Tired of spending $10-20 on a “Big” bottle of laundry detergent that lasts only a couple weeks? Here is a Super Concentrated Laundry Detergent Recipe that doubles as a laundry softener with a clean fresh Lavender scent- as if that weren’t enough, you won’t need a dryer sheet either! Oh, and did we happen to mention that it costs less than $2 to make enough concentrate to do 128 Loads of laundry?!
The following recipe is based off our original Super Laundry Sauce recipe… but in an effort to make laundry dry as effortless & inexpensive as possible, I wanted to accomplish 2 more things:
1. To Get rid of the need for Dryer Sheets
2. To have a lightly scented detergent
Lavender Super Laundry Sauce Recipe
You’ll Need:
1 bar of Fels Naptha Soap (grated or chopped into small chunks)
1 c. Borax (20 Mule Team Brand)
1 c. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (not Baking soda folks!)
1/3 c. Lavender Purex Laundry Crystals (alternatively, if you’d prefer a different scent, they make several to choose from!)
4 cups Hot Water
2 -1 qt Mason Jars
Here’s what the ingredients look like:
They are ALL available in the Laundry aisle in your local stores (walmart, target, grocery stores, etc). In a medium bowl combine the borax, washing soda and purex crystals, mixing well, set aside nearby.
Step 1:
Measure 4 cups of water into a large heavy saucepan over high heat.
Step 2:
Once boiling add the grated fels naptha, stirring constantly to dissolve. Reduce the heat to medium, (I use about 8 on the gas stove). If the mixture starts to foam heavily or creep up the pan (so it seems like it will boil over) reduce the heat slightly. You want it to Boil, but NOT boil over, which creates a nasty mess. This will take 12-15 minutes to melt ALL of the fels naptha Completely. You don’t want chunks!
Step 3:
Remove the pan from the heat and pour the borax/washing soda/purex mix into the hot melted fels naptha and stir constantly to dissolve. Place pan back on heat over med/low, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the “grainy” feeling of the dry ingredients is gone.
Step 4:
Remove from heat, divide the liquid equally into 2 mason jars, I find that a canning jar funnel top really helps with this.
Step 5:
Add just enough water to bring the contents of each jar up to the rounded part of the mason jar, leaving a couple inches of headspace- you’ll need this later.
Step 6:
Place the lid on the jar and tighten with a screw band, then turn them upside down immediately (careful, the jars are hot!). The soap will immediately start separating into layers. Let them cool about 2-3 hours.
Step 7:
The bottom layer will become quite thick, use the back of your wooden spoon to break the layer away from the jar (be careful, it will “sploosh” up at you!)
Step 8:
Screw the blade from your blender directly onto the jar and whip it (While it’s still somewhat warm). It will have an Off-color (almost greenish when whipped due to the color) Repeat with Second Jar
Step 9:
Attach a Label with directions for use. To use, add 1 Tablespoon to a load of laundry in any type of machine, conventional, Front Loader, High Capacity & High Efficiency (HE), etc. Do not add the detergent to the “detergent compartment” but instead directly with the dirty clothes. For small or half loads use 2 teaspoons.
Here is EXACTLY how I use our detergent:
- Fill the machine with dirty clothes
- start the water, (hot- Cold- or warm- doesn’t matter)
- Measure out 1 Tablespoon (literally) of super laundry sauce
- stick the measuring spoon of detergent under the running water, let it fall off the spoon.
- Close the washer lid, go away and do something else while the machine runs.
- When the machine is done, switch to the dryer and dry normally. A dryer sheet is NOT necessary when washing clothing with this homemade detergent.
Trouble Shooting This Recipe:
- Do Not Add Oxyclean or Baking Soda to this, the jars will burst after a week or so.
- This does not work if you substitute the Fels Naptha with Zote or Ivory- the substitutes fail to get out tough stains.
- You will notice a very Slight grit just prior to whipping, this is due to the undissolved Purex crystals that settle on the lid during “layering”. This is normal, simply scrape the crystals into the top of the jar by dragging the lid across the top and whip it in.
- This also works Great as a Stain Remover if applied directly to Tough Stains such as chocolate or blood.
- You might have noticed in the photo that there is a long-handled spoon, this is actually a cookie dough spoon with a rubber indentation at the bottom which works great for dropping the concentrated detergent into the machine.
- Using More detergent than is recommended will result in dingy-looking clothes
Budget101 Budget Breakdown:
Fels Naptha .99 bar
Borax 76 oz box = 9.5 cups $3.29 box = .34 c per cup
Washing Soda 55 oz box =6.875 cups – $2.97 box = .43 per cup
Purex Laundry Crystals (32 oz) for $2.78 = 1/3 c. = .23
——————————————————————————-
Total Expense for 128 loads of Laundry = $1.99
hi liss,
this looks great! is it possible to make it without any fragrance, or do the purex crystals add something aside from a lovely smell?
In addition to a very light scent, Purex adds a Fabric softener capability (which means you don’t need a dryer sheet when you dry them).
However, our original, scent free version is available here:
Budget101.com – – Mom’s Super Laundry Sauce | Whipped Laundry Soap | Make your own Laundry Detergent
what if you have a front load washer?
Just put the detergent in with your clothes, on top.
I can’t wait to try this laundry lavender scented sauce! i love anything lavender! thanks!
sounds great. am planning on making this as soon as i can get all the ingredients together.
hi liss, your jars look like they are completely full when done, but mine are not, did i do something wrong? i filled them with water to what looked like the same level as yours. also, any suggestions to keep this from splashing out when you open the jars to mix them?
could you use downy unstoppables instead of the purex?
I use both, I love Downy’s smell, but it is so expensive, so I mix with Pyrex, cuz it is cheaper. I have been making liquid detergent and have found Downy melts much better. Pyrex leaves a grainier sediment which needs to be mixed each use by shaking the container.
Yes, any style of scented crystals.
how would you use it if you have a front loading washer? i have been wanting to make my own stuff but having a 5 gallon pail in my laundry room was just not gonna happen not enough room.
made it today used my imersion blender to mix it. cant wait to try it!
That is the only type of blender I have, so I was happy to see your comment. Were you able to use your immersion blender right in each mason jar or did you have to transfer?
can i transfer it to another container after its made? i only have a few mason jars and want to make some for family without having to buy more jars.
i have been making my own dry laundry soap for a while but i can’t wait to try this one.
made this the other day and it works great!!!!!
i am having trouble with both of my blenders fitting on the jar both are to small. any alternatives to whipping it??
Caylor, you could put it in a bowl and whip it with a hand mixer.
I was just going to post a similar question.
I do have another question. When making this, is it best to purchase (from a thrift store, obviously) a pot and a blender to use just for this purpose or should everything come out nice and clean after a good scrubbing so the extra items are not needed? Or is it a preference thing?
Thanks for any responses.
Are you using wide mouth jars? It could be the problem. Just trying to help.
