Sister Michelle
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I must keep my eyes on Jesus my Saviour
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Post by Sister Michelle on Jan 11, 2006 16:13:36 GMT -5
I received this recipe from a friend. I am goning to try it and see how it works. We need to cut back and save money thought this would be worth a try. Here is the recipe that I use for laundry detergent. It costs about $1.25 to make and it fills a 200 oz detergent bottle and a 1/2 gallon pitcher. 1/3 bar Zote soap (you can use Fels Naptha but I don't like the smell, Zote is smoother, cheaper, and I can get it at WalMart) 1/2 cup Borax 1/2 cup washing soda (I get it at Kroger...made by Arm and Hammer and in a yellow box in the laundry section) 3 qts water Stir all together over medium heat in a boiler with a wooden sthingy (plan to only use these for this purpose in the future). Cook until thick like honey (this takes about an hour) and just stir occasionally. Put 1 qt hot water in the bottom of a bucket (I use the top of an old Tupperware cake plate) and add mixture, mix well. Add 4 more qts of hot water and mix. Let sit 24 hours before using. Mix or shake if seperated, it is still fine to use. Use 1/2 cup per load.
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Post by jesusismysaviour on Jan 25, 2006 5:04:35 GMT -5
Does it work?
I think the water is the only thing I can get around here. We live over an hour from the nearst wal-mart so I will try to remember to pick this stuff up there.
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Post by peacefulheart on Jan 25, 2006 5:42:49 GMT -5
That recipe works..one thing you should do is toss in about 1 cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle..it helps soften the clothing more..I am working on a plain laundry bar of soap here..and using sweet orange oil for the scent..fels has a strange odor...it reminds me of the hispanic soap I used in Oregon...
Soap will make your clothes softer, as Tide and the like are detergents..
Sister Penny
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Sister Michelle
Administrator
I must keep my eyes on Jesus my Saviour
Posts: 1,065
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Post by Sister Michelle on Feb 20, 2006 19:42:07 GMT -5
Dear Sisters, I made this soap today and did not get nearly what the recipe said I would. What did I do wrong. If any of you have done this before some help would be appreciated.
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Post by beeyeglad on Feb 22, 2006 11:55:20 GMT -5
Alright, I made mine yesterday. I had a different problem. At least I think it's a problem. I got around what it was supposed to make, but this morning it is so thick (like chicken fat when it gels), that I can't get it out of the container I put it in. I didn't know how thick it's supposed to be anyway, but could I add water to it? I love the idea of making my own detergent and it was really easy, but I need to be able to get it out of the bottle to use it. Should I have just put it in a bucket with a lid of some kind? I just saved laundry detergent bottles and poured it into there. HELP!!!!!
Heather
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Sister Michelle
Administrator
I must keep my eyes on Jesus my Saviour
Posts: 1,065
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Post by Sister Michelle on Feb 22, 2006 15:06:14 GMT -5
Oh no, when you posted I ran to check my detergant and I realized I have the same problem. I am so glad that it is cheap to make. I will email Sister Wendy later and see if she has any advice. She makes her own detergant so I know she will be able to tell us what to do. Right now she has her hands full with a very sick little girl.
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Sister Michelle
Administrator
I must keep my eyes on Jesus my Saviour
Posts: 1,065
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Post by Sister Michelle on Feb 25, 2006 21:07:26 GMT -5
Sister Wendy, Bothe Heather and I made this detergant and it did not turn out right. If you could let us know what we did wrong we would appreciate it.
