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3:34 pm
December 15, 2010
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Thanks anabel52. I used a paint stir that was attached to my drill. I had what looked like soap bubbles on the top of the liquid and no matter how much I stirred with the paint stirrer (attached to the drill) it stayed on top and as it cooled it hardened pretty much back to soap. I cooked and cooked it this time to be sure that all had melted/dissolved. I will get my hands on a stick blender and see if that makes a difference. I have been checking at my local thrift store for one but have come up empty. I will keep looking. Thanks for your advice. I guess I will give it another go round before I give up.
8:23 pm
November 4, 2010
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Tina, it takes me a lot of trial and error but it is usually worth all the effort in the end.
Hang in there, you can heat it up again and stir with a stick blender when you find one. There is one good thing, the soap won't "spoil" like a gallon of milk.
I had some hand soap that I was making for my soap dispensers and I had to heat it up 3 times and dilute and blend before I got the right consistency. The first time I had to cut the bottom off of the plastic vinegar jug to get the soap out because it was so thick.lol
10:03 am
April 8, 2010
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Well,here's my 2 cents worth on the laundry soap saga. My soap turns out great.We have hard water too so I don't know if that is the trouble.Maybe there are different kinds of hard water?
I grate my fels with a hand grater. I don't have a stick blender thingy, just mix with a wooden dowel and not that much really.My recipe does have 1/2 a small bottle of Dawn which is different from some.
Our clothes come out looking and smelling good. There's just the 2 of us but I wash lots since we have cat/dog/chicken/pig/steer/milkcow and soon-to-be sheep chores so yo know we get plenty messy.
My soap is pretty thick since I stop after getting everything into the 5 gallon bucket. I do not dilute to make 10 gallons. I just use 1/2 the amount in each load.I do not have globs in the washer or on clothes. When I do a dark load, I do put the soap in first so it mixes with the water a little in the bottom before I throw in the clothes.Otherwise, with lights/whites I just dump the soap in on top of the clothes.
10:13 pm
February 14, 2011
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I altered my soap recipe this weekend and would like your opinion. I have used both liquid and powder and like them both. Oh btw I am talking about laundry soap…sorry. I made using the same recipe, zote, borax, washing soda and baking soda. I separated a third of the powder and added 1/8 c. of oxyclean, I thought to use on my whites. Has anyone else tried this? I am no rocket scientist so I don't know if it is a good or bad thing and you know how your momma always told you to wear clean undies incase of ….. I don't want mine to be clean but have a big gapping hole eaten out, ya know
? Would appreciate your comments,
4:51 am
May 10, 2010
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I also use Dawn in my detergent mix. I have not measured the amount, but it probably comes close to a cup or two. I don't know if this helps its consistency, but it comes out looking like creamy pearly white liquid hand soap.
8:44 am
February 6, 2011
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Mountain Blessings~ I have used oxy with my powdered soap. I didn't add it into the mix because I didn't need it in all my loads, but added it, instead, right into the load. I let my clothes soak in it for a half hour or so. No problems.
11:36 am
April 8, 2010
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Sonia-Now that you mention it, I wonder if our adding Dawn to the mix does give us that nice consistency?
1:29 am
February 14, 2011
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Thanks langlea, I actually put some oxyclean into a couple of loads that I felt just needed it. So when I made my batch I thought I would make just an extra container with the oxyclean. In my liquid batch I put dawn in too, thats why I thought maybe I should keep separate, oxyclean, bleach and dawn are not supposed to mix, or so they say.
Does anyone else do anything special or different to their whites? Our water is so hard if I don't use oxyclean I sometimes will use a capfull of bleach. I haven't had a problem with things coming out dingy, but like my whites to look crispy and clean.
3:29 pm
December 15, 2010
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Thanks for the encouragement annabel52. I melted mine down again and let it cook a bit longer. I let it cool a bit and put it back into the container. If finally gelled and I have not had any problems with globs of soap left on my laundry.
I am interested in the use of Dawn. For those of you using Dawn do you substitute Dawn for the bar soap or add it as well? What is the ratio for the Dawn? I made the concentrated liquid laundry soap. Thank you all for sharing. 
8:09 am
December 2, 2010
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Something else to consider… try measuring out a little more borax and washing soda. I use half a cup more of each in my liquid recipe with one bar of sunlight. I have extremely hard water and my soap used to have floaty bits in it. Then I tried stirring it more the other day and Ta Da! No more floaty bits. It's gelled nicely and staying that way. I give it a quick mix before I use it anyway, but I'm so glad I checked this thread out!
Thanks ladies!!
8:14 am
December 2, 2010
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Mountain Blessings said:
Thanks langlea, I actually put some oxyclean into a couple of loads that I felt just needed it. So when I made my batch I thought I would make just an extra container with the oxyclean. In my liquid batch I put dawn in too, thats why I thought maybe I should keep separate, oxyclean, bleach and dawn are not supposed to mix, or so they say.
Does anyone else do anything special or different to their whites? Our water is so hard if I don't use oxyclean I sometimes will use a capfull of bleach. I haven't had a problem with things coming out dingy, but like my whites to look crispy and clean.
Unfortuneatly all my clothes tend to get a little dingy over time. Dratted hard water.
I find oxy brightens them up at first and then it seems after a while there is no hope! I guess it's one of those few trade off's for living rurally!
9:47 am
February 6, 2011
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chardeadman said:
Unfortuneatly all my clothes tend to get a little dingy over time. Dratted hard water.
I find oxy brightens them up at first and then it seems after a while there is no hope! I guess it's one of those few trade off's for living rurally!
My mom will let them soak in oxyclean for an hour or so before washing and says things come out bright white. Maybe a little longer soak time when they start to get dingy?
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