Dump it in the blender. Works great and cleans the blender(make sure to rinse well):balloon:
Just dump it all in a big bowl and use a hand mixer, blender or immersion blender; then spoon it back into your jars.
i made this recipe this morning, exactly as described; however, the mix went into the jar emulsified and never did separate. after i added the water i used an immersion blender, like someone suggested. the results is silky smooth(no grit) and smells great.
i’m looking around for laundry to try it out!
i love this recipe- but i have a warning for you! be sure that you test to make sure that you are not sensitive to purex laundry crystals first! i’ve been using the original laundry sauce for awhile now and thought i’d give this one a try.
i was wearing a shirt that was washed in the lavender sauce and when i took my shirt off, it looked like i was still wearing a red shirt. you could literally see the entire outline of my tank top, where i was wearing it. the rash is raised and very itchy and my skin is tight/hot.
i wasn’t positive that it was caused by the detergent so i dampened a t-shirt that was washed in it and laid it across my arm in one spot (that didn’t yet have the rash!) within 10 minutes- RASH.
had to make another batch of this…i cant keep it in the house, my daughters liked it so much they handed me $2 and said …thanks mom!
question– my bottle of purex crystals does not say “softener” on it anywhere. in fact there is no claim that it is a fabric softener or that it can be used as such. it just says laundry enhancer.
so is it a softener or not? for this recipe what ingredient(s) make it a fabric softener too?
Hmmm, great Science Question! It is a fabric softener, you can view it listed right on the bottle in the photo of the ingredients in the recipe directions.
Here’s what Purex lists on their Own Website about their product:
How does Purex Crystals work? Add Purex Crystals at the start of the wash cycle with detergent—no need to wait for the rinse cycle or use messy “softener balls” to get great freshness. This way it spends more time with your laundry, infusing it with fresh scents that can last for weeks, not days.
http://www.purex.com/products/softeners/purex-complete-crystals
I can’t say that I ever paid much attention to the listing on the bottle or the ingredients, but Purex lists it as a Softener on their site:
I do know that when we use the crystals we don’t need to add a dryer sheet to the laundry during drying.
:news: Fabric softeners work by creating a thin layer of lubricant on the surface of the cloth fibers.
If you’re concerned about chemicals, you could use our original laundry sauce recipe, (link in the recipe above) and then just add 1/4-1/3 c. of vinegar to the rinse cycle for an all natural softener.
That’s Rather Odd- Mine Does. Here’s a Photo of It:
the purex crystals i purchase also do not say softener. maybe they have changed the bottle and it hasn’t distributed everywhere as of yet. i checked at my local retailer today to see if there were different variations.
the only ones sold at our store is purex crystals laundry enhancer.
it looks exactly the same though. i’m assuming it is the same thing.
The new bottles do not say softener……now they say enhancer. Same product.
hi l have a question i didnt used the cystal softenerdoes it still make a different i used purex crystals laundry enhancer.
also l tried making it and accordly to the instructions its says it suppose to seperate when l turn it upside down and it didnt do that what can l do
please help this is the second time l tried it and its not turning out right
i just made this for me & a friend, and we both love it! what i would like to know now is, how you made those awesome labels? are they waterproof?
so i made it today and used my hand mixer to whip it. loved the smell it left in my kitchen. my sister who is living with me is allergic to lavender so i used the vanilla scented crystals.
used them and the clothes came out great. thanks
does any one know of any other uses for this recipie? i made it and its total crap! it doesn’t break down in washing maching and i doesnt do as promised (stain removal, softness) nor does it even smell good.
and yes, i followed the directions to the letter and my end result was the same as pictures. so disappointed! the money i spent on all these ingredients, i could have bought a bottle of gain
are you sure you added all the correct ingredients as listed??? i’ve made this recipe so many times and it always comes out great, it dissolves fine for me in my washer and works great on hard stains.
it almost sounds to me like the wrong amounts were used or something was left out altogether. can you share a photo of your detergent??
:dontknow:
I hate that for you! I too have made the recipe and my first batch didn’t come out well but I didn’t measure the ingredients correctly either.
My second batch came out like a dream and works fantastic. Do you have really soft water?
I was thinking that maybe all the minerals that soften the water are causing the issue for you. The only thing else that I can think of is that you accidentally forgot to add in one of the ingredients or that you didn’t get the soap hot enough which is the only reason that I know of that keeps it from dissolving in cold water in the washing machine.
I understand you’re frustrated but I really don’t see anywhere where anyone “Promised” it would work good for you. One size doesn’t fit all. If you don’t like the smell of fels naptha and purex then you wont like the smell of the detergent.
the good news is, even if your soap didn’t come out, it only cost you a couple bucks to make it!
borax and washing soda are wonderful for hundreds of different things and both boxes should be all but full because the recipe uses very little. it can be used in different homemade soaps, detergents, flower drying, garden projects etc. you should search the forums for both borax and washing soda for ideas.
:hugs:
l have a question l made the wash and i had to add water to it and the whip it up but the bottle smells good but after l wash my clothes and put them in the dryer but there wasn’t any scent to them can l put more softner in the bottle
wonderful! tried this household tip and am really satisfied with it.
i just made a batch of this and i’m doing my first load of laundry with it. i noticed that my bottle of purex says enhancer rather than softener. mine says purex crystals while yours says purex complete.
i wonder if they might have changed something? i don’t have a blender, so i drilled a hole in a jar lid, put the whisk attachment through the hole and screwed the lid down. it whipped up nicely.
i can’t wait to see how my laundry comes out. i have a question about the dispenser on my he front loader…why can’t i put it in the dispenser?
I love the hole in the lid idea, that’s too funny! Very Clever idea! On the dispenser question- it’s been done, it gets stuck. Just cram it with the laundry, works great. 🙂
ok so first time doing this
first mine didnt separate. second i used the downy unstoppables (because they are not crystals and they are creamy like, they needed more water added approx 1..5 cups more) this is why i think mine never separated because everything was WHIPPED together when putting in jars.
i tested on one of the smelly dogs blankets and it came out smelling wonderful, using only one tablespoon no extra detergent /softener or bouce sheets!!!!
Worth a try for anyone skeptical like me ( and doesnt take a whole day to do which is a plus)
i was wondering about using them as well since we love gain unstoppables in my house. i’ll have to try using them in this recipe. thanks😊
Thanks Amanda, I love that you didn’t need to use a blender! I’m going to try this with downy crystals or use lavender essential oil.
where did you find the cookie dough spoon that is pictured?
They have them at Big Lots, Dollar General, (Some) walmarts
They have Norpro 1 Tablespoon Drop Measures here
as well as lots of single tablespoon scoops here
you can also find long handled 1 TBS scoops at Rachelssupply.com. A box of 20 is 9.95 if you’re thinking of giving out laundry sauce as gifts. They’re plastic, so they can actually go right in the washer with the clothes.
Can I use my vita-mix blender for this? Will the detergent rinse out of my polycarbonate blender cleanly or will it leave a residue?
this stuff is outstanding! i have prespotted with it before washing and no stains. it is just enough fabric softner,and although i like using vinegar for a softner ,this is one step less when doing laundry.
thumbs up on this one for sure. gave some to my neighbor and d-i-l. you have two new fans!
made it, used it, love it!!! my dh always tries to put extra laundry detergent in his clothes because they are so stinky. i got him to try this using just the 1 TBSP and he was surprised that his clothes smelled so good.
