Oh my goodness gals! Why did I wait so long to try making my own laundry soap? I am tickled-pink-with-sparkles at the results AND I feel so vintage-farmwife-y using my bucketful of homemade laundry soap!
Anne Geddes Photo (oh honey’s!)
The best part is my laundry smells so fresh and sweet…like a happy baby after a warm bath! And it’s so easy and cheap!
I’ve had my front load High Efficiency washing machine for several years now and have been disappointed with it. The main reason is that my towels and clothes just never smelled SpRiNgTiMe fresh. I used good smelling liquid detergent, good smelling softener and good smelling dryer sheets, but my laundry was not , well… good smelling. I would often clean the inside washing machine drum with vinegar to remove any mustiness and sometimes I ran an empty cycle with just bleach. Still not good. I also made sure that the door remained opened when not in use to keep air flowing through it. Nope. Didn’t help. Boo Hoo! But at last my laundry dreams have come true! (Laaaaaahh…I think I hear angels singing!) Now when I breathe deep with my nose snuggled in hot towels from the dryer, ahhhh…sweet as can be! Ya know darlin’s it’s the little things that make joy-bells ring in my heart!
I was inspired by my darlin’ friend Maryjane from The Beehive Cottage to make my own laundry soap. You can read her own homemade laundry detergent story here! …the one that made me excited to finally try it myself! And boy am I glad I did!
Maryjane’s Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe
It’s only four ingredients!
1 (4 pound) box of Super Washing Soda
1 (4pound) box of Baking Soda
1 (4 pound) box of Borax
3 bars of Kirk’s Castile soap–Shredded
(you can use Fels Naptha, Zote, or Ivory soaps)
Mix well in a large container.
Add two heaping tablespoons to each load of laundry. Enjoy the sweetness!
I chose Kirk’s Castile bar soap because, from doing some research, it is made with natural ingredients and best for sensitive skin.
Supposedly, it’s safe enough to brush your teeth with it…but, I think I’ll stick with my regular toothpaste, thank you very much!
You need to grate the 3 bars of soap. I used my food processor to grind the soap. Cutting them into small chunks first.
After grinding the soap it kinda looks like Feta Cheese.
The other day I was out junkin’ at a flea market and found this vintage cheese grater. The price was so inexpensive that I thought I would bring it home to use for grating my soap the hand-crank old fashioned way. It worked great! Although it took longer than using my food processor, it was kinda fun. It think kids would enjoy using this old timey gadget. (The info underneath this vintage grater says: Enterprise Manufacturing Co. Philadelphia PA.)
The texture of the soap shreds were much fluffier than the “Feta Cheese” texture from the food processor.
But I’m sure both ways work fine in the recipe.
Okay, so I mixed all 4 ingredients in my bucket and stirred and stirred and stirred until it was fully blended. That’s it! Easy-Peasy-Lemon- Squeezy! Ready to wash a load! Just take approximately 2 heaping tablespoons-full and drop it in the appropriate spot in your washing machine. In my front loader, I have a little drawer to put my detergent in. This is VERY IMPORTANT — if you have a front loading machine you need to take out the little tray that is meant for liquid only. If you put the powder in that tray it will clog. With the tray removed you can just add your scoop of dry detergent with no problems. I found this small scoop at Walmart that I keep in my bucket. In fact I got all of my supplies at Walmart. The boxed items were found in the laundry detergent isle and the bar soap in the toiletries section. The cost for me was around $13 for the supplies. Divided by 150 loads, the cost is around 8 1/2 cents a load. My other detergent was costing me 19 cents a load, so you can see my savings here! Not to mention my sweet smelling laundry now!
Oh yes! One more thing! I use white vinegar in place of fabric softener. It helps keep whites bright and colors bold. It helps remove any soap residue and it works as an anti-bacterial too. I use about 1/4 cup…just enough to fill the softener reservoir. As Maryjane promises, it will NOT make your clothes smell like vinegar. Yay! Now, if you want more fragrance you can put the vinegar in the pre-rinse cycle and go ahead and use your favorite fabric softener or dryer sheets…you’ll still be saving money with your homemade laundry soap.
Maryjane uses a cute teacup to scoop out her soap. So I thought I would give it a try too with my little 1940’s Diner cup! I just think whenever we can make a household chore more appealing, it lifts our spirit! Filling our everyday surroundings with beauty, charm and some happy music it truly makes our days much more delightful! A lot of it depends on our attitude too. If we approach our chores with the thought my job as mama is to take good and proper care of my family, so I’m gonna do what it takes to show them they are loved, it makes all the difference. We all have to do laundry, so why not make it a more pleasant experience!
We obviously have it much easier than our sisters before us!
I found this darlin’ Wash Day instruction on the internet and thought it gave a great perspective on what the homemaker in the early 1900’s had to go through just to do a load of laundry! Now I understand the meaning of “Wash Day”. It took the whole day!
ADVICE TO A 1912 BRIDE
Years ago a Kentucky grandmother gave a bride the following recipe for washing clothes (misspelled words and all) :
- Bild fire in back yard to heet kettle of rainwater.
- Set tubs so smoke won’t blow in eyes if wind is pert.
- Shave one hole cake lie soap in boilin water.
- Sort things, make three piles. 1 pile white. 1 pile cullord. 1 pile work britches and rags.
- To make starch stur flour in cold water to smooth then thin down with boilin water.
- Rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, then boil. Rub cullord but don’t boil — just rench and starch.
- Take white things out of kettle with broom stick handle then rench, blew and starch.
- Spred tee towels on grass.
- Hang old rags on fence.
