Laundry Soap- A moneysaver

What is washing soda?

You can find it in the laundry section of supermarkets. Arm & Hammer makes it, looks almost like the big box of baking soda, but they aren't interchangeable.

Thanks. I'm going to try that. I'd like to try Dove soap. I love that smell. How is it on darks? does it fade colors quickly? With 5 kids I should be making my own! Thanks again, Debi

So far no problem with darks (use felsnaptha on DH's work clothes-machinist) it dissolves easily so no residue. As for fading, we are tough on clothes and I use vinegar as a boost sometimes, guess we're not that fashion conscious. Let me know how Dove works, I have a friend who's curious, I questioned it only because of the moisturizing cream content. I use the Ivory based one on the kids stuff, so far so good.
I can't wait until the last of my ALL is gone, then I can mix it up in the big 300 ounce bucket.

One more question please......How much do you use per load? Do you use the top from an old detergent bottle?

Here's a couple more recipes and how much you use each load:
[url="http://www.thefrugalshopper.com/articles/detergent.shtml"]http://www.thefrugalshopper.com/articles/detergent.shtml[/url]
It looks like you'd use 1/2 cup per load if you made wendysco's recipe

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Jana

[url="http://www.seattlefoodallergy.org"]www.seattlefoodallergy.org[/url]

My detergent cup looks to be about half a cup so that's what I use. I've found recipes for a lot of different cleaners made from the same few ingredients, I made an all purpose cleaner that's pretty good. Going to boil my orange peels next time though and use that water for the all purpose cleaner for a nicer smell. Not that what I use now smells bad, it just doesn't smell at all. I just punched in "homemade cleaner recipes" on a search engine.

Hi, I made your recipe but mine never seemed to thicken. My kids were helping and at one point I boiled over, but it never thickened. I've been using it though. Clothes seems clean. Do you think it will still work properly if I never got it to thicken? I used Ivory with Aloe. It smells good. Debi

I think yours probably turned out the way it was supposed to, I know I only had small empty jugs so I didn't add as much water. My cousin makes it and she says hers isn't as thick as my first batch.
I would have to say if they smell clean they are clean, I've been pretty pleased so far.

I have made this recipe many times now (well over a year) & I just wanted to add that the SOAP will leave a residue on the washer & clothes over time. You can stop that by adding white vinagar to the wash
(at beginning or rinse which ever you choose).

kkeene- my cousin also gave me a fabric softener recipe that uses white vinegar, do you think that capful would be enough to prevent the soap buildup?