergent.😮 All laundry soap bars are (not detergents ) and have a very hard time dissolving in cold water.😮 And many of these laundry bars and even soaps bars for your body leave a residue on your clothing and skin.😮 And many of these DIY recipes tell you to use store-bought dry name brand laundry detergent or liquid detergent to add to the mix what is the point in that.😮 Why not just use store brand laundry detergent or name brand laundry detergent without the added ingredients.😮 I do use occasionally on my stains on my clothing the Fels-Naptha bar of stain remover.😍 But the the zote bar to me leaves a glaze on my clothing even feeling it and looking at it you can see a glaze on it and something that I can't understand you can catch fish with soap bars.😮 I also cannot understand that one bar of zote and one cup of laundry baking soda and one cup of borax in a 5-gallon of water gives you 5 gallons of concentrated laundry detergent.😮 Also many of these dry ingredients don't fully dissolve.😮 Even if you tried to dissolve them in hot water many times they will be still a grid in the bottom of the 5 gallon bucket like sand.😮 I will stick with my name brand laundry detergent Tide and Tide OxiClean. 😍 And I use white vinegar and a few drops of pure essential lavender oil with a few drops of tea tree pure essential oil to make my clothing have a good small.😍 I am going to try a recipe that I seen for liquid laundry detergent DIY and see if it works.🤔🤔🤔 (1) One big bottle of Down dishwashing detergent soap the one with the duck .😍 (2) Two cups of laundry baking soda.😍 (3) Two cups of baking soda regular. (4) Two cups of OxiClean All purpose made for all colore clothing.😍 (5) Two cups of borax 😍 And (30) drops of lavender pure essential oil and (30) drops of tea tree pure essential oil.😍 In a 5 gallon bucket with hot water.🤔 Mix it really good.🤔 And use only one teaspoon or 1 tbsp per loads only.🤔 And always use some white vinegar as your fabric softener. 😍 I use a round 3 tbsp to 6 tablespoons per load not to overdo it.🤔 And I use a wooly ball with some pure essential oil on it as my fabric softener sheets replacement since store bought liquid fabric softener and fabric beads as well as fabric sheets are harmful and full of chemicals which layer onto your clothing as well as your washing machine and dryer causing damage to your machines and your health.😢 So I am not saying that all DIY laundry detergent doesn't work it works for some people and it doesn't work for others. It is up to each individual person to find out what works for them.🤔 But like this person is saying many laundry bar soaps are not really laundry detergent and soaps meant for your body is not laundry detergent. We are all looking to save on money but sometimes these DIY recipes don't save you in money and cause damage to your machines as well as your health.🤔 And also really don't clean your clothing at all .😮 It is really up to you.🤔
I just made a five gallon bucket of the traditional recipe. Sigh.... So can I rescue it with adding the Foca? I don't want to waste what I've already made. Is it possible to add too many ingredients to the mix?
Thanks so much for making this. The breakdown explanations helped my understanding of why my homemade recipe was causing the same problems you mentioned. I appreciate your experience and analysis!
You’re only supposed to use 2tbsp with HE. I use 2 tbsp in my top load with agitator. Stains are pretreated. Doing this, I can extend 4.5 kg bag to 4500g/30g= 150 loads. If you add in washing soda, and borax and push it to 5.5 kg, you can get 183 loads out of it. We only do full loads, and doing so twice a week, we can get 1.76 years out of it. Even if you do 3 loads a week, it should still last you about a year. The best tip is to not wash things that look and smell clean. People who work in offices, with ac, and those who don’t sweat a lot, should just hang their clothes back. Do a sight and smell test, if the item passes, just put it back in the closet.
I thought your first video was clear. I think people just have a hard time grasping the differences between soaps and detergents, even though you explained it really well. Also, I am a lover of all things old and vintage and some people lot that stuff too, but they have a hard time admitting that not everything vintage is useful for how it used to be used. 🤷🏼♀️
What a great comment and not to mention a great observation as well. I'm glad you spoke up and said this because a lot of what's going on in social media is rooted on polarizing opinions or the lack thereof. Most of what people generally keep to themselves when in dialogue is out in the open. Rarely do you find people focusing on the facts & getting
what they come to get without getting triggered over little opinions.
I agree with you 100% Crystal that our appliances are not as hard-working as years ago. About 15 years ago I bought a Toploader that did not have an agitator, the salesman assured me that even though it is a water saver and it did not agitate, it still did a good job cleaning clothes. Well, The paperwork did not show the length of time for each cycle that should’ve been my first red flag, the cycle I used was so much longer, The water barely filled to the top of the clothes, and once I realized that my husband‘s bluejeans were not getting as clean I threw in a few kitchen towels that were still folded and guess what? When the cycle was done they were still folded! Then, we moved and I bought a front loader, a very well-made high end front loader and what I found was that even though I put it on hot cycle,The washer did not allow straight hot water to come into the washing machine(yes- I do have my hot water faucet all the way open on the hose).
Also,I stopped making homemade soap after about a year, my towels were waxy feeling and my husband‘s bluejeans still looked very dirty after the cycles. He is a horseshoer (farrier)his bluejeans get really dirty!
There is hope however; My sister did a lot of research and found that Speed Queen still makes a commercial washer for residential homes and it works fantastic! It was an investment, it is not a water saver the tub fills all the way up and it does a great job!
I have a top loader HE and previously I had a front loader HE.. I can't say I've been overly impressed by either of them. But they seem to do the job. But I find your experience very interesting! Especially the folded towels!!.. I have heard so many good things about the Speed Queen washers. If I had been aware of them years ago I would have probably purchased one! I also had the waxy feeling towels and dingy clothes. -Crystal 🙂
Could I trouble you for the model number? Thanks!
I would also ask if it's not too much trouble for the speed queen model number. Thank you!!
Speed Queen is the best machine out there. I believe they keep a few of them around so the "evil doers" are still able to get a GOOD machine while the "useless eaters/proletariates" get the junk. I also bought a brand new machine and in just 3 days I told marched into the local Sears store and told them look at what that piece of junk washer did to my clothes. I brought them my EXPENSIVE sleep number sheets and showed them and all the customers in the store the big holes in my sheets. They picked up the machine the next day. I went to a local refurbished store and bought a 10 yr old machine and love it. The "new" water saving machines are a gimmik. They "save" water by only filling a quarter full of water. So you can't fill the machine with as many clothes and then you have to just wash 4 times more loads. It is discusting what they have done to our appliances, our cars, our EVERYTHING. I recently had a well pump go out. It was almost 40 years old!!!! The guy was shocked. I asked him..."why, how long is this NEW one going to last?" His reply 7-8 years.
My mother recently bought a Speed Queen front loader after her previous washer broke down and the repair man said it wasn't worth fixing. He told her that most appliances these days are junk and the only brand that builds to last is Speed Queen. They aren't sold in the big box home improvement stores, so he recommended a store and Mom called and ordered it over the phone. I think they only make one front loader model now. ? The only problem with it is that it opens to the left - the same as her dryer, so it's awkward transferring the clothes from the washer to the dryer.
For those who make their own soap, it’s recommended to use citric acid as an additive to reduce/eliminate soap scum. Also, all oils/butters used in making soap have different properties. Coconut oil is highly cleansing, so with a zero % superfat is ideal for soap that’s used in laundry soap. I dissolve the mixture of soap/borax/washing soda in hot water so that it will be liquid when using in a cold water wash. And those 100% coconut oil bars are what I now use at the kitchen sink to hand wash dishes that don’t go in the dishwasher, instead of a liquid dish soap. Works great.
How much citric acid should we add for a 5 gallons? Thanks.
