Awesome! We used this soap growing up. It always got the stains out after playing outside. In case anyone wants to know, zote is from Mexico and pronounced zotay. 👍🏽
So, after using homemade detergent for 3 years, we kept track and we saved $580.00 in three years of our paychecks! We put the funds from this and making our homemade fabric softener...that was another $180.00 savings = $780 dollars in my pocket vs in the city sewer system! That is like flushing your paycheck...while you get big box stores richer! We used the saving to buy a new patio table and chair set with new exterior rug and some patio stone! I love my new patio! Now, I'm using my paycheck for myself...something we can enjoy long-term. I hope this helps you save more money at home!
Adam: Yes you do save tons per year; example Water - $Free$ Zote Bar - .81 ea. (Big Lots or Walmart) Borax - $2.48 a box (Mernards) Arm & Hammer Washing Soda - $2.78 (Walmart) Arm & Hammer Baking Soda - $.48 (anywhere) Oxy-clean - $1.00 (Awesome brand at Dollar Store) Scents optional - $.50 (Dollar Store) $4.55 per 10 gallons '/. by (partial use of each box) Recipe makes 10 gallons Detergent --use 1/4 cup HE to 1/2 cup standard washer load = 590 to 1,180 loads at .004 to .008 cents per load!
awesome video!! one suggestion instead of using a paint stick spend 4 or 5 bucks and get a paint mixer that go's on a drill...mixes it very well and save a ton of time. and also if you have friends that don't make there own laundry soap ask them to keep there old laundry soap jugs and put it in them.
Great suggestions! Thanks for stopping by and commenting. It's good to know ppl are loving the recipe and saving money at the same time. Laundry supplies and cleaning supplies are a huge loss to any budget throughout the year. We saved enough for me to buy stone to build my garden wall this year. Love how clean it gets my socks and construction t-shirts as well. Best wishes!
I know, right!! I bought 12 Zote soap bars last time I was at Wal Mart...as they never have the Zote..just the Nels Fapha. I totally stocked up on it. Did you know catfish love the white zote...and I make my own laundry softener (see video on my site) as well. I even make stain remover from the Zote-- just melt about 1/8 of the bar in 3 cups of water. Add 1 tbs of Borax and fill old shampoo bottle. Shake well before use. This is slimy. I let it sit on a stain and dry. Peels stain right off!
Janie, I'm in amazement at you. I never noticed before, but you are getting around like a kid. I guess when a person has bad knees, they notice when another person has great health, great knees, etc. You go girl!
I've never made the detergent without the oxyclean. I love how it whitens my whites, brightens my colors and keeps my darks from fading when keeping it in the solution. I use the Awesome Brand from the dollar tree or General Dollar Store. LOVE this stuff!!
Instead of the lemon and butter scents, I went with my Scentsy Washer Whiffs in White Tea and Cactus. I only had to add a few sprinkles per bottle as I was pouring them. They all disolved and since I made it to share, I add more for people who want their soap to have a stronger smell and less for those that don't. I have to say, this mixture does really smell quite nice all on its own. Thank you again Janie. I will never buy commercial laundry soap again.
Well-- I did more research on this subject; because that is how I roll...lol...and seems Zote is coconut oil, citronella oil (misquito repellant) and tallow...very mild and can be used as a body or shampoo when diluted with water for a gel type solution..grt for spot treating too...but Fels Naphtha has laundry chemicals that are harsh. So, if you want chemical-free for baby laundry or allergies...and gentle on skin too, go with zote!
I give to daughters who are both in college and to DIL who is going to have a baby! This is great for baby laundry. Zote soap was originally made for chemical-free baby diaper laundry.
Absolutely! It contains no bleach, but the borox whitens whites, removes stains along with the washing soda and zote soap...the baking soda helps remove odors...The oxygen cleaner does all the above too. This is pwrful stuff..I noticed a difference in one washing from using GAIN! I make my own softener and crystals as well...so be and sure and check out my other videos on this subject.
I really enjoyed your video, it was informative and helpful. I do have one hint for you. Baking soda and washing soda are the same product you are using double product. You can make your own washing soda out of baking soda: Instructions 1. Fill a wide baking dish with baking soda. 2. Heat in the oven at 400 degrees until all the baking soda becomes washing soda. This usually takes an hour. Occasionally mix (stir it around) so that this process happens faster and more uniformly. When baking soda is heated up to high temperatures, it breaks down to become washing soda, water steam, and carbon dioxide. By cooking your baking soda, you can easily and safely get washing soda without needing to travel to far flung places to buy it, and you can make as much as you need at a time and don't need to lay out a lot of money on buying washing soda. (If you buy baking soda in bulk as I do, you can make washing soda especially cheaply.)
True, washing soda does come from the baking soda 'make-up'. Good point! But, in fairness, because of the chemical differences once brought to high temps, they become different compounds and therefore may do different things when in a chemical 'difference' (have my Master in Science): baking soda absorbs odors (like armpit smells, hog barns...etc...where as once the baking soda’s chemical makeup, which is at first NaHCO3 (1 sodium, 1 hydrogen, one carbon, and 3 oxygen molecules), is then baked to remove the steam and and carbon dioxide, making the washing soda’s chemical makeup now Na2CO3 (2 sodium, 1 carbon, and 3 oxygen molecules). When baking soda is heated up to high temperatures (400* for about 45 minutes to 1 hour), it breaks down to become washing soda (finer grains that don't stick together now that it has steam removed) and removes the water steam, and carbon dioxide. So, the steam and carbon dioxide are released during the cooking process, leaving you with … washing soda! Washing soda is a great stain remover; cleans pots and pans from stubborn cooked on foods, it is great for many more uses now around the house. I guess I need to do a video on the subject and post for those who can not find Washing Soda in stores and can get their hands on baking soda on the cheap. Great comment! Got my wheels turning! I love it when people exercise MY mind! LOL>>blessings!
Janie Pendleton Also, where do you buy your baking soda in bulk or larger boxes? I buy boxes of washing soda and dump in a large glass jar with lid to keep water out. I'd love to make it if it was worth my time, but here it is cheaper to buy the washing soda then to run my oven for an hour and buy the soda in smaller boxes to turn into washing soda.
Janie Pendleton I've seen large boxes of baking soda at Walmart. Now these boxes of baking soda are different from the food quality that you get in the grocery store. Same product and can do the same thing. The difference is; it is not food grade and shouldn't be used as such. :-)
Thanks for that tip. I'm in Ontario and could not locate it in the stores here, so this will allow me to continue with Janie recipe, if I can now find the other items needed. We have Wal-Mart, so I'm going to try looking there for the Zote and Borax. (I do remember the borax as a child when I lived in NH). Give me back the old days when "keeping it simple stupid" worked perfectly! So thanks to both of you for the help.
@Jaylinn Cisco, I'm so happy to be of some help. I was a single parent for 12 years, raising three. Saving money for school/life needs in imperative. Keep up the great work!
I like how you explains everything. It makes a lot of sense. My wife just made homemade laundry detergent but with Fel Naptha bar soap which we got only about just a little over half of the 5 gallon bucket. Your methods got a lot more with just one bar of Zote bar soap! Amazing!!! We will definitely give this a try since we already have most of the items needed to make it. Thank you for sharing!
Yes...it is good for all colors, darks and whites! It's not a bleach. It still whitens and brightens better than most expensive detergents. I love this stuff!!