We use only cold water for our clothes, this got them clean, left them smelling good, and it all dissolved in the washer. I may never buy commercial laundry detergent again!
i tried this today and everything went smoothly just like your directions! so excited! it was easy enough to make and i had no problems, it looked & smelled great & had a great consistency.
it dissolved great in my wash. all good. my only thing is that, after using just one tablespoon there was zero scent on my clothes.
in fact, they smelled just like they did before they went into the wash. is it possible to use more than just 1 tablespoon? I ended up using 2 1/2 tablespoons and added a bit of vinegar to the rinse cycle and finally got the very nice, clean scent.
I don’t think my clothes felt like they had any soap residue. Do you think it’s ok to use that much? If I use more, will it make my clothes look dingy?
Thanks for posting this and other than that little issue, I think your recipe/directions were great!
I’m an “enhancer-holic”. So…..I use vinegar as a softener, but of course, I melt a Pyrex and Downy mix and add to my container of vinegar . I have found Downy “melts” more smoothily.
I wonder if you could mix vinegar directly into the laundry sauce instead of all water to add softening? Or would it not do anything since the Vinegar usually gets added into the wash basin at the end of the wash cycle….
i really like this idea, but i also really like my name brand laundry pellets for the ease of use in a front load washer. any ideas on if it is possible to make this into pellets?
I did see the recipe on this site for the laundry bombs. They’re a little more concentrated, but I think if you made them smaller than the recipe calls for you could probably use them like pellets.
I’m actually going to try this at some point, because I like the ease of the pellets too. But I’m absolutely going to continue using these recipes (scented and unscented) because this stuff is amazing. So inexpensive, and yet it works better than the store bought detergents.
I think it you could turn this into pellets for everyday washing they would make a great gift.
A bit easier to get out of the jar than the sauce, and no measuring. Sounds like a win win to me.
instead of purex crystals, i wonder if downey unstoppables can be used to get a scent boost…
the purex crystals are not a softener they are only a enhancer. from what i read on their site it doesn’t have softening qualities so they cant call it that. all the new bottles don’t say softener anymore.
another great tip for me to try. what makes the laundry yellow with too much soap? is it necessary to use a softener at all?
The combinations of chemicals in the laundry causes them to yellow over time. You can remove yellowing by soaking clothes in hot water with lemon juice. Use 1/4 c. concentrated lemon juice per gallon of hot water and soak for 2 hours.
Borax also removes yellowing. Some other tips, never bleach polyester or polyester/cotton blends- it will yellow them.
Hard water or high mineral content in well water causes yellowing.
i will have to check out the other purex crystal scents, but can’t wait to try it out.
thank you
thanks, i will be trying this. i thought i had to mix it with a blender and i don’t have a blender. i will try using a mixer.
we just made our first batch. it is sitting overnight and hubby will blend it in the morning. i love saving money.
is it possible to use sunlight bar soap instead of fels naptha? i can’t find it anywhere in canada.
I am in Canada too and couldn’t find Fels Naptha either so I made my first batch today with Sunlight laundry bar soap i found at Superstore. Used it only one so far, but it was on my almost 14yo son’s clothes (he’s getting to that age of stinking like a man lol) and it came out smelling fresh (altho I didn’t get the scent of the purex I used)!
this is a great idea. i have just made my 3rd batch and keep giving it away. I have made other homemade laundry soap and this is my favorite.
for those of you who used the downy instead of the purex, how much of the downy did you use?
i just made my first batch and washed my first load. i used the purex crystals. i do extra large loads of laundry.
i used 1 Tablespoon and I noticed no scent :(. I think next time I will try the Gain Scent enhancer because I am BIG on wanting a scent in my clothes after they are washed. Does anyone know how large of a load one tablespoon of detergent is suppose to wash?
Thank you 🙂
this looks even better thaan the original- love lavender
hello:) i love this. my only problem is that i do not have a blender or a mixer. can you mix this using a whisk?
and does it work on restaurant work clothes? it always seems that i cannot get my shirts clean no matter what brand of detergent i use.
how does this formula work on cloth diapers? (like bumgenius etc)???
how does this formula work on cloth diapers? (like bumgenius etc)???
the only front load washer that i’ve ever used is the one in the laundry mat, which i currently have to use because our washer burned up. anyway, it has 2 compartments for detergent and has a 2 load capacity. Would you put in more than 1 Tbsp, and if so, how many?
Also, we were looking at getting a top load HE washer with a 3 load capacity, would you increase the amount of detergent based on the load capacity? Thanks so much!! 🙂
has anyone tried adding a liquid softener? i love the smell of suavitel! how much should i add?
i made up a batch of this yesterday…i used the tropical splash scented purex crystals. my end product came out a little gritty, due to my not following directions completely lol..but i must say i love this stuff! i immediately washed a load of laundry once i was finished whipping this stuff up.
i was sold immediately and probably won’t ever go back to the tide with downy my mother buys. we live with her and my daughters and i all have super sensitive skin with bouts of eczema here and there. i know i can’t use downy full strength at all and was still having serious itching problems with the tide.
i am so glad i found this because my skin was not itchy at all from the clothing i washed in it. i did accidentally eat the blender gasket up because i was excited and rushing haha, oopz! ended up using a hand blender thing, can’t think of what it’s called right now, but it worked out well.
i purchased the downy unstopables instead of the purex crystals. will this work? i think they are bigger than the purex crystals, but they might still melt.
anyone try this?
i notice a lot of questions not answered on here so i’m just hoping i get picked to be answered. i’m sure with sooooo many questions that is has to be hard to keep up so i’m not hating on anyone. i made my lavender sauce and pretty excited about it.
i have a full machine washing now and can’t wait to dry them and see how they turn out. so my question is – what’s considered a load? do i fill up to my small level and 1 tablespoon of sauce, my medium load and 1 tablespoon of sauce, or my large load and 1 tablespoon of sauce????
I’ve always wondered how they measure out the loads on a bottle of tide, etc. Is it 64 smalls loads per bottle or large loads? One more question- I noticed that some comments says this magical sauce worked wonders on mens work clothes- how about my elderly mothers soiled clothes?
Reg. detergent still keeps them smelly after washing resulting in more than one wash and sometimes bleach. Would 1 Tablespoon in a large load of laundry clean up and take out the smell of, (excuse my way of saying this), pooped and peed in clothing????
Thanks for answering in advance and please do!!!
i have small children (and we all know what kids are capable of!) and cats. sometimes the cats are bad kitties & will pee in the dirty laundry. yuck!
grrrrr
when clothes are extra funky, i like to run them through a rinse only cycle first, just to help get some of the excess pee (or whatever) out in that rinse water. that way, there’s that much less funk swirling around with the clothes in the actual wash water. it really seems to help.
i sometimes also add vinegar (if i have any laying around) to my liquid softener compartment & some purex crystals (again, if i have any) during the actual wash cycle, and that helps too. i haven’t made this version of the laundry sauce recipe yet, i made the original, and i’ve only been using it for a week. that being said, just adding an extra rinse, then using the regular laundry sauce seems to be working just fine on the extra funky loads.