I use citric acid in the rinse. I mix 5-6 tablespoons in a liter of water. Fill your fabric softener dispenser with each wash. Look at the ingredient in the new Downy Rinse and Refresh- Citric acid. Do not mix with fabric softener. I was able to release bad odors in clothes and brighten them after getting a build up from home-made felz naphtha soap recipe. I switched to the dawn laundry recipe, but even though I was no longer getting soap scum in my clothes because I started using a detergent, it did not strip the soap scum. You can strip clothes in a citric acid wash. If you look online for tips on cleaning your washer with citric acid, stripping residue from clothes with Citric acid, and as a laundry rinse aid. Citric acid works to clean coffee pots and many other things. If your washer ( not HE) stinks, you have hard water and/ or have been using soap to wash clothes, have dingy or stinky clothes... look into Citric acid. www.milliardbrands.com/pages/citric-acid-user-guide-1
This link to Millard citric acid will give you recipes.
Google making laundry detergent without soap. I found a recipe that says to mix up 1/2 cup Epsom salts, 1 1/2 cups baking soda, 1 1/2 cups washing soda, 1/4 cup sea salt, and if desired 20-25 drops essential oil (like lemon EO for brightening)
Mix together, store in an airtight container, and use 1 to 3 tablespoons per load, depending on the size and dirtiness of the laundry
That’s similar to what I use, which is @raincountryhomestead ‘s recipe- 3 parts baking soda, 3 parts washing soda, 2 parts salt. It’s working great for me!
I have a HE washing machine, can I use this recipe with salt?
@@eccentricviewingsnoidiotsa554 What kind of salt do you use? How long have you been using it? Thanks
I was using that but now my whites are grayish🤷🏻♀
Salts start to rust up the drum and inside of your washer, the problem gets out of control fast because salt+metal don’t mix well.
Several years ago I did some research on the topic of making my own laundry soap or detergent and came to the same conclusion as you. However the piece of information which put the nail in the coffin was that washing soda corrodes aluminium very aggressively, which is easy to test. As all home made laundry soaps and detergent use washing soda as an ingredient I determined that the relatively small savings were not worth ruining a washing machine. Every washing machine without exception, at least front loaders, have an aluminium spider which holds the back of the drum. It is made of aluminium because water and detergent will not corrode it. Frequent use of washing soda even in small amounts is guaranteed to ruin a modern machine.
I have one caveat: do your own research. I'm not a chemist (though I am a mechanical engineer) and I don't pretend to know if the washing soda in combination with the other ingredients would eliminate the corrosive effects or not. I can say that a washing machine repair technician made me aware of this problem and he recommended that I only ever use washing soda to perform a deep clean of a washing machine annually, and then only if required, immediately followed by many rinses.
I enjoyed your logical and soberly presented video.
All the best from bonnie Scotland.
Good info to know! Thank you
Does baking soda ruin the aluminum too?
Great video. I was making my laundry detergent dry. Washing soda, Borax and laundry Zote soap. I noticed my clothes were getting dingy. So I put the detergent in a pan of water and desolved it on the stove in hot water. I deluted it down and then added it to my store bought detergent. I turned 1 gallon of detergent into 4 gallons. It seems to be working out ok. So far so good.
Sounds like a good way to stretch it out! -Crystal
I use a cup of Epsom salt on high temperature cycle with the washing machine empty and it'll clean up any soap build up.
So, thank you Crystal- very interesting, helpful and informative. Here's what I got to thinking while I read through some comments...- for years now, I have been frustrated with dishwashers and clothes washers... hand-me-downs from friends and my own laundry (all of us using laundry detergent, myself using cold water and sorting into like colors, etc) I found all the things you complained about with your homemade soap to be the case with the 'convention method' as well. PLUS why is it that when I am using a brand new laundry washer or a brand new dishwasher, and I use the recommended detergents, it is also recommended to from time to time use a cleaner for the appliance. Why is that? Shouldn't be soapscum if you use detergent... And they just stop working well after about the first year even when you use the recommended cleaning items. I totally agree with the people who say things just aren't made like they used to be- I have been saying that myself...but sadly even the well made items eventually give up and you have to replace them... I saw comments from people about chemistry- very helpful but still doesn't explain why a new washer just doesn't do a very good job after a short time, even when following the instructions...
I am now off grid and wash using a laundry plunger ($20) and Kirk's soap or Dr Bronner soap in a storage tote with a vinegar rinse then another plain water rinse then hang dry. So far so good, but its only been a year...it's amazing how dirty the water in both rinses still are, but my clothes are still in far better shape then they were when I used the washing machine and laundry detergent. The process has really got me diving into more of the science behind all of this- in the rare moment here and there that I have time...
A side note about fabric softeners- I have been using dryer balls for years- probably about a dozen years now. I live in central Arizona- very dry air, hard water...- I have found that anytime I got hand-me-downs, thrift clothes, etc, it took 2 or 3 washings to get the static out and switching back and forth doesn't really work- it's all one or the other. That said, when I started hanging my clothes to dry, I was initially using the washing machine then hang drying. My clothes were so messed up. They were crunchy, they were covered in lint. It was bad. I have since come to the conclusion that fabric softener masks the terrible job the washing machine does. When I stopped using it and went with the plunger, 1) I use far less soap and far less water (even with that extra rinse), 2) I can see if extra rinses are necessary 3) no lint 4) no fabric softener and my clothes are soft, smell awesome, don't wrinkle so easily, no more crunchy clothes
So... will see how things shape up over the years. Perhaps someday I can do a side by side comparison of different washing methods...
Currently doing about 6 loads of laundry/week for a family of 5. I use the washing wand and my wringer is an old mop bucket with mop wringer. I have learned to make laundry my relax time by listening to audio books or catching up on you tube videos while I work...
Very interesting!! Thank you for sharing your information. I admire anyone who lives off grid!!! Good for you..
Brilliant! Congrats!
Would love to see how you do laundry as off grid may be answer to poorly made products and chemicals, etc being put in everything. I'm fighting it now with printer and computer and cell phone. Tired of things becoming 'obsolete' and being forced to 'upgrade' losing more time and privacy. Do you catch rainwater or have a well?
We bought a Speed Queen and we love it. Washer and dryers are not made anymore to last. Most of them are made by one company and slap a different label on it. Speed Queen is American made and well worth it. We still have our old dryer going on over 30 years. I wish they made Maytag like they use too. We don’t buy appliances from big box stores, from a dealer. They have a service department which is great.
My old 1999 kenmore direct drive washer still works great, and cleans clothes great ..2 speed washer fast and slow speed agitator top loader
Concur- SpeedQueen comercial is THE washer to get! NO electronics to fail!
I have a speed queen washer and it rocks!
Good analysis. My 2 cents: First, HE detergent for HE machines. Next-there are many components to soil/dirt. For example, proteins like blood and egg must be denatured and then removed. Surfactants will NOT denature them-it requires an alkali (soap) or an enzyme. THEN the surfactants remove the denatured protein/aminos.
o Is there a role for homemade laundry soap? YES! Basically you wash with the soap and then you rinse with a surfactant. For example I rinse with 3 ml. of Jet-Dry® (rinse aid for dishwashers).
o Detergents used to be made from phosphates. You can still purchase tri-sodium phosphate (TSP) at hardware stores. This can be added to homemade laundry soap. However, modern detergents should NOT be added, because they contain added acids. Example: Google "SDS Dawn" to read the ingredients in Dawn dish detergent. The acid counteracts the alkali in the soap.
o Alkalis like lye and sodium carbonate (washing soda) RAISE the pH of a liquid. Acids LOWER the pH. When combined, they react. E.g. the alkali in soap reacts with the fatty acids in oil and grease to dissolve it. So only use acids in the rinse cycle, if you use soap.
o People who scour (wash) raw wool fleece have found soap does a poor job, but surfactants like whatever is in Dawn do a good job of cleaning.