I get headaches with strong scents as well. I wear a mask when melting the soap. It's fine after I add it to the hot water in the bucket...not so strong smelling. And I use scents like citrus because that gets that floral scent out of the zote soap and keeps me from getting the migraine...which is why I started going 'chemical' free soaps in the first place. HEADACHEs were grueling and I wanted to end the pain. WORKED!!
Its definitely keeps your clothes clean for sure and like Janie said, wash your sheets on the line with this and the smell is like nothing you smelled before. Whoever invented this is a genius…..I will continue to use this as long as they sell the zone soap! : ) The next batch I make Im going to try the butter and lemon essence…it must smell wonderful!!! Thanks Janie!!!!!
Thanks! It does work. I won a world news tonight award for my recipe version with the oxyclean and zote and lemon and butter scents. Smells like lemon meringue pie. Add some glycerin and that helps keep it from separating...about a tablespoon or two per five gallons. Lavender or rose water is nice for sleeping scents as well. :) HUGS!
I am setting here about to go to Walmart and have been making my soap for a while, but was looking for a smell good way to spice it up.......this soap is sooooooo good guess what everyone is getting a jug of for Christmas this year !, I love making things in a jar to hand out to the 6 people on Our list because I can give it to them, then show them how to make it and save money, it is the gift that keeps on giving
We do not have hard water, Uzuriuk. We do have a lot of lime though and it gets white rocky substance on my faucets; I have to clean with vinegar once a month or they get clogged. No rust though. This laundry detergent is grt for HE machines. My friend says she only uses 1/3 cup for her front load and it does fine.
I love this recipe and have made it following your instructions, it was the best laundry soap ever. I gave a few bottles away to family and friends and they all loved it, in fact I have one friend with a small tot who is learning how to use the potty but still has an accident or two and his mother raved that this was the only thing she has used that really gets his training pants bright and fresh and knocks out the pp smell with out being over powered with a cheap perfume scent. Fixing to make another batch the only thing I have added is one cup of real lemon juice.
Hi, sorry UA-cam just posted this on my site??? I got my gallon jugs from Walmart in the 'fill your own water' area of the store. We buy bottled water in jugs and save money by reusing the jugs for other projects, like in the greenhouse for heat release in the winter. Tx for stopping by!!!
Yes...just blend in food processor in small amounts and then add in the pwdr mixes..stir well and store in a cool dry place. Use about 2 Tbsp per large load...and only 1 Tbsp or less per HE washer loads. I sometimes toss in an extra 1/4 cup of borax to my whites load. Keeps them bright white in our hard water. :) Thanks for subbing! I'm making raspberry jam as I type this...YUM!!
Hello, Tammy! I used Watkin Brand from Walmart. Any food extract flavors will work as they are made with alcohol and not oils...so they don't stain your clothes.I use lemon, butter, and coconut extract and sometimes lime to get my favorite scent. I use cherry or strawberry for my daughters. My DIL likes whatever I make...free is free! LOL>>>
Not at all; I'd trust this solution over store bought detergents anyday; I'm a redhead and wear a lot of blacks, browns and blues, also, my company shirts are either black or white and I use this on both. LOVE IT! My towels are hotel white, my socks are 'shockingly' white and I'm in construction. My jeans last longer and my shirts don't keep the underarm odors when I use the vinegar/suave softener as well (found on my site). I love how it does all this and is perfect on baby clothes as well.
I would degrease seperately by spot cleaning first with a laundry save solution of: 1/4 cup liquid dishwashing liquid(I prefer "Dawn" brand) 1/4 cup water 1-2 tsp cleaning grade orange oil (found on Amazon). Use the larger amount if you have set in grease stains. The oxyclean and Borax in my homemade laundry detergent will do some degreasing once in washing machine...but rub a bit of the orange oil solution in first. I keep this in a spray bottle next to washer! Or try Orange Gojo (shop cleaner)
You are welcome! Just shake each jug well before use; I always add a sprinkle of extra pwdered washing soda and borax to the clothes on each load cause we get pretty dirty...my friend sprinkles on extra 1/8 cup oxygen pwder on clothes and that whitens hers even more. But, it's not necessary!
that was terrific especially for moms like me that go through liquid laundry soap like whoa!...And I thought I was saving by buying the discounted Arm&Hammer brand lol. thanx chef !
I have spent the last 8 or so hours reading/watching all the different diy laundry soap recipes, and researching what does what. And I just gotta say you were by far may favorite DIY'er to watch. Some were just so cheery is was scary, a few , so paranoid I started looking out my blinds,, and I dont even want to discuss the judgemental ones. I watched your updated version first, then while trying to find that one again, I found this one, which didnt change my mind about you being my favorite. Lol. Thank you
Pour baking soda into a stainless steel pot and place on high heat. Cook, frequently checking the baking soda's temperature. You should see steam rising and condensation gathering around the edge of the pot at 100* Centigrade. Cook until steam no longer appears and temperature has reached about 200* Centigrade. At this point, your baking soda will have released its water and the excess carbon dioxide, becoming washing soda! Allow the washing soda to cool. Store in an airtight container.
Hey Janie. It's me. I love watching this video. I just realized something. You may have already figured this out. Remember you came up a little shy of soap on the 10th gallon? If you notice, the first 9 gallons were very full after adding the soap. It's hard to give a good shake when it's too full because there's no room for the product to get mixed well. Just stop short about 4 inches from the rim when you fill the 1st 9 gallons. Now you can shake the soap better and fill the 10th jug!
Does a straight man wash clothes. Don't let anyone chain your mind. We are all wonderful. Do what you want, as long as you are not hurting anyone, or yourself. Doesn't matter if you're straight or not, just don't be crooked - -LOL (smile)
Did you get it in the candle dept. as a scented oil or in another dept of store? Our Super Walmart does not carry ess oils that I have found. ?? Help!!
It is way to thick and needs to be mixed with water. If you like, make the dry version by mixing zote in food processor (fine grating) and then mix in all the other ingredients well. Store in airtight container and use only 2-3 Tbsp per load.
Oredered the ZOTE soap. It's 14.1 oz. just so everyone knows. I ordered it on Amazon for $7.93 (3 bars). seems like a good deal. I'll keep you posted! Thanks for the recipe.
Do you have a Walmart near you? If they do not carry it, ask them to start stocking it. It's .97 cents at our walmart (no shipping) and I found it several times at Big Lots for .91 cents. Ebay has some good deals with free shipping as well. Hope this helps everyone! Blessings!
Yes, I found it at Walmart for the same price and the washing soda and borax were like $3.97 each. Still beats the Tide I was purchasing at lest 3 times a month for my family of 6 at $8.97 a bottle. And, the store bought never washes as much as it says on the bottle. I also go to the laundromat and get the laundry detergent bottles out of the garbage which of course is good recycling.
Awesome! I'm glad it's all working for you. I love this too...and saving money right now is very important to my family. I have two girls in college at once and we're all on a tight budget. Crazy thing is...this is so much better than all those other chemical-filled big name products! My whites have never been whiter!!
I am so glad there are still people out there that hang their clothes out still! I love doing it and am looking forward to the weather to allow me : ) Thanks for your recipe I cant wait to try it out!
