I just made a batch of homemade laundry soap based on the directions in the recipe thread. I used goatsmilk rebatch soap base (since it was already grated for me!) and borax (is this the same as washing soda, or different?). Anyway, I haven't tried it yet since it needs to sit overnight, but I have a couple of questions-

1. How much should I use?

2. Will the natural oils in the soap cause buildup on the clothes? Is a vinegar rinse required with natural soaps?

3. Am I correct in assuming that I should not use this laundry soap on my cloth diapers because of possible buildup? (We use a lot of pocket diapers, so we do NOT want repelling issues!). I am using Allen's Naturally detergent for diapers currently but don't have the box anymore, so I don't remember what is in it; anyone have some and want to share the ingredient list so I can compare it to the homemade stuff?

4. Any other advice/info on using homemade laundry soap?

Thanks so much! :)

I use about a cup. I alternate with biokleen powder detergent so that buildup is not too much an issue. I alternate weekly.
I use vinegar and baking soda occassionally.


I am not sure about the goats milk addition to the soap base you're using. I can't think of any benefits of having goats milk in the laundry soap off hand?

But otherwise sounds good.
Oh and you don' t have to wait over night. You can use it right away. It just doesn't usually gel up until overnight.

HTH

in regards to different diapers, each manufacturer has their own recommendations so you could check with the maker of your pocket dipes and ask them about the use of soap vs a harsher detergent on their product.

Borax and Washing Soda are not the same at all. Most laundry soap recipes need Washing Soda. My recipe has Borax and Washing Soda. I don't think the Soap would work as well without the Washing Soda, which btw is also not interchangeable with baking soda, but I use it as an extra freshener too:) I think the Goats Milk soap base sounds wonderful. I've used fels-naptha and vegetable soap bases. All the homemade soaps I made left a lot of build-up. A vinegar rinse is almost always necessary, but then you don't need fabric softener for anything. I washed all my dipes in homemade detergent for over a year. There was lots of graying and buildup, but it wasn't stinky and I would just strip them more often with lots of vinegar and boiling water in a hot wash. Ditto on adult whites, but I don't use chlorine bleach, am terrible at laundry and most of the rest of our clothes are black, so I hesitate to just blame my detergent for the graying. I never needed a cup of detergent, really only a half a cup. My husband always put in too much. It probably depends on the recipe and how hard your water is. Oh, it's a good idea to strip your washer, too. You can get buildup of soap scum in the drum. Vinegar to the rescue again. Sounds like a hassle, but it was so cheap. We do a lot of laundry here.

I made the laundry soap using baking soda as washing soda is too toxic for me (contains ammonia). I use a tablespoon or two per load and it works just fine. No build up issues as I am not using too much. I think the kkey is to try to find the least amount of soap to use to get your clothes clean. Most people use way too much laudry detergent.

Lauren