Do you use homemade laundry detergent?

[sheaviance1]

We have been using homemade detergent for almost a year now. When we went for our 10 day camping trip (after the flood-you can imagine the mud) I came home and had none made up. I grabbed a bottle of tide and ran a load of laundry. I couldn't believe it. When the loadf was finished, I started folding them, and noticed that the odors were still in my clothes. They appeared clean, but they stunk! I had to go and make up another batch of homemade, and wash them again.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I have been making homemade laundry soap for 4 years and use it in my front load, HE washer. Iuse the powdered version, and it costs me aobut $8.00 per year to do laundry.

 

[schellie69]

I have a front load HE washer and use homemade soap since the homemade soap does not suds like the regular stuff you are okay. It is the suds that do the damage in a HE washer that is what they do to make HE soap take the ingredient out that makes the soap suds up. I use a bar of soap (I use zote or the fels-nape(sp) some use regular bar soap) washing soda, borax and baking soda(to help with odors I have teenage boys) I make the liquid version a penny for 3 loads is what it breaks down to. This stuff last a long time. I also notice when using the homemade soap that my washer does not get that musty smell it got when I used commercial soap. I have used the homemade stuff on some clothes that where really bad and they came out clean and smelling really great. Here's my recipe if anyone wants to use it
1 bar of soap
1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax
1/2-1 cup of baking soda (how every much you think you need) this is optional also.

Take 2 cups water put on stove to boil grate bar of soap into water mix until soap is dissolved

In a 5 gallon bucket fill half full with very hot tap water when soap is melted add it and the rest of ingredients and stir until mixed then finish filling bucket up with hot water stir to mix then let sit over night it will gel up just stir I use 1-2 tablespoons per load

I love the smell when I use the Fels-napa (sp) soap. I am going to try zote next I find these either at wal-mart or k-mart I find the washing soda at dillions it a Kroger store.

 

[damselfish]

I have used homemade laundry soap in my Kenmore HE machine and it was terrible. I had used it successfully in a previous machine, front loading but not quite as "HE".

Our clothes did not get clean, we started to have that unwashed smell in them, and the machine just stank of mildew and general sourness. I was using a fairly standard Fels Naptha/washing soda/borax powdered mix I got off the internet.

Anyway, now I use the Tide HE and all is well.

I will say that it did not "ruin" the washer so I guess you could experiment and see how it goes for you.

 

[NGT ANGL]

Quote:
I use this as well - have for over a year. It works great with cleaning the clothes and has not hurt the machine that I can tell. I do stir the mixture well before putting it in the machine but found out from a flooded floor that I need to set the washer for "powder" detergent vs. liquid.

 

[krcote]

I use homemade laundry soap in my LG HE front loader with zero issues. My husband was paranoid as well because "The manual said we have to use HE detergent!"... I am just guessing that HE detergent companies are in on a deal with the HE washer companies. As previously mentioned, the only true issue is with over sudsing.

 

[calicokat]

Thanks for the liquid recipe! I've been using the powered recipe for a couple of years now and LOVE LOVE LOVE it! But DH thinks it may be contributing to our slow septic of the last year or so. He wants to switch to the liquid and see if it improves.

As long as we're still making the soap, I don't care which version I'm making, LOL.

 

[fosterchick]

Have used the homemade powder version in my front loader for 8 years. The machine just broke down last month. Bought a new one. The owner of the store called me to ask what I used for soap because when he took it apart he stated that there was no soap residue like most machines have.

 

[CluckyJay]

Because you were using vinegar with the soap? Thats half the reason I added so much vinegar to my recipe---to prevent soap build up. You can tell you have buildup when the clothes start acting waterproof, LOL. I have read if it isn't cleaned out, soap residue can clog your pipes and lines. We have never had this problem but we use vinegar a lot.

 

[classicsredone]

We use our own mix of fels naptha soap, washing soda, and borax. It's been used in our HE washer for three years with absolutely no issues. Fels naptha and the other ingredients do not get sudsy, and you only need a small amount per load. To make it, we grate the fels naptha with our kitchen aid mixer attachment. You could use a cheese grater if that is what you have - just be watch your knuckles. Then mix 1 part each of the soap, soda, and borax. I've also found that our clothes are fine if I just use 1/2 of a dryer sheet instead of a whole sheet. If I'm washing something that is delicate or an antique, I use a little vinegar in the rinse instead of fabric softener.

BTW- it is generally recommended to run HE washers with just bleach once a month or so. This gets rid of any bacterial and product buildup. Don't waste your money on the HE washer cleaning tabs. Plain bleach works great.