You are welcome! I love hanging my clothes out...esp sheets! I'm just a country girl though...couldn't imagine using bleach when I have the free bleaching and anti-bacterial rays of the sun! Free is good! LOL>>>
Janie Pendleton Im with you!! I live in New England and I am thankful to have a clothes line..I don't live in a home but the apts I live in has a huge clothesline in the back and nobody uses it but me so Im pretty lucky We have a laundry room but dryers just do what fresh air and sun do : ) Thank you again for your recipe and I will def comment on how it comes out. I have all the ingredients and ready to go!! So glad I found your page!!! : ) Take Care Janie!
I am based in the UK, and I use this recipe, however I don't add the additional fragrances. It is absolutely fantastic. Janie gives clear instructions, and it is so easy to make, probably one of the better tutorials on UA-cam. The Zote soap leaves a very delicate yet fresh scent, and it's such a pleasure to get into bed after washing sheets. I live in an area with hard water, and have a front loader, and the results are brilliant every time. Clean, fresh laundry. Even buying the soap from the US plus shipping to the UK is cheaper than buying laundry detergent in the shops here. What's not to like. Thanks Janie
Awe!! I'm so glad it's working for you too! It cleans better without all the harsh chemicals and migraine giving fragrances. I'm happy, you are happy!!! I've got other great vids...be sure and sub me on UA-cam. My fabric softener is grand too...Janie
Lard is pig, chicken, rabbit or sheep (or soft) fat = Zote Tallow is deer or cow (or hard) fat = Fels Naptha which might explain why one soap bar is harder than the other. Thought you & your viewers might like to know that. :)
Zote soap is made from coconut oil...so make your own soap with coconut oil, citronella oil and tallow of some sort and I'm sure you've duplicated laundry soap! I wish I had your talent of making soap...I've always wanted to try. :P
Here in Australia we cant get Zote or Naptha soaps so I substituted 2 bars of SARDS and 2 of Velvet laundry soaps (works out to be the same weight). I love it. I also pour half of the filled bucket into another bucket, then leave to set overnight. I find this is easier to stir the next day, and I add the water to these before decanting into the jugs. Hubby has also "donated: his paint stirrer attachment and his electric drill to whip it up. SOOO much easier. I get 35-40 litres per batch. I have friends clampering to try this, many of which have skin allergies and they swear by this. I sat down today and worked out how much $ it costs - the excessive price of $0.28 per litre.... oh the expense lol. Thanks so much Janie for sharing your recipes
When you are pocketing paycheck money from store-bought prices...and see how clean and fresh your clothes look and smell. You will not regret it. Use the wool dryer balls; I scent them and add about five of them to dryer, cutting my wrinkles and drying time down by 14 minutes! Saves energy! I also have recipe on my page for homemade fabric softener...that saves me even more. I keep my cabinets full and only have to make laundry supplies twice a year. Keep old downy bottles and detergent bottles from family and friends and use them if you like. Blessings!!!
you do save tons per year; example Water - $Free$ Zote Bar - .81 ea. (Big Lots or Walmart) Borax - $2.48 a box (Mernards) Arm & Hammer Washing Soda - $2.78 (Walmart) Arm & Hammer Baking Soda - $.48 (anywhere) Oxy-clean - $1.00 (Awesome brand at Dollar Store) Scents optional - $.50 (Dollar Store) $4.55 per 10 gallons '/. by (partial use of each box) Recipe makes 10 gallons Detergent --use 1/4 cup HE to 1/2 cup standard washer load = 590 to 1,180 loads at .004 to .008 cents per load!
Yes, you can use Zote on dishes...and Zote soap is also used for catfish bait, mending leaky pipes (bubbles up on gas leaks), it's a good mosquito repellent, and I use small pieces for drawer perfume, and shampoo!!
Example: Tide is $17.97 (walmart) per gallon x 10 gallons = $179.70 per 10 gallons bought at store, and that turns out to be around .15 to.30 cents per load. Over the period of a year Your savings is about $175.15 difference! In Percentages, its about a 98.3% savings per year and is over 39 times the overall savings!! Basically, you'll have whiter clothes, and brighter colors (safe for both) for about $5 bucks a year!
I made my own liquid laundry soap and was not happy with it at all. I am very EXCITED to try it again using your recipe. Can you give us a list of ingredients, how much of each, and everything you used in the video?? I saw a list on here but it did not have everything you used. Much easier than having to rewind everytime looking for it. You are awesome!!! Thank you for this ;)
So cant wait to try this as i have my roomies daughter in the house that uses a ton of laundry soap and does laundry 2+ times a week so im constantly buying it.. this will be so much cheaper! Thanks for making this video!
If you leave this in the bucket...then make only half the recipe...fill all the way to top with water after final sitting of mixture...this way you are making the full recipe and not the concentrated amount...So, use half the zote bar, and 1 cup of borax, etc...cut everything in half...stir into hot water well...then fill entire bucket with the hot water and stir, stir, stir again...then let sit and stir often, keeping it mixed up...also, you could do a DRY version of this!!
i have tried both the zote and the fels naptha, i prefer the zote. thanks for a great recipe! i plan to make your fabric softner recipe tomorrow, thanks again!!
I love the video I want to do this when I get back from vacation, I wanna get away from harmful chemicals for me and my families sake!! Thank you for all your hard work on the videos
1.Preheat your oven to approximately 390° - 400° Fahrenheit. (200° C) 2.Pour a box (or a few cups) of baking soda (not baking powder) onto a baking sheet, and put it in the oven. 3.Bake the baking soda from 45-60 minutes just to assure that the chemical reaction is completely complete. 4.After pulling the baking sheet out of the oven and letting it cool, store the washing soda in aclearly labeled airtight container. The washing soda can "convert" back into baking soda if it's exposed to air.
I saw someone used a painter's stirrer they attached it to their drill and it mixed the laundry detergent a lot faster. I also heard some people add fabulosa as a degreaser.
Are talking about a 'painter's' mixing tool when it's in the 5 gallon bucket? Because that would be fine. But a 'free' paint stick from Menards works good too. No mixer is needed during melting of soap on stove stage. It blends easily with a SS spoon.
@Jeanette Grisham: Sorry, your comments button is turned off; hope you see this!?? I think Dawn, for a degreaser, is fine for spot cleaning, but it would suds up too much and could cause your machine to overflow. Just my pondering here....also, suds in HE machines or front loaders are no-no's. I find this mix gets the grease out if using the ZOTE soap. My future SIL worked at a meat (pork) processing plant and we would get so greasy (feel your pain), and sliding around all day on the fat renderings (which btw is the stuff they turn into bacon bits at your local store) YIKES! And to get his laundry clean and smelling fresh again, she'd have to use Dawn in a large tub of boiling water first, then she'd use gain or tide xtra strong, that she needed that scent booster stuff too! She was spending tons on getting his clothes clean. One day she used the Dawn in the tub of boiling water, then tossed in reg washer with this ZOTE mixture and was pleasantly surprised. She did not get the strong scent, but the clothes were clean and fresh smelling. She used dryer sheets to get that stronger scent she wanted (about 4 sheets per load). His shoes, ruined and needed new ones every few weeks. Again, we feel your pain, dear. Let me know how it worked out for you! Dawn does work for greasy clothes but not in the actual washing machine due to suds. Just how she does it. Blessings!!!!
