Angelaid-I use the Zote bar.I have never been able to find the Fels Naptha bar either.Someone else also mentioned using a brand called Sunlight,Sunshine,sun something.LOL Never have seen that anywhere either.The Zote is in the aisle with the laundry stuff.It's a big pink bar,wrapped in a white package with blue or red writing.It works for me!
Washing soda is NOT the same as baking soda so don't interchange.You will probably find extra large boxes of baking soda with the laundry stuff but don't be tempted! LOL Washing soda should be in the same area of the store as the Borax.It will be a box shaped like baking soda but larger,55 oz.The box is yellow with a red Arm and Hammer symbol on the front and blue writing on the lower part.I have had a hard time finding that too but it you have a food store that has a lot of Mexican foods and products,they will usually have it.I also asked one of the Wal-Marts here if they could get it for me and they did.They stock it all the time now.You can also order it online.
Never tried it for carpet stains cause we don't have carpet but I tried using it undiluted for stains and it just didn't work well for me.Of course we have little ones with really bad stains so that could have something to do with it.Something that does work for stains on clothes is the window cleaner in the spray bottle.I get the cheap store brand or dollar store brand.Works great for all kinds of stains and cheaper than Shout or Spray and Wash.
Also,I don't bother with diluting the soap gel.I just use it as is and use half as much.I just fill an old laundry detergent bottle with the gel and use it that way.Just shake it up before each use.

Angelaid,
Fels Naptha and Zote are both available in the US. Since they aren't here in Canada, we can use Sunlight bar soap which is readily available.

There's also a larger bar of soap called Linda, which is from Italy. It's supposed to be a great cleaner as well, and I have some ground up for my next batch, to try.

Here is the Washing Soda, which is what the U.S. sells.
There's a different box sold in Canada. Both made by Arm and Hammer though.

Does someone have a tip for transferring it from the 5-gallon pail to the laundry jug? And then what do you do with the remaining gel in the bucket? How well does it keep? (I don't go through detergent as fast I used to.)

The laundry soap is already posted in the NON-Food recipes. I made the powdered type for my own use. Do you want that one?

I have found Zote soap at Save-A-Lot and Family Dollar
(I think)

Here is a link that might be useful: Non- Food Recipes

I put some of the soap from the five gallon bucket in a smaller bucket and use a hand held blender to make it nice and well mixed. I then use a funnel and fill my jugs. I repeat until it is all gone. If I am just making it for myself I like putting it in 3 pound shortening containers as they are really easy to dip out of. If I give it away I put it in the jugs. I don't dilute it from the five gallon bucket, just use less.

Sue

You can also use Ivory soap if you can't find the other brands. I just added the powdered soap recipe.

I don't dilute it from the five gallon bucket, just use less.

That makes sense. After all, it's going into water anyway.

Thanks!

Susan, I just scoop the gelled with a 4 cup plastic measuring cup and pour it into my jugs.
I still dilute it half and half with water, but that's what I've always done. Then I just use the cap on the laundry jug to measure it to do laundry.

Check out the simple dollar site and it will show you what you are looking for. I gave the recipe to a lady and she bought the other borax...

I quit using it. My clothes got dingy. I went back to my Tide with bleach.

Linda

Sorry, that sounds too much like work! I just pour out the Tide!

Linda-I haven't noticed any dinginess and I've been using the homemade stuff for almost a year now.
leel-It isn't really that much work considering the 5 gallon bucket will last a very long time.It cost's pennies to make and keeps for months tightly closed in the bucket or old "Tide" jugs.As I mentioned,we have 2 year old twins plus 4 adults in our household right now and a LOT of laundry.A 5 gallon bucket will last us 4-5 months.Lots cheaper than Tide and well worth the hour or so it takes to shave down the bar of soap,heat it up to dissolve and mix!

Joann,
The liquid recipe is repeated on your site.
Can you delete one of the recipes?

Thanks jasdip, its done. I don't know how that happen.

I have used the homemade over 2 years and I haven't had a problem with dinginess. I do keep a bottle of Gain on hand and add a little in, so maybe that's the difference.