Some references:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfactant
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_scum
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laundry_detergent
I am very impressed with how well you described your process and the research you did. You are a wonderful teacher.
Thank you 😊
I like to use All Free & Clear laundry detergent, too. Tide Free & Clear, and Arm & Hammer detergent for Sensitive Skin are good, too. Costco also has its own brand of Free & Clear laundry detergent (Kirkland), which is a good value.
I’ve had several plumbers advise against using homemade laundry soap. The recipe you use, the machine and whether you have hard or soft water all plays a part in the performance. We built a new home 6 years ago and we bought all the appliances directly from an independent appliance store who is an authorized dealer and repair center for a variety of brands. The salesman who used when remodeling our previous kitchen and also our daughter’s kitchen recommended we look at Speed Queen washers. They are primarily commercial suppliers but offer several models for residential use. We purchased a top loader. It came with a 5 year warranty which is unheard of. The average life of their washers are 25 years or more even with heavy use. It was about $250 more than the average top loader when we bought it but I couldn’t be happier with it. Because I have sensitive skin we use All Free and Clear or the Kirkland (Costco) version. I stock up when it’s on sale and I usually get it for 10 - 12 cents per load. I use dryer balls with crumpled up aluminum foil to control static cling in the dryer. But I still add half of a dryer sheet when drying towels. We have extremely hard water.
I've heard so many good things about Speed Queen washers. To me it sounds like the extra cost of purchasing a Speed Queen is totally worth it! It's something I'll look into in the future if my washer should fail. I'm feeling pretty much over HE machines. I also use dryer balls and love them. We have soft water (spring fed) and I still ended up with so many issues with the homemade. Thanks for sharing! -Crystal
My family had a speed queen for YEARS growing up. It finally gave out after I got married and my mom was so sad!
Never used speed queen I think a local aundry mat has them I had an old Maytag it was 22 years old.never ever one single issue the washer sprang a minor leak a seal was replaced never leaked again the dryer had the heating element replaced i.wanted " modern ones" hate them should have kept the OLD tried and true maytags
We got our Speed Queen set a couple of years ago, and I am extremely pleased with the washing machine especially!
When I use the dye/perfume free detergent, I use vinager (in a Downy ball) to help my clothes smell better. It takes away the smell from cloth diapers too. Also, it keeps the mold under control if you are using a front loader. I used to do laundry all day in a daycare center. It was very easy for mold to grow if we didn't use the vinager rinse or leave the washer door ajar on the weekends. I could tell you some stories about the nastiness we would find in the washer on Monday mornings.😂
Great video. I've used homemade laundry liquid on & off for years. I've always been aware of the soap issue so I did a few things to try to combat / prevent it. A lot of which you mentioned in this video! Firstly, use a dedicated laundry soap, not one for the body such as dr bronners as they have all been superfatted like you talked about. I also use much less soap than a traditional recipe calls for and add either a tiny tiny bit of dish soap or a little sal suds. Dish soap alone or even more than a tiny tiny bit mixed with the recipe can be just as harmful to the washer as soap. It strips the oil from the internal mechanisms of the machine and eventually kills it. Especially if you use Dawn or fairy here in Europe. I've also added in some calgon to some batches. I did the version by adding in a small bottle of cheap detergent and that worked well too. Id also suggest looking at the ingredients of the liquid you are adding, a lot of the cheap ones and pretty much all of the natural type one all have high concentrations of soap! (I learned that the hard way, by using one of those on my cloth diapers, they stopped absorbing) now I use my homemade on "clean dirty" clothes and use a good powder for things like diapers and whites, I the powder sort of clears out my washer of any potential build up. Its also very important to clean your washer every month!! Either with a commercial cleaner or bleach or using washing soda & vinegar on a very hot wash.
Thank you for sharing! Great info -Crystal
I dont add vinegar straight into the washer HD for 11 years now I add it once every three months to a towel or paid of socks then put in the wash I use lots of water with a good amount of powder to the mixture of zote, naphtha, borax not a lot of borax its really harsh clothes not exactly fragrant but very clean and soft when I have the money I add the crystals to the mixture but am careful with those as well mom of 5
I make my own detergent from dishwashing liquid and I never had any problems. The water in the drum doesn’t really touch the mechanism of the washing machine only the evacuation pump so does not strip the oil from the internal mechanism. I use 1 litre of dishwashing liquid, 500 mils of lemon enzyme ( lemon peels fermented for 3 months with water and sugar) , 50 mils of glycerin, 100 mils of hydrogen peroxide and add water in which I dissolve 3 tablespoons of caustic soda (45 mils) to make 5 litres of detergent. I use half cup per load and I tablespoon of Epsom salt with a few drops of essential oils. Works like a dream.
Agree .... Liquid soap is for handwashing and soap bars are for bathing. Neither is for laundry.
Not liquid (aka soap) but just powder -- 1 cup Borax, 1 cup washing soda (homemade or purchased already made), and at time a load is being done will add OxyClean if doing colors or will add 1/2 cup bleach if doing whites. Just 1 Tablespoon DIY detergent powder is added per load added to washing machine. 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar for rinse cycle -- because it is good fabric softener as well as for a descaler since we have very hard water.
For dishwasher 1 cup Borax, 1 cup washing soda, and when 1 Tbsp of the DIY powder is added to machine also add 2 tsp to 1 Tbsp lemon juice (for the citric acid; can be fresh squeezed or bottled). We add 1/4 to 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar for the rinse cycle -- only because we have very hard water; not necessary to add routinely if have soft water so can just use when doing a deep cleaning of dishwasher.
Never had any issues with laundry being dingy or towels losing absorbency. However, if particularly dirty or sweat stained, the spots are pre-treated, scrubbed with a soft brush, and soaked prior to washing.
Every once in awhile (2 to 3 times per year) towels and sheets or anything else that needs it are deep cleaned/descaled -- soaked in a tub of hot tap water with 1 cup of baking soda and 4 cups of distilled white vinegar for 4 hours prior to being soaked in a clear, luke warm rinse water for 30 minutes to an hour and then machine washed.
Glassware from the dishwasher, however, tends to have water spots if left to air dry -- such as if turn on dishwasher before going to bed and don't empty it until the next day (we have very hard water and we do not use the heated drying function).
We found that, after adding the tablespoon of DIY detergent to the dishwasher detergent cup, that if we topped the cup up with non-iodized coarse salt (as was recommended), it helped a little bit, but still not really all that great to make it worth doing it. However, it really is not a big deal to simply wipe off any water spots before putting the glassware up and only happens if left to air dry.
Usually, however, water spots are not even an issue since we are normally towel drying them and putting them away before they've even had a chance to air dry and develop water spots.
It is much harder to get rid of water spots, however, if the heat drying function has been used by a well meaning visitor -- but not something we normally use because that function over heats the house as well as shortens the life of the machine and eats up more energy.
IF vinegar weren't being rinsed away and was just left undiluted on rubber gaskets then it probably would have an effect on the gaskets. However, that isn't the case and we have never had any issues with gaskets wearing out throughout the life times of either the laundry or dishwashing machines and we've always done this for decades.
In fact, due to hard water, vinegar is necessary to keep all of our machines (ice maker, coffee makers, clothes washer, dishwasher, humidifiers, etc.) descaled and long lived.