- Pour rench water in flower bed.
- Scrub porch with hot soapy water.
- Turn tubs upside down.
- Go put on cleen dress, smooth hair with side combs, brew cup of tee — set and rest a spell and count your blessins.
Yes! That Kentucky Granny had it right!
At the end of your day ”sit and rest a spell and count your blessin’s”!
Remember the old hymn? “Count your blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.” ~Johnson Oatman, Jr.
Looking back at the way women did their laundry (or any household chore) is so fascinating to me. How wonderful it must have been when the first automatic washing machine was invented. I’m sure it was the starry-eyed dream of every woman!
Times sure have changed! Still it’s fun and even delightful to find ways to live the simple “Vintage Life”! Making homemade laundry detergent is one way to give a nod to the charming past while being thankful for our modern conveniences.
How about you darlin’? What are your experiences in making your own Laundry Soap?
In what ways are you living the Vintage Life?
Do share! We all want to know!
Thanks for stopping by! I LOVE hearing from you!
God bless your darlin’ hearts!
Aunt Ruthie
P. S. If you have any questions for me come on over to FACEBOOK and ask! Also I’m on Twitter now!! Come follow me y’all! Just type in @sugarpiefarm when you get to twitter.
Leave a Comment
Adding a cup of oxyclean to the mix makes it even better in my experience. It takes out any stains. Also, if you can’t find washing soda, spread baking soda on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and it becomes washing soda!
Oh Ruthann, I am thrilled you made yourself a batch of the laundry detergent! Isn’t is the best! I have been making it for 4 years now and will never go back to store bought! And yes, no more stinky dishcloths and towels! It really works. Your post is adorable and thanks for the shout~out! You are precious! Love ya, Maryjane xox
I’ve been making home made laundry soap for a few years now. It’s a liquid version with Fels Naptha, Borax, and Super Washing Soda. Whenever I’m making it on the stove and then adding warm water and hot water to my big old galvanized farm bucket I always wonder if I’m even getting a taste of what women used to go through back then!? I think I’m going to try your recipe when I’m through with my latest batch. I really like the idea of having a dry detergent. Thanks so much for sharing this! I loved the Kentucky Grandma’s instructions too! I just love your blog and how inspiring and up beat you are! Your Christian perspective warms my heart!
Thank you!
~ Jamie Asper
Mary Jane’s post inspired me also! I finally broke down last year and tried it and then I was like you… why on earth did I wait so long?? I recently ran out and thought I would test the store bought to see what I thought. I was so disappointed and couldn’t wait till it was gone to use my homemade again. Funny, huh?
This is the best detergent, and so economical too. I have been making mine for about three years. The pictures of the wash pot with homemade soap being made, and the ringer type machine reminded me of seeing my grandmother making her homemade soap, and doing her laundry at her farm. Thanks for the memory. Enjoy! Thanks for sharing.
Sue
I needed this post! Not only for the laugh, but the recipe. My Granny used a wringer washer her whole life and used grated lye soap to wash with. I used to love to stand on a wooden tomato box by her side and watch her run the laundry through the wringer. Then we would hang it on the clothes line to dry. My sister and I loved sheet washing day. We would get in between the sheets and walk through them playing in the yard. They smelled so good! If I stop and think about it really hard, I can still smell them today. Amazing the differences between my childhood and my childrens. We played with the laundry when we were kids, today its just a chore to complete. Thanks for bringing back those sweet memories!
Yay for MaryJane’s laundry soap recipe! I’ve been using it for a few years now but with pink Zote. (After all…it is PINK!) That and the vinegar instead of softener has saved my family so much money. Mine is stored atop our top-loader in a ginormous glass cannister from Walmart and I have a chalkboard label on the front to list the date it was made. Always sort of fun to see how long each batch lasts. And to keep the guys from using too much soap I keep a little coffee scoop in there…it is just the right amount.
I found with our front loader that it was best to just toss the soap in on top of each load of clothes before closing up the door. No gunking up of the dispenser and the soap always mixes well. Even with cold water loads.
So glad you are on board the homemade laundry soap train Sistah!
Hi RuthAnn! I have been using a similar recipe for home made laundry soap for about a month and I LOVE it! I also made some home made hand soap (so easy! and you can find the recipe on my Pinterest (For the home) page). I also use vinegar in my washer but be careful. My fabulous hubby is an appliance repairman. He has seen many washers rusted to ruin from using the vinegar unwisely. It is an acid and will rust the metal in the tub if not rinsed. I still use it but always run my last load of the day without any vinegar so that the tub is rinsed and it can then sit till the next laundry day safely. You could also run a rinse cycle but then that does use extra water. I always wash my towesl last and find that they don’t really need the vinegar as regularly as my clothes do.
So exciting to see ladies using some old time ways that are less chemical and so much better for our bodies. My teenager has had trouble with eczema and the change in laundry soap and a change in body soap (to a tree tea soap from Sprouts) has cleared it up and she is no longer using the medication from the dermatologist!
Thanks for sharing RuthAnn. Your posts are always inspiring!
I have been making Maryjane’s homemade laundry powder for almost two years now ;) :) It’s fabulous. I use pink ZOTE soap, because that’s what I have on hand..but after that I intend on switching to a pure castile bar soap. Kirk’s CAstle soap is AWESOME and price perfectly, too. I also like Dr. Bronner’s soap.
Thanks for the tip about using the powder in an HE machine. You can also dissolve the powder in some warm water, till it makes a liquid and add it that way, too!!!
Making this laundry powder has been a real money saver, since I”m in between jobs…AND it gets the job done so nicely, too :) :)
Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather :)
I have a front loader too. How much of this should I use?
