(that came out for the season) combined with Wilton Candy Cane Colorburst Melts
tasted like an after dinner mint - many people loved it!! And I made them half-size and they were perfect for Christmas!!OK... Back to the topic at hand!!! This is going to be a long post, but bear with me!! This is where the "crafty" aspect of Nifty Novice comes into play!! The time it will take to read the post is worth the DOLLARS you will be saving on a regular basis!! I'll admit that none of this was made up by me... But I'm combining all of them together for you to hopefully save you from having to search!!! I will tell you this - these are so insanely easy and cheap, you'll only be upset that you hadn't started earlier!! (Actually, when I first found the "recipe" for the laundry detergent, I wanted to try it so bad, I was washing everything in sight - some things, numerous times! I just wanted to use up all of the expensive store bought stuff!!)
Also, I BELIEVE the items should be safe for those of you with allergies to detergents. I'm not sure on the laundry detergent because of the bar soap that is used... But I think everything else should be ok... (Please comment below and me know if you have any issues... We don't have allergies to the soaps in my house, so I don't know for sure...)
Now I have started shopping with coupons as of last year. I do my best to match up coupons with sales... But some things just do NOT ever seem to have coupons (at least, on my schedule! LOL), and the coupons just never seem to take a big enough dent out of what I need... So while browsing Facebook one day, a group I belong to posted about homemade laundry detergent. SAY WA?! Surely this isn't going to work!! I was sure of it!! It sounded too easy!! So I browsed online to find other "recipes" and they all seemed to be the same, so I dubbed the "recipe," LEGIT!!! :-)
Note that it might cost a bit when you first buy everything, but take note that you don't always need the whole box/bottle... So while something may cost $5, you will use it 20 times before you need to buy it again... So it's really only like $0.25 each time. I will posts prices of things using Amazon prices (since, for the soap, I bought the items a while back - and for the bleach and fabric softener, I had everything already, so I can't get you the prices I paid).
I've used headers to help you search for the sections you need. I really wanted to keep it at one post (to ultimately make it easier on you to search for this post in the future), so please bear with me!
So... are you ready to save some money?
Laundry Detergent
Price Comparison
Tide Original Scent with ActiLift, 32-Load Bottles (Pack of 2)
: $7.54 per bottle (this would be about accurate at the grocery store with an AMAZING coupon...). In our house, a bottle of detergent lasts about a month since it is just my husband and I. This comes to about $90.48 a year in detergent (again - with a great coupon).VS
Twenty Mule Team Natural Laundry Booster & Multi-Purpose Cleaner-76 oz. (aka "Borax")
: $10.18, however you only use 1/2 cup per batch, which means about 19-batches out of this box. Since I just had to make our second batch of detergent, I know that a batch of the homemade detergent lasts about 3 months. That means that if you ONLY use the Borax for laundry detergent (because it can be used for regular household cleaning as well!!), it could last nearly 5 years!!! (Although I'm sure you should replace before then! LOL) This comes to about $2.14 a year for the Borax.Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
(NOTE: This is not regular Arm & Hammer!! Make sure it is the Super Washing Soda!!): $8.67, however you only use 1/2 cup per batch for this as well, so with this being 55-ounces, you get about 14-batches out of this box. This means the Arm & Hammer can last almost 4-1/2 years - if you don't use it for it's great household cleaning powers as well!! This comes to about $2.52 a year for the Arm & Hammer.Fels-Naptha Laundry Bar Soap
: $3.91, however you only use 1/3 of the bar for a batch. So in a year, you will would use 1-1/3 bars of the soap. This comes to about $5.21 a year for the Fels-Naptha.Water: Whatever your water company charges you - unless you are lucky like we are in that we live an apartment where they pay for the water!! :-)
So let's do our comparison here: For one year, I can either spend $90.48 for store-bought bottles of laundry detergent, or I can spend $9.87 - and I have soaps that can be used for household cleaning as well!! I definitely am willing to spend some time in the kitchen to save $80.61 a year!!!!! And, for everyone concerned about the environment? No bottles of laundry detergent to deal with!!
The Process
I found the "recipe" for the laundry detergent here. This may take a while, but as we saw, well worth it cost-wise!
First, collect your ingredients...