If washing dishes by hand then either a purchased dish liquid is used or after soaking the dish in hot water (or boiling water in any dirty pot to "deglaze" the grime off) a paste is made (2 parts baking soda, 1 part salt and just a little water to form a thick paste) to scrub/polish it. If particularly stubborn stuck on food or stains then will use baking soda, salt and make paste using bottled lemon juice concentrate (ensures at least 5 percent acidity). For super stubborn issues, treat with some baking soda and spray or sprinkle the baking soda with distilled white vinegar to get it fizzing and let stand for 20 minutes to dry; then add some fresh baking soda and vinegar and scrub; then repeat only if necessary to remove any additional layers of stuck on grime if particularly thick such as burnt on food or grease.
Thanks for that vid :) You mentioned Ivy and soapnuts. If you want that liquid to stay longer, put part of it in freezer. A bottle that has the amount you use in a week or two. Or use an icecube tray, freeze them and use 1 or 2 cubes per laundry. So this way you can make larger amount of ”detergent”
Great tip! Thank you! -Crystal
I missed this video a while back but I am loving a homemade powder with no soap detergent. It is washing soda, baking soda, salt or Epsom salt and oxiclean. So I whisk this together and also add a small amount of my Ecos detergent. Together my clothes are super fresh and FEEL very clean. I use vinegar as a rinse. Hope that helps. People actually will use this powder alone (2tbsp) a load but I also like my Ecos so I add the smallest amt in. I also dissolve this in hot water first ( not much) before I turn it to warm water. ☺️ I have an old fashion Speed Queen agitator machine and love it. It works hard.
Thank you for sharing this. I have heard a lot of people using no soap, so this is great to hear what you are doing and sharing your experience with it. I think the Speed Queen would make a HUGE difference as well. The next machine I get will be a Speed Queen. I am not a fan of HE washers!! -Crystal
@@HomemakingontheHomestead Be warned that the Speed Queens today are not like the Speed Queen of yesteryear. Do the homework. I just had a heating coil replaced in the dryer (stopped heating up) and they asked how old my SQ was because the repair place they didn't work on the new models. Mine is a 2015. Not old but around that time Speed Queen changed things and they are not what they used to be. You might do better finding a good older model for sale. So sad they have changed the machine. We have the old nut and bolt mechanical one but maybe they are more electronic now?? I have the plain jane white "laundry mat" kind of machine. Nothing fancy.
That is really sad to hear!! I would much prefer the old ones.. Thanks for the info!
What's the ratio/recipe you use?
What ratio please?
thank you for the infos... I do not have problem *for the moment* i've been doing my laundry soap for 5-6yrs now... using Borax-baking soda-washing soda-a little bit of oxi-clean- bar of sunlight laundry soap- mix all that use a scoop all is good towels are great colors ok aswell thank you
I Have been using homemade powered in my front loader for 15 years no problems and never had dingy or non-absorbent issues the only thing different is I have always put a pair of sneakers in the washer (to beat the clothes) and put the powder in the drum. I also use my homemade bar soap its 100 % coconut oil.
Who knows, maybe the sneakers in the machine add the extra friction, great idea -Crystal
I appreciate you so much for that breakdown. I dont make my soap, but was thinking of starting to, but always had the doubts and questions not getting answered correctly. You answered them all and gave excellent insight on the whole thing as well. Thank you!!😊
You're welcome! I'm glad it was helpful.
Thank you so much for this Part 2! Very thorough discussion of the subject, and "chemically correct"!
I was just getting ready to mix up a batch of homemade soap now I’m not going to. I would like to find ways to use my Fels soap as a pre-spot. What do you think about that?? I was extremely impressed with your explanation of why and how, that was a lot of work and research!
Years ago I made the soap recipe of Fels Naptha soap, washing soda and borax. I hated how it turned to a separated slimy mess in the bucket with big chunks of thick slime. I was broke, so I used it anyway for about 2 months and then I also noticed how my towels began feeling rough. My niece has a masters in chemistry so I picked her brain about what I could add to the recipe to keep it from being slimy and separating and turn out like commercial laundry soap instead. I gave her the recipe and she said what was happening to make it this goopy slime in the bucket (and what was being deposited on the towels to make them scratchy) was a chemical reaction trying to make a form of plastic - polymer strands. I asked her how to alter the recipe (more of this, less of that) so that didn't happen and she said it was impossible. Kind of like fat and lye make soap and altering the ratio's or adding something isn't going to stop the process of saponification. I don't think the issue is as simple as soap scum. I went back to my 'Free 'n Clear' commercial laundry soap because I didn't want to mess with it anymore. Now I'm curious, because Zote contains Sodium Cocoate which is a surfactant. I might grate up a bar and dilute just the Zote in a bucket of hot water and see if it tries to congeal like the old recipe does.
Let us know how that works please.
I saw another video with the Zote and it became sorta like a big, pink, gelatinous-spongy material. Then, the lady used a long stick attached to a drill and mixed it. At the end, it was viscous like detergent from the store. I still have yet to try making homemade laundry detergent but now due to the soap scum remaining I'll probably stick to my 'Free 'n Clear' (love that stuff). However, maybe I'll make hand soap from zote....
Right I don't use the whole zone buy aff fees naphtha borax and a bit of cheap regular detergent. Also, lots of water doesn't always smell super fragrant, but clothes are soft. Clean. Not dingy towels absorbent
...So recently what has been going on with store bought common detergents including Arm & Hammer, sensitive, non fragrant are causing cancer. New York State is suing those companies. This is why I am watching these videos diys. 😢
@@caissa6187 ...a woman on a video melts the soap bar and ½ bar flakes the bars and melts it in water in a smal to medium pot than adds it to her powders in a 5 gallon pot.
Make the 5 gallon recipe using borax and washing soda as usual. But use (1/3) bar of Zote and 3 cups of Tide powder OR Purex powder, Gain, WHATEVER. Stir well. Let set overnight and stir again. Use 1/4 cup per load. Works well. I always press EXTRA WATER on my LG front loader for better washing and rinsing.
I just want to say thank you for posting this. I watched both of your videos. I have been researching homemade laundry detergent for a couple weeks and my reason was to help reduce my use of plastic while also saving money. I was watching some last minute videos before going to the store (literally was going today) to buy everything. I have a front load HE washer. Pretty sure you just saved me lol. Im still not sure how im going to reduce my plastic but I'm glad I found this video. I had thought about the washer sheets from earth breeze, but turns out, i found another informative video about how the sheets have PVA which is plastic!! So i would be eliminating the plastic jug, while adding plastic to the water supply. Doesn't seem like a good trade. It's frustrating when you want to help the planet but there's no way around it. I guess i could invest in a scrub board and wash my laundry old school but realistically with a large family and a full time job its not very feasible 🙁 If anyone has any suggestions, i would love to hear them!!!!
I am experimenting with making my own laundry soap BUT i am trying a recipe that does not use the bar soap at all, 1/2 cup Epsom Salt, 1 1/2 cups Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda),1 1/2 cups Sodium Carbonate (washing soda)
1/4 cup sea salt and some drops of essential oil on a load by load basis and borax for my hot washes. Seems to work pretty well but I'm still testing . Thank you for your videos
Any updates?
How much borax for hot washes ?
I'm glad I ran across your videos before diving into making my own detergent.
After the recent detergent ban in New York state, I decided to look into diy. I saw a couple videos on DIY detergents and thought it sounded like a good idea, until your video popped up. You made very good points and have done solid research.
I am going to just stick with All Free and Clear because it was recommended by my allergy doctor. Thanks for saving me the trouble of going through all of that hastle. :)
You could attempt with a third bar of zote small amount of borax and mainly the free and clear lots of water you have to adjust the recipe to your clothes, frequency, hot dirty your clothes get etc. Not one way is ever the best way main thing is be careful take all with grain of salt use discernment and trial and test things out
Thank you!!! I needed this information before going down the home made road.
