A recipe for cheap washing machine powder

iAMaLONDONER

Any ideas on a recipe for homemade laundry powder?

I imagine washing soda would be combined with other natural chemicals to make a cheap but non-toxic laundry powder that cleans clothes?

joedenise

A combination of:

grated bar soap - to clean (you can use either household soap (Fairy) or cheap toilet soap (cheapest soap from SM)
soda crystals - to soften the water
borax powder - to remove stains

You'll need to get the borax powder on line as you only seem to be able to buy borax substitute in the shops.

Can't remember exact quantities but think it is a bar of soap:500g soda:500g borax.

Also have a look at the laundry gloop thread on here.

Denise

spanishlivinginUK

Hi!
I make my own powder, I use
1kg soda crystals
500g b!rax (again, only available online, I'm trying substitute next time)
2 Bars of wilko laundry soap (in the laundry aisle, near the soap flakes and stain removers)
1 box biotex (optional)

I grate the soap, very easy to do.
Mix with the rest of ingredients and then slowly pulse a few scoops at a time with the food processor to a fine powder. Then keep in an airtight container.
I use one tablespoon per wash.

To make it smell nicer I have added a few drops of orange essential oil when mixing, but the smell never stayed after washing so now I don't bother, a nice softener does a better job.
I have also seen another recipe using citric acid instead of b!rax but I've never tried it myself, this would be easier as it it available in wilkos too.
I put the biotex to bulk it up a bit, and since I did I have noticed better cleaning, but I guess this takes the 'eco' side out of it.......

It's cheap, cleans and lasted ages!!!

Hope this helps

kackleful

This is what I make.... 1 Bar of Laundry Soap, very finely grated, 1 cup of Washing Soda Powder, 1 cup of Borax or 1 cup of Carb Soda, mix all together, I store this in an old ice-cream container! And use 2 tsps per load, very good!

km1423

I am in East Anglia, and water is HARD. So take the water hardness into consideration when making your detergent. Check your water hardness, and you can taylor the Soda Crystal/Borax Subsitute accordingly. I would never use anything less than 2 cups of Soda Crystals, but as you progress, you will discover what works best for you.

I used to buy a brilliant laundry soap from the USA called Zote, 400g bar and make own liquid detergent.

However I now buy a portuguese laundry soap called Clarim, (Offenbach soap) 400g bar (£1.10) bar from nearby shop and make powdered. It is fantastic.

Grate 400g of soap finely
2 heaped cups of Soda Crystals
2 heaped cups of Borax substitute
1 cup Oxiclean or alternative oxygen based cleaner (non bleach)
1 heaped cup of Bicarb (helps with odours)
1 cup of Biotex (my choice for extra degreasing)/optional

Blend whole lot together really well and store in a old plastic food container, with a lid.

I use between 2 - 2.5 tablespoons per full load, I add to the wash in a ball, not in the drawer of washing machine.

Wilko have household soap, (300g) as I appreciate you may not get Clarim/Zote.

No powerful fragrances after washing, plus I use a mix of Fabric Con 30% /Vinegar 70%.

Zote, contains citronella, a delicate lasting fresh smell on laundry, which I love to death, everything smells clean and fresh. A delight to get into bed after laundry day.

My whites are white, colours less dull. Even old stubborn stains are gone, including deodorant stains on work shirts (Aluminium), which commercial laundry detergent wouldn't shift, unless I did a soak first - so time consuming.

I worked out that even buying the Zote from the USA and making washing detergent (liquid) was cheaper than using store bought. But using the Clarim, this has now become uber cheap for me. The powder last for ages.

I additionally used the liquid to wash floors, sinks, and even outdoor bins, so a double use.

The powdered detergent is such a hit, with less storage space, quicker to make, I am in two minds whether to go back to liquid.

As a small tip, liquid soda crystal on stubborn stains as a pre-treat always does the trick and better than Shout, IMO. Please do not use on silk/delicate fabrics.

zippychick

this thread may help

and Laundry gloop

we will merge this later

Zip