OK, nevermind. I just re-read the directions. I’m totally doing this!
I love Mary Jane’s Laundry soap i have been making it for a few years now. I use Zote Soap just because I love how pretty it looks with pink soap in it. I know “what a girl”. But when it got my ironworking Husband’s approval because it got his welding hat clean I was hooked. Now I make it with my grandkids and they love it. We make fun labels for the jars and they even like doing their own clothes. Love Mary Jane!!!
I love your blog, so fun to read about washing clothes in the past. I think I will give that recipe a try!
Aunt Ruthie, I have been wanting to try this laundry soap. Everyone has had such amazing results! I hope it will work on any washer? And of course I will enjoy the savings!
Your post took me back to the “good ole days” of watching my 80 year old, great-grandmother, do her washing too! I remember the smell of wood smoke in the air as those iron pots were heated up. Little did I know what a memory we were making! And she thought she was just “doing the washin”. Instead of tea after her hard labor, she would sit on the porch in her rocker reading the “GRIT” newspaper. There was no t.v.,and at night we would all play Hide the Thimble.
She was a no frills sort of gal, but when it came to me and my sister, she make all sorts of ruffles and lace dresses for us on an old pedal sewing machine. I remember how creative she was when she made us matching purses for our dresses out of Quaker Oats cardbord containers covered with fabric. These are just a few memories I will never forget.
Blessings
I was surprised to read so many positive results with this homemade detergent. I tried the liquid version years ago and it did not get my clothes clean. I was quite disappointed. I have heard if you have hard water, it doesn’t work well, so that may be the case.
Love this post! I enjoy making homemade laundry soap too. I’ve always used Fels Naptha, but I may have to try the Kirk’s! I go in cycles. I’ll use homemade for a while; then I’ll use Gain for a while because I love the smell. LOL But the homemade is definitely more economical and very easy to make and use. I also revel in the fresh, sunshine-y smell of clothes dried on the line afterwards! Great post…thanks for sharing!
BTW…Happy Valentine’s Day!
I have been meaning to give this a try.
A few years back I was given an old newspaper clipping where my great great aunt age 83 was featured on her 60th wedding anniversary, and she mentioned that she would like to “someday” own a washing machine so she could see if doing laundry might be a bit easier that way!!!!
I believe this was in the 1950’s ! I would bet that auntie never found out, if she hadn’t gotten one by then!! Karen
My sister does this and we use it too!!! We just add liquid fabric softener for the smell!! But it’s way cheaper than buying laundry soap and really goes a long way!
~Mel
Isn’t it a joy? I’m still amazed at how clean the clothes smell without all the fancy chemical fragrances! Love, love, love it!
I have been making mine too, for years now and love it. I used to use the Fels-Naptha but now use Dr. Bronners soap and often get it scented in lavender or peppermint. Then I add a matching essential oil to the vinegar rinse. I mix up a mason jar full of vinegar and about 30-40 drops oil and it smells lovely, no vinegar smell at all:-)
I have been make this for a couple of years. Love it! Clothes are clean, no black oily ring in the washer, saving money, and my septic tanks loves it also!
I love making my own detergent too - I’ve made it with just the washing soda, borax, and bar soap. I’ll try it with the baking soda next time to see if I notice a difference. I love how inexpensive it is, and that it’s “natural” ….I also love the idea that “I made it myself”, lol … makes me feel so empowered :-)
Happy Valentine’s Day - in fact, Happy Every Day!
Patty
Great post! I am going to try this out. Thanks. Love your posts and your sunny disposition.
I have also been making my own laundry detergent for about a year or so now. I love it. It has been brought to my attention though that I should research borax. It is a toxic substance and is known to kill roaches so I’ve been excluding this from my recipe and just doubling up on the washing soda. As I read each package of the soda and borax, it seems to do the same thing so not sure why both is called for the recipe. But because of this blog post, I may now switch borax for baking soda. :-)
As for grating the soap, I was having a hard time doing it by hand (due to our florida humidity). I then got a hand cranked cheese grater (like at olive garden), it helped but it was still hard and time consuming. But then I found a salad shooter at a yard sale for $2 and what a blessing it has been. 3 bars of soap can be grated within minutes. It’s not as fine as I would like it but I works. We love making our own cleaning supplies. :-) God bless you!!!
I LOVE that recipe for homemade laundry soap. I am on my second batch. I don’t think i will go back to expensive laundry soap ever… There is a special feeling you get when you create your own laundry soap. I get the same feeling when i can my own vegetables and fruits. I guess my great grandmother is around me or something… But i love it.. Hope you enjoy it as much as i have….
I have been making my own soap for some time now and I agree that it is fabulous. We have very hard water and until I learned about the white vinegar in the rinse cycle I struggled with some dingy-ness. The vinegar makes a big difference. I also pour about a 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide in the wash cycle when our clothes ate heavily soiled. Wow! I no longer feel the need for Oxy-Clean!
Like you, I derive a great sense of satisfaction from doing things the way my grandmothers did them…in fact, I use Fels Naptha soap because of the fond memories the smell conjures up for my dad. Much of my family and most of my friends think I’m crazy to “make more work for myself” but I don’t see it as more work. I truly enjoy the daily duties.
I strive daily to live up to this motto: “Do common things uncommonly well.” -John D. Rockefeller.
My life is full of lovely (its ALL about your ATTITUDE!!) little, common duties…7 children, a small farm-stead, home, meals, church commitmens, homeschooling, etc. When I come to the end of my days I truly want Jesus and my family to be able to say well done!