Years & years ago as young homemakers we learned to use hot water to wash especially for white loads. I have always wondered with the newest methods for washing if this wasn't the reason clothes don't come as clean. When this method first came sbout i really liked the savings on electricity or gas but don't like that my wash isn't as clean. I just followed the recipe for stripping towels & will probably do that once a year & continue to use Arm and Hammer laundry detergent. I've never been a fan of bleach or fabric softner but used dryer sheets. I will discontinue using them too. All i can say is do what works for you.
Thank you foran in-depth study.
You're welcome. I use wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. They don't work as perfectly as the dryer sheets. But they do work nicely without any issues that dryer sheets cause.
I changed my mind about making homemade laundry soap. I use Arm&Hammer detergent with OxyClean for around 9 dollars that claims to do 75 loads. If I realistically figure 60 loads, that comes to around 15 cents a load. I do around 5 loads a week- that is only 3 bucks a month. If I did 10 loads a week, it would still just be 6 dollars a month. How would making a homemade laundry soap that may harm my washer or clothes be worth making? Including all of the time spent making it?
If 6 dollars a month is a problem for me, then I have other very terrible problems I need to deal with.
I do however understand if store bought is causing you allergic reactions of any kind, you have no choice.!!
some people dont want the chemical toxins and the heavy scented laundry.
We have been using a small amount free and clear, from Seventh Generation for 14 years. But I add 1 cup of distilled white vinegar which I dilute in an empty gallon jug. I also add between 1/4 to 1/3 cup of diluted in hot water, baking soda only in a white wash. My laundry is soft, and towels are very absorbent. Cleans my husband's stinky, very dirty work clothes. We no longer wear any clothing, or have sheets or towels that have any manmade fabrics, such as rayon, or polyesters.
We are doing better without dyes, perfumes and heavy chemicals. We also have very hard water and we do not have a salt based water softener. It was making us sick. Nothing else has worked for us.
Free & Clear from Seventh Generation is a good detergent choice! Thank you for sharing.
Not sure if you are saying the hard water was making you sick. Is this correct?
I use vinegar EVERY single time I do a load and have for too many years to count and I use it every once in awhile in dishwasher...never had a problem with ruining anything.
The question is do you use a front loader machine.
Regarding stains: if you have a stained garment but no stain remover at hand, try rubbing soap on the stain before putting the garment in the washing machine. The stain will come out.
Ive made the original laundry soap a few times and it didnt clean that well. Then i added OxiClean and 1c of Tide powder to the mix. It transformed the liquid into the most amazing cleaner. My wife couldn't get over how well it works. So, adding a detergent will change the whole outcome. With Zote being present its important to only use warm/warm cycle amd never cold water. Also put vinegar in the rinse cup. Never add vinegar to a wash. It will cancel out the alkaline pH and neutralize the soap function. Vinegar is for softening and rinsing out the soap fat.
Between the Oxiclean and the Tide, there really is no reason for the Zote and all the issues it can bring.
I had the same experience 13 years ago; soap mixture was fading our families clothes
Salt helps with keeping your colors from fading and helps with rinsing the detergent out
Thank you for this. Had just started making my own laundry soap.
The liquid Foca is HE safe. It has the HE logo on the bottle. I use it and love it.
Thank you! This is very interesting!
You're welcome!
I always put a A STORE BRAND LAUNDRY DEREGENT IN MY HOMEMADE LAUNDRY SOAP BECAUSE IT HAS ASURFACTANTS IN IT AND YES IT WORKS GOOD I HAVE HAD MY HE WASHER FOR 15 YEAR I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM IF YOU DO NOT PUT IT IN YOUR HOMEMADE YOU MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM IT IS THE SURFACTINTS THAT MAKES IT WORK FOR ME I HAVE USE HOMEMADE FOR 40 YEARS SO DO WHAT YOU FEEL THAT THAT MAKES YOU FEEL SAFE
Detergent will not cause the issues I talked about in the video. The problem causing those issues is soap, not detergent
How much do you add on a 5 gallon homemade laundry detergent?
@@k.kreations.g 5 cups
Which detergent?
Please provide the recipe and how you make it.
I make a laundry wash of borax, washing soda, oxilcean and box of dishwashing powder..Clothes get clean,smell very good and removes grass and grease stains. It also brightens my whites.
Would you mind sharing your actual recipe?
Another idea:
At least for those in the Midwest. I now buy my free and clear detergent from a fundraiser. Sports teams do this sometimes. They have copycat detergents that they sell in big five gallon buckets for around $45 a bucket. This is probably not the cheapest option, but way cheaper then buying at the store.
@emmaleebuzzard1023 What was the fundraiser company? That sounds awesome!
I wash my hair with diluted soap nuts on occasion. If you have thin hair or nor even thin. If you want shine and body. I recommend. Some people might need conditioner after on their lengths.
I've been mixing Foca or Roma with borax and washing soda and I was also adding Fels Naptha but I ran out. I don''t plan to repurchase the Fels Naptha, I like the scent but I don't think it is needed. I add a scoop of Oxy Clean for whites to whites. I have hard water and a front loader. I prefer a powder because I think liquids gum up the washer more.
You can just use ivy in a laundry bag , use old leaves, you can also use conkers straight from the freezer , use a laundry bag,
Thank you for part 2. I just made another batch of laundry soap before seeing these two videos. A lot to think about, and maybe some changes.
You're welcome! 😊
Several years ago I started making my homemade washing detergent with Zote. We had to buy a new washer HE. I had found out it says on the box not to use Zote Soap with a HE washer. As you just said you didn't want to void your warranty & I was in the same situation. Now 2-3 years later I have been using this recipe. I buy a cheap brand of detergent for HE washers. I add borax, washing soda, scent beads and if I feel I need I add baking soda or oxi clean. I have to be careful and add separate the oxi clean because it bleaches my tops or pants. The reason for this is making this recipe is still cheaper but also convenient. After 2-3 years I have had good luck with this recipe and feel it is safe with my HE washer. It also last a long time in comparison to use commercial detergent alone. Thanks for your informative and update.
I was thinking of doing something similar. Thank you for sharing this!
i am wondering if the addition of an acidic addition to the soap, more for the home made lard soap, though citric acid comes as a powder, what that could do to the homemade soap powder.
I saw on your video you mentioned that you make your own bar soap and I just have to say your skin looks so beautiful and so healthy! I’m curious to know what you use for your skin care, if it’s store bought or something you make yourself?
Oh thank you, that is so kind of you. Really, the only thing I use is my own homemade soap. Occasionally I'll use some lotion.. but not often. My favorite lotion/cream is from The Seaweed Bath Company. amzn.to/3zX6Wox (affl link). If you're ever interested in making your own soap I have a video on how to make it in a crockpot.. it's easier then you think! ua-cam.com/video/SyqXawx9i9c/v-deo.html -Crystal
Thank you so much, I’ll definitely check out that video! 😊
Wow. I'll have to watch this a few more times. Thanks for your thorough study.😀
Can you just use Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda, Borax, and a little Gain laundry detergent? Most people's clothes are not filthy.
I mentioned in the video using Foca or Roma in place of the soap and Gain or any detergent would work just fine. -Crystal
I've seen ads for powders you put in the toilet periodically to give maintenance to your septic tank.
Thank you for your videos!! 😀
I recently started using the bar dish washing soaps. I also use bar soap to wash my hands at the sink. I have used the bar dish soap to remove the soap scum that the hand soap leaves behind. I wonder if this might be the answer that we are looking for with using the dry DIY laundry cleaner. 🤔
I will look into it more and see if it is a good option.