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Post by peacefulheart on Mar 2, 2006 8:20:48 GMT -5
Did you both use boiling hot water to mix up the soap mixture with? I would remelt what I could get out of the containter w/more boiling hot water and then add some of that back into the container and shake the daylights out of it...That should work..most of the commercial detergents have more water in them.. I hope this helps. Sister Penny
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Post by beeyeglad on Mar 3, 2006 19:52:36 GMT -5
Alright, I got it out of the bottles and added 2qts of boiling water. I didn't use boiling water the first time, because it said hot water. I then stirred it until I got all of the thick gel mixed and I left it in the large container for mixing. I am already using it and while it is thick, it is very usable. My next question is this.....can I add the vinegar in my fabric softener dispenser that is part of my washer. I read on some other sites that you could use your homemade softener in your downy ball, but no one said if I could add it to my built in dispenser. I wouldn't see why not since it is thinner than fabric softener, but I just want to make sure. If I have to try and catch my rinse cycle to add it then, I will either always miss it or never get anything done, since I will have to stand right next to my washer. Hee! Hee! Just call me absent minded. I had to use the Fels as I can not seem to find the Zote around here. I will continue to look, but I did find the Fels and the smell didn't bother me. If we come up your way Michell, I will have to look at some stores up there to see if I can buy some up. Thanks for this recipe and keep ones like this coming. Allen told someone last night that I made my own laundry detergent and he got the funniest look, he said. It is fun to watch people's reactions when they hear how you do somethings. What is really funny is that we are really modern compared to alot of people we know. I am just getting started. Heather
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Sister Michelle
Administrator
I must keep my eyes on Jesus my Saviour
Posts: 1,065
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Post by Sister Michelle on Mar 4, 2006 8:48:38 GMT -5
Dear Sister, I have been able to use my soap by shaking it up. That seemed to work well. I alos could not find the zote soap and the fels is just not a smell I like. But I use fabric softener so that helps. I also love to be able to make stuff for my family. I was once in the middle of making laundry soap when my aunt called. She asked what I was doing so I told her about the soap and she thought I was crazy for making it. Oh well, I love taking care of my family.
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Post by peacefulheart on Mar 5, 2006 13:02:17 GMT -5
I have not found Zote either..Meijers has the Fels for $1.39 a bar...I am going to make a plain coconut oil soap and use that in place of Fels...it sure smells nasty :-)
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Sister Michelle
Administrator
I must keep my eyes on Jesus my Saviour
Posts: 1,065
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Post by Sister Michelle on Mar 8, 2006 15:49:09 GMT -5
Sister Penny, Thank you for the great advice on the soap. It is working better for me. I did not have boiling water when I put the fels soap in. I found that you can by zote soap online. I may get some as I also do not like the smell of the other. I am going to try and make my first batch of soap on Manday. Yikes, am a bit scared, but I really want to learn.
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Sister Michelle
Administrator
I must keep my eyes on Jesus my Saviour
Posts: 1,065
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Post by Sister Michelle on Mar 16, 2006 20:47:37 GMT -5
Dear Sisters, I just found out that you can sub. Ivory soap for the fels. I am going to try it and see if I like it any better. For every third of fels that you use you will need to use a whole bar of ivory. Just be sure to use boiling water as Sister Penny said.
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Post by peacefulheart on Mar 17, 2006 5:48:17 GMT -5
Dear Sisters, I am going to make some pure coconut oil soap up tomorrow and use that as my "base" soap for making liquid laundry soap.. I get my coconut oils in 5 gallon pails and its not very expensive at all... I can't use the commercial soaps as I have a lot of allergies to fragrances of all things :-)
God bless!! Sister Penny
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Post by beeyeglad on Mar 20, 2006 16:35:14 GMT -5
I found Zote!!!!!! I ran to our local Dollar General to get these glass canisters that I use for everything and I was looking around and I found an isle with some Mexican food items and some medicines. While I was looking at the meds, I seen the Zote. I was so shocked that it took me a minute to realize what it was. I have looked everywhere for it. I also think you could find it in a Mexican grocery if you had one near you. We have several, but hadn't had time to go and look yet. I found it on a Mexican grocery website and it is made in Mexico so it would make sense to find it in these types of places. I hope that helps. I paid a $1 a bar. I am excited. Heather
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