Thanks for your inspiration…I honestly feel as if I have received a special little gift every time a new post notification cone to my inbox. God bless you and yours!!!!!
Yes, I too am using the home made laundry soap.. I use Fels Naptha but I may try the Castile soap. I didn’t know the borax was so toxic but laundry detergent is made with petroleum?? I have been using this mix for 6 month and encouraged my daughters to do the same. I bought a grater(hand) at a garage sale and my hubby does all the grating for me..Next thing you know they will have our mix in a box?? Funny?
Maggey
Aunt Ruthie, youhave a way of making household chores sound downright fun! Now I’m itchin’ to get me a little grater and a cute white bucket and mix me up some of that homemade laundry soap. I can smell the fresh scent all the way from here :)
I’ve been making my own laundry detergent for about 3 years, but a simpler version. Over here in France, we don’t have the Borax and everything, so I just grate 200g. of castile soap and stir in 3 liters of boiling water. Add about 20 drops of tea tree oil and it’s ready to go! What I’ve noticed the most is that now when I walk down the laundry aisle at the store, I can hardly stand the chemical smell! Yeah for a more natural way (and cheaper :).
Hello Aunt Ruthie :0! You don’t know how it makes my heart SMILE when I receive an e-mail that you have a new post! I too enjoy your Christian attitude, along with your down-home recipes and home-keeping ideas. A few years ago I started making my own liquid laundry detergent and have to say that I agree with another commenter . . . I didn’t feel like it got my clothes very clean. So I switched back to Tide. I have a front loading washing machine too, and I always feel like it has a bad smell. I’ve tried everything. I’ve used the Tide washing machine cleaner, I’ve done an empty load with bleach, but NOTHING will take that yucky smell out. I’m definitely going to give your dry detergent recipe a try. Prayers going up to heaven for you and yours today Aunt Ruthie. May the Lord bless you and keep you :)!!!!!
What is Super Washing Soda and how much white vinegar do you use for fabric softner.
Can’t wait to make the soap.
Thanks.
For those of you having a hard time with grating the soap, try freezing it first. It makes it hard and less sticky for grating. I cut mine into smaller squares and freeze them and then use my Little Oscar to grate it. Works great and the clean up is easy!
I have been using a version of this soap for YEARS!! I wouldn’t go back if you tried to make me :)
Blessings!
Gail
Faithfulness Farm
I too have just started making my laundry soap. My recipe calls for Oxyclean-my clothes get so clean with this. But I think I have been using too much. Blessings to you-enjoy the happy day.
Wonderful post! I, too, would like to know how much vinegar? I guess I’m apprehensive about the smell being left in the clothes and towels! LOL Will this work alright for an older machine - a top loader? I don’t have one of those fancy new ones! :)
I have a front loader, too and I have never been happy with it. I have wanted to try to make my own soap but have been afraid of how it would work with it. I will certainly try this.
I have been using this recipe for a couple years. I love it. Recently I used Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint castile soap and my laundry smelled just like Christmas. I am still looking for the perfect vintage container.
Ruthie…. great post! Memories of wash day….when I was growing up, we had a wringer washer; took all morning (8am-noon) to do the laundry…then hung out on 2 clothes lines and both changed to second loads, brought back in before supper; my mother ironed everything except socks!! My first washing machine when I got married was an old wringer one….I loved doing the wash with it…have had automatic for many, many years now…when it goes, I am undecided about the new front load……
Have a blessed Februay; Happy Valentine’s. Look forward to your next post.
Cheryl
Since we all do loads and loads of laundry, your post was very informative !
When I was a little girl, many years ago, I was playing with neighborhood children after their mother had finished their laundry in a roller type washing machine that you showed a picture of…well, I was feeding a towel into the roller and didn’t let go…my arm went up into the rollers and we didn’t know how to turn it off. After much screaming the mother came, turned the machine off, unlocked the rollers and got my scrawny little arm out. Needless to say, I had a very sore arm for many days. I’ve never felt the need to repeat the process.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you Auntie Ruthie…
from Auntie Betty Ruthie…Country Charm
I’ve had this on my to do list. I’ve had my front loading washer and dryer for a couple of years and loath them. I think they do an awful job. Unfortunately, I had to have them, so I can only blame myself. I also had to have the French door refrigerator with the bottom freezer drawer. Another dumb mistake.
Hi Aunt Ruthie!Just read your charming wash day story!You are such a heart warming sista!You spread GOOD CHEER to so many of us in this challenging world we live in!I love that you find the GOODNESS ,OR GODNESS! in all that we do!!!LOVE your website and I have shared it with others!Love the teacup in the bucket!I TOO am a country girl at heart and hubby and I will soon be building our farmhouse dream!SOOO lucky to have been blessed by God!!!Thanks for the great story!!LOVE your pictures you use!!!Our kids are grown and our grandson who we raised just turned 17! WOW! I think its our turn now!!YAHOOOOO!Cant wait ! I will be using your baking center and mantle idea over my stovetop!!!We have 26 acres outside of Boise,Idaho!TAKE CARE! You have a BEAUTIFUL FAMILY TOO!CIndy Lou HOO!DONT YA JUST LOVE THE GRINCH! HA!
Hi Ruth-Ann
Love you aticle on making wash powder. I heard something recently on the radio about it . It was called “gloop”. Well I made it but was very disappointed because it didnt really clean things that were dirty. The “recipe” called for grating a bar of soap into boiling water, until it melted, and adding soda crystals and borax. Mix it all together and keep in bottles. Its like a slimpy, slippery substance - not great. I want to save money etc so will have a go at your method and report back to you.