Some folks don't like to get 'borax' on their dishes because it is a poison if not rinsed off well. But I use it in my dishwasher tabs/pwdr, so, I think if you add the lemon juice to it...it will be fine.
I love your recipe. Thank you so much for sharing. We live in Hawaii and everything here is at least twice and three times what it costs on the mainland, so I will be saving A LOT of money this way. Thank you!
I have been making this Laundry detergent for nearly two years, and it's brilliant. No HE machines or Zote for that matter in the UK, but lots of hard water in my neck of the woods. It washes so well, and I use about 1/2 a cup in my machine. This is the best recipe with clear instructions - which is why I always follow it, however I don't add the scents to mine. For UK users you could try Clarim or Solavar, both Portuguese, and relatively easy to find in 400g bars. I buy mine for £1.10 - What an amazing price. I made this detergent also with Lirio soap, (bought on my last US trip) and the results are equally outstanding - the rose fragrance is delicate and lovely. Maybe useful for those who cannot find Zote. I look at the prices for detergent in the supermarket and laugh out loud hysterically.
I thank you Janie i didnt remember the fact it is a concentrated mix and still i have to thin it down...great!!! Again thanks for all your totorials about it.. David Camacho/Tijuana
Hi Janie, I made this and it's ready to be mixed up my problem is I don't have enough storage in my home to house 10 gallon containers. Can I leave it in the 5 gallon bucket with the lid on and make one bottle at a time or will it mold if not tightly closed? And I'm also a huge fan of lemon I love the way this smells. I've also made the softner and it smells great. Thanks for all the great recipes!!
Just a question. Why are so many people making these huge batches? Is anyone using this formula but cutting down the proportions? I plan on making this up because my shower experiments pretty much proved these ingredients really are pretty effective. But I will be making way less due to storage space. Awesome video!
Janie, thank you for doing this UA-cam. You did a great job in explaining how to....I use the dry recipe with the exact same ingredients and it works fantastic. I tried a liquid recipe a few years ago and while it washed the clothes great, the recipe seemed to be lacking something. I never could put my finger on it. But, thanks be to you for being wiling, able and excited in creating this tube. I am going right now to make me up a batch. Keep up the great works......
I plan on making my own laundry detergent when I move back to Indiana later this year. I have the ingredients ready to go, just don't think it makes sense to make it in my tiny apartment and then have to move a nearly full five gallon container later in the year. (Plus, I still have some store bought stuff to go through.) By the way, I recognized the Hoosier twang almost immediately. Got a bit of one too. (Especially when I'm tired.)
Thank Janie for the video loved it. Lots of details very helpful. I just finished making my detergent tonight. I will check on it tomorrow morning hope all goes well. I'm so excited about the extra savings...
I've been using home made powder detergent (1 cup each Borax & washing soda, 1 bar Fels Naptha). I was wondering if, in your opinion, liquid works better than powdered, or has some advantages the dry version doesn't? I ask because the liquid soap is obviously a lot more work than the powdered and if you feel they both work the same then I'll stick with my recipe. Thank you!
Thanks! I now add more washing soda and borax to each batch. I like my whites white (as seen by my socks in video)...lol...I add more scent too...ess. oils for fabrics work great! Blessings!
I need to do a video on this; had a lot of ppl ask me this question. thanks for posting the recipe for washing soda...folks in certain countries can't get their hands on this stuff.
Hi Janie I love your how to. But how many loads can you get out of a gallon? And have you done a powder laundry detergent? If so can you do a video for us?
Yes, I did in this video...Watkins brand from Wal mart... any brand would work. Just don't use "flavored oil" that would stain ur clothes. My daughter likes the scent of Oranges extract and strawberry extract...so I switch it up! :D
Oxyclean needs to stay in dry/powdered form and be added to the washing machine. Mixing it with water ahead of time activates it and it turns into plain peroxide. That is why it is only sold in powder form.
The addition of the oxyclean is neat to see. Have you made the liquid detergent without it before? How does it compare? Does it change the consistency at all? Also, for scent, would an oil based scent be appropriate for detergent?
Stir well. The bucket should be almost near the rim. If not, add enough hot water to come within 1 or 2 inches from the rim. Stir about 2 minutes to make sure everything is mixed well. Cover your bucket with a lid. In 2 hours, check to see if the solution has started to thicken. You don't have wait for the solution to completely gel, unless you want to play in it; like I sometimes do...lol. You can fill your 1 gallon jugs at this point. You don't have to do 50/50. Continued...
This is a great tutorial. Detailed and informative. I am in the UK and new to making laundry detergent, this is great for me. May I ask, do you have hard water where you live? We don't have HE machines here, but front loaders, mine is a Miele and very expensive. I am going to try this as I have Zote and Fels Naptha now. Well done
Ive been dying to try this laundry soap for ages this looks so easy as i spend so much on the scents i like i could just put them in my home made one im so excited to try this xxx
I make my own soap bars. Most of my ingredients are coconut oil, palm oil and olive oil. In addition, I also add sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil and other natural oils. Will my bars and your ingredient work well together?
Thank you for the great great video. This is best homemade laundry detergent I've ever made. I love your recipe. I was using Fels Naptha, but I've change to Zote soap. Also, I've tried your laundry crystal and fabric softener. They both turned out great. What making a video on homemade dish soap. Keep them coming. Thank you again for the great videos.
Folks you are not just saving money, you are opening up your mind to do other things! Which will make you more money in life!!!!!
Awesome! We used this soap growing up. It always got the stains out after playing outside. In case anyone wants to know, zote is from Mexico and pronounced zotay. 👍🏽
Soap turned out great! I am donating 5gallons to the homeless shelter thank u
What a great idea!
Aww 😄 that's awesome! God bless 💖
+SweetnessnBK If felt great!
So, after using homemade detergent for 3 years, we kept track and we saved $580.00 in three years of our paychecks! We put the funds from this and making our homemade fabric softener...that was another $180.00 savings = $780 dollars in my pocket vs in the city sewer system! That is like flushing your paycheck...while you get big box stores richer! We used the saving to buy a new patio table and chair set with new exterior rug and some patio stone! I love my new patio! Now, I'm using my paycheck for myself...something we can enjoy long-term. I hope this helps you save more money at home!
Our Little Homestead! Wow, that's fantastic.
Our Little Homestead! I wiah that you could be my home
Adam: Yes you do save tons per year; example
Water - $Free$
Zote Bar - .81 ea. (Big Lots or Walmart)
Borax - $2.48 a box (Mernards)
Arm & Hammer Washing Soda - $2.78 (Walmart)
Arm & Hammer Baking Soda - $.48 (anywhere)
Oxy-clean - $1.00 (Awesome brand at Dollar Store)
Scents optional - $.50 (Dollar Store)
$4.55 per 10 gallons '/. by (partial use of each box)
Recipe makes 10 gallons Detergent --use 1/4 cup HE to 1/2 cup standard washer load = 590 to 1,180 loads at .004 to .008 cents per load!
awesome video!! one suggestion instead of using a paint stick spend 4 or 5 bucks and get a paint mixer that go's on a drill...mixes it very well and save a ton of time. and also if you have friends that don't make there own laundry soap ask them to keep there old laundry soap jugs and put it in them.
