Just to clarify, for those of us with allergy issues, does it really matter what kind of bar soap is used?  (I've probably already asked this a dozen times or so…)  I hesitate to make my own for this reason.  We have found a cheapy powder which works fine in our laundry, so use it just because of allergies – and because we wash almost everything in cold water.

Agree wholeheartedly with you on all counts, Dede!  We, too, were very surprised by what we ended up with.  Never thought we could handle something like the OxyClean, either, but it works soooo well for us.  We tried it because of an allergy to chlorine, and are very happy using it in warm water – thus saving on the use of hot water as well!  (We don't use it with everything, just things where normal people would use hot water and bleach for sanitation reasons.)  The results are wonderful because the things washed are super clean, without the damage to fibers cause by bleach.  We do use the soak cycle frequently for "really dirty" things.

Was all ready to hop on the homemade laundry "detergent" band wagon a year or so ago, then found so much written about only using it in hot or at least warm water.  That made me back away from the concept, at least until I could get more info about it working well in cold water.  What we use now just doesn't cost much at all, plus saves on the use of hot water.

Hah, on the stuck on hot issue!  

Every choice we make is a trade-off for something, isn't it?  While I WANT to do the homemade wherever possible for all those reasons, and because it just feels "right" to me, sometimes we have to do other things.  Guess this is one of those for me, for the moment anyway.  I reserve the right to change that when the time comes!  

As soon as we get enough cartons collected, or a mold constructed, we WILL be making some hand soap.  It's great stuff, and can be made with or without scents, other additives, whatever mood strikes!