Purex Laundry crystals.. easy ingredients

[lauramw71]

Not quite sure where to put this one.. But have any of you used these? I have bought the Downy ones that you add to the washing machine for a fragrance booster. OMG I love them, but the price of almost $7 a bottle is crazy! I was looking at the Purex brand and read the ingredients.. SUGAR!! benonite, PEG distilate (or something like that), fragrance, and colors. Hmmmm... looked like the big raw sugar crystals.. I'm thinking this might be pretty easy to make! I don't have benonite, but do have kaolin.. and I have no idea what the PEG thingie is. Who woulda thought that scented sugar could be used as a laundry booster??? I make my own laundry detergent, and use vinegar as a softener, but miss the scent, so I started getting the downy boosters.. hmmm. this could solve my scent problem if I can make this scented sugar thing work! lol

Ok, so I looked it up and here's the ingredients: Ingredients are listed as: Sucrose (sugar); Bentonite (clay); PEG Disstearate (blending agent); Fragrance; Sanolin Blue (colorant)

Edited April 22, 2012 by lauramw71
added ingredients

[NaturallyTru]

I was thinking the same thing the other day when I saw the Downy ones.

[lauramw71]

I haven't been able to figure out what the Downy ones are.. Have you used them? They look and feel like little soy drops.. But that can't be it if they're used in the washer.. Ok I'm going to see if I can google that LOL I'm such a laundry scent freak it's not even funny. LOL Although I don't use them on my clothes because that'd make a hot mess with my perfume if I decide to wear any. But I love having my kids smell like it.. It's like, an addiction! haha

[lauramw71]

Here's the downy unstoppable ingredients: Poly Ethylene Glycol (the PEG in the purex I'm assuming), fragrance, and color... that's it? really? They work sooo amazingly well!!

[jeanie353]

Oh, I did an impulse buy on these just two weeks ago. Veering away from the homemade liquid softener recipe a member posted not so long ago due to temporary loss of sanity. Bought the Downy ones and while they are kick butt good, they are all used up already.

Never thought to try to figure out how to make them....now the mission begins.

Edited April 23, 2012 by jeanie353
wordage

[TallTayl]

Here's the downy unstoppable ingredients: Poly Ethylene Glycol (the PEG in the purex I'm assuming), fragrance, and color... that's it? really? They work sooo amazingly well!!

I wonder which PEG (8 or 150). Neither of which would dissolve in the wash without making a big mess.

I'm intrigued, but already make a really nice fabric softener that perfumes the water enough to make it through the dryer.

[jeanie353]

I wonder which PEG (8 or 150). Neither of which would dissolve in the wash without making a big mess.

I'm intrigued, but already make a really nice fabric softener that perfumes the water enough to make it through the dryer.

I found this....sounds like we would want the larger ones (if I'm reading this correctly) so they don't penetrate any open skin. Its a rather long article but informative.

http://www.truthinaging.com/ingredient-spotlight/what-is-it-pegs

Edited April 23, 2012 by jeanie353

[TallTayl]

I found this....sounds like we would want the larger ones (if I'm reading this correctly) so they don't penetrate any open skin. Its a rather long article but informative.

http://www.truthinaging.com/ingredient-spotlight/what-is-it-pegs

That article seems to have been written from a scaremongering angle. PEGs, resulting from ethoxylation of fatty alcohols and such resulting in surfactants, aren't scary. Here's a more easily understandable explanation:http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/search?q=PEG.

[jeanie353]

I'm finding the same info at other sites which doesn't bother me except trying to figure out which size to use. The last site I landed on says 150 should not be used on broken skin either and Swift says the higher the number the easier it dissolves in water....which is what we'd want, I think?

Since its coming up with this broken skin statement, I'm going to assume its like a lot of other products that are relatively safe and we should just try to keep them from a cut on the hand or something like that before they go into the washer to get dissolved.

It sounds (to me) like we just need the sugar, clay, fragrance and color if desired, then PEG to blend it all together? Maybe the sugar has to sit out and soak for awhile until its dry crystals.

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient.php?ingred06=704526

[lauramw71]

That's what I'm thinking as far as ingredients. I should get a bottle of the Purex ones just to see how they work compared to the Downy unstoppables. As I type I am gasping from the fumes from my sweatshirt.. apparently I used to many unstoppables in my washer cuz, wow it's STRONG!