1. Borax
2. Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
3. Fels-Naptha Laundry Bar Soap (Although you can use any comparable laundry bar)
You will also want to get a knife to cut the laundry soap apart with, 1/2 cup measuring cup, and a grater (I just used a regular grater for the kitchen since I was going to put it in the dishwasher after. A tip would be to use one that will grate the soap into smaller pieces...you need to melt them, so the smaller they are, the quicker they should melt). Also, you will want a large bucket. The original author of this used a 2-gallon bucket and said it was a bit too small. I believe my bucket was 5-gallon? (In any case, it was purple, so it didn't really matter! LOL)
Cut the Fels-Naptha soap into 3 equal pieces.
Now, you are going to grate it. Since I wanted to save myself time, I ended up grating all 3 sections at once. I would grate one section, put it in a small baggie, grate the next one, put that one in a baggie, put them both into a larger baggie, and label and date it. That way, for the next 2 batches, I just have to grab the bag of the already grated soap and not pull the grater out again!
Be sure to monitor small children when you are grating the soap. It looks a LOT like grated cheese (in fact, to be honest with you, it put me MAJORLY in the mood to have pizza afterwards!).
Next, heat 6 cups of water on the stove and stir in the 1/3 bar of grated soap. You want the soap to melt, but do not let it boil.
Next, add 1/2 cup of Borax and 1/2 cup of the Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda.
Stir until it is all dissolved. Then, continue to stir until it thickens to the consistency of honey. (Side note: I love honey, but I totally blanked on the thickness level and doubt my hubby would appreciate me squeezing honey into the sink to determine the consistency to see if it matched. LOL I would say: make sure it is nice and thick, but don't kill yourself standing at the stove for a half hour like I did!!) Once it is thick enough, remove it from the heat.
Now, grab your bucket. Pour 4 cups of hot tap water in. Add the soap and stir. If you want to add a scent (like lavender), feel free to add a few drops of essential oil in. I didn't have any (a crafting accident a few Christmases back that made my solid wood kitchen table smell like lavender for the next year made me a bit hesitant to do that! Maybe in the future, I'll give it a shot!)...
Next, add 22 cups (1 gallon plus 6 cups) of hot tap water to the bucket. Mix it for a few minutes more. This is when the large bucket is nice. I really got into the stirring. There is just something fun about stirring so much liquid and knowing it won't splash out!!!
You are going to leave it overnight. We covered ours with a pizza box (don't tell me you didn't see that one coming after my statement about the grated soap! LOL)... Covering was more so to keep 2 very nosy kitties out of it!!
The next day, depending on weather and soap you used, the detergent could be runny, gel-like, or thick and watery on the bottom. At this point, you can consider yourself done... Just scoop out 1/2 cup for each load. However, the original author went a bit further, so I decided I was going to copy her...
I used a beverage immersion blender to help blend the soap up a bit.
Then, I funneled it into a cute little container that I got at Wal-Mart for like $8 I believe... I think it was maybe 2 or 2-1/2 gallons?
A few notes about the laundry detergent... It WILL settle. So you may have to shake it up between loads. That is why the handle is so nice. I just slide it off the shelf, shake, shake, shake, and put it back and we are all good... Or if I don't feel like sliding it off and back on, I just slide it back and forth on the shelf real fast. It also may still be chunk-like if the blender didn't help break up the final pieces. A little squeeze on the sides will help it come out.
Use about 1/2 - 3/4 cup per load.
Use about 1/2 - 3/4 cup per load.
Color-Safe Bleach
*Note that at the time of this posting, I am not sure how long a batch lasts for us with the homemade version. I just made my first batch. I will update the bottom of the post once I have an idea of how long it lasts for us. However, for "sake of argument," I am going to figure it will be at least 2 months per batch, considering the laundry detergent lasted 3 times longer than the store-bought detergent and we use color-safe bleach in every load.
**VERY IMPORTANT NOTE!! PLEASE READ!! The color-safe bleach results in a clear liquid!!! PLEASE!!! Be sure to label it properly and keep it out of reach of children (or thirsty family members!)!! It looks IDENTICAL to water!! We don't want anyone getting the two mixed up!