I've been using the homemade for 2 years as well. I do sometimes use Sunlight powder for my whites, but the homemade I use 99% of the time. I love the stuff.
I also use vinegar as my rinse which I love.

When I first made it, we calculated it cost $1.77 for a 5-gallon pail. And in actuality, the 5-gallon is 10 gallons worth of detergent (either diluted or using half the amount).

Can't beat that with a stick!

Here is a tip when making the laundry soap. Grate several bars of soap at the same time, putting each grated bar in a little bag and store it until you are ready to make more. I use my food processor with the grating blade. Also has anyone ever used the microwave to melt the bar of grated soap and the four cups of water. I just did today and it really works well. I have a large Pyrex bowl that holds the soap and the water. I think I probably cooked it for at least 12 minutes, stirring it once in awhile. I have just put together my 11th batch of the soap since I started making it. If I can round up another five gallon bucket, I will make another batch before I wash up my big glass bowl. Does anyone else have some tips?

Sue

You can also just make the dry version and avoid the cooking and frequent stirring. People have used soaps like Irish Spring, Dove, Olay, etc to put a smell into the detergent. I don't think there's any actual soap flakes sold in the US anymore. Might be able to buy it online.

Some have also used the food processor to grate a bunch of bars at once and store them in a jar.

I buy detergent so cheap that it's not worth it for me to make my own. I've wanted to try it for the sake of trying it, but when I priced out the ingredients, the cost per load was more than I'm paying for detergent. If you buy larger quantities of course the price would go down.

Though this is rather an old story around here, for any recent arrivals who may be interested in home-made detergent at a lower price than most are paying ...

... this thread may be of interest.

And, being on Page 67 ... it was about to fall into the abyss.

ole frugal joyful

When this recipe came up a year or so ago I went out and bought the Fels Naptha bar soap, washing soda and borax. The only thing missing from the equation was the 5 gallon bucket.

One day I mentioned to my DH that I needed a covered 5 gallon bucket so I could make my own laundry soap and what does he come home with? A 5 gallon bucket of ... laundry soap! LOL

Another month or two and it should be empty. :-)

Jodi-

If you need any of the recipes you can find them here, look under NON-Food Recipes

Here is a link that might be useful: Our Recipes

I agree with Cynic.

I'm very pleased with the Sears detergents -- yes, they have several varieties such as Scent Free; With Oxyclean; With Fabric Softener; and all can be used in front loaders.
I just get the Ultra Plus with Stain Fighting Formula.

Sears stores put them on sale, usually 50% off, throughout the year. I watch for the sale and can buy a very large box (26.4 pounds/275 loads) of powder for about $14.00; comes out to 5-7 cents per load.

In our new location we have a very small Sears store and the Sears detergents are easy to find. At our former location which had a very large store, Sears detergents were oddly stocked in the automotive section.

One day I mentioned to my DH that I needed a covered 5 gallon bucket so I could make my own laundry soap and what does he come home with? A 5 gallon bucket of ... laundry soap! LOL

You really have a sweetie, Jodi!

I calculated the cost of the homemade when I first started making it. It is so cheap. Can't remember now exactly how much.
It's fun making it, and it works.
I still have some Extra brand liquid detergent, and I used some recently, and couldn't stand wearing the clothes, the scent was so strong.

I like the subtle scent of it, but every so often I add some fragrance oil to my smaller jugs to change the scent. Right now I am using baby powder scent. I do add a scoop of Biz to my whites, not sure if its the laundry soap or our water.

Thanks so much for this collection of money saving tips!!! (on link called our recipes posted by joanne_fla) :-D Can anyone tell me how to save this thread without copying the whole thing? Thanks in advance.

thistledew5750, If you are wanting the the KT Gathering place website here it is:
http://ktgatheringplace.weebly.com/

Here is a link that might be useful: Our Website

At the top of the page , over on the right, there's a heading of "Clippings", and one of the items is "clip this post" (and another is "email this post" - an easy way to forward a thread to someone who might be interested).

ole joyful