What's the best oil for laundry soap?

[Reg]

Want to make my own laundry soap, but not sure what is the most effective oil/fat (or combination) to use.

[LuminousBoutique]

for solid, alot of people use pure lard. In fact you can buy bars of lard soap at the store right now that are laundry soap in the detergent section.

For liquid, I use all coconut. Its cheap and affective.

[Reg]

for solid, alot of people use pure lard. In fact you can buy bars of lard soap at the store right now that are laundry soap in the detergent section.

For liquid, I use all coconut. Its cheap and affective.

By liqid soap do you mean using KOH, or grating and dissolving the soap in water?

[LuminousBoutique]

By liqid soap do you mean using KOH, or grating and dissolving the soap in water?

KOH - I do use my scraps to make laundry soap too (I just throw all my ends and cut offs into a bucket and cover with water) but the kind I sell is liquid made with KOH

[icecold]

Anyone have a good recipe for laundry soap?

[rebeccajo99]

for solid, alot of people use pure lard. In fact you can buy bars of lard soap at the store right now that are laundry soap in the detergent section.

For liquid, I use all coconut. Its cheap and affective.

Sounds lovely (the all coconut soap). Once I get using NaOH down/perfected, I'm going to have to try my hand at KOH too. Do you use essential oils to scent it?

I'm not a huge fan of liquid laundry soap, but wondering how that would work making it solid and grating it into a powder.

[Reg]

Anyone have a good recipe for laundry soap?

This is what I have been using so far (and for bar soap I was using Fels Naptha soap, but want to try it with my owns soap, which might be lard soap):

Hot water

1/2 cup Washing Soda

1/2 cup Borax

1/3 bar Soap (grated)

• In a large pot, heat 3 pints of water. Add the grated bar soap and stir until melted. Then add the washing soda and borax. Stir until powder is dissolved, then remove from heat.
  
• In a 2 gallon clean pail, pour 1 quart of hot water and add the heated soap mixture. Top pail with cold water and stir well.
  
• Use 1/2 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).
  

[soycrazy]

I use palm and coconut and it works great, but I plan on trying just coconut. Haven't tried koh liquid yet do you sf at zero too?

[IwantItgreen]

I read on another forum that coconut oil is hard on the fibers in the fabric. That's a bummer! Can anyone elaborate further from experience if this is so.

[soycrazy]

I know I've never had that problem.

[LuminousBoutique]

never had that problem green- my laundry has never looked nicer and I've been doing it for years. It makes blankets, towels, and sheets very nice and soft... I realized through this process that I used to use way too much detergent.

Obviously I'm careful with what I wash though, I always follow the garnments labels.

rebecca- I dont scent it, because my handmade dryercloths are scented, but you could.

[LuminousBoutique]

I use palm and coconut and it works great, but I plan on trying just coconut. Haven't tried koh liquid yet do you sf at zero too?

I do 5%, so its still mild if it gets on skin, as laundry tends to do... and that way its also safe as an all purpose cleaning soap.

[rebeccajo99]

I do 5%, so its still mild if it gets on skin, as laundry tends to do... and that way its also safe as an all purpose cleaning soap.

multi functional product. Great selling feature:)

[deb426]

never had that problem green- my laundry has never looked nicer and I've been doing it for years. It makes blankets, towels, and sheets very nice and soft... I realized through this process that I used to use way too much detergent.

Obviously I'm careful with what I wash though, I always follow the garnments labels.

rebecca- I dont scent it, because my handmade dryercloths are scented, but you could.

What do you use to make hand made dyer sheets? That sounds fun.

[LuminousBoutique]

What do you use to make hand made dyer sheets? That sounds fun.

I made some linen hankerchiefs and I spray them with this solution and toss them in. I use 1/2 oz essential oil (I use lavender) diluted in 1 gallon distilled water. Thats it! I've heard of people using vinegar too, but I cant vouch for that. I just have an 8oz spray bottle I fill and spray on one of my linen squares and toss in. It actually is generally good for more than one load. I've also heard of people using regular old fabric softener, diluted in water, and soaking a rag, wringing it out, and using that, to reduce trash by throwing away those stupid little sheets every time

Edited August 13, 2010 by LuminousBoutique

[Reg]

I made some linen hankerchiefs and I spray them with this solution and toss them in. I use 1/2 oz essential oil (I use lavender) diluted in 1 gallon distilled water. Thats it! I've heard of people using vinegar too, but I cant vouch for that. I just have an 8oz spray bottle I fill and spray on one of my linen squares and toss in. It actually is generally good for more than one load. I've also heard of people using regular old fabric softener, diluted in water, and soaking a rag, wringing it out, and using that, to reduce trash by throwing away those stupid little sheets every time

So does lavender water deal just give light scent to the items you are drying, or does it actually reduce static, or do something else?

[LuminousBoutique]

So does lavender water deal just give light scent to the items you are drying, or does it actually reduce static, or do something else?

static is the direct result of overdrying clothes... so I just dont let them over-dry and then we dont have that problem. It wont reduce static, just lightly scents them

[Reg]

static is the direct result of overdrying clothes... so I just dont let them over-dry and then we dont have that problem. It wont reduce static, just lightly scents them

Got it, thanks!

I don't ues dryer sheets with cotton at all, but I do use them when there are some polyester or other synthetics are present.

[B@BlissStreet]

Well, I'm loving this idea, and actually have a jar of homemade detergent from a friend in my basement. I am hesitant to use it, however, because I only have instructions for a standard machine. I have a new top load HE machine, and don't have instructions on how to measure for HE. I know this is a borax mix, as it has to be shaken, and was made with the soap chips. Does this have an expiration date? I'm new to all this and wary to put it in my brand new washer. TIA for any advice.

[LuminousBoutique]

not sure Bliss... I use borax from time to time though and its never hurt my washer any... neither borax or soap have expiration dates, really... so you'd think it would be fine... any way you can test it? I know my moms washer said "only use blah blah blah" but she uses whatever she wants in it and hasnt had a problem yet... it scary though when its a new machine!!

[rebeccajo99]

Well, I'm loving this idea, and actually have a jar of homemade detergent from a friend in my basement. I am hesitant to use it, however, because I only have instructions for a standard machine. I have a new top load HE machine, and don't have instructions on how to measure for HE. I know this is a borax mix, as it has to be shaken, and was made with the soap chips. Does this have an expiration date? I'm new to all this and wary to put it in my brand new washer. TIA for any advice.

I have a HE machine and the sales person said to use 1/2 the amount of soap that you would use in a regular machine. Then just watch it, if it gets a lot of bubbles- reduce the amount of soap used.

Hope that helps.

[thecandlespastore]

I use 100% coconut, no lye discount.

[Reg]

not sure Bliss... I use borax from time to time though and its never hurt my washer any... neither borax or soap have expiration dates, really... so you'd think it would be fine... any way you can test it? I know my moms washer said "only use blah blah blah" but she uses whatever she wants in it and hasnt had a problem yet... it scary though when its a new machine!!

I don't think it would harm the machine in any way, but it might be about the amount of bubbles you might get. If something is really sudsy, it will probably start leaking out through the seal. I have heared of people using dish soap in the dishwasher (instead of dish detergent), and getting so many bubbles that they start coming out of the machine.

[LuminousBoutique]

I have heared of people using dish soap in the dishwasher (instead of dish detergent), and getting so many bubbles that they start coming out of the machine.

guilty... I was 16 and housesitting...hahaha

[mparadise]

I have been using the powdered version of this laundry detergent in my HE front loader for a couple of years without a problem.