Great suggestions! Thanks for stopping by and commenting. It's good to know ppl are loving the recipe and saving money at the same time. Laundry supplies and cleaning supplies are a huge loss to any budget throughout the year. We saved enough for me to buy stone to build my garden wall this year. Love how clean it gets my socks and construction t-shirts as well. Best wishes!
I know, right!! I bought 12 Zote soap bars last time I was at Wal Mart...as they never have the Zote..just the Nels Fapha. I totally stocked up on it. Did you know catfish love the white zote...and I make my own laundry softener (see video on my site) as well. I even make stain remover from the Zote-- just melt about 1/8 of the bar in 3 cups of water. Add 1 tbs of Borax and fill old shampoo bottle. Shake well before use. This is slimy. I let it sit on a stain and dry. Peels stain right off!
Janie, I'm in amazement at you. I never noticed before, but you are getting around like a kid. I guess when a person has bad knees, they notice when another person has great health, great knees, etc. You go girl!
jewellm61 yes I've bad knees from. Very young age so I did notice her great knees with some envy I miss those days
I've never made the detergent without the oxyclean. I love how it whitens my whites, brightens my colors and keeps my darks from fading when keeping it in the solution. I use the Awesome Brand from the dollar tree or General Dollar Store. LOVE this stuff!!
Instead of the lemon and butter scents, I went with my Scentsy Washer Whiffs in White Tea and Cactus. I only had to add a few sprinkles per bottle as I was pouring them. They all disolved and since I made it to share, I add more for people who want their soap to have a stronger smell and less for those that don't. I have to say, this mixture does really smell quite nice all on its own. Thank you again Janie. I will never buy commercial laundry soap again.
Well-- I did more research on this subject; because that is how I roll...lol...and seems Zote is coconut oil, citronella oil (misquito repellant) and tallow...very mild and can be used as a body or shampoo when diluted with water for a gel type solution..grt for spot treating too...but Fels Naphtha has laundry chemicals that are harsh. So, if you want chemical-free for baby laundry or allergies...and gentle on skin too, go with zote!
I give to daughters who are both in college and to DIL who is going to have a baby! This is great for baby laundry. Zote soap was originally made for chemical-free baby diaper laundry.
Absolutely! It contains no bleach, but the borox whitens whites, removes stains along with the washing soda and zote soap...the baking soda helps remove odors...The oxygen cleaner does all the above too. This is pwrful stuff..I noticed a difference in one washing from using GAIN! I make my own softener and crystals as well...so be and sure and check out my other videos on this subject.
I love this soap it is also excellent for cleaning makeup sponges, puffs, and brushes!
It cleanses my soul to hear from someone so resourceful, economical and articulate. Love it. Thank you!!
I really enjoyed your video, it was informative and helpful. I do have one hint for you. Baking soda and washing soda are the same product you are using double product. You can make your own washing soda out of baking soda:
Instructions
1. Fill a wide baking dish with baking soda.
2. Heat in the oven at 400 degrees until all the baking soda becomes washing soda. This usually takes an hour. Occasionally mix (stir it around) so that this process happens faster and more uniformly.
When baking soda is heated up to high temperatures, it breaks down to become washing soda, water steam, and carbon dioxide.
By cooking your baking soda, you can easily and safely get washing soda without needing to travel to far flung places to buy it, and you can make as much as you need at a time and don't need to lay out a lot of money on buying washing soda. (If you buy baking soda in bulk as I do, you can make washing soda especially cheaply.)
True, washing soda does come from the baking soda 'make-up'. Good point! But, in fairness, because of the chemical differences once brought to high temps, they become different compounds and therefore may do different things when in a chemical 'difference' (have my Master in Science): baking soda absorbs odors (like armpit smells, hog barns...etc...where as once the baking soda’s chemical makeup, which is at first NaHCO3 (1 sodium, 1 hydrogen, one carbon, and 3 oxygen molecules), is then baked to remove the steam and and carbon dioxide, making the washing soda’s chemical makeup now Na2CO3 (2 sodium, 1 carbon, and 3 oxygen molecules). When baking soda is heated up to high temperatures (400* for about 45 minutes to 1 hour), it breaks down to become washing soda (finer grains that don't stick together now that it has steam removed) and removes the water steam, and carbon dioxide.
So, the steam and carbon dioxide are released during the cooking process, leaving you with … washing soda! Washing soda is a great stain remover; cleans pots and pans from stubborn cooked on foods, it is great for many more uses now around the house. I guess I need to do a video on the subject and post for those who can not find Washing Soda in stores and can get their hands on baking soda on the cheap. Great comment! Got my wheels turning! I love it when people exercise MY mind! LOL>>blessings!
Janie Pendleton Also, where do you buy your baking soda in bulk or larger boxes? I buy boxes of washing soda and dump in a large glass jar with lid to keep water out. I'd love to make it if it was worth my time, but here it is cheaper to buy the washing soda then to run my oven for an hour and buy the soda in smaller boxes to turn into washing soda.
Janie Pendleton I've seen large boxes of baking soda at Walmart. Now these boxes of baking soda are different from the food quality that you get in the grocery store. Same product and can do the same thing. The difference is; it is not food grade and shouldn't be used as such. :-)
Jumpoff A Awesome! Thanks!
Thanks for that tip. I'm in Ontario and could not locate it in the stores here, so this will allow me to continue with Janie
recipe, if I can now find the other items needed. We have Wal-Mart, so I'm going to try looking there for the Zote and Borax. (I do remember the borax as a child when I lived in NH). Give me back the old days when "keeping it simple stupid" worked perfectly! So thanks to both of you for the help.
@Jaylinn Cisco, I'm so happy to be of some help. I was a single parent for 12 years, raising three. Saving money for school/life needs in imperative. Keep up the great work!
I like how you explains everything. It makes a lot of sense. My wife just made homemade laundry detergent but with Fel Naptha bar soap which we got only about just a little over half of the 5 gallon bucket. Your methods got a lot more with just one bar of Zote bar soap! Amazing!!! We will definitely give this a try since we already have most of the items needed to make it. Thank you for sharing!
I think Zore is almost twice the size of Fels, and the pink one smells better.
Yes...it is good for all colors, darks and whites! It's not a bleach. It still whitens and brightens better than most expensive detergents. I love this stuff!!
I love this recipe thanks so much for sharing you have help me save a fortune in laundry detergent. Being a single mom I need all the help I can get!
I get headaches with strong scents as well. I wear a mask when melting the soap. It's fine after I add it to the hot water in the bucket...not so strong smelling. And I use scents like citrus because that gets that floral scent out of the zote soap and keeps me from getting the migraine...which is why I started going 'chemical' free soaps in the first place. HEADACHEs were grueling and I wanted to end the pain. WORKED!!
Its definitely keeps your clothes clean for sure and like Janie said, wash your sheets on the line with this and the smell is like nothing you smelled before. Whoever invented this is a genius…..I will continue to use this as long as they sell the zone soap! : ) The next batch I make Im going to try the butter and lemon essence…it must smell wonderful!!! Thanks Janie!!!!!
Thanks! It does work. I won a world news tonight award for my recipe version with the oxyclean and zote and lemon and butter scents. Smells like lemon meringue pie. Add some glycerin and that helps keep it from separating...about a tablespoon or two per five gallons. Lavender or rose water is nice for sleeping scents as well. :) HUGS!