:morechores3:
My son has an issue with bed wetting and this has been the only thing to take the smell out of his clothes and bedding. I like to rinse his things with vinegar first and then wash as normal with this soap. I love it!
It has made life smell so much better, lol.:jar:
When my kids were little I would layer the bed with all my twin sheets and a large trash bag between each one. In the middle of the night all I had to do was peel off the top sheet and trash bag to reveal a clean dry sheet and it saved alot of cupboard space aswell.
i just asked a question on here and it didn’t turn up on the site but i also just found my load answer. sorry for not re-reading. but if you can answer my other question about elderly moms soiled clothes then i will be appreciative.
I finished making my first batch a few hours ago.
I wanted to really test it out so I washed a load of dog towels and dog bedding. They were really filthy and smelled awful! I have an 18 year old dog that has been having accidents (vomit, urine, and bowel movements) on the bedding.
They came out beautiful! They weren’t scented but they didn’t smell like dog anymore either and they were clean. It was more like a clean soap smell, but very faint.
I used to use Tide with bleach and would sometimes have to wash the dog things twice to get them this clean. The load I did was rather large so I used two tablespoons, but I think I could have gotten away with using just 1 and 1/2. I highly recommend this soap.
Give it a try. It doesn’t cost much to make and doesn’t take very long either. I hope this helps.
I started adding about 1/4 C of vinegar to the start of my wash.
where do you get your fels naptha? i live n alberta canada and i can’t buy it anywhere locally. i tried ordering online…..
none of the sites will ship it to canada, nor even amazon.ca. i have all the other ingredients, just nof the fels naptha.
In the us its with the regular laundry detergents. there are other brands also.
This is probably too late seeing you posted this sometime last year, but I am in Alberta too and I used Sunlight laundry bar of soap. The only place I found it at was Superstore!
Seemed to have turned out just fine for me! Made it today and have used it once already on my almost 14yo son’s clothes (getting to that stinky man age haha) and came out fresh smelling…although didn’t smell any of the purex scent I used.
hi! i was wondering if you can use the crystals in one of the easier or overnight versions. i can’t remember which ones i was looking at.
there seemed to be a few different ways!
oh shoot, and if so, at which point do you add them?!
thanks!
made this today and hope to do laundry tomorrow. will let you know how i do. will also try the recipe for dummies as it sounds so much easier.:bee:
i have question about the spoon in the picture – is that the one made by chip clip?
over the weekend i was talking to some friends and one said she would not use this because “eventually” it would degrade my clothes. she said the washing soda is bad for cloth and would slowly degrade the material. now i know some people keep clothes for 10 + years but I do not have this issue as my children seem to wear my clothes more than me.
Has anyone else experienced any issues with this soap? I love the smell and love how it takes the stink out of everything. The wonderful clean smell when the laundry is done makes this mom feel very accomplished.
I never take someone’s word on something like this as gospel, but I was wondering if anyone has experienced material degrading or has experience with this not causing issues.
I have cloth pads and the kids wear cloth diapers, and my research on cleaning them said using regular soap is bad for them and actually recommends homemade soap with washing soda to keep them functionally and long lasting. So, i dont think washing soda will degrade your clothes.
do you have the printable labels for the lavender laundry sauce? i can’t find them.
where can i find the label for the lavender laundry sauce??? i want to be able to distinguish between the two
ahhh! my bottle of purex crystals doesn’t say softener. i use a downy bar in my dryer anyway.
this is the third batch of making this laundry sauce, twice was the original and today was the fresh spring waters scent.
i love this stuff. the very first batch i made i didn’t have the quart jars, only pint jars. i split between the pints and added water.
this batch hardened to the texture of a cold stick of butter. the next batch, i did it exactly as shown on here, with the exception of the blender. i only have a ninja blender.
i split the soap between the two quarts, added 1 1/2 cups of water to each one, put the lid on and turned it upside down. When it separated I put both jars into the Ninja and whipped it and transferred back to the mason jars. The batch today, I heated everything up, added straight to my blender and added 3 cups of water, put the lid on and let it separate.
Whipped it up and poured into clean mason jars. I love this recipe! I have made homemade powder soap but it takes up SO much room in the cabinet…
this stuff is two jars! Its amazing!!!
this stuff is amazing!!! has anyone with sensitive skin had any reactions? i have used this on my daughter’s laundry, as well as my own, but haven’t tried it on my son yet.
i have only been able to use tide (too expensive) and purex with him or he breaks out in hives. i was hoping to use this as another alternative to the expensive detergents.
i made this, and i really like it. my only complaint is that i’m still finding chunks of the hardened stuff that didn’t blend. i ran my blender for as long as it would mix, but it stopped mixing it once most of it was whipped.
i just couldn’t get that last bit blended. any suggestions?
*bump*
Cut it in much smaller chunks next time so they dissolve properly. (We recommend the NO COOK Version, rather than the stove-top version)
what i meant was that after it separated and i was blending the hardened part with the liquid part again, some of the hardened stuff would escape being blended. it’s ok, though.
i’ll try the no cook version next time.
Oh, I thought you meant the fels had undissolved/ungelled chunks. The easiest way to remedy the issue you’re experiencing, in my experience, is to take a knife and cut a tic tac toe board into the “solid” layers of the jar, it makes them easier to blend. When you whip it, just pulse on , then off, then on then off several times and then hit whip to finish it to mayonnaise consistency. The no cook version REALLY is the way to go though, it’s virtually No effort at all.
i am wondering if anyone has tried to make this in the “bomb” form. i wonder if it would turn out…any suggestions?
i have made both laundry sauces and both are equally awesome but i can not for the life of me get the recipe’s to print out. every time i try, the screen just goes blank and it says the website is not responding due to a long running scrip. i would like to print it out because i would like to send my mother a copy with the pictures and directions so she too can make some since she has been having problems with her computer and doesn’t have a printer.
i would love some suggestions as to how to get it to print off or if the website is having problems let them be aware so it can get fixed
You can highlight the recipe, copy, and then paste in your document program. Then print it out so you can give it to your mom. I’ve had to do this for friends without Internet connection.
Hope this helps you.
i just made the laundry sauce and love it! this one is next on my list
i’ve posted on here a couple of times, and i never get a response. i hope i get one this time. i cannot find a cookie dough spoon like what is pictured.
i’ve just been using my normal (short handled) measuring spoon, and my hands get covered when i get to the bottom of the jar. please tell me where it was gotten from! thank you!:party1:
The Dollar Store. I’ve also seen them at bed bath and beyond and on amazon:
Amazon.com: 1 tablespoon scoop
Did you try to google it or look at Amazon.com? Actually, if you can’t find one Starbucks has long handled measuring spoons that are two tablespoons. Use about 1/2 the amount.
I love them…I have about three of them. Hope this helps. And BTW I am still waiting for an answer to an email I sent…I am not holding my breath.