The recipe that calls for Dawn is part Borax, part washing soda, and párt Dawn. I don't remember how much of each, but it does call for hot water.
I have just moved to Nicaragua and will be washing my clothes by hand with a wash board. Since I will.be using friction, is adding the soap like Zote to a detergent okay?
Yes, that would work just fine! -Crystal 🙂
@@HomemakingontheHomestead thx!
I’ve been very fortunate. My homemade soap works great. I think it may be because I have a water softener. Water here is very hard so almost everyone has one. Interesting topic. 😊 Thank you!
I'm researching how to make my own, I have not made my own detergent yet. My washer doesn't have an agitator. I'm doing it because my son had eczema and I want it nontoxic. Which is hard finding a recipe without arm & hammer.
Every year I get so hype like I forgot about making homemade laundry soap… I bought all the ingredients… but then I remember I bailed bc I have an HE. Thanks for the reminder.
Interesting. I know store bought detergents use blue dye which is the "compliment" color to yellow. It thus counter "dyes out" the yellow dingy look of whites. So that can be why clothes may appear whiter with store bought detergents.
But.. my experience... I have a front load washer, that I love. I have very hard water, that I hate. I started making laundry detergent about 10 years ago for health reasons #1. Then cost #2... (but I think you can find budget-friendly detergents). But now... I make laundry detergent still for health reasons & because I honestly think it cleans my clothes better & leaves my whites brighter.
But I make my detergent different than you did... I add: 3 different laundry bars, add Oxo Brite Non Chlorine Bleach to the powders you used, SAL SUDS (detergent), & OdoBan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#1. I use coconut oil for my laundry bar... which I think cleans amazingly! And, I actually use all 3 laundry bars: Zotes (better for whiting clothes), Fels Naptha (better to clean oils), & my coconut laundry bar (which is just all-around amazing, IMHO).
I like making a couple 5 gallon buckets of detergent at a time though because I have room in my basement to store them, & it usually lasts a year or two.
#2. I use 3 cups of Borax, 3 cups of Super Wash, 3 cups of baking soda, 3 cups of Oxo Brite No Chlorine Bleach powder.
I grate my 3 bars & slowly melt them in water with Borax... Borax is like flour in gravy making. It will thicken your detergent. Water thins it.
I pour my Borax & melted soaps bars in a 5 gallon bucket. I then add Super Wash & Oxo Brite. I do the normal mixing with hot tap water until the bucket is about 3/4 full (leaves stirring room). I then pour half of that into another 5 gallon bucket. I let each bucket thicken overnight.
The next day, I will add about 32 oz of SAL SUDS to each 5 gallon bucket with about a half to a full gallon of lavender OdoBan in each bucket as well. I will add water until each bucket is 3/4 full.
I leave my detergent thick for storage & thin my laundry detergent out with hot tap water as I fill up my detergent dispenser that I use in my laundry room.
I sometimes add more Sal Suds if I feel the need when I fill up my detergent dispenser.
Interesting.. Thank you for sharing. Your recipe is very much different from the typical. -Crystal
Are you using 32 oz. sal suds in its concentrated form?
Sodium percarbonate is a good stain remover , add a tablespoon to a dirty wash
I think the older washing machines used more water, and the extra water washed away part of the dirt.
Soap nuts is a great option also.
Thank you for this video! Helped me a lot.
"soap" liquid with an amount of vinegar in the mix seems to be a good idea.also using a mixing paddle on a drill to beat the slime .I think if you were to use a half cup of bleach after every 5 loads or so just by itself in a full drum it will keep up on soap scum and keep the machine clean before it ever makes a problem.?
Same concept with a dishwasher and using a cleaner pack to clean the machine.i wonder if a dishwasher cleaning pod or 2 here and there could work for a washing machine 🤔
Oh, and I just thought I would chime in again. I noticed that you mentioned that you are frustrated with your HE washer. I am assuming it is front loading. In the factory, the water level sensors are manually set to the most water efficient setting. Unfortunately, this makes them perform horribly. You can adjust the water level sensor, so it will fill with more water. Search How to Get More Water in a Frontloader or How to Adjust the Water Levels of Frontloader. I did this with my HE front loader and it improved performance a lot. I ultimately ended up buying an older Speed Queen laundromat washer to help me blaze through laundry fast....but adjusting the water level worked a charm of my HE front loader.
I use to have a front loader my current HE machine is a top loader.. wonder if I could figure out how to override the sensor on it? Hmm... 🤔 Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing Crystal, I used to always make the homemade laundry detergent as well but it made my clothes so dingy, so I stopped as well. I'm interested in the english ivy I may research that and try, I think the soap nuts are really expensive. Have a lovely day🤗🌸🌺🌻
Hi Christal! 😊 I found the English Ivy VERY interesting.. When I did the soap nuts math.. $39.80 for 2.2 lbs and it does 330 loads of laundry it came to 12 cents a load. When I buy All Free & Clear, on sale at Costco.. it comes to 12 cents a load. I don't see a huge cost savings using them and a lot more hassle to use (make the soap berry syrup or having to wash in hot water and pretreating stains, etc...) .. but if someone has allergies to detergents or doesn't want the chemicals in their laundry it could be a solution.. I wanted to try it out just to see what they are like.. but who knows if I'll get to that.. LOL 😄😄 I hope you are having a wonderful day today!! -Crystal 🙂
@@HomemakingontheHomestead thank you, you have a beautiful day I'm off and I'm stitching 🤗🤗🤗, are you going to try the ivy?
That sounds enjoyable!! Well I have plenty of ivy around here so who know! I may just for the experience. 😀
@@HomemakingontheHomesteadYou don't need to make a soap berry syrup. Just deseed and fill a handful into a linen bag and toss in with the clothes. Soapnuts can be reused till they become dry and fibrous depending upon the quality upto 6 times perhaps. I use two bags simultaneously, one new and one reused to get max use.
I've used soap nuts ( which are very popular for hair wash in my native country India) for my laundry. Just deseed a handful, put them into a linen bag and throw into the bin. Can be reused several times till they turn fibrous. Very economical as well. Ofc, I run the hot water cycle on my machine. Absolutely no need for softeners.
Do you use them in washing machine ? How well clothes come clean? Is it good for stains ? Thanks
My grandmother was using only washing soda in her washing machine. 🤔 I have to try that
I know some people do that. I have not tried it yet! -Crystal
I use Earth Breeze laundry detergent SHEETS, and I also used to use OxyClean with my white towels, but it seemed like they had "residue" on them no matter how little I used (I even got down to only using 1/4 of the scoop that comes with it in an extra large load, and we have very hard water... I also have used it without the Earth Breeze sheets and still had the residue feeling). I tried the Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda (1 cup as they suggest) along with 1 of my Earth Breeze laundry sheets and they came out whiter and fluffier! I will be using it instead of the OxyClean from now on!
My husband and I REALLY like the Earth Breeze sheets too, and they come in scent free and lightly scented. They are low-sudsing, but we do not have an he machine... just a regular top loader with agitator. The real bonus with them is that there is NO MORE gigantic plastic jugs going into landfills when you use them... I just love that! Think of all the plastic that would save going into the environment if we all switched! They even get shipped to you in a cardboard box and the packages they're in are a lighter cardboard. This also saves a lot in gas because it's much cheaper to ship them than it is a heavy plastic jug of regular liquid laundry detergent. It's just like normal laundry detergent, but they have removed the water and the dry sheets dissolve in your washing machine's water. I will say, I do fill an old plastic jar with hot water and add my sheet to that, then shake it up a little as some people said they had trouble with it dissolving in cold water, but my husband doesn't do this step and he said he never had a problem with it not dissolving, so you would have to try it for yourselves.