*Note that at the time of this posting, I am not sure how long a batch lasts for us with the homemade version. I just made my first batch. I will update the bottom of the post once I have an idea of how long it lasts for us. However, for "sake of argument," I am going to figure it will be at least 2 months per batch, considering the laundry detergent lasted 3 times longer than the store-bought detergent and we use color-safe bleach in every load.
**VERY IMPORTANT NOTE!! PLEASE READ!! The color-safe bleach results in a clear liquid!!! PLEASE!!! Be sure to label it properly and keep it out of reach of children (or thirsty family members!)!! It looks IDENTICAL to water!! We don't want anyone getting the two mixed up!
Price Comparison
Clorox 2 Liquid (16 Load)
: $5.69 per bottle. I think this is actually a smaller container than what we normally get (I believe our bottles are 32 load and cost upwards of $8), but it probably works out to about 1 of these bottles a month (maybe less, but we'll go with it). This comes to $68.28 a year.
VS
Hydrogen Peroxide (16oz)
: $0.98 per bottle. This price is pretty accurate depending on where you buy it at. I got mine for like $1.09 at our grocery store. You actually use the entire bottle for each batch, so considering 2 months per batch (see note above), that comes to $5.88 a year...
Water: Again, if you have to pay, it's whatever you get charged... Or for us, nothing. :-)
THAT'S IT!!! I verified this over and over because it seemed too good to be true!! But it IS!! To make it be color-safe, it uses an oxygen-based cleaner (think Oxy-Clean, but in our case, it is the hydrogen peroxide and water)... I think this made me the maddest - that I was paying so much for something that was so cheap!!
So again, $68.28 or $5.88? That's $62.40 in my pocket!
: $5.69 per bottle. I think this is actually a smaller container than what we normally get (I believe our bottles are 32 load and cost upwards of $8), but it probably works out to about 1 of these bottles a month (maybe less, but we'll go with it). This comes to $68.28 a year.VS
Hydrogen Peroxide (16oz)
: $0.98 per bottle. This price is pretty accurate depending on where you buy it at. I got mine for like $1.09 at our grocery store. You actually use the entire bottle for each batch, so considering 2 months per batch (see note above), that comes to $5.88 a year...Water: Again, if you have to pay, it's whatever you get charged... Or for us, nothing. :-)
THAT'S IT!!! I verified this over and over because it seemed too good to be true!! But it IS!! To make it be color-safe, it uses an oxygen-based cleaner (think Oxy-Clean, but in our case, it is the hydrogen peroxide and water)... I think this made me the maddest - that I was paying so much for something that was so cheap!!
So again, $68.28 or $5.88? That's $62.40 in my pocket!
The Process
I found the recipe here. I didn't take many pictures of the process because, quite frankly, there isn't much of a process! Ha!
First, collect your ingredients...
1. Hydrogen Peroxide (hint: get the 16oz bottle and then you can just dump the entire bottle in and not have to measure!)
2. Warm/Hot Water
OK... Here's where the directions get tough. *winks*
Pour 2 cups of hydrogen peroxide into a container at least one gallon in size. Again, if you get the 16-ounce bottle, just dump the entire bottle in.
Technically, the next step says to "add enough water to fill to one gallon," but if you are using a larger container like I was and your husband doesn't point out right away that there are actually faint markers on the container that actually show one gallon, just know that if you had 2 cups of hydrogen peroxide, a gallon is 16 cups, so you just have to add 14 cups of warm-to-hot water.
Cover your container.
Shake to mix.
And your done! Tough, hey? $62.40 for roughly 2 minutes worth of work? Well worth it to me!!
Again, shake before use. Since it is clear, I can't tell if it separates, but I'd rather err on the side of caution.
Use just under 1/4 cup per load.
Use just under 1/4 cup per load.
Fabric Softener
*Note that at the time of this posting, I am not sure how long a batch lasts for us with the homemade version. I just made my first batch. I will update the bottom of the post once I have an idea of how long it lasts for us. However, for "sake of argument," I am going to figure it will be at least 6 months per batch, considering the laundry detergent lasted 3 times longer than the store-bought detergent and we only use liquid fabric softener for washing shirts (for everything else that goes in the dryer, we do use a Downy Bar in the dryer...).