I've never used PEG.. shoot, I dont' even know where to get it from! Is it a liquid? The PEG and fo are the only ingredients in the downy ones.. and it's like lil wax dots...

Sugar in the washing? I never would have thought it! lol

[jeanie353]

That's what I'm thinking as far as ingredients. I should get a bottle of the Purex ones just to see how they work compared to the Downy unstoppables. As I type I am gasping from the fumes from my sweatshirt.. apparently I used to many unstoppables in my washer cuz, wow it's STRONG!

I've never used PEG.. shoot, I dont' even know where to get it from! Is it a liquid? The PEG and fo are the only ingredients in the downy ones.. and it's like lil wax dots...

Sugar in the washing? I never would have thought it! lol

Sugar...I know...lol. The profit margin on these must be fantastic. I love them too because they do carry the scent through the washer, through the dryer and right into the closet where the smell comes out of there yet into the rooms.

I'm wondering too what this PEG stuff is. Reading Swift's blog it almost seems as if its a liquid but that's just my take on it and could be way off the mark. If that's all that's in Downy then maybe PEG is the little wax dots.

I'll go searching in a little while to see if something comes up where this stuff can be found.

Found this link but not sure if its the right stuff:

http://www.propyleneglycolusp.com/Propylene-Glycol-p/propylene-glycol-16z.htm

Edited April 23, 2012 by jeanie353

[jeanie353]

Now I'm getting PEG cross linking with propylene glycol where uses are to put in cigar humidors and other things. Also, am finding cigar humidors use DPG and that PEG can be used to carry fragrance. Seems this stuff is a carrier for the FO and maybe DPG can be used to do the same thing. Maybe its in the same family?

[TallTayl]

There are literally hundreds of different PEG products. PEG merely indicates that the original material has been modified - usually through ethoxylation. The number is the molecular size which gives a clue as to the solubility of the compound.

For instance PEG-150 Distearate is used in shampoos, conditioners, etc. as an emulsifying conditioner. PEG150 Jojoba is a hydrogenated jojoba wax. PEG-3 beeswax is an emulsifier that I LOVE in oils to create gels, in shea to prevent grains, etc.

PEG-150 Distearate, for instance, is a waxy flake. It kind of looks like wax that has been melted and poured onto a cookie sheet then broken apart into 1/4 inch randomly shaped pieces.

PEG-100 stearate is available alone and blended with things like Glycerlyl Stearate. It's a great emulsifier/thickener for lotions. The form is a tiny pastille resembling sand.

Check places like Lotioncrafter.com, thePersonalFormulator.com and TheHerbarie.com for raw materials. The people that run these sites are extremely knowledgeable and gracious with sharing their skills. I bet asking them would turn up a few ideas.

None of the PEG products I've worked with would be suitable to toss into the washer or dryer. We need a little more info on this product. Maybe the MSDS will yield more.

[JanetsCandles]

I'm thinking that the PEG would be used in this case to bind the FO with the water so it wouldn't just float on top of the laundry, and would mix instead. So I kinda wonder if you could do something similar with Polysorbate-20 and skip the PEG in the first place. Almost like making mini bath bombs.

[lauramw71]

Hmm the ingredients say PEG Dissterate (I know I messed that spelling up lol).. and, the downy version is like lil wax pieces.. Do you melt it down to use in your products? And than they harden back up??? Janet I am thinking you may be right that it's used to make sure the FO emulsifies with the bath water. I'm thinking like a bath oil, I use poly 20 in it so that the oil and fo don't just float on the top.. So.. instead of a bath salt, we can start thinking in the lines of a laundry sugar! LOL I'm thinking I'm going to have to do some playing this weekend. I don't have any raw sugar, but can grab that. I have kaolin clay and not benonite, but I'm not sure what that brings to the party property value wise... Maybe lots of little loads of laundry are in the future! ha!

[jeanie353]

I'm thinking that the PEG would be used in this case to bind the FO with the water so it wouldn't just float on top of the laundry, and would mix instead. So I kinda wonder if you could do something similar with Polysorbate-20 and skip the PEG in the first place. Almost like making mini bath bombs.