Love from the UK
Mandy
Your post brings back wonderful memories. I used to visit my grandmother on her day off from work. She always did her laundry that day. I used to run and play between the hanging sheets as they dried sunshine and the ocean breeze. Her laundry always smelled so fresh and clean! I am going to make this laundry soap today and share the recipe with my friends and family. Happy Valentine’s Day!
I have heard my mom’s stories about “warsh days ” in the hills of Arkansas all my life. She has shown me gadgets and things from her childhood, but do you want to know what her most treasured things are ? Her family albums and my grandmother’s quilts . My grandmother was a fabulous woman that you would absolutely adore. I have a picture of little 5 year old Edith holding her little purse and mounted next to her photo is that actual purse. That is one of my most treasured items. But, back to those quilts….don’t you think that this soap would be safe to use for laundering those prized quilts for storage ?
Oh , i forgot to tell you about the framed photo of a little farm wife from long ago who was feeding her chickens in the yard and behind her was her laundry hanging on the clothesline. I found her at a yard sale and brought her home with me because I could not stand for someone to abandon their Great Aunt Bessie . She has lived with me since that day. I am just sure that Aunt Bessie washed her laundry outside at a big wash pot down by the creek.
I’m glad to read your post! It has re-inspired me to try this again. I made a batch over the summer and I just couldn’t seem to keep my whites very “white”. We have a LOT of red dirt here in Oklahoma and my kids get D.I.R.T.Y and I felt like all of their white clothes started looking dingy?? Any suggestions? I like the idea of adding vinegar! I will try that too. Love your posts!!
I used to make a liquid version of this recipe but I did not care for it. My laundry did not come out fresh smelling at all. However, I did NOT use baking soda, just the washing soda, borax, and fels naptha. I think I’m going to give your version a shot. After all, I’m already paying $11 for a store brand of detergent anyway and that’s only about 90 loads.
Thank you for sharing this! SO much encouragement here!
His,
Shari
That is so great. I’ve made the homemade liquid detergent before and wasn’t very happy with the results but you make me want to try the dry version.
Thanks for the recipe!
Have a lovely day.
Kim
Your picture of the three sweet little girls is the one that I’ve had hanging in our guest bath for years now. We have three daughters, so I thought it would be fitting!
Your recipe is one that I tried, but got out of the habit of using. I will have to make some more now that you’ve reminded me of how much cheaper it is. Funny how we choose convenience over common sense, sometimes.
I, for one, cannot wait for warmer temperatures to be able to hang my clothes out on the clothesline!
My sister in law just told me about making her own laundry soap and she loves ti. So Im going to start making mine to. I have not heard one person say it wasnt any good to use. I enjoyed seeing the picture of the wringer washer , I used to have one of them when my kids where little. I never really liked them because they snapped off buttons alot . Im so glad I dont have one now. It was awfully cold doing laundry out on the porch in the winter time. I love hanging my clothes outside . That I still do to this day.
Oh, I think I might have to give this a try! With my boys I seem to do laundry EVERY day and detergent is expensive! Thanks for sharing your experience. BTW, love the vintage grater!
thank you for the info on making your own laundry soap! I have been wanting to try it, but made dishwasher soap first. I have been disappointed with that, so there went my desire to make the laundry soap. Now I am ready to mix up a batch after reading your review! I, too, love clean smelling laundry! Thank you!
We reuse our laundry water on the garden (on lawn and shrubs but not on edible plants) which is a common practice in Australia and permitted by most councils - you can bucket or have a diversion system installed. I realized that my homemade laundry detergent was having a detrimental effect and borax was the cause - too much boron going into the soil causing leaves and grass to turn yellow. I have also read that if you wash in cold water the borax will have little effect as it needs higher temperatures to become active. I had to switch to an eco-friendly detergent that was deemed safe for septic and greywater systems. I managed to find one which I can buy in bulk at a most unusual place - the automotive trade shop. It contains eucalyptus oil which is great for deodorising and will soften wool and repel moths. This might be a great addition to a homemade laundry powder and maybe freshen up those smelly front loaders - I don’t have an issue with mine. Oh and its worth noting that commercial softener will reduce the absorbency of towels even though they feel soft. Scratchy bath towels can be soaked overnight in epsom salts - 1/2 cup in a bucket of warm water. Sunshine is my favourite brightener and whitener and as we are blessed with it here most of the time I do not use a dryer at all. Line drying is the norm. In winter on wet days I hang my washing from an overhead drying rack above our woodstove. It’s an old wooden vintage ladder. It works a treat and saves us a fortune in electricity.
I’m going to try making some of that soap!! Thanks for the recipe!! Happy Valentines day to you!!
I have seen recipes on the internet for a year now..Thank you for your recipe for homemade soap..I am making this over the weekend..I am gonna do it and I know I will not be disappointed..Have a great week..
Happy Valentine’s Day, aunt Ruthie!!! <3<3 Oh how fun, I read The Beehive Cottage Blog too! I printed the laundry recipe but have yet to try it. Great review, now I’m super excited to try it…. I love vintage! I guess I try living vintage through: all the tips and tricks I learn from the lovely ladies that host vintage inspired blogs, shopping for vintage goodies, classic movies and good old fashion music, not cluttering my life up with too much technology (I’ve just never been into the latest and greatest gadgets) however I do appreciate all our modern convienences, but mostly it is a mind set for me (if that makes any sense); I try to keep it simple… How do you do this?! All ya did was post about soap and you’ve inspired me to get moving. LOL, I just love ya! Many blessings to you and yours. And again, Happy Valentine! <3 <3
That is wonderful! I will try it after I run out of my Costco-sized detergent I just bought! I did not read through all the other comments, but the #1 thing I was cautioned about when I bought my front-loader is that in addition to running an empty bleach-only “tub clean” cycle once a week, is that you MUST ALSO drain it once a week. On my model there is a little black tube that you pull the ‘cork’ out of. I let it drip into a little bucket, with the washing machine door open AND with the detergent tray removed and drying out as well, in the wash tub. A friend of mine did not do that for several years and ended up having to throw her washer away b/c of mold in that drain line :( I didn’t know about white vinegar, I’ll try that, too - thanks!!!
