Laundry Gloop - Gloopy Thread !!!

gibken

Washed a machine load today with my home made detergent. It came out smelling really fresh and appears to have cleaned everything. I can't quite believe it's really this easy, i guess the test will be difficult stains.

skypie123_2

I made my first batch yesterday in a bid to help my OHs skin (he has eczema) and I made it with Soda Crystals and baby soap from Asda. I have read that clothes can come out smelling (which to me defeats the purpose of washing them) so I wondered about Bicarb Soda. Do any of you use it for this and if not what do you use?
Also where can I buy big boxes of Bicarb Soda, big containers of white vinegar from?

Seakay

if you have a Chinese supermarket or wholesale outlet near you (such as Wing Yip) then they sell bicarb and vinegar in large amounts.
Otherwise I find ebay to be a good source; I've also managed to get proper borax there.

Not sure what you mean by smelling - do you mean that the clothes are smelly before washing? Because in that case bicarb is a good deoderisor and you could put a scoop in the washing powder drawer.

BitterAndTwisted

I've never noticed my clothes coming out of the machine smelling of anything except a vague aroma of Fairy household soap cos that's what I made the gloop with. Vinegar is an excellent deodoriser so you could put some of that in the final rinse.

skypie123_2

Thank you for the replies.
I had heard that clothes could come out smelling sweaty. I only started using my gloop last night. I must say I love the idea of making laundry liquid (well it's more like blancmange) and am really hoping it helps with OHs skin.
Also what do you do for whites as I heard they can go grey.

PixieDust

The only time our clothes ever smelled yucky when using laundry gloop was when we tried washing the stuff late at night and forgot to take it out first thing in the morning.....narsty niff!!!

BitterAndTwisted

skypie123 wrote: »

Also what do you do for whites as I heard they can go grey.

Mine don't go grey but then I never wash whites/lights with anything darker. I flash a bit of Nappisan around now and then when I feel the need. Mostly on stained tea-towels. Clothing doesn't seem to need it, really.

zippychick

ive merged this with our gloop thread

Zip

sillyrabbit

Hope no one minds me bumping this thread up, as I have questions! I'd love to make my own laundry powder, but is there any benefit of making gloop instead of powder? I have soda crystals and soap ready to go, however I don't have borax and don't really want to hunt it out if I can use something else. I saw someone mention biotex but I think that's a cheaper version of vanish powder...

Anyway, can I just make up a batch of powder using soda crystals and grated soap, then add in some stain remover if needed? If I'm not using borax, what quantities do you use, and how much in the wash?

If there are any major benefits of making it as gloop as opposed to keeping it as a powder, please share!

mcculloch29

I've never tried the powder. I like using gloop as it disperses in the machine drum so easily, having been already dissolved into solution on the stove. I'm not convinced the powder would dissolve as readily You can omit the borax substitute and many do, I use it, as we have a local store that sells it.