That might possibly work. Especially seeing the ingredients with Downy are only PEG and FO...I believe is what was said on the previous page of this thread. Maybe polymer spheres soaked in FO/Polysorbate with a little clay for softening might do it. Sorta like soy flakes where they sit in the FO/dye until the fragrance is absorbed.

[lauramw71]

Here is the MSDS for The downy unstoppables... I have absolutely NO idea what most of it means. LOL

http://www.pg.com/productsafety/msds/fabric_and_homecare/fabric_conditioner/Downy_Unstopables_MSDS_02-25-11.pdf

[JanetsCandles]

According to the MSDS it is water soluble (we know FO isn't, so that tracks with the PEG being an emulsifier.) It also recommends treating a fire with those in it like an oil or grease fire, not to spread water on it, as it can float and spread the flames. So that says it's an oil base (duh the FO) and the flash point was greater than 212 F (the boiling point), and melt point was 115-144F.

That part is making me wonder. We all know from experience that putting wax on clothing is usually not a good thing. Ditto with oils. They stain. So whatever formulation comes up, it would have to be soluble completely in the water, and there couldn't be any beads left to float or to cling to the cloth you wash. And the PH levels in water makes it look like it is a base and not an acid. I wonder... (typing "out loud" here, but see what you think) would using glycerine/FO/gelatin/Polysorbate20 (you know, the kind of gelatin that makes the outer capsules of meds or the gelatin stuff the pouches on dishwasher tabs and stuff are made of) work? Sure sugar would work, but what sort of effects would it have on the clothing itself? You don't want to end up with a sticky clothing, and the chance of ants as a result... not my idea of fun.

Gelatin does dissipate in water, and not a lot of residue is left. Glycerine too. Add a bit of the clay and it would give it some tooth. But couldn't add a whole lot of clay because it would stick to the clothing and make it dull looking.

For the record, I feel like a bit of a mad chemist over here

[TallTayl]

Sadly the MSDS didn't reveal much of anything.

THe secret must be in the process. Though PEG150 distearate is 'water soluble', that doesn't mean stick it in water and it readily dissolves. I just ventured to the lab to see how far I could take this experiment in 5 minutes or less.

Started with just a gram of PEG-150 Distearate in a cup of room temp water. Agitated and noted that the bits of PEG-150 did not dissolve at all.

Heated 2 grams of PEG-150 distearate with an equal amount of water in the microwave. It forms a gel when hot. BLended in 1/2 part fragrance ans stirred to incorporate. It stayed as a gel mass. Pinched of about 1/4 of the blend and agitated it in a cup of warm water. No dissolution at all.

Sooooo... The process entails something else to disperse the fragrance. I would imagine some clothing would end up with bits of undissolved pellets using either brand of the commercial product. If someone watching this thread has tried the commercial product, did any clothing stain or feel coated with the fragrance carrier?

For me, it's easier just to make fabric softener with fragrance emulsified into it.

[lauramw71]

I've used the un stoppables quite a few times, but not the purex ones made with the sugar. No stains, or clumps or coated feelings on the clothes. I still have some of the unstoppables.. after dinner I'm gunna grab a few of them and put in some water and see how long it takes for them to dissolve.

I haven't been successful making my own fabric softener that has a lasting scent that I'm really liking these! lol

Edited April 23, 2012 by lauramw71

[jeanie353]

Oh geezee...reading the new comments I wasn't thinking with the polymer spheres. They wouldn't dissolve and Downy does dissolve like lauramw mentioned.

I really like the liquid softener recipe posted on the forum for its softening and cost savings but I also do not get a lingering scent on the clothing. I cut back the vinegar by one cup on the last batch thinking maybe that was the problem but what happened is the whole batch was too thick even though I added an extra cup of water to compensate. So I have cream fabric softener instead of lotion consistency. Am just adding some water to the dispenser until the jug gets a little lower to dilute it better.

Well, if we all keep putting our heads together maybe one of us will stumble upon the solution for the crystal/pellet type.

[Jujutwin]

Maybe too much info here...Any dyes or scents in laundry soap or dryer sheets makes me run to my gyno. She says they are horrible for a healthy "chucky".

[NaturallyTru]

Maybe too much info here...Any dyes or scents in laundry soap or dryer sheets makes me run to my gyno. She says they are horrible for a healthy "chucky".

As a kid I was devastated that I was allergic to Mr. Bubble! I loved playing in those bubbles.