I am setting here about to go to Walmart and have been making my soap for a while, but was looking for a smell good way to spice it up.......this soap is sooooooo good guess what everyone is getting a jug of for Christmas this year !, I love making things in a jar to hand out to the 6 people on Our list because I can give it to them, then show them how to make it and save money, it is the gift that keeps on giving
We do not have hard water, Uzuriuk. We do have a lot of lime though and it gets white rocky substance on my faucets; I have to clean with vinegar once a month or they get clogged. No rust though. This laundry detergent is grt for HE machines. My friend says she only uses 1/3 cup for her front load and it does fine.
I love this recipe and have made it following your instructions, it was the best laundry soap ever. I gave a few bottles away to family and friends and they all loved it, in fact I have one friend with a small tot who is learning how to use the potty but still has an accident or two and his mother raved that this was the only thing she has used that really gets his training pants bright and fresh and knocks out the pp smell with out being over powered with a cheap perfume scent. Fixing to make another batch the only thing I have added is one cup of real lemon juice.
I'll have to give the lemon juice a try! I'm glad you love it so... thanks for commenting! Blessings!
I love my zote laundry soap, it really save you money by making your own laundry detergent in the long and short run.
Hi, sorry UA-cam just posted this on my site??? I got my gallon jugs from Walmart in the 'fill your own water' area of the store. We buy bottled water in jugs and save money by reusing the jugs for other projects, like in the greenhouse for heat release in the winter. Tx for stopping by!!!
I made it, and I love it! Thanks for very detailed instructions.
Yes...just blend in food processor in small amounts and then add in the pwdr mixes..stir well and store in a cool dry place. Use about 2 Tbsp per large load...and only 1 Tbsp or less per HE washer loads. I sometimes toss in an extra 1/4 cup of borax to my whites load. Keeps them bright white in our hard water. :) Thanks for subbing! I'm making raspberry jam as I type this...YUM!!
Yes, and then you stir and add to 50% water to 50% solution on jugs. Shake and use 1/4 HE loads to 1/2 cup reg washer loads.
Hello, Tammy! I used Watkin Brand from Walmart. Any food extract flavors will work as they are made with alcohol and not oils...so they don't stain your clothes.I use lemon, butter, and coconut extract and sometimes lime to get my favorite scent. I use cherry or strawberry for my daughters. My DIL likes whatever I make...free is free! LOL>>>
Not at all; I'd trust this solution over store bought detergents anyday; I'm a redhead and wear a lot of blacks, browns and blues, also, my company shirts are either black or white and I use this on both. LOVE IT! My towels are hotel white, my socks are 'shockingly' white and I'm in construction. My jeans last longer and my shirts don't keep the underarm odors when I use the vinegar/suave softener as well (found on my site). I love how it does all this and is perfect on baby clothes as well.
I would degrease seperately by spot cleaning first with a laundry save solution of: 1/4 cup liquid dishwashing liquid(I prefer "Dawn" brand)
1/4 cup water
1-2 tsp cleaning grade orange oil (found on Amazon). Use the larger amount if you have set in grease stains. The oxyclean and Borax in my homemade laundry detergent will do some degreasing once in washing machine...but rub a bit of the orange oil solution in first. I keep this in a spray bottle next to washer! Or try Orange Gojo (shop cleaner)
You are welcome! Just shake each jug well before use; I always add a sprinkle of extra pwdered washing soda and borax to the clothes on each load cause we get pretty dirty...my friend sprinkles on extra 1/8 cup oxygen pwder on clothes and that whitens hers even more. But, it's not necessary!
thanks for recipe- I make my own soap from time to time, and this one i want to try!
that was terrific especially for moms like me that go through liquid laundry soap like whoa!...And I thought I was saving by buying the discounted Arm&Hammer brand lol. thanx chef !
I have spent the last 8 or so hours reading/watching all the different diy laundry soap recipes, and researching what does what. And I just gotta say you were by far may favorite DIY'er to watch. Some were just so cheery is was scary, a few , so paranoid I started looking out my blinds,, and I dont even want to discuss the judgemental ones.
I watched your updated version first, then while trying to find that one again, I found this one, which didnt change my mind about you being my favorite. Lol. Thank you
Wow, thank you!
Pour baking soda into a stainless steel pot and place on high heat. Cook, frequently checking the baking soda's temperature. You should see steam rising and condensation gathering around the edge of the pot at 100* Centigrade.
Cook until steam no longer appears and temperature has reached about 200* Centigrade. At this point, your baking soda will have released its water and the excess carbon dioxide, becoming washing soda!
Allow the washing soda to cool. Store in an airtight container.
Hey Janie. It's me. I love watching this video. I just realized something. You may have already figured this out. Remember you came up a little shy of soap on the 10th gallon? If you notice, the first 9 gallons were very full after adding the soap. It's hard to give a good shake when it's too full because there's no room for the product to get mixed well. Just stop short about 4 inches from the rim when you fill the 1st 9 gallons. Now you can shake the soap better and fill the 10th jug!
Is it wrong if a straight man does this or is it frowned upon lo,, hell im going to do it anyway, awesome vid.
You're a hoot! Saving money is for everyone! LOL>>.
Anybody from Tide would clearly say YEEEEESSSSS!!!! XD
Carl Whittaker I'm a straight man with a family! I take pride in saving money for the family! Aslo, I feel like more of a man making this recipe!!!
Does a straight man wash clothes. Don't let anyone chain your mind. We are all wonderful. Do what you want, as long as you are not hurting anyone, or yourself. Doesn't matter if you're straight or not, just don't be crooked - -LOL (smile)
Just made this right now. I put a clean linen scented oil in mine and also used fels naptha instead. It smells amazing! Thanks Janie.
Bianka Avellino You wll love this stuff! Saves tons of money and carting heavy detergent around store and to car! It's all good! LOL
where did you get the linen scented oil?
I got mine from Walmart 2 bucks
Did you get it in the candle dept. as a scented oil or in another dept of store? Our Super Walmart does not carry ess oils that I have found. ?? Help!!
candle dept
It is way to thick and needs to be mixed with water. If you like, make the dry version by mixing zote in food processor (fine grating) and then mix in all the other ingredients well. Store in airtight container and use only 2-3 Tbsp per load.
Oredered the ZOTE soap. It's 14.1 oz. just so everyone knows. I ordered it on Amazon for $7.93 (3 bars). seems like a good deal. I'll keep you posted! Thanks for the recipe.
Do you have a Walmart near you? If they do not carry it, ask them to start stocking it. It's .97 cents at our walmart (no shipping) and I found it several times at Big Lots for .91 cents. Ebay has some good deals with free shipping as well. Hope this helps everyone! Blessings!
Yes, I found it at Walmart for the same price and the washing soda and borax were like $3.97 each. Still beats the Tide I was purchasing at lest 3 times a month for my family of 6 at $8.97 a bottle. And, the store bought never washes as much as it says on the bottle. I also go to the laundromat and get the laundry detergent bottles out of the garbage which of course is good recycling.
Awesome! I'm glad it's all working for you. I love this too...and saving money right now is very important to my family. I have two girls in college at once and we're all on a tight budget. Crazy thing is...this is so much better than all those other chemical-filled big name products! My whites have never been whiter!!
I am so glad there are still people out there that hang their clothes out still! I love doing it and am looking forward to the weather to allow me : ) Thanks for your recipe I cant wait to try it out!