Love this stuff and have been doing it for several years. But I have the Bosch Machines and my treys are not removable :( So I actually cook mine on the stove LOL …. 5 gallon bucket and I am ready to roll. One thing though it does co-wag-ulate (Sorry I just had too..) Had the pre-school teachers ask me to make it for them for a gift LOL but now I’ve seen people making it and selling it boooo…. so much for the others saving mooola! Oh..I haven’t had the issues with mold since I do the bleach baths ever 2 months. I actually fill all the treys and running it twice on HOT… that’s what the company told me to do and NO SMELL or mold except when my hubby helps he closes the door arg… amazing how fast it will grow! But a quick bleach bath and it’s done!!!! I will look to see if I have a cork…. but the company was really nice figured they would have mentioned that. but then again I don’t have much water sitting if any…I soak it up with the next loads clothes hehehe…
love it
I have also been making this for years. I love it!!! I also make my own soap from lye. It is almost as easy. I will never use any store baught soap again :)
Well, I you have convinced me. I had thought about doing this in January and even bought the soda but didn’t search any farther. I will now gather the other supplies and make homemade detergent. I even have a “grater” (because I collect old things) so I am ready!
I have a request. Please post some of your recipes. I love the buttermilk pie. I made it for my 89 year old mother who lives with us and she said she remembered her mama making them! I was so tickled that she enjoyed it. Thank you for such an uplifting happy, website!
I just tried your laundry detergent recipe using Ivory soap bars. I found that the clothes come out of the washer feeling dry and coarse, and then when dried in the dryer…still feel dry, like they need to be rinsed again. Is this the feel you get from Homemade detergent? I rewashed half the load in Tide and they came out completely different and soft, but I am curious why the Homemade detergent makes them so dry. Do you know?
Hi Aunt Ruthie, I’ve been reading the debate on Borax. I figure it can’t be any more toxic than what I use now but how do you feel about it? Is there an alternative to using borax?
I’m really curious about this laundry soap. Does it clump in the machine? Does it fade your clothes? Can you use it on cold as well as hot settings? Do the clothes feel soft when removing them from the washer? I have a high efficiency machine but I bought the top loader and don’t have any problems at all with it. I had heard too many bad comments about the front loaders.
Hi Ruthie!
I made my first batch of laundry soap just this morning. Threw my first load in before i went to work and am excited to get home to see the results.
Love your blog and i am your newest biggest fan.
I enjoyed too, reading through all the comments and learned so much.
Thank you!
I have been making the liquid kind for several months now and love it. The smell is such a clean smell when melting the fels napa. I too will never go back to using store bought detergent.
I have made my own laundry detergent for almost two years and I love it. My recipe is close to yours, but I use Zote because I love the smell and the pretty pink color. I also add a scoop of Oxy Clean (generic brand) to each load. I love making my own for all the reasons that you listed. Also it’s is very cheap and very good - a great combination in any household.
I’ve been making this soap for about 3 years..I love it..I put mine in a big glass container with the fancy lid..got it at walmart..I decopauged a laundry label to the front of it..and have a scoop in the jar..love the cup idea too..and I use the vinegar too..not lately..but I have used it and it works great..I use my salad shooter for grating my soap..works.;puurrfeeccttlly;)
Oh honey! I’m glad I have an automatic washing machine. Those old timey washing instructions are cute. What a joy that grandmother must have been.
Thanks Aunt Ruthie, I am going to try this ! My daughter recently started making her own soaps and detergent from online recipes and she really likes them. Guess it’s time for Mom to try it !
I remember my grandma’s old Maytag washer/wringer down in her cellar, much like your photo. She still used it when we were kids. It was fun helping crank the wringer, we didn’t realize how much work it really was!
Dear Ruthanne!
I’ve been making a liquid laundry soap for about 4 years now and I KNOW it has saved my family bunches of money! But I was running low and it was almost time to make a new batch, and I planned a trip to the grocery store today anyway, so I added more Borax, washing soda, baking soda and Castile soap to the list and off I went! I make the liquid in 5 gallon batches and my DH brings home empty floor wax buckets from his job, with the lids still on. I just wash tme out really well and they are ready to go! Talk about economical! When I first started making my own soap, he went to an industrial supply store and bought me a hand pump that fits down inside the lid, so I just pump my measuring cup full and pour it in my 20 year old top-load washer. I’m very pleased with the liquid, but I can’t wait to try the powder. I bought a plastic “sweater box” with a lid at my local Dollar General store for $3 and it holds an entire batch with room to spare. I re-purposed a 1/8 measure from one of my sets of measure cups, and I LoVe LoVe LoVe the way castile soap smells. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Thank you thank you thank you for inspiring me once again!
Woops.. no need to say ‘no’ anymore. Well? ;o)
Thanks for sharing!
Oh my Aunt Ruthie I want to be a vintage housewife too and I think this would be a great (and easy) way to get started. Thanks for sharing your inspirations on being a great mommy and wife. I love it!