Ive been using washing soda, borax, dish soap & water. If you ever dont have washing soda..you can use baking soda...you just have to spread it out on a baking sheet ..bake on 400 degree for 1 hour..let it cool & use! It changes the baking soda into what washing soda is.
Washing soda (alone) will destroy aluminum at the back of he washer.
@@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane I also use the Earth Breeze sheets and like them very much. They clean well and I like not adding any more plastic to the environment.
Crystal, what is your recipe for home made laundry soap?
Donna, I don't make it anymore. The recipe I made for years was a very basic one and it and variations are all over the internet. It had washing soda, borax and soap (Zote or Felsnaptha or homemade). -Crystal
Have you tried using a castile soap bar such as Dr. Bonners ( grating it like cheese) or me personally I like the liquid castile soap because i prefer making and using liquid detergent. Just be aware that using castile soap bar or your ingredient can leave a residue behind on your clotred clothing. You would notice it more on the darks and Deming. What has worked for me in the past when I used my powder recipe. I would add vinegar where tge fabric softener goes and that would eliminate the residue. You can also add some water and dissolve the powder to a liquid. Would help break up the soap. I think maybe that's why your laundry was not able to absorb the water properly and the residue over time was leaving the build up that caused your clothes to look dingy. Just my thoughts and suggestions. Love from Texas!
I just came across your videos and have a question. I have about 4 gallons of homemade laundry soap remaining. The soap is made with Zote as well as Borax, washing soda, Oxy, Baking Soda, and fabric softener crystals. I do have an HE top load machine and I don't want to get rid of my remaining mix. Based on your reported research on using soap as a laundry cleaner, would I be able to add dish detergent to the load to counter the oils in the Zote soap?
Yes you can do that, you can also add some laundry detergent to each load. Or use the homemade and detergent alternately.
Add vinegar to each load of laundry that you do in addition to the diy laundry detergent
Everything I've watched so far, have not mentioned the use of Calgon water softener ( sodium sesquicarbonate ) as a surfactant. Is it still available? I'm into DIY laundry detergent and really want to get right, but, with all the sodium's available I sure am learning a lot!
Glad I watched this as it answered certain points I would have made. A couple of points I still want to make after watching this:
1. All detergents create scum. Nature of the beast, that's why you need to run the tub clean cycle on a regular basis, I assume HE washing detergents have something specific to prevent this but suffice to say soap scum is not specific to home made laundry detergents.
2. Lots of recipes use Borax, personally I think that Oxi Clean does a better job, it contains many of the ingredients you're talking about that brighten clothes, break surface tension, soften/condition water meaning that more of the soap is washed out. Not knocking the Borax but if someone has to choose I'd always advise to run with Oxi Clean.
Obviously people have to find what works for them, I appreciate the advice here especially in suggesting using cheap washing powder/liquid as a base. That's a great idea and I think I'll run with that for making home made laundry soap in the future, it's still going to be cheaper than using just the soap albeit if the goal is less chemicals it may not be the way to go. :-) Appreciate you Crystal.
I agree with you about the soap scum. I wanted to mention that I made the basic homemade recipe and used Oxy powder in mine. I don’t know if it was the Oxy or just not having detergent but my reds and darks were losing their brightness/color. I assume it was from the Oxy. This time I left the Oxy out and just add it to my lights/whites loads as needed instead of all loads.
Been use Oxi Clean with my zote flakes .I never had a problem. I really think Oxi Clean helps
Thank you for all the useful information. A good presentation. My mother liked to use borax and soda… She learned that, of course, growing up… That’s been many years ago.😄 Jesus bless you and yours.
Did you end up finding a store bought brand that you like that works well in your front loader? Is it a powder and does it dissolve? I usually use liquid Tide, but I hate storing so much product (because of the water in it).....I'm looking for something more concentrated like a powder that works well in my front loader, and stores well. And thank you for this info. I was about to try making my own laundry soap.
I have a top loader. Currently I use All (or Kirkland from Costco) free and clear. My hubby has allergies to the scents. I use the liquid and it works well.
I checked my regular washing detergents that I have on hand and they can be used in HE machines. You just use less. They tell you how much you can use in HE machines. Good to know.
OK!! Great to know. I had just replied to your first comment. Thanks for following up with this info.
@@HomemakingontheHomestead I haven't priced HE detergent but I'm guessing if you buy regular and use less it might be cheaper per load. Thx for responding!
That’s this round of tik tok version. The old version didn’t use any detergent, only shredded laundry soap bars, borax and washing soda.
The newer tik tok versions are adding in cheap detergents ( foca, Ariel) plus oxiclean, which is a way to get more mileage out of cheaper detergents by using in laundry boosters. They also now ( correctly) say to use 2 tbsp which would naturally extend how long your detergent lasts.
Okay, so what else can I do with this batch I already made? 😅 I'm definitely not using it in my brand new washing machine now. I'll be sticking w/seventh generation free and clear detergent. Immediately after watching, I remembered the white film Dr. Bronner's soap tends to leave behind when used for cleaning.
Handwashing delicate clothing, handwashing dishes and someone just mentioned it makes a great toilet cleaner.
Awesome, thank you for the helpful tips! The items weren't expensive but I definitely won't let them go to waste.
Subscribed!
Glad you weathered all those comments & Like your style-easy to listen to!!-..
So Has Anyone-Just used Liquid Murphys Oil soap?
Not sure abt new machines-Thats why I don't have one-w out agitator they aren't for me-
So even though it wld void warrantee prob-it isn't High Sudsing-& it works very well if allowed to "SIT" with or on whatever using it with.
I've used it forever-- my white footie sock bottoms-use it & bleach to remove almost all dirt stain w out scrubbing & throw into washer.
So when SHTF as peppers say-& $$ is very tight- I thought I would just get [Only buy] large bottles-[the spray is less concentrated & I van make it w the less expensive large bottle-
**Stuff is worth 10 other cleaners!!
I've seen cleaning floor videos where suggest using bottle of liquid laundry soap to wash floors & ppl wanted to try it???
$7-8 for a bucket of cleaning for a floor? Too much soap also..
I use 2-Capfuls!! Off Murphs & plenty in 1/2 ,to 2/3 bucket of cleaning water for floor or walls or anything-Linoleum floors-almost any surface can use Nurphys-doesnt have to be wood-Glass may be abt only thing wldnt just use for that-Otherwise I think if you need to spot treat your floors & cloths stains-bc of heavy use-& can't get to it as quick as you'd like- take Spray Bottle w Murphys ..just spray smaller areas on floor to spot clean at a time & allow to sit 3-5 min- Then wash with the Regular pail of Murphys-[thow in washer].
Really bad spots done at same time-& if it's very bad-RINSE your floor or clothes extra rinse cycle w towels if too much sudsing- or used too much soap.. w clean water & Clean mop of course- when done -
**One big issue many ppl unknowingly use TOO nuch Manufacturers Soap!
With Laundry Soap the Manufacturers Tell u to use more than is Necessary to. Sell more of course-but all of us arent farming or playing like kids etc-.most of us wear our clothes 8-12 Hrs & don't use them outside- just have perpetuation & maybe smoke or etc Odor to remove-So THIS can SAVE 50% of laundry cost possibly by using 50% less reg Laundty soap & pre Treating w Murphys.