Here is a link of an example: Amazon.com: 1 Tbsp. Stainless Steel Long Handle Measuring Spoon: Kitchen & Dining
i made this and when i used it without using dryer sheets, it did not prevent static cling on my clothes. also i did it with the no cook method for dummies and i guess that adding the extra dry ingredient made a huge difference in the ability to properly blend. i ended up needing to dump it into the actual blender and add a little more water, blend it, and scoop it into the jars.
i ended up with 2.5 jars of soap instead of 2 and its probably still a little thicker than the ones without the crystals. I’m glad I don’t use my blender for food!
I love the added scent though, even though I didn’t use lavender. I used the one for babies/sensitive skin and it gave a wonderful addition of a nice scent without possibly bothering my husband’s eczema. I have made this laundry soap for several family and friends and they all LOVE it.
i’ve gathered all the ingredients, can’t wait to try this out.
i would like that spoon. i made this earlier in the summer. i love it.
i am excited to try it with the softener. i am giving this batch to family for christmas, and i would like to enclose a spoon. can i have the website, so i can buy them?
Sure, here ya go:
Cookie Dough Scoop with Push Button (Red) : Amazon.com : Kitchen & Dining
I didn’t find the cookie spoon but for $3.00 Wal-Mart has a set of measuring spoons and you get the teaspoon for the smaller loads or even the other spoons if you want to use the soap to clean your floors, bathroom what ever so you just use a little of the soap.
I found my spoon like that at Kitchen Collection at our outlet mall. They did not have any online.
After a lengthy search, I found the cookie dough spoons at a Kitchen Collection store at our outlet mall.
They had different colors and were $4.99. They were out of stock on their website. They are longer and reach to the bottom of the Mason jar!!!
i waited the 3 hrs to whip it and for the life of me I cant get it to whip. I have made the original version and it turned out great but this ne not so much. Its still pretty warm but am going to let it sit over night and try again.
i wanted to share my outcome using downy unstoppables rather than purex. one of my kids doesn’t do well with the purex crystals and we have never used the unstoppables before, but i thought i would give it a try. this isn’t my first time making the laundry sauce.
i actually doubled the recipe because i was making some for my mom as well, but at the suggestion of another person here i added 1.5 cups of extra water while melting everything. I also used 5 jars, but in hindsight I should have just stuck to 4 because my sauce is slightly thin but totally usable. The only/main difference I noticed in the outcome is that the Unstoppables (I used the purple Lavendar) are oil based and when they melted down, they turned gray, so it was kind of ugly.
After setting and the gray was still there. After blending I am noticing there is a slightly different texture due to the oil based Unstoppables, but again, nothing that would stop me from using it. If you are making it to give as a gift or something you might want to steep clear of the Unstoppables because it does make the overall product LOOK slightly less appealing.
Overall though, I would do it again. Oh and for the double batch I used half the regular size jar of Unstoppables.
so did you use 9.5 cups of water with doubling?
thank you so much for the recipe. i made this and my husband said my clothes smelled great. he never smells anything.
i used lavender just because i like the way it smells. i am making several batches of this to give out as a present this year for christmas along with the recipe and the label that i downloaded. thanks again.
i believe i made this correctly. can the jars be blended again at a later date? also, i am having an issue with white marks on all our dark clothes.
i start off with hot water thinking that that will dissolve the sauce better, but it still is a little clumpy when i am putting my clothes in the washer. any hints you may have would be much appreciated.
i just posted a comment, but not sure where it went! so, here goes. i believe that i made this correctly.
can you re-blend at a later date? my second jar doesn’t look as smooth as it did at first. does that even matter? second question/comment is that even though i am starting off using hot water in order to dissolve the sauce, our dark clothes all have white marks all over them.
any thoughts/advice? i don’t want to give up on this!!!thank you.
well we went and bought the ingredients to make this. i’m not fond of lavender so we used the fresh mountain scent. this made our kitchen smell wonderful.
i loved the smell of fels naptha. reminds me of my childhood when my mom used it. will let you know how it turns out.*bump*:piggy::laundry:
i use dryer sheets… has anyone tried using pure essential lavender oil?
love this, thanks so much! about to make another batch…
for those of you who were wondering about the function of the purex crystals, i thought i would break down the chemistry for you. purex crystals is not a fabric softener in the traditional sense because it has no cationic (positively charged) surfactant (surface active agent). the purpose of cationic surfactants in fabric softener is to neutralize the static electricity created by the dry, high-friction environment of the dryer and to leave a lubricating film on laundry (much like conditioner on hair).
the active ingredients in purex crystals’ current formula are salt, bentonite clay, and fragrance. the salt functions as a brightener and color protector, preventing fading in bright colors. the bentonite clay is absorbent, binding with oils and dirt.
i wonder if adding salt and bentonite directly to this recipe would produce similar (though less fragrant) results. this may be a good option for those with sensitivities to fragrances.
i’ve made this laundry sauce before but not with the softener. i will be making this soon. thanks!
i love the idea of adding the purex crystals. can’t wait to try it.
wow!! i love this laundry sauce. i did you the purex crystals but i had a tropical fragrance on hand so that what i used.
this is awesome and i was very proud to share the recipe with others after i did my first load of laundry. i made this up last night and washed 2 loads with it. Towel felt softer then normal and smelled clean.
I also washed socks & under garments, they turned out great as well. So happy with this product.
Considering in my area it cost $2.79 to make 128 loads worth.
That makes it $.02 per load, WOW what a great savings that is. I guess the real test will come when I was my husbands work clothes but I will let you know.
Thank you for the awesome recipe
i would like to know if i can add powdered clorox2 (for all colors) and what amount is recommended?
Thank you.
i made this and it seems to be seperating in the jar. also it does not completely dissolve in the wask. there are floating chunks of white stuff in the machine.
can’t wait to get my super laundry sauce made to start using. my husband will be so proud. we have been trying for last few years to get dependant on our farm we raise chickens,pigs,cows,rabbits and have a goose named duckie.
i grow a big garden and can veggies and freeze what i can’t preserve in jars. but hoping this sight gives me even more ideals on ways to save money and make pour lives better. thank you
i was able to find zoto soap at my local grocery store, is it ok to use it instead of the fels naptha soap? also are those small mouth jars or large mouth jars?
they are regular mouth jars. you can use the other soap you found, but be prepared for disappointment.
i made the original version of the laundry soap last week and followed the directions very carefully. it came out perfect and cooked exactly in the time mentioned. i did set my timer to make sure i was doing it right, and i premixed the borax and washing soda.
i love this soap!!! i live in an rv and have a washer/dryer combo which uses limited water to wash, and condensed air to dry. i put the spoon of soap on a specific wash cloth the first time so i could watch it through the window, it diluted into the water immediately.
our clothes came out clean and smell great, but i like the idea of adding the lavender scent and softener so i am going to make up another batch with the new recipe. i have shared this with friends and family because it is really great, saves lots of money, and does what it needs to do. my best friend has 14 children and has to do 8 loads of wash every day, she is very excited because it will save a ton of money and for the kids with allergies she will be able to make sure they don’t have reactions (mostly caused by additives and scents.) Thank you so much for sharing this!!!
when i made this i didn’t have room to add water. did i do something wrong?
i see a lot of talk about adding scents with the crystals…however i am wondering if anyone has used essential oils to scent? if so at what point do you put into the recipe?
hi i made this today and it never did dissolve all the way when i was cooking it the second time. how lone does it usually take to dissolve all the way?
can you tell me about how long does step 3 take? I didn’t want to over cook it but I think I may have. I added the water to the jar as you stated but it didn’t mix with the cooked mixture at all.