For a truly “tickled pink” experience, you should have used Zote soap…It is “pink”. LOL
Ruthanne,
I have been a follower of dear sweet Maryjane’s for almost 5 years now. She is a true gem in my crown of friendship.
I am glad you posted this recipe and your comments.
*use of Kirks or Ivory for sensitive skin.
*musty odors…both my daughter & I have frontload machines (diff.brands) and while mine has no odor her’s does & like you, she leaves the door open & uses speacial machine cleaners to no avail!
*I didn’t know I could take the whole ‘basket’ out & that is why I had not tried to use the powdered laundry soap until now!
Thanx for this wonderful (all of your posts are wonderful) post and now I am off to the market to buy the ingredients.
On my next ‘junktiquing’ exscursion I will keep my eyes peeled for a ‘cheese grater’….
Happy Friday
g.
My Dear Aunt Ruthie, I feel inspired, or should I say re-inspired, to try homemade soap again. This time I will try your recipe and add some Oxyclean. I don’t worry about the lack of scent because I hang my laundry outside and it always has its own outdoor scent that I like. I will try using Epsom Salts on my towels so they won’t be so stiff. I don’t mind the stiffness myself because I think it makes a good exfoliate. But, my husband dislikes the feel of towels that have been line dried, saying it is like trying to dry off with a shingle. =)
Where did you find the picture of Anne Geddes Photo (oh honey’s!)? I have search the internet and can’t find it and would love a copy.
Thank you!
Hi!
I have been wanting to try this recipe for some time but
never got around to it. After reading your post, I decided
I wasn’t going to wait any longer. I, too, have a front
loader that I wish I had never gotten. I immediately did a
load of towels but I have to say that they don’t actually
smell that springtime fresh…..could I have done something
wrong perhaps?? Don’t get me wrong, they didn’t have
the usual musty odor but the load doesn’t smell anything
like when I used my old top-loader. I used to love going
into the laundry room when I had the old washer because
the room just smelled so GOOD but now not so much. If
you have any suggestions, I sure would appreciate them!!
By the way, RuthAnn, your blog is one of my favorites
and I look forward to new installments!!
Becky
I saw the detergent recipe on Mary Jane’s blog site about a month ago, and made a batch. I love it! It gets my laundry clean, removes some stains that even the most expensive detergent doesn’t remove, and things come out much softer. I have used a vinegar rinse (vinegar to the line in a Downy ball) for years, and think it helps get out soap residue. I made a liquid version of homemade detergent a few years ago, using Zote, but didn’t like how the laundry smelled with it. I like Fels Naptha much better, and this recipe is definitely a keeper!
LOVE IT!!!! Will be doing this from now on! <3
Howdy!
I just love your website. I found you on Pinterest when I caught sight of your baking center, so lovely and unique. I love the flavor of your post and look forward to visiting you often.
Barbe
Love this idea! Where did you get the adorable white bucket? Thanks for sharing
I can not wait to make the laundry soap and share with my readers. Thanks for such an enjoyable blog!!!
For those of you having trouble with grating the soap bars,
here’s a fun trick to use with the IVORY soap:
- use fresh bars of Ivory
- cut bar into thirds
- place soap chuck in microwave ON A PAPER PLATE!
- microwave on high for 1 minute
- remove from microwave oven
- let cool
- repeat with remaining soap chunks
- crumble the soap into your bucket!
The Ivory soap will rapidly expand in the microwave
(it looks like a cloud or cotton candy).
Once it cools, it easily crumbles by hand.
The resulting soap crumbles quickly dissolve in the wash.
The kids (and husbands) really get a kick out of this!
Makes laundry soap making FUN!
*NOTE: I don’t recommend this technique for any of the other soap bars because the smell of the soap in the microwave oven can be quite intense!
I have been contemplating giving homemade detergent a try. I do believe I will now. Thank you for your continued homemaking encouragement. Have a blessed week!
Woohoo!!! This Ozark Farm Chick love the idea of makin’ my own soap and savin’ a heap of money but let me tell ya, we have a ‘real’ kinda dirty here on the Ponderosa.
Farm Boy with come in with machinery oil, green cow manure, ground in dirt, liquid cattle feed, just to top a few of my challenges. I used to use all sorts of spot treatments and additives to get my fella clean.
Then I started usin’ Tide and it gets everything out first time usuin’ nothin’ else.
I’d love to try this but I’d sure hate to purchased everything and it not get all stains out ’round here.
‘Just sayin’…..
From the happy hills and hollers of the Missouri Ponderosa, ya’ll have yourselves a blessed and beautiful week!!!!
What a fun post to read and be inspired by! I think I love you! I’m a new visitor to your web/blog and it’s just darling! I strive to incorporate some of the charm into my home and life with my wonderful husband and what a joy it is to read your experiences! Thank you for encouraging homemakers and brightening the world with your writing. Love it!
Bravo Cugina! I’m going to Pass this on. (adorable and fun pic’s too)
I have seen the homemade laundry detergent recipe before but only after reading your post about it eliminating the odor left by HE front loading machines did I decide to make it. I have had my Kenmore Elite front loaders for less than two years and I have loved everything about them except that odor. Depsite using the “clean machine” cycle, leaving the door open to air out, using a quality detergent and softner, my laundry, especially towels, never smelled fresh. After your post I immediatly got the ingredients and started a load of laundry. I LOVE IT! I am so totally shocked at what a difference it has made! I had two huge bottles of Tide from Sams and after using the homemade detergent I gave the Tide away. I will never use anything else. Also using the vinegar and very happy with the results. Thanks you!!! As usual, your advice is awesome!
