Make my Homemade Laundry Soap Better!

[nwmamas]

For about 6 months, I have been making our detergent using a basic borax/sodium carbonate/Bronner's recipe. I love doing this, saving the money, feeling sort of cool, etc. BUT

our clothes are just worn looking. They're in pretty bad shape for their age and always dingy to boot. I started the icky practice of bleaching the whites every month or so, but at this point, it's not even brightening the clothes much AND the bleach is hard on the worn clothes.

My dilemma is that I have 2 spirited kids with high needs, some PPD, and a general ineptitude and lack of motivation around the home. So I haven't looked for bluing or started adding vinegar after the washer fills.

Are there any one-step solutions that will let me keep my soap? Can I add vinegar right away? Use sodium bicarbonate instead of washing soda? Alternate with store-bought detergent? ...? How do the natural (pricey!) brands work well? They're not dyed blue!

I'm afraid that buying new clothes is turning out to be less frugal than buying detergent.

[Mama2Bug]

Not to derail your thread, OP, but I am having a similar problem. I am using the same recipe (with grated ivory instead of Dr. Bronner's) and am having issues. The clothes look fine. Our issue is with odor. DH's workout clothes, for example really, really stink. The home made detergent isn't getting the stink out. In fact, the stink now spreads to whatever I wash with the stinky clothes.

Any thoughts? I didn't have this problem when I was just using Purex.

[A_Random_Phrase]

Originally Posted by Mama2Bug

Not to derail your thread, OP, but I am having a similar problem. I am using the same recipe (with grated ivory instead of Dr. Bronner's) and am having issues. The clothes look fine. Our issue is with odor. DH's workout clothes, for example really, really stink. The home made detergent isn't getting the stink out. In fact, the stink now spreads to whatever I wash with the stinky clothes.

Any thoughts? I didn't have this problem when I was just using Purex.

No help for the op. In fact, I looked on this thread to see what people were saying. But I can relate to the stink. Only, I use regular soap (I'm new to this part of mothering.com) but it might help. DH's clothes stink mega! So I put about a cup of white vinegar and laundry soap in and put it on the soak cycle in warm water. When it is done, I wash it regular without adding more soap. If I leave out the vinegar or the soap in the soak cycle or if I leave out doing the soak cycle, the stink doesn't come out.

[nwmamas]

Rats! I'm partly answering and partly just bumping because I have faith someone here has to know the answer to these problems.

We're a house of girls, and haven't noticed a cleaning problem as far as the clothes coming out smelly. Have you tried scented soap and/or essential oils? We have experimented a little with a lavender/tea tree oil one that is pretty laundry-smelling and both of those oils have antibacterial components that could help with the smell. Perppermint might be strong enough too. Or load up on EOs (still cheaper than detergent) and just cover it up?

[Ruthla]

Originally Posted by nwmamas

My dilemma is that I have 2 spirited kids with high needs, some PPD, and a general ineptitude and lack of motivation around the home. So I haven't looked for bluing or started adding vinegar after the washer fills.

Honestly, in your situation, I'd just buy some laundry detergent at the local HFS (such as 7th generation or Ecover) and experiment with laundry recipes at another point in my life.

[tracyhos]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

Honestly, in your situation, I'd just buy some laundry detergent at the local HFS (such as 7th generation or Ecover) and experiment with laundry recipes at another point in my life.

I think I agree. I'm using Ecover right now. I really like it. I've experimented with making my own, in a pinch, if I run out...and it's ok. But not great. In a pinch, I use baking soda and vinegar. Or Dr. B's and vinegar.

[kdmama33]

Have you tried a vinegar rinse in the softener dispenser? If you don't have a softener dispenser, you can fill one of those Downy balls with vinegar and throw that in. (i use between 1/4 and 1/2 cup per load of laundry, and I have a SUPER capacity washer.) The vinegar helps to remove soap residue, which is what makes the clothes dingy and worn looking.