They are inverted now on the counter. Should I shake the jars up a bit to mix it up? Help!!
I don’t want to lose my whole batch. 🙂
how long do you cook it on step 3 for? 10-15 minutes? Mine did not turn out thick & creamy.
I followed the directions exactly but mine is the consistency of milk. Can anyone offer any suggestions please???? Thanks 🙂
The only suggestion I have is to make the Super Laundry Sauce for Dummies version instead- it only taks 5 minutes and you don’t have to cook anything.
mine became thick and creamy as soon as it was all mixed together, but took about 20 mins till the ‘gritty’ felling stopped.
how long does it cook for on step 3? (After adding the wash soda, Purex & Borax? I don’t want to over cook it but I cooked mine for about 15 mins & it still felt gritty.
thank u so much xstepmom for helping me. i don’t have the blender used in the recipe. my blender is just a lil cheapy one.
i have 2 jars made but they’re both the consistency of milk, maybe a tad bit thicker. Should I pour the laundry sauce that I made into my blender & try to whip it? I used my mixer with the wisk attachment.
Thank you in advance as I don’t want to throw both jars of it away if it can be salvaged. 🙂
made this last night. i have washed 6 loads of clothes with it and am in Love with it! i used Downy unstoppables instead of purex.
Love love love this!!
i made this recipe today and i am in love. i have made laundry soap before but i like this recipe the best. i followed the directions which were super easy. unfortunately my black and decker didn’t fit the jars.
so i had a bit of a messy process blending the detergent but i still had a lot of fun regardless. the soap smells amazing. for some reason after whipping i ended up with more than my jars could hold, but i just put it in to a storage container to use first. i love this site and have already been recommending to friends.
oh and i used my detergent in cold water and it dissolved with no problems. thank you 🙂
on this recipe it says that it’s not good for people with sensitive skin or allergies, but there is one purex laundry crystals that is okay for sensitivities and smells great. it’s the purex crystals for babies; comes in a pink bottle and dye free with a light scent. :news1:
the original recipe states you may add glycerin if you like, what does it do, not familiar with it.
I just made this today and tried it out on a small load of laundry in my HE washer and dryer. My clothes came out so clean!! I think I’ll add more softener crystals in my next batch just because I like a stronger fragrance with my clothes.
But overall I am amazed!!
i attempted making this today and just could not get the same consistency of yours. by the time the fels naptha melted i had a thick gooey blob with no “liquid”. i added about a cup of water a that point and reboiled…
then added the other ingredients but again i ended up with a thick “paste”. i finally thought well maybe it is doing right and attempted to pour into my jars but it was so thick nothing happened. i then added about two more cups of water…
heated again and was finally able to pour into the jars where they are now sitting upside down and separating. however, the top layer is not at all smooth looking like yours and the color is darker. what do you think went wrong?
i measured my ingredients exactly and followed everything right. could the pour result have something to do with being in high humidity (south alabama)?
I would say your temperature may have been too high and second I would have added the liquid off heat to find consistency then put back on low heat. The top layer will not smooth out until you have put it through the Oster.
You seem to be on the right track just appears your heat may be too high from my experience.
is there a no cook version for the scented laundry detergent too? i can’t wait to try it. i may buy a blender just for making these!
they will make great mother’s day gifts for “the people who have everything!” :cloud9:
we just made our first batch. i was wondering if you could add essential oil for a natural smell?
I have never made any myo recipes before and figured this would be a good place to start. i took the time to cook the fels naptha bars and added some scent crystals….and…..i will never buy laundry detergent again! my clothes have never come out so clean or so soft.
i still use bleach for my whites, but other than that, no more laundry isle shopping for me. thank you liss!!!
this smells amazing! can’t wait to try today on my husband’s diesel covered work clothes!
hello all,
i have been playing with this recipe for almost two year and think i can help answer some questions that seem to keep popping up.
as far as purex crystals or whoever crystals you use i would say pick one you like and try it to see what happens. i have used purex lavender and spring waters and gain fireworks with success on all three and if i find any others that i like i will buy them and see how they work as well. the smell and softener is just the bonus to what you are trying to accomplish anyway which is getting clothes their cleanest at a reasonable cost.
next i would like to add a post that i consider a must read that liss posted which explains the difference between zote and fels naptha. anyone attempting this sauce must read that before beginning imo!
fels naptha attacks oils like nothing you have ever experienced so i highly recommend you wear gloves when you grate it because it will leach ever drop of oil from your hands and send request for more. that was mistake one i made on the first batch.
finally you have to use an oster blender and small mouth canning jars unless someone found another model that will work with the jars as well. this also needs some special instructions. make sure your cap and gasket are clean and dry before you start.
clean the jar edge as well as everything must be completely dry. turn the oster on for a bit to make sure you are sealed and if everything is a go then crank it up. now once you have finished the jar takes and wash and dry your cap and gasket completely because if you do not ms oster will eat it gladly ( i have bought 12 extra I keep in a drawer because of this) and you will have somewhat of a mess.
I really like the fluffy light texture the Oster gives.
Just thought I would throw in my two cents worth I hope I made some sense!
i love this!! it took me about an hour to cook it up, and i was worried when the gritty texture was taking forever to go away, but i persisted and it may have taken 25 minutes of constant stirring but it turned out wonderful. I had to pour mine into my blender and pour back out, but it turned out excellent.
Cleans great and smells great.
would this work for hand wash only items as well ?
this stuff is the best!! i live in an area with very hard water & have no problems with my laundry since using the lavender super laundry sauce & softener. my laundry comes out very clean & soft.
love this stuff!!
i can’t wait to try this! i’ve seen several questions about using essential oils and how to incorporate them into this recipe. has anyone experimented with them yet?
i don’t have a hand mixer or blender. can i use my cuisinart “stick” blender? or my stand mixer?
I think a Stick Blender might work fine but you will need to blend it thoroughly to get a non grainy smooth texture.
I do not see how a Stand Mixer would ever work because the Grainy texture would not be able to be broken down properly. I would follow the Original instructions in jars and then work them in Small batches to see how it works.
Please post your results if you choose this method. I am sure there are others that would like to see your thoughts on the process.
Good Luck!
if you want laundry “softening” without scents, you can use plain old epsom salts instead! that’s essentially what purex crystals are, but with chemical scents added.
the original batch of this stuff not the concentrate recipe. you can substitute 2 bars of Ivory. It smells nice when making it but your clothes don’t smell like Ivory.
If I have a he frontload washer why can’t I just add some more water to this to make it a lot thinner and run it thru the dispenser. has anyone tried this and not had spots on dark clothes or clumps that didn’t get mixed with water in the wash cycle?
