Anyone have suggestions how to grate down pink Zote soap for laundry detergent? It is quite a soft soap and I have to leave it grated larger or it gets gummy.
When I tried making liquid laundry detergent with it, it wouldn't melt, it just clumped up. I have a bunch of it I'd like to use. When I leave it in the larger grated form, it doesn't seem to dissolve very well. I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.
By Cristin from NY
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Homemade Laundry Soap
1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type of soap, as listed above
&frac; cup washing soda
&frac; cup borax powder
~You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size~
Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. You use &frac; cup per load.
good luck.
Usually soaps clump like that if they're "fresh." Grate it large, then let it dry for a few days (or more) and spread on an old cookie sheet or on newspaper. Once the shreds are dry, they may crumble in your hands, or you may be able to put it in the blender or food processor to turn it into a powder.
Meanwhile, if you can buy the soap ahead, unwrap it as soon as you get it home, and leave the unwrapped bars somewhere that they can begin to dry out. It will make future grating easier. I am not familiar with the brand you use; but if it smells good, wrap the unwrapped bars in a paper towel or handkerchief, and put it in your drawer to make your clothes smell nice. It can still dry wrapped in fabric, though it may take longer.
Are you making the liquid or dry detergent? I always use Zote soap in mine, but I make the liquid. It does melt; in fact, I find that it melts in the water better than other bar soaps that I've used. I do believe that if you allow it to dry out, it will grate finer for the powdered detergent. Personally, I like the liquid since reading that so many have problems with the dry soap dissolving entirely in the washer.
let your soap dry out first - I use Fels Naptha soap, I buy it by the carton - When I get it I take all the soap out of the wrappers and leave them in a basket to dry out and to reduce the intensity of the scent - Once dry I grind them in a coffee bean grinder and then continue with the laundry soap making process - You can pick up the grinder at a yard sale of buy it new from Walmart
I got a coffee grinder at a flea market and it works great to shred this kind of soap.
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I want to make laundry soap and powder. Please tell me the ingredients which are easily available.
Khan from Bangalore, India
I put several drops of a good smelling essential oil in my homemade detergent instead of bar soap for fragrance. (12/14/2006)
By Mary
Borax will lighten your colored clothes, so be careful when using this soap. (03/18/2007)
By Terry
I make my own laundry soap, using the soap, borax and washing soda recipe from your site. Instead of buying Fels or Zote, however, I grate the little bars of whatever soap I bring home from hotels or motels or samples I may get here and there. By the time I need to make a batch of laundry detergent I have always accumulated enough free bar soap. I also ask family and friends to bring me the little bars when they travel.
This doesn't suds up. Use only 1 tablespoon.
By Linda
But do your clothes/towels smell clean? It is the smell of laundry detergent that makes me buy Gain. I've tried generic brands and it doesn't clean or have a fresh smell to my towels. I'd be tempted to try this as I do... 2-3 loads a day.
Jennifer CA (08/09/2006)
By Jennifer