[jyurina]

The best thing I have used is the Soap Nuts. They are extremely economical when you "brew" the soapnuts tea. I bought the $35 bag about 2 months ago and have about 3/4 of it still. I make my own cleaning solution out of the tea, TTO and vinegar. ANd it really takes the dinge out of clothes as well as the stink. If i have especially smelly laundry a couple drops od TTO takes care of it.

[spiderdust]

Are you looking for a frugal, environmentally friendly solution or for a DIY solution?

If it's the first, try Charlie's Soap. I found that it works better than the homemade soap I used to make. With the homemade stuff, my clothes just didn't seem to get very clean. I really wanted it to work and really tried, but it didn't work for me as well as it seemed to work for others.

Charlie's Soap, on the other hand, makes my clothes look and smell clean. It doesn't have any scents or optical brighteners, but it doesn't a great job. It costs me about the same per load as making my own laundry detergent did.

[A_Random_Phrase]

Originally Posted by jyurina

The best thing I have used is the Soap Nuts. They are extremely economical when you "brew" the soapnuts tea. I bought the $35 bag about 2 months ago and have about 3/4 of it still. I make my own cleaning solution out of the tea, TTO and vinegar. ANd it really takes the dinge out of clothes as well as the stink. If i have especially smelly laundry a couple drops od TTO takes care of it.

Who makes the Soap Nuts? I have never heard of them before. Do you have a website address for them? Also, what is TTO (I'm new to the green living forum)?
Thanks.

[jyurina]

they are made by maggiespureland , and TTO is tea tree oil.

[A_Random_Phrase]

Thanks, I'll see if I can find them.

[A_Random_Phrase]

I found them.
http://www.maggiespureland.com/

[jyurina]

Well here is the formula I use for making the "tea". I boil 6 nuts in a stock pot of water for about 20 minutes and then let it sit till cool. I fill one gallon vinegar jug with it for the laundry and pour the rest into another jug-to this I add about a quarter of a jug of white vinegar and 10-15 tea tree oil drops. That makes the all purpose cleaner. You'll have to play with the amount of the tea you use for laundry. Or use the little sack that it comes with for the whole nuts. I just find that using the liquid is much more effective of you wash in cold water.

[A_Random_Phrase]

Thanks. I appreciate all your help.

[sunnysandiegan]

Originally Posted by jyurina

Well here is the formula I use for making the "tea". I boil 6 nuts in a stock pot of water for about 20 minutes and then let it sit till cool. I fill one gallon vinegar jug with it for the laundry and pour the rest into another jug-to this I add about a quarter of a jug of white vinegar and 10-15 tea tree oil drops. That makes the all purpose cleaner. You'll have to play with the amount of the tea you use for laundry. Or use the little sack that it comes with for the whole nuts. I just find that using the liquid is much more effective of you wash in cold water.

Thanks for sharing your recipe! How big is your stock pot? Would you say you end up with two gallons of liquid when you are done? One straight soap tea for laundry and one diluted cleaner? Or is your second jug smaller than a gallon?

I really like the idea of using a homemade liquid laundry detergent! I have found liquids just do a better job in the washer than powders and have thus far not been too interested in trying any homemade recipes due to this. So, I really appreciate you sharing your details.

[jyurina]

The stockpot is big? I end up with about 1 1/2 gallons from this. I have kept my gallon size vinegar jugs to reuse since they are sturdy-hence the gallon of liquid detergent and the other jug for cleaner. If you have the time and patience letting it just sit and brew for hours makes it stronger. And the soap nuts rinse completely so you don't have to use vinegar in the rinse or anything. Oh and they leave the clothes so soft you don't need any fabric softener.

[sunnysandiegan]

Originally Posted by jyurina

The stockpot is big? I end up with about 1 1/2 gallons from this. I have kept my gallon size vinegar jugs to reuse since they are sturdy-hence the gallon of liquid detergent and the other jug for cleaner. If you have the time and patience letting it just sit and brew for hours makes it stronger. And the soap nuts rinse completely so you don't have to use vinegar in the rinse or anything. Oh and they leave the clothes so soft you don't need any fabric softener.

Thanks!