*Note that at the time of this posting, I am not sure how long a batch lasts for us with the homemade version. I just made my first batch. I will update the bottom of the post once I have an idea of how long it lasts for us. However, for "sake of argument," I am going to figure it will be at least 6 months per batch, considering the laundry detergent lasted 3 times longer than the store-bought detergent and we only use liquid fabric softener for washing shirts (for everything else that goes in the dryer, we do use a Downy Bar in the dryer...).
Price Comparison
Snuggle Exhilarations, 3x Concentrate Fabric Softener, 32-Loads
: $6.08 per bottle. We end up having to buy maybe 1 bottle every 3 months. This comes to $24.32 a year.
VS
Hair Conditioner: $1.25 per bottle. I am not connecting a link to this as I did not find one on Amazon that was price-comparable. I got my bottle for $0.89. You can usually find a bottle for $1.00. Don't go buying Garnier Fructis or another good, more expensive brand! Just a cheap, nice smelling conditioner will be good enough. For the batch I made, I got White Rain Ocean Mist Conditioner
... smells so fresh! Get a bottle at least 16 ounces (I used 18 ounce) and you actually use the entire bottle for each batch (yes...I used the extra 2 ounces. I figured it didn't do any harm), so considering 6 months per batch (see note above), that comes to $2.50 (at most!) a year...
Heinz Distilled White Vinegar 32 oz
: $2.39 per bottle (Although I think you can get it even cheaper than this!). You only need 3 cups, so considering doing this twice a year, for $3.59 a year, you would have all of the vinegar you need for this!
Water: Again, if you have to pay, it's whatever you get charged... Or for us, nothing. :-)
So I ask you, $24.32 or $6.09? At a savings of about 75% (if not, more!), I'll take the $6.09 any day!
: $6.08 per bottle. We end up having to buy maybe 1 bottle every 3 months. This comes to $24.32 a year.VS
Hair Conditioner
: $1.25 per bottle. I am not connecting a link to this as I did not find one on Amazon that was price-comparable. I got my bottle for $0.89. You can usually find a bottle for $1.00. Don't go buying Garnier Fructis or another good, more expensive brand! Just a cheap, nice smelling conditioner will be good enough. For the batch I made, I got White Rain Ocean Mist Conditioner... smells so fresh! Get a bottle at least 16 ounces (I used 18 ounce) and you actually use the entire bottle for each batch (yes...I used the extra 2 ounces. I figured it didn't do any harm), so considering 6 months per batch (see note above), that comes to $2.50 (at most!) a year...Heinz Distilled White Vinegar 32 oz
: $2.39 per bottle (Although I think you can get it even cheaper than this!). You only need 3 cups, so considering doing this twice a year, for $3.59 a year, you would have all of the vinegar you need for this!Water: Again, if you have to pay, it's whatever you get charged... Or for us, nothing. :-)
So I ask you, $24.32 or $6.09? At a savings of about 75% (if not, more!), I'll take the $6.09 any day!
The Process
I found the recipe here. Like the color-safe bleach, I didn't take many pictures of this because of the ease of the recipe.
Your ingredients:
1. Nice-Smelling Hair Conditioner (I recommend getting a bottle that is between 16 & 18 ounces... then you can just use the whole bottle)
2. White Vinegar
3. HOT water
Pour 2 cups (-ish! LOL) of conditioner (or the entire bottle if it is 16-18 ounces in size) into your container.
Add the 6 cups of HOT water (it doesn't have to be boiling... But I would make sure you have steam coming from the faucet when getting the water).
Cover your container and shake to mix until the conditioner has dissolved.
Add 3 cups of white vinegar.
Cover and shake to mix.
DONE!!! Easy, hey?
Again, shake up between use.
How much you use depends on how much clothing is in the load. Personally, I use a Downy Ball
and throw it in with the clothes. The spigot on the container works great for getting the soap into it!
Your ingredients:
1. Nice-Smelling Hair Conditioner (I recommend getting a bottle that is between 16 & 18 ounces... then you can just use the whole bottle)
2. White Vinegar
3. HOT water
Pour 2 cups (-ish! LOL) of conditioner (or the entire bottle if it is 16-18 ounces in size) into your container.
Add the 6 cups of HOT water (it doesn't have to be boiling... But I would make sure you have steam coming from the faucet when getting the water).
Cover your container and shake to mix until the conditioner has dissolved.