Or if Really financially strapped -& Don't have new front Washer style-Maybe try 4-capfuls of Murphys or good Dishsoap if it's cheaper-if that doesn't suds too much-
That why the Murphys I think wld be better-Also if you need to remove bad ly soiled or greasy clothes frim working on cars etc-then splurge on Hit water wash if possible-Warm or Cold rince-warm water will warm the oil or greese up to remove it better-Esp if in a Top Loader-let it mix a sec w agitation & then stop to set min- or let it be a longer agitation cycle & give it time to be in contact as of you pre-treated with it-Thos is the Key of Murphys & other soaps i can imagine--it will do work for you esp if let sit for sec.
Also Natural!!
Most ppl LOVE the good small not chemical type either--
GOOD luck!
Interesting.. I've never heard of anyone using Murphy's Oil Soap! I haven't looked into the ingredients so it has me interested. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing. ❤
Good morning Crystal!
Good Morning Anita!! 😊 I hope you're having a wonderful day 💗
I am allergic to dust. I Always run my washes with hot water to kill the dust mites in my garments, everything. I haven't had a problem with my towels but my whites once in a while they need a little bleach to brighten them up. The colors are fine. I have a maytag top load with the oscillator.
I also love the scent of Roma I bought two bags of it at Walmart and sprinkle a pinch of zote in with each load. I don't mix my ingredients up, I have the bags of washing soda, Roma and grated zote sitting atop my dryer.
I think the older washers did a MUCH better job of washing clothes.
Adding Roma laundry detergent will solve the problem with the homemade laundry soap.
You have a lot of expertise in so many areas thank you for sharing it.
I use borax, super soda, fels naphtha and tide. I have not had any issues and wondering if others have used this. I make 5 gallons at a time which includes 72 ounces of tide. Any thoughts. I love tide but it's so expensive to use tide alone.
Yes, the addition of the Tide would be what is preventing any types of issues. I think that sounds like a great way to stretch out your detergent. -Crystal
Can you please provide measurements you use? And how long does this last you. Im looking to save while use what’s best for my front load machine.
Do you make this liquid or powder?
Good video. I asked on the other video earlier, do you prefer liquid or powder laundry soap and why? Thank you Crystal.
Hi Pam, thank you 😊 I buy All Free & Clear and use the liquid. Years ago I switched to liquid because the powdered sometimes would not dissolve in cool water. They probably don't have that issue anymore but I just stayed with the liquid. I also have a small area right now that holds my detergent the bottle of liquid fits better there! 😄 -Crystal 🙂
This video was awesome. Well done! I look fwd to searching through the comments and would love to see a Part 3! Maybe you'll find a cheap homemade option that WORKS and maybe not. Either way, it would be great to hear from you again.
That may be a future video! We'll see 😊
Does anyone know anything about using egg yolk as a detergent? I haven't read any comments and I haven't looked it up yet, but I remember my chemistry teacher saying egg yolk is a detergent. I have heard that it can take out stains too...
Excellent information!
My laundry started to smell after a while using homemade laundry soap. The same thing happened in my daughter's home.
I hope you still check the comments on this video. I was wondering about liquid natural detergents that are plant oil based (as the manufacturer claims)? How do these work? Looking forward to your answer.
That's a good question. I haven't used them so I don't have any experience with them. Hopefully someone who does will answer this!
I honestly agree with her.😃
I tried every type of ingredient to make my DIY laundry detergent .😮
I tried dry ingredients.😮
I tried to dissolve the dry ingredients into liquid.😮
I tried to make it with only three to four ingredients .😮
I even tried to add more ingredients to make my DIY laundry detergent work.😮
Adding more ingredients just makes it cost more per load and makes no sense in making it when you can actually buy a name brand laundry (detergent) .😮
And adding too many ingredients to your DIY laundry detergent no longer makes it a natural laundry detergent.😮
All laundry soap bars are (not detergents ) and have a very hard time dissolving in cold water.😮
And many of these laundry bars and even soaps bars for your body leave a residue on your clothing and skin.😮
And many of these DIY recipes tell you to use store-bought dry name brand laundry detergent or liquid detergent to add to the mix what is the point in that.😮
Why not just use store brand laundry detergent or name brand laundry detergent without the added ingredients.😮
I do use occasionally on my stains on my clothing the Fels-Naptha bar of stain remover.😍
But the the zote bar to me leaves a glaze on my clothing even feeling it and looking at it you can see a glaze on it and something that I can't understand you can catch fish with soap bars.😮
I also cannot understand that one bar of zote and one cup of laundry baking soda and one cup of borax in a 5-gallon of water gives you 5 gallons of concentrated laundry detergent.😮
Also many of these dry ingredients don't fully dissolve.😮
Even if you tried to dissolve them in hot water many times they will be still a grid in the bottom of the 5 gallon bucket like sand.😮
I will stick with my name brand laundry detergent Tide and Tide OxiClean. 😍
And I use white vinegar
and a few drops of pure essential lavender oil with a few drops of tea tree pure essential oil to make my clothing have a good small.😍
I am going to try a recipe that I seen for liquid laundry detergent DIY and see if it works.🤔🤔🤔
(1) One big bottle of Down dishwashing detergent soap the one with the duck .😍
(2) Two cups of laundry baking soda.😍
(3) Two cups of baking soda regular.
(4) Two cups of OxiClean All purpose made for all colore clothing.😍
(5) Two cups of borax 😍
And (30) drops of lavender pure essential oil and (30) drops of tea tree pure essential oil.😍
In a 5 gallon bucket with hot water.🤔
Mix it really good.🤔
And use only one teaspoon or 1 tbsp per loads only.🤔
And always use some white vinegar as your fabric softener. 😍
I use a round 3 tbsp to 6 tablespoons per load not to overdo it.🤔
And I use a wooly ball with some pure essential oil on it as my fabric softener sheets replacement since store bought liquid fabric softener and fabric beads as well as fabric sheets are harmful and full of chemicals which layer onto your clothing as well as your washing machine and dryer causing damage to your machines and your health.😢
So I am not saying that all DIY laundry detergent doesn't work it works for some people and it doesn't work for others.
It is up to each individual person to find out what works for them.🤔
But like this person is saying many laundry bar soaps are not really laundry detergent and soaps meant for your body is not laundry detergent.
We are all looking to save on money but sometimes these DIY recipes don't save you in money and cause damage to your machines as well as your health.🤔
And also really don't clean your clothing at all .😮
It is really up to you.🤔
Thank you for sharing your experience!!
I just made a five gallon bucket of the traditional recipe. Sigh.... So can I rescue it with adding the Foca? I don't want to waste what I've already made. Is it possible to add too many ingredients to the mix?
I would just add a little Foca to each load. Or use Foca by itself every couple of loads.
Thanks so much for making this. The breakdown explanations helped my understanding of why my homemade recipe was causing the same problems you mentioned. I appreciate your experience and analysis!
Good suggestions thanks
You’re welcome 😊 -Crystal
Have you ever used Dr. Bronner's SalSuds?
I have not but some here in comment section have.
Is dr bronners sugar soap (liquid) ok to use in a regular deep washer ? (Not HE)
You’re only supposed to use 2tbsp with HE. I use 2 tbsp in my top load with agitator. Stains are pretreated. Doing this, I can extend 4.5 kg bag to 4500g/30g= 150 loads.
If you add in washing soda, and borax and push it to 5.5 kg, you can get 183 loads out of it.
We only do full loads, and doing so twice a week, we can get 1.76 years out of it. Even if you do 3 loads a week, it should still last you about a year.
The best tip is to not wash things that look and smell clean. People who work in offices, with ac, and those who don’t sweat a lot, should just hang their clothes back. Do a sight and smell test, if the item passes, just put it back in the closet.
So if I use Dr Brunner's soap it's ok?