I do like the fact of this taking up a lot less space than the original version. I have purchased some pre- measured / mitered hand pumps that will fit any gallon jug with a screw on cap.
why couldn’t a person make this and thin it down for a front loader dispenser and store in these gallon jugs and pump out your 1/8 or 1/4 c whichever you prefer to use.
i tried making my own laundry detergent a few years ago, using pretty much the same but i added some oxiclean also. my husband works outside weather its 110 degrees or 15 degrees. He said that when he started to sweat, which is after about 1 hour in the summer, his clothes really started to stink.
I want to try this recipe, but does anyone have any suggestions for me??
I finally made this recipe, I made my own “Purex Crystals” plus I added in probably a capful of Gain Fireworks. As I was boiling the Fels-Naptha I ran into the problem also of stirring forever to get it to melt (I did grate it with my cheese grater), I had my stove on high (my stove is new and I’m still getting use to it), I finally got it melted enough after adding more water a couple of times.
I added in my mixture of washing soda and Borax, I again stirred forever finally resorted to adding more water and using my hand wisk, it got smooth enough no lumps, I had to remove from heat to wisk it because it was drying to the sides and bottom to fast. I added it to the jars, and added the water, it didn’t separate like the picture more like 3 or 4 layers in both jars, when I finally blended it in the jars on my blender it didn’t feel grainy but, it was more thick like lotion.
I tried it out in my new top loader, that locks while running and senses the size of the load, so I put some in after adding a small amount of water, then came back to put the towels in and it hadn’t dissolved so I used a towel to kind thin it out to see if it would dissolve easier during the rest of the cycle. I had one baby sleeper in the small load that had a stain on it. when the cycle finished the towels smelt great and felt clean, but I pulled the babies sleeper out and the stain was gone but I had a clump of the soap in the outfit that didn’t dissolve.
I live in FL and we have very hard water, is there a solution to fight against the hard water and still be able to use this laundry sauce? I am going to make a new batch and aim for a thinner batch that might dissolve easier, since it’s baseball season I will just use this batch as a stain remover. I’m in dire need of help or tips!
I didn’t make this until I finished off my last jug of All free and clear, I am trying to avoid buying another jug of laundry detergent. Thanks in advance!! 🙂
how do you make your labels?:brew:
i just made this and to be honest, i was really worried that i would screw it up somehow. it was sooooo easy to make. i can’t wait to try it out tomorrow.
did anyone else have a problem getting the small chunks of the bar to completely melt?? or getting the powered items dissolving all the way?
maybe it will be different once dried but i can’t really smell the scent once clothes were washed. i was hoping it would have a noticeable scent like my softener and dryer sheets do
would you know the equivalent to purex laundry crystals in the australian market?
i have made this using the the method where i put the fels-naptha bar in the plastic bag. i made it up and i love it. thank you for sharing this recipe.
thing are getting tighter it seems every day, it is nice to find homemade items i can make to save at the store. by using some of the recipes i have gotten from this site i save at least $20 or more a month.
i’ve been using my laundry sauce for almost 2 weeks and I absolutely love it! The only thing I’ve noticed is that even though the Purex Crystals are supposed to act as fabric softener, I’ve had to use dryer sheets because my clothes are really staticky. Other than that, it works great.
Since it makes 2 jars, I gave a jar to my parents to try and they love it. They gave some to my sister in law to try and now she wants me to make some for her too. I guess I should’ve stocked up on Fels-Naptha bars because have a feeling I’m going to be making a lot in the next few weeks.
do you have this in a dummy version? 🙂
i just made this yesterday and love it. is it normal for it to kind of dry out and seem grainier after a day or so. i certainly don’t want to have to keep heating it and whipping it each day.
it whipped up nicely like frosting when i made it, and i placed it in the jars. i don’t have a blender, so i had to use my mixer as suggested. but, today, it doesn’t have the same texture as when i first whipped it.
i just wanted to make sure i wasn’t missing something.
oh! i can’t wait to try this one, sounds terrific, ty….:piggy:
on my second batch. love how bright my whites come out.
ok, just made this and the first load is in the washer.
this site couldn’t have come at a better time for me, well, prehaps a few years sooner
made this for the first time today. i think i used mountain fresh scent (can’t remember) and man oh man my kitchen smells laundry-licious!!! i made it in two mason jars but when i went to whip it i decided to throw both jar contents into a large washed pb container and whip it with my emulsifier.
worked great! used it tonight on my almost 14yo son’s clothes, and altho it didn’t have the scent of the Purex Crystals, it smelled clean and didn’t have that musky mid-teen smell! I am in love with this stuff!
although i may use my crystals just to get rid of them, i’ll probably just go plain next time to save money since the smell doesn’t come through anyways. oh and for all the other canadians out there, i used sunlight laundry bar soap that i could only find at superstore (i didn’t try to find it at all the other grocery/drug stores though) but hope this helps out a fellow canadian with their soap finding issues!
i have never made homemade detergent/softener and i can’t wait. after reading the comments i am sure that it will turn out well. i will follow up after trying.
i’ve seen a couple of questions about the sauce getting thicker. i tried it and it turned out perfectly, used it and my clothes were clean and didn’t need dryer sheet, however the longer it is stored the thicker it gets and the harder it is to completely dissolve, is there something i could do to keep the original consistency.
hi i am very new to this site, found it yesterday and already made this version of the laundry sauce. 🙂 it came out good, very minimal grit (nothing too concerning). i put in a load last night, clothes were nice and clean no dingy or gritty feeling!
only one thing that raised my eyebrows was when i whipped it up in my blender (it’s not mason jar friendly, boo:news1: ) it did not whip up to that beautiful creamy texture. Would this be because it was slightly gritty? Or, did this mad-laundry-sauce-making gal do something in the process that caused this to happen.
If requested, I will post a picture of what it looks like. I did follow directions, except for when i added the borax/washing soda/purex I did not stir for 3-5 minutes (my boyfriend happened to call me while I was in the middle of and reading that step..geesh). I realize that most likely caused the slight grittiness.But, would that effect the end result in not being creamy?
do you gave a recipe for the fabric softener by itself, not added into the detergent??
i would like to comment to all of the people who are asking about the spoons for this. you don’t have to keep this in the jars. you can transfer it into a different container as long as it can be sealed.
this allows you to use a regular measuring spoon, if needed. i used a plastic gallon ice cream bucket for my first batch, worked good, i just left the spoon in the bucket.
just thought i would share. :045:
instead of he pyrex to get a scent can you use an essential oil?? thanks this looks great!!
help! i tried making this using dr bronner’s hemp almond bar soap. after whipping it with my blender, it was really thick!
it’s supposed to have the consistency of mayonnaise. what did i do wrong? what can i do to make it work???
It thickens slightly as it cools and will thicken & dry out if it’s not properly sealed as well.
Your fels naptha chunks were too big and didn’t dissolve properly when you added your boiling water in the first step. In the next batch, cut them into the size of peas. This can also occur if you have hard water.