Add 3 cups of white vinegar.
Cover and shake to mix.
DONE!!! Easy, hey?
Again, shake up between use.
How much you use depends on how much clothing is in the load. Personally, I use a Downy Ball
and throw it in with the clothes. The spigot on the container works great for getting the soap into it!
Conclusion
So ultimately, if you do all 3 of these, and have the same amount of usage as my husband and I, you will only spend about $21.84 (verses $183.08 - a $161.24 savings!) on your laundry needs for a YEAR!!! And if you do more than we do, you can just watch your savings skyrocket!!
I managed to buy thinner versions of the detergent container to hold the fabric softener and color-safe bleach, so now, the OCD-side of me is happy! I also printed labels for each container labeling what it was, how much should be used, and how to make it again (so I do not have to continuously go online - although I would love for you to visit this page often!!).
I have to admit that I am giddy about having made this post. I hope that all of you can find this as beneficial as I do. I would love to hear your results!!
UPDATE: On April 29th, I finally had to make new bleach (I did a double batch for this next time since the container is (almost) big enough!). On April 30th, I made new fabric softener, but I probably could have went another week or two with what was in there...
UPDATE: On April 29th, I finally had to make new bleach (I did a double batch for this next time since the container is (almost) big enough!). On April 30th, I made new fabric softener, but I probably could have went another week or two with what was in there...
Hi my name is Christin and I love making homemade cleaners, the house smells fresher and kills the pet smell. Anyways I use the laundry soap and fabric softener so now i'm gonna try the color safe bleach. My question is thought will the peroxide bleach colored clothes?
ReplyDeleteGreat question! No it won't... I use it in every single load I do and haven't had a problem yet! Have a wonderful day!
DeleteCan I use these in my HE machine??
ReplyDeleteYou bet!! I use it in our's all the time... It's great because it doesn't suds up!! Just use the recommended amount for your load... A whole batch lasted us like 5 months I believe it was once we moved into our house and got an HE machine... Enjoy the savings!!!!! :-) Have a fantastic day!
DeleteJust bought all my stuff tonight to make my first batch of soap, Color safe bleach, fabric softener and a stain remover too. Wish me luck!! Can't wait to do laundry...Say Whaaaattt??? LOL
ReplyDelete:-D Good luck! You'll love it so much, you'll give it away as a Christmas gift! Say whaaa?? Lol Seriously! I gave family laundry soap for Christmas! Let me know how much you love it!! (And the money you save!)
ReplyDeleteWhat size was your original laundry bar? Mine was 5.5 oz and I did everything exactly as you said, but you didn't have the size of the bar or the heat setting (hi/lo) for when you were melting and stirring. Mine never thickened much, gonna let it set and see what happens! Excited to find out!!
ReplyDeleteYUP! That's the size!! I shred up the entire bar and then divide it into 1/3s - putting the additional 2 1/3s into small snack bags so they are ready for the next time!
DeleteAs for the temperature and thickening, it's not a science... The first time, I was stirring FOREVER and it never reached "honey consistency" (Yes - I even pulled out a bottle of honey to compare!!). Since then, I make sure everything is melted (usually on medium-high - Don't want it to burn, but I also don't have patience! LOL), and then turn it down to medium or low-medium so it will cool down a little bit and have a better chance of thickening... I'll stir for maybe 5-10 minutes after everything is melted. Works just fine!! :-)
Walmart carries shredded Fels Naptha
ReplyDeleteReally?! You have made my day!! WOO HOO!!
DeleteYea and its like 98 cents!
DeleteYea and its like 98 cents!
DeleteHello! I just made your liquid laundry detergent today (it's been setting up for about 6 hours) and it has turned into a giant gel blob! It's so thick it peels away from the edges of the bucket and remains in one shape! I plan on mixing it tomorrow and seeing what happens, but at this point, I'm not sure I will be able to dispense it at all since there seems to be zero extra liquid! Any tips?
ReplyDeleteYay!! Then you did it right!! :-) Yes!! It turns into a giant gel blob (I've had a rough day, so I find that an especially amusing description! LOL). Once you mix it, it should be fine... Just take it slow and easy with the mixing and try to be as thorough as you can... :-)
DeleteI use a paint mixer you attach to a cordless drill to mix it up in my 5gal bucket. Mixes everything up great so I can transfer it into a smaller container.
