How do I use laundry soap in "bar" format?

Yikes

Hi there,

I bought a big bar of laundry soap, seeing it was so cheap, but I confess, I've no idea how to use it properly... I have used it a couple of times as a pre-treatment on tough spots, but how could I use it for regular washing? If it matters, I have a top-loading machine, and I wash with cold water only.

Thanks for any advice!


Yikes

Queenie

You can grate it to use as a laundry soap. You can use it to make your own homemade laundry powder.

Here is the 'recipe' for home made laundry powder I posted last year:-

1 cup grated laundry soap
1/2 cup borax
1/2 cup washing soda (soda crystals)

For light load, use 1 tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 tablespoons.


(my original post can be found here)

HTH

kittiwoz

Queenie's recipie for using laundry soap to make washing powder is quite ingenious. It sounds like it should work but it isn't what laundry soap is intended for. It's for hand washing, not using in the machine, that's why it comes in a bar.

Queenie

You're quite right, kittiewoz, by *design* it is indeed intended for handwashing

The OP's query was, "how could I use it for regular washing?" , so my post was explaining just how it *can* be utilised for regular washing too

In fact, Dove™ toilet soap can be used in the recipe I've quoted too (great for using up heals of old Dove™ soap) and I think it's fair to say that Dove™ soap wasn't intended to be used in a laundry powder either :laugh:

:think: bit like, Cola wasn't intended to be used as a toilet cleaner, yet that works; vinegar wasn't intended to be used as a fabric softener, but that works.

kittiwoz

I didn't intend to criticise, I think your suggestion is very good. It's just that the OP obviously didn't realise that it was meant for hand washing because they said "how can I use it properly?", not "how can I use it effectively?", presumably meaning "how is it intended to be used?" So I was answering the part of the OPs question that you hadn't already answered. Admittedly that was not as useful as your answer but I thought they might like to know it anyway.

MATH

I also have a top-loading machine and use bar soap (green laundry or regular bathroom soap) all the time for pre-treating stained and grimy areas. Grated soap needs a hot or warm wash to melt it down so maybe keep it for pre-treating or making the 'gloop' in the recipe above. HTH

Yikes

Thanks for the advice! I hadn't realized that it was meant for hand-washing when I bought it, so that's good to know. Also nice to know that I could use it in my machine, as well.

Queenie, does the powdered mix you describe work well in cold water?

flufff

Can I ask where you buy the laundry soap,borax and soda crystals from please only I dont think Ive ever seen them on sale anywhere.
I make soap as a hobby so have lots of rejects that need using up!Many thanks

Pink.

Hi fluff,

I'm not sure about laundry soap, but I buy borax in boots (£2.10 for 750gms) although others on this thread have found it cheaper. I get soda crystals from either Tesco or my local chemist.

Pink

flufff

Ive found household soap in superdrug today for 29p for 2 bars on clearance.It reminds me of carbolic soap my Nan used to use.Is this the same as Laundry soap?It says I can wash clothes and work surfaces etc with it.
I need convincing that this will be better for my clothes as it doesnt smell better than leading powders and tesco value cant be knocked at price with a good fabric conditioner!