You are welcome! I love hanging my clothes out...esp sheets! I'm just a country girl though...couldn't imagine using bleach when I have the free bleaching and anti-bacterial rays of the sun! Free is good! LOL>>>
Janie Pendleton Im with you!! I live in New England and I am thankful to have a clothes line..I don't live in a home but the apts I live in has a huge clothesline in the back and nobody uses it but me so Im pretty lucky We have a laundry room but dryers just do what fresh air and sun do : ) Thank you again for your recipe and I will def comment on how it comes out. I have all the ingredients and ready to go!! So glad I found your page!!! : ) Take Care Janie!
I am based in the UK, and I use this recipe, however I don't add the additional fragrances. It is absolutely fantastic. Janie gives clear instructions, and it is so easy to make, probably one of the better tutorials on UA-cam. The Zote soap leaves a very delicate yet fresh scent, and it's such a pleasure to get into bed after washing sheets. I live in an area with hard water, and have a front loader, and the results are brilliant every time. Clean, fresh laundry. Even buying the soap from the US plus shipping to the UK is cheaper than buying laundry detergent in the shops here. What's not to like. Thanks Janie
Awe!! I'm so glad it's working for you too! It cleans better without all the harsh chemicals and migraine giving fragrances. I'm happy, you are happy!!! I've got other great vids...be sure and sub me on UA-cam. My fabric softener is grand too...Janie
Lard is pig, chicken, rabbit or sheep (or soft) fat = Zote
Tallow is deer or cow (or hard) fat = Fels Naptha
which might explain why one soap bar is harder than the other. Thought you & your viewers might like to know that. :)
Zote soap is made from coconut oil...so make your own soap with coconut oil, citronella oil and tallow of some sort and I'm sure you've duplicated laundry soap! I wish I had your talent of making soap...I've always wanted to try. :P
Here in Australia we cant get Zote or Naptha soaps so I substituted 2 bars of SARDS and 2 of Velvet laundry soaps (works out to be the same weight).
I love it. I also pour half of the filled bucket into another bucket, then leave to set overnight. I find this is easier to stir the next day, and I add the water to these before decanting into the jugs. Hubby has also "donated: his paint stirrer attachment and his electric drill to whip it up. SOOO much easier.
I get 35-40 litres per batch. I have friends clampering to try this, many of which have skin allergies and they swear by this.
I sat down today and worked out how much $ it costs - the excessive price of $0.28 per litre.... oh the expense lol.
Thanks so much Janie for sharing your recipes
This was awesome!
Thank you so much for sharing,
I'm gonna give it a try!
When you are pocketing paycheck money from store-bought prices...and see how clean and fresh your clothes look and smell. You will not regret it. Use the wool dryer balls; I scent them and add about five of them to dryer, cutting my wrinkles and drying time down by 14 minutes! Saves energy! I also have recipe on my page for homemade fabric softener...that saves me even more. I keep my cabinets full and only have to make laundry supplies twice a year. Keep old downy bottles and detergent bottles from family and friends and use them if you like. Blessings!!!
you do save tons per year; example Water - $Free$ Zote Bar - .81 ea. (Big Lots or Walmart) Borax - $2.48 a box (Mernards) Arm & Hammer Washing Soda - $2.78 (Walmart) Arm & Hammer Baking Soda - $.48 (anywhere) Oxy-clean - $1.00 (Awesome brand at Dollar Store) Scents optional - $.50 (Dollar Store) $4.55 per 10 gallons '/. by (partial use of each box) Recipe makes 10 gallons Detergent --use 1/4 cup HE to 1/2 cup standard washer load = 590 to 1,180 loads at .004 to .008 cents per load!
Yes, you can use Zote on dishes...and Zote soap is also used for catfish bait, mending leaky pipes (bubbles up on gas leaks), it's a good mosquito repellent, and I use small pieces for drawer perfume, and shampoo!!
Example: Tide is $17.97 (walmart) per gallon x 10 gallons = $179.70 per 10 gallons bought at store, and that turns out to be around .15 to.30 cents per load. Over the period of a year Your savings is about $175.15 difference! In Percentages, its about a 98.3% savings per year and is over 39 times the overall savings!! Basically, you'll have whiter clothes, and brighter colors (safe for both) for about $5 bucks a year!
I made my own liquid laundry soap and was not happy with it at all. I am very EXCITED to try it again using your recipe. Can you give us a list of ingredients, how much of each, and everything you used in the video?? I saw a list on here but it did not have everything you used. Much easier than having to rewind everytime looking for it. You are awesome!!! Thank you for this ;)
So cant wait to try this as i have my roomies daughter in the house that uses a ton of laundry soap and does laundry 2+ times a week so im constantly buying it.. this will be so much cheaper! Thanks for making this video!
It's a great whitener without the bleach or smells!
If you leave this in the bucket...then make only half the recipe...fill all the way to top with water after final sitting of mixture...this way you are making the full recipe and not the concentrated amount...So, use half the zote bar, and 1 cup of borax, etc...cut everything in half...stir into hot water well...then fill entire bucket with the hot water and stir, stir, stir again...then let sit and stir often, keeping it mixed up...also, you could do a DRY version of this!!
i have tried both the zote and the fels naptha, i prefer the zote. thanks for a great recipe! i plan to make your fabric softner recipe tomorrow, thanks again!!
Awesome!!!
I love the video I want to do this when I get back from vacation, I wanna get away from harmful chemicals for me and my families sake!! Thank you for all your hard work on the videos
1.Preheat your oven to approximately 390° - 400° Fahrenheit. (200° C)
2.Pour a box (or a few cups) of baking soda (not baking powder) onto a baking sheet, and put it in the oven.
3.Bake the baking soda from 45-60 minutes just to assure that the chemical reaction is completely complete.
4.After pulling the baking sheet out of the oven and letting it cool, store the washing soda in aclearly labeled airtight container. The washing soda can "convert" back into baking soda if it's exposed to air.
I saw someone used a painter's stirrer they attached it to their drill and it mixed the laundry detergent a lot faster. I also heard some people add fabulosa as a degreaser.
Electric drill with the long stem paint mixer set to low speed for a smoother consistency before putting in jugs helps.
Are talking about a 'painter's' mixing tool when it's in the 5 gallon bucket? Because that would be fine. But a 'free' paint stick from Menards works good too. No mixer is needed during melting of soap on stove stage. It blends easily with a SS spoon.
@Jeanette Grisham: Sorry, your comments button is turned off; hope you see this!??
I think Dawn, for a degreaser, is fine for spot cleaning, but it would suds up too much and could cause your machine to overflow. Just my pondering here....also, suds in HE machines or front loaders are no-no's. I find this mix gets the grease out if using the ZOTE soap. My future SIL worked at a meat (pork) processing plant and we would get so greasy (feel your pain), and sliding around all day on the fat renderings (which btw is the stuff they turn into bacon bits at your local store) YIKES! And to get his laundry clean and smelling fresh again, she'd have to use Dawn in a large tub of boiling water first, then she'd use gain or tide xtra strong, that she needed that scent booster stuff too! She was spending tons on getting his clothes clean. One day she used the Dawn in the tub of boiling water, then tossed in reg washer with this ZOTE mixture and was pleasantly surprised. She did not get the strong scent, but the clothes were clean and fresh smelling. She used dryer sheets to get that stronger scent she wanted (about 4 sheets per load). His shoes, ruined and needed new ones every few weeks. Again, we feel your pain, dear. Let me know how it worked out for you! Dawn does work for greasy clothes but not in the actual washing machine due to suds. Just how she does it. Blessings!!!!