DeleteYou might have said this and I just missed it... Where did you get your handy clear containers for dispensing your homemade laundry products? I love this post and am excited to try them out but I can see that having the containers will make it much easier to use. Thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteI believe we got them from WalMart... I wouldn't rank them as the greatest, but they are cheap enough if you have to replace. I'm wanting to switch to glass jars, but need a way to safely mix it up! Still brainstorming on that one! :-)
DeleteI use an old salad shooter to "grate" the bar of soap. (I actually microwave the soap about 25 seconds...making it very easy to cut into smaller size) This makes the process so much faster! I run it through the salad shooter twice.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the delay in responding to you!! I LOVE THAT IDEA!!!!
DeleteI have had the soap on the stove for a good hour and it didn't get any thicker than what it was when i started. help!?
ReplyDeleteSorry for the delay in responding... Not sure if you saw where I mentioned about this in a comment up above. The exact same thing happened to me. In fact, the only time I got the consistency pictured in the post, was when I was making it FOR this post (which was also my first time). Since then, my lack of patience shows through!! I wait until everything is totally melted, leave it on there for like another 20ish minutes so I can feel like I put forth the effort, and then I call it good.
DeleteDo you use the detergent AND the color safe bleach to clean white clothes? You never specified and I wonder if just the color safe bleach by itself would clean your clothes. BTW the borax in the detergent mix is a color safe bleach itself. I worry that if using the detergent mix and bleach mix together might bleach out your clothes too much.
ReplyDelete*blushes* OK... Confession. I'm a rebel with the clothes... We don't have a ton of white clothes, so I actually wash mine based on the water temperature... Hots (towels, pants, underwear) and Warms (Shirts). If I was doing a "We have more than 10 pieces that I want see-from-the-moon-white load," I'd probably go to my mom's way of whitening my older brother's sports uniforms - which is far more complex (like using Cascade Powder Dish Detergent and putting through one of the cycles 3 times and something else I think). Anyways... I guess I can't really answer this question since I've never tested it. The color safe bleach only has the Hydrogen Peroxide and water. I don't know enough about Hydrogen Peroxide on if that could be a cleaning agent. I have an HE washer, so I end up putting in very little soap and color-safe bleach. I'm sorry I'm not much help here. :-( If anyone else sees this and can help, I'd love to know too!!! :-)
DeleteI cannot seem to get the honey consistency. What am I doing wrong??
ReplyDeleteNothing. I'll be straight... the only time I got that honey consistency was sort of for the pictures above!! Since then, thanks to my lack of patience, I decided that once it was all melted, I left it on for maybe 10-ish minutes longer, and then I move on. :-)
DeleteThis is a great blog post. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!!!!!
DeleteBeen using the fabric softener. Love it!! And love saving $$! Found the containers on Amazon. Making bleach tomorrow and someday will be brave enough to make the detergent. This post has helped me so much!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy it's helped you!!! The amount you save on the fabric softener and bleach alone is amazing!!
DeleteI use this recipe except use half bar Fels Naptha, 1/2 cup each borax and washing soda. Total water 1 1/2 gallons. When it separates (let it set 2-3 days in clear plastic container) I GENTLY ladle out the "gel" and then pour out the water. Whisked it like crazy to get a thick creamy mix. It hasn't separated again and it's been a few weeks. For my HE washer I use a coffee scoop (WalMart), 2 coffee scoops of rock salt, and diy softener from hair conditioner (2c), vinegar (3c), and water (5c). My clothes are clean, soft, and no static. BTW, I have hard water so the rock salt helps. I didn't think those dispensers from WalMart would dispense the laundry soap, I'm going to have to get some of those now! LOL!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips!! I'll have to check it out!