I saw all is good for you and for your family after the storm ! thank you My God ! may you give us some news on your blog please ?
I don’t know what a storm shelter is (no tornado in my country) may you give me some pics please ? it would be very interesting for me…
And, have you an an anti-atomic shelter too ?
Kisses from France
Thank you so much for these instructions on how to make your own laundry detergent. Yesterday, I gave it try for the first time and it is great! My husband was really impressed that I made homemade laundry detergent, too! ;) I loved the side benefits, my food processor is squeaky clean, my home smells like line fresh laundry and our car smells fresh as well from bringing home all the ingredients from the grocery store. Thank you God for little pleasures.
Just a note hoping you weathered that olde storm I thought about you when I saw all the damage on the tv. I live in S.E. Kansas on the ks oklahoma line and we just got only a small bit of what you got. Hoping you safe.
I am having a problem with my laundry soap! When I run it through the food processor it looks just like you said it would look (feta cheese). But when I wash clothes,it leaves pieces of soap on my clothes! This is especially irritating when washing black and dark brown clothing! I wash and rinse all my clothes in cold water,unless they are especially soiled. Any suggestions?
Pam
I went ahead and purchased all the supplies, but the recipe calls for 4lb boxes of each, and the washing soda comes in a 3.7 lb box. Do I need to make sure I have 4 lbs in the recipe or can I just use the smaller amount?
One word of warning….and this is my own fault. I made the laundry soap but I had to buy Zote, which without realizing it, is a much bigger bar than the Kirks. It was too much soap for my front loader and it caused water to leak from the bottom of the machine. Make sure you don’t add too much soap like I did!
Oh, and Pam, I’m sure it is the cold water that is causing the trouble. I wash with warm and didn’t have that problem. There are lost of recipes to be found on making laundry soap in which you melt and cook the ingredients into a liquid form. That is what you should use if you wash in cold water.
I followed much the same recipe, but added a small tub of Oxy Clean to the mix. Oooooooohweeeee! my whites are white! I don’t ever want to go back to store-bought soap!
My next visit to WalMart will be tomorrow morning with ingredients list in hand. Thank you so much for sharing the ‘recipe’ especially how the clothes smell - that’s number one for me! I’m actually looking forward to my next load of laundry! Now, if I could only conquer setting up a blog!!
I’ve been using a similar detergent recipe for 4 years and I love it. If you have hard water as I do here in West Texas, the baking soda is very important - it helps to soften the water. Also, I use 4 bars of Fels Naptha soap. Don’t use too much, I use one tablespoon for a regular load and two tablespoons for a really dirty load in my H/E frontloader. It doesn’t seem like enough but it is. Another tip: I fill/pack a quart jar full of grapefruit or orange or lemon peels (pack it tight) and then fill with vinegar. I let it sit in the sun for a couple of days and voila - lightly scented vinegar to use as softener. If you have a stubborn stain, wet a Fels Naptha bar and rub it on the stain, wait a few minutes and toss in the wash - it’s the stain remover our grandmother’s used. I’ve found that I can’t tolerate the smell of commercial detergents now. The strong smell of Tide on people’s clothes smells like deoderized cat litter to me now.
Hope you and your family are safe after the terrible storms that tore up so many homes up your way,
Bless your retro-living heart for sharing! I read both your post and Mary Jane’s post about this recipe and picked up the ingredients on my way home from work the next day. I grated my white Zote soap while I watched a favorite TV program with my husband and he loved the clean smell. I finished mixing the rest of the ingredients together with a broom handle after the show and tried it out on some towels with some vinager at the beginning of the wash. Wonderful results. Clean and fresh without residue or chemically fragrance. I love it and it only cost me $11! I did buy 2 bars of Zote to make sure I had 16.5 ounces, and an extra box of Washing Soda so I had the 4 lbs. I make sure I desolve the soap in the washer before I add my clothing, but if one has a front loader she could desolve it in warm water before adding the soap. Making my own soap and knowing it is healthier and more economical really does make me WANT to do laundry! Thank you for the recipe Aunt Ruthie!
Ok I have mixed up my first batch of laundry soap and now doing my first load. I am so excited about this project!
Thank you Ruthie!
PS I don’t have a front loader machine, does that matter?
I just started making this exact recipe. I use the Fels Naptha laundry bar. I love the fresh clean smell of it. What I noticed is that my clothes don’t wrinkle as easily in the dryer. I’m sure it’s because it rinses out completely, unlike manufactured detergents. Can’t wait to see the results from the clotheslines I’m putting up this spring. I’m making my own dishwasher detergent, too! Love getting back to simple basics and I absolutely love your website and blog. So happy I came across it on a Pinterest pin!!
Question for front-loaders: I’ve been putting this homemade powder in my front loader using the tray. I haven’t had any issues but some of you have commented that it will eventually clog….and that putting the powder mix directly on the clothes is better. Can anyone give advice on using the powder mix in the tray…should I be worried that I’ll eventually ruin or clog my machine?
A couple of months ago someone asked if it works on cold water but I didn’t see a definite reply about that. I use only cold water for my clothing because otherwise all my cotton clothing shrinks! It still shrinks anyway even though I hang my laundry inside out of the heat to dry. It just takes longer than using warm water. I’d really like to try this detergent but it’s a lot of work to go through just to find that it’s not going to work properly. I’d happily use warm water if I knew how to keep my clothes from shrinking. Any help on any aspect of this?
Ok, sorry. I just re-read Molly’s from Feb. 13 who says it’s fine in cold water. However, if anyone has any help on the mystery of my shrinking clothes, I’d be forever grateful.