I use the Zote to bathe with. The pink soap is great with *Acne* .
Some folks don't like to get 'borax' on their dishes because it is a poison if not rinsed off well. But I use it in my dishwasher tabs/pwdr, so, I think if you add the lemon juice to it...it will be fine.
Janie:
Just great !!! That is what i wanted to read...God Bless you and your Family!!!
Thanks.
David Camacho/Tijuana
I love your recipe. Thank you so much for sharing. We live in Hawaii and everything here is at least twice and three times what it costs on the mainland, so I will be saving A LOT of money this way. Thank you!
just made my first batch I love it!!! really gets my husbands greasy clothes clean!!!
I'm glad you stopped by, Sugar! Come back anytime...
I have been making this Laundry detergent for nearly two years, and it's brilliant. No HE machines or Zote for that matter in the UK, but lots of hard water in my neck of the woods. It washes so well, and I use about 1/2 a cup in my machine. This is the best recipe with clear instructions - which is why I always follow it, however I don't add the scents to mine.
For UK users you could try Clarim or Solavar, both Portuguese, and relatively easy to find in 400g bars. I buy mine for £1.10 - What an amazing price.
I made this detergent also with Lirio soap, (bought on my last US trip) and the results are equally outstanding - the rose fragrance is delicate and lovely. Maybe useful for those who cannot find Zote.
I look at the prices for detergent in the supermarket and laugh out loud hysterically.
Uzuriuk where do you buy the big block of soap in the UK ? It wasn't a great price on eBay UK
I thank you Janie i didnt remember the fact it is a concentrated mix and still i have to thin it down...great!!!
Again thanks for all your totorials about it..
David Camacho/Tijuana
Thanks for taking your time to answer my question. It is really make things much cheaper .Thanks again. Ayyalah
Hi Janie, I made this and it's ready to be mixed up my problem is I don't have enough storage in my home to house 10 gallon containers. Can I leave it in the 5 gallon bucket with the lid on and make one bottle at a time or will it mold if not tightly closed? And I'm also a huge fan of lemon I love the way this smells. I've also made the softner and it smells great. Thanks for all the great recipes!!
Just a question. Why are so many people making these huge batches? Is anyone using this formula but cutting down the proportions? I plan on making this up because my shower experiments pretty much proved these ingredients really are pretty effective. But I will be making way less due to storage space. Awesome video!
It thickens the soap to a gel by reacting to the chemicals in the Zote soap. It also serves as a whitener and a brightener without using bleach.
we get the same oxyglcean at our dollar tree and it works wondeful just in the wash so it be awsome in this homemaid detergent
Janie, thank you for doing this UA-cam. You did a great job in explaining how to....I use the dry recipe with the exact same ingredients and it works fantastic. I tried a liquid recipe a few years ago and while it washed the clothes great, the recipe seemed to be lacking something. I never could put my finger on it. But, thanks be to you for being wiling, able and excited in creating this tube. I am going right now to make me up a batch. Keep up the great works......
hi Janie I was wondering if you can leave it the the bucket and just fill one container at a time?
Glad it's working for you! Doesn't it smell awesome? What scents did you use?
I plan on making my own laundry detergent when I move back to Indiana later this year. I have the ingredients ready to go, just don't think it makes sense to make it in my tiny apartment and then have to move a nearly full five gallon container later in the year. (Plus, I still have some store bought stuff to go through.) By the way, I recognized the Hoosier twang almost immediately. Got a bit of one too. (Especially when I'm tired.)
Thank Janie for the video loved it. Lots of details very helpful. I just finished making my detergent tonight. I will check on it tomorrow morning hope all goes well. I'm so excited about the extra savings...
If it's warm it mixes better...when cooler it is harder to mix but still, great stuff! Blessings!!
I've been using home made powder detergent (1 cup each Borax & washing soda, 1 bar Fels Naptha). I was wondering if, in your opinion, liquid works better than powdered, or has some advantages the dry version doesn't? I ask because the liquid soap is obviously a lot more work than the powdered and if you feel they both work the same then I'll stick with my recipe. Thank you!
awesome video Janie! this is my favorite one so far on laundry soap and will be following it next time i make some!
Thanks! I now add more washing soda and borax to each batch. I like my whites white (as seen by my socks in video)...lol...I add more scent too...ess. oils for fabrics work great! Blessings!
i will remember that also Thank you much!
I need to do a video on this; had a lot of ppl ask me this question. thanks for posting the recipe for washing soda...folks in certain countries can't get their hands on this stuff.
Enjoy!
I will try...Thanks for taking the time to make the video...
Hi Janie I love your how to. But how many loads can you get out of a gallon? And have you done a powder laundry detergent? If so can you do a video for us?
Janie, thanks for sharing your recipe. I made it today. It was so easy to make. :)
You are welcome! I love this stuff!! Try my softener and wool dryer balls as well...saves loads more on laundry bill! More money for fun with family!
Great video I will try it looks simple
Yes, I did in this video...Watkins brand from Wal mart... any brand would work. Just don't use "flavored oil" that would stain ur clothes. My daughter likes the scent of Oranges extract and strawberry extract...so I switch it up! :D
AWESOME! Thank you for posting all of your recipes/ingredients! I know it alot of your time, but we absolutely appreciate it! Thanks again!!
Oxyclean needs to stay in dry/powdered form and be added to the washing machine. Mixing it with water ahead of time activates it and it turns into plain peroxide. That is why it is only sold in powder form.
The addition of the oxyclean is neat to see. Have you made the liquid detergent without it before? How does it compare? Does it change the consistency at all? Also, for scent, would an oil based scent be appropriate for detergent?
Wow thank you step by step info how to save money on home made laundry detergent,thank you -God Bless ---oh Yes and Hare Krishna.
+Chandra Dasa You are welcome. Enjoy the savings!
Stir well. The bucket should be almost near the rim. If not, add enough hot water to come within 1 or 2 inches from the rim. Stir about 2 minutes to make sure everything is mixed well. Cover your bucket with a lid. In 2 hours, check to see if the solution has started to thicken. You don't have wait for the solution to completely gel, unless you want to play in it; like I sometimes do...lol. You can fill your 1 gallon jugs at this point. You don't have to do 50/50. Continued...
This is a great tutorial. Detailed and informative. I am in the UK and new to making laundry detergent, this is great for me. May I ask, do you have hard water where you live? We don't have HE machines here, but front loaders, mine is a Miele and very expensive. I am going to try this as I have Zote and Fels Naptha now. Well done
Ive been dying to try this laundry soap for ages this looks so easy as i spend so much on the scents i like i could just put them in my home made one im so excited to try this xxx
I make my own soap bars. Most of my ingredients are coconut oil, palm oil and olive oil. In addition, I also add sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil and other natural oils. Will my bars and your ingredient work well together?
Thank you for the great great video. This is best homemade laundry detergent I've ever made. I love your recipe. I was using Fels Naptha, but I've change to Zote soap. Also, I've tried your laundry crystal and fabric softener. They both turned out great. What making a video on homemade dish soap. Keep them coming. Thank you again for the great videos.
I will stick with the dry soap it works great