Fabric Softener Recipes are located here:
https://www.budget101.com/content.php/2055-make-your-own-laundry-detergents
Yes, grittiness is due to the dry ingredients not dissolving properly. See FAQ for details:
https://www.budget101.com/do-it-yourself/4214-super-laundry-sauce-frequently-asked-questions/
https://www.budget101.com/do-it-yourself/4214-super-laundry-sauce-frequently-asked-questions/
https://www.budget101.com/do-it-yourself/4214-super-laundry-sauce-frequently-asked-questions/
Sorry, we have not tested hemp soap with this recipe, it contains vastly different ingredients than fels naptha and don’t know what the correct ratio should be (if it will work at all.) I you have good results with it, let us know.
can you use the lavender with the dummies recipe, i would like to have a scent but i tried both the other methods and i like the recipe for dummies best. if you can use it, at what point would you add the lavender? would it be in the step where you add the borax and washing soda? thank you!
I live in Canada and we don”t sell Fel’s Naptha bar soap here is there a different brand I can use or can I order it online
I apologize if my question has already been answered but is this detergent for colored clothes or just whites?:dontknow:
I have been ready everyone’s comments and I can’t wait to try this with the scent. Going today to get the ingredients. Just love all of the
ideas on this site.
After finding the recipe for this laundry sauce I was truly intrigued. I am incredibly picky about how detergent smells and this could be why we’ve been using the 68 load Cheer for $7.97. I trucked to the store and smelled every variety of Purex Crystals they have and none of them were doing it for me.
So I decided to veer from the path and try something new. The stores I checked only had the crystals labeled laundry enhancer not softener so I figured if I couldn’t add the softener component to it then I could try anything that smelled good to me.I picked up Downy Unstoppables. The $6.97 price tag made me cringe but I figured if it worked that cost could be absorbed by making multiple batches with one container.
I made my first batch tonight and added 1/4 cup of the Downy Unstoppables (which weighed 1.3 oz out of a 13 oz bottle so made it .69 to add to the sauce)to the mix very near the end of cooking.
The Unstoppables melted really well and didn’t seem to change the over all results. It seperated and whipped just as expected. I weighed each ingredient and divided that by total oz to get my ultimate cost per batch in my area of $2.77 for 128 loads.
My first load of towels is in the dryer now. I smelled the laundry post wash and while I didn’t really smell the unstoppables(may have to play with the amount), it smelled clean.
Thanks so much for this wonderful web site! Our frugal family of 5 within the last 2 yrs has become a family of 4 (oldest dd moved out and married)which should have helped but gas prices have kept us on our toes.
Our one income family gardens, cooks from scratch, keeps chickens and my husband has an incredible gift to fix anything. We are committed to having one parent home with our children until they are out of high school and there has been so much info here to help us succeed.
I know I would overfill that little cup and not get the total 128 loads out of 2 bottles of store brand detergent. At the end of the day, our total savings is $13.17 per 128 loads(if not more).
Over a year, this can be truly significant. Keep up the good work!
I’m wondering if I could use an alternative to the purex, like essential oil maybe?
Thank you for this recipe. I made it about a month ago and have been using it a lot.
I also noticed that it was starting to get a little gritty/crystallized, and I see the comment above that it might be improper sealing. Is there a way to “fix” that? Can I heat it up and reblend it, for instance?
I also noticed your admonition not to use too much or clothes will be dingy. I sometimes run very small loads in cold, so I guess I should use less than 1 Tbsp then?
Thank you for your hint about soaking clothes in concentrated lemon juice & water — I’m going to try that.
My big question is about pre-treating stains. What is the best way to concentrate on a particular spot, give it extra attention, before running the fabric through a regular load in the laundry sauce?
(I’m reading that the lemon juice soak is only for whites — is that true? What can you soak colors in?)
I made my first batch today. Most of it came out smooth but a little chunky. I had to use a hand mixer to mix mine.
I can’t wait to try it.
I just made my first batch last night and am loving it! The first two loads I washed were towels and my husband’s work jacket. I really tested the power of one little tablespoon of this soap.
All the smells came out and I will not be buying anymore premade laundry soap!
Side note: who knew that the mason jars fit right on the blender base?! Super cool!
I’ve been making the original for a couple years now and LOVE it. Can’t wait to try this kind. I don’t have the exact scent but I have purex crystals.
I do have a question, I couldn’t find any fels naptha when I went to the grocery store this time, so I picked up zote. Zote is a much bigger bar, how much of it should I use for this?
So I have a washer that works after the lid is locked. The use imstructions say to disolve the sauce in the stream of water, but the water in my machine doesn’t start until the lid is locked. Suggestions?
Dissolve it in water before you add it to the washer. I’m not sure how your machine works ,but maybe if you add it before you lock it,when the water starts running it will then dissolve the laundry sauce.
Grab a cup and put the detergent in there with some water. When it’s
desolved then add to your washing machine ☺
Hello,
I am VERY interested in making this but am curious, is there is way to add the lavender with the “dummied” method to making this?
I made this yesterday and it is awesome,I had no trouble at all.
Thank you so much,very much a dollar saver & Lots
of room in my laundry room,@ no more gallon jugs!!!!!!
I’ve been using this for a year now. Saved alot of money on laundry detergent. I make both.
Since my water is so hard and don’t have a water softener, I’ve added salt to my recipe. Works wonderful .
Tried this can’t wait to try it
I started using the Super Laundry Sauce about 1&1/2 years ago, I have very sensitive skin and am happy I can save so much. Curious whether adding essential oil to the sauce will be nice to do? Have you tried this?
Is there a way to use essential oils instead of the Purex crystals? How much would I need to use?
Did I miss the label for this? Was also trying to find label for original. I can’t wait to try both & if they work great then Christmas presents all around!!
So here is something I haven’t seen mentioned! Temperature plays a roll in the consistency of the finished product. If it’s in a colder environment it becomes a solid and can be treated like a laundry pod.
I bought silicon ice trays and filled them with the sauce and now I have a bunch of cubes about the size of ice breaker gum cubes… two cubes per load and I’m good to go!
Just wondering if I can use lavender oil instead of the crystals or will this mess with the consistency of the formula?
This is the best laundry detergent I have tried. I am making it again now. It lasted so long.
So I’ve tried this and the original recipe and they haven’t turned out the first time I think it was because I used pint jars instead of quart so I tried it again with the quart jars but I got the soap from my local grocery store instead of Walmart and it was hard to cut and crumbled up when I cut it and then when I put it into the food processor it turned into a powder and it didn’t do that with the bar I got from Walmart. So I was wondering if that could be part of the problem and was wondering what the bar should feel like when you cut it if it should be hard like that or if it should be soft to cut like the bar I got from Walmart.
too ONE wide mouth mason jar add 1/2 cup of bar soap of your choice (I make my own coconut bar soap.)
add hot water only about half way up the jar. blend with stick blender. add 1/2 cup washing soda or baking soda ( it does not explode ) , and 1/2 cup borax.
add COLD water to not quite full jar. Blend.
let sit , add more cold water & blend. it should go straight to a sauce consistency . but if not , let set & blend again.
I have been making this for about 10 yrs. Love it .