DeleteI would recommend not mixing the peroxide until ready to use. The reason they come in a dark brown bottle is light effects peroxide. I buy peroxide by the gallon and it also comes in a dark brown bottle. I make it with lemon juice and it works perfectly for colors and whites. As for a spot treater I use one part dish soap two parts peroxide, works on all stains.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips!!! :-) I wasn't aware about light affecting the peroxide, but then didn't think much of it since I keep it all in a laundry closet, so it's only open/light when I'm in there doing laundry - which I try to limit as much as possible!! LOL
DeleteI understand sodium percarbonate is the dry form of hydrogen peroxide. It’s cheaper to buy in bulk from a chemical supplier in your town, way easier to store as light isn’t a problem and easier to handle. It’s best to soak your clothes in the washer with the sodium percarbonate. It’s active for about 6 hours. If you are on a domestic sceptic tank, I would wait until after the 6 hours before running the machine and dumping hydrogen peroxide, bleach, or sodium percarbonate into your sceptic system where it will kill the bacteria.
DeleteI just finished mixing up my second batch of laundry detergent. For us, the first batch lasted 38 days, for a family of 3 adults, & 1 child every other weekend. Still a great $ saver, & our laundry gets just as clean as with commercial laundry detergent. I did use essential oil; lavender & vanilla.
ReplyDeleteWOO HOO!! Glad you found a great money saver!! Especially with all that laundry!! And I bet it smells great with those oils!!
DeleteI just finished mixing up my second batch of laundry detergent. For us, the first batch lasted 38 days, for a family of 3 adults, & 1 child every other weekend. Still a great $ saver, & our laundry gets just as clean as with commercial laundry detergent. I did use essential oil; lavender & vanilla.
ReplyDeleteWhy use the vinegar in the fabric softener? I'm afraid it will smell like vinegar when I'm done.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely does not smell like vinegar when you are done. I'm not sure how else to phrase it other than that the vinegar basically IS the softening and final-cleansing agent. I just Googled "Why use vinegar in laundry" and got a ton of responses. :-) While I have used straight up vinegar, I think that using the conditioner helps tone down the smell...
DeleteI clean my whole house with vinegar and simmer vinegar on the stove in a pan to kill bacteria in the air. Once the vinegar dries you cannot smell it. I put it in the rinse cycle of clothing to get the dirty water from the wash cycle out of the clothes to make them cleaner. Vinegar is a multi purpose cleaner also.
DeleteVinegar keeps static down and conditioner makes clothes softer....I also make my own scent booster crystals. Just take epsom salt (I use unscented) and add some drops of fragrance oils or essential oils to it. Stir good. Wait for 24 hours and use. I love it and does help with extra fragrance plus it acts as a softener too. You can also use this same ingredients for homemade baths salts. I spend approx $5 at Wal-Mart or dollar store on a 6lb bag. Fragrance oils md essential oils vary. I bought a cute glass container with lid at dollar tress for $1 to hold my scent boosters. And just like store bought use as much as u like in the washer. For what u spend on one container at store of gain or downy brand booster it will cost you same to make several batches up(cost approx $50-$60 for about 7 container in store boosters mine cost me about $6 for same amount).I buy downy and gain fragrance oils for my detergent,liquid softener,and my bossters.I make candles and wax melts so always got these on hand. keep I mind prices and amounts are close but not on point but u get idea of how much u save. ☺
DeleteDo you know if this laundry soap will work on reusable baby diapers?
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that I just saw your question now. I don't see any reason this wouldn't work on reusable baby diapers, but I also have never used them, so I couldn't say 100%.
DeleteI have been using this same laundry detergent for almost 3 yrs now. I go thru lots of it as I am raising 5 grandchildren ages now 3 to 10. I mix up 4 gallons at a time. lol. it saves me a ton of money every year. I haven't tried the other yet but I will. thanks for putting them all together
ReplyDeleteOH MY!!! I bet you go through it like hotcakes! LOL Glad it is able to save you a ton of money while you raise the kiddos!!
DeleteI am wondering if you have had problems with the spigot leaking or the bleach ruining the spigot. I tried putting bleach in a drink dispenser, but it leaked until the insert in the spigot literally fell out. Since the Peroxide is a similar composition, i wondered if you had a problem
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWashing soda is “sodium carbonate” which if you own a swimming pool, you probably already have. It’s used to adjust pH levels. Do not confuse it with “sodium bicarbonate” which is baking soda. And just to toss another great laundry product into the conversation, there is “sodium percarbonate” which is the active ingredient in Oxyclean. If you look around your town, there is a chemical supply company that will sell you that way cheap. Here I can buy it in 60 lb bags.
ReplyDelete