I wash with cold water, but I dissolve my powdered products in hot water before adding them to the machine. It’s quick and I don’t end up with grit at the end of the cycle.
10 years ago I was really into diy and I found a version of the first recipe that was fels naptha, borax, and washing soda. The varient was that water was added and everything was boiled and then emulsified into a wipped "sauce". It did a great job cleaning my spouse's truly gross ACUs but when we moved to an area with muuuch harder water it wasn't nearly as effective. I used the remaining jars I had made as a stain treatment and went back to tide pods 😊
When I used to make my own laundry detergent I used to have a dedicated food processor to make a lot of DIY laundry detergent. I have a large family with 14 children so when they were all little DIY detergent saved us a lot of money! It was so worth it. Thanks for sharing your recipes, good stuff!
Now that was a good informative video. I totally agree with the notion that people think they are doing environmental or cost cutting improvements when they do not think about the time, cost of ingredients and energy consumption. I usually buy the Arm and Hammer liquid but will look into lower costs powders, especially in a box so it is bio degradable. I do hate throwing those liquid plastic containers in the trash, and no, they do not get recycled.
Hi Zach, I follow you on IG and now, I follow you here. Your knowledge of cleaning products is amazing! And your videos are very informative educational. It’s impressive that you are the fourth generation of cleaners. I look forward to watching more of your videos.
One thing people ignore is most He machines cannot take laungry soap which is the main cleaning agent in DIY laundry. Borax is hard on the rubber seals on front loading machines. I will stay with purex Free and Clear. Its made for He machines and won't void the warranty. I will take your. Advice and not put too much detergent in a load. I have a top loader old school and it agitates real well. I just cleaned my machine today. A thirty year old Maytag still running as good as the day i bought it. 73 P.S. i must qualify my remarks on He Machines. I have two on my mountain property. The front loader has an Afresh cycle and i would like to try washing my dirty jeans using that cycle and just use the extra rinse to rinse out my jeans. The other is a top loader with no agitator. I really don't like those machines. I prefer agitators over wash plates.73
A large group do it because of skin sensitivity issues. Many of the detergents you recommend for improving is what I’m trying to get away from. But… all in all I did learn something. Thank you
Once a year I make bar soaps this includes making laundry soap 🧼. I like using it for my clothes that aren't really dirty but need to be washed. I really appreciate you breaking it down .
Very helpful! I'm trying to improve the laundry detergent I made years ago. I used to do a lot more warm/hot water wash when my babies were babies and in cloth diapers so the homemade laundry detergent worked fine dissolving in hot water. Now that I do almost all cold water wash, I meed an improved recipe that tackles stains and still works with cold water. I appreciate you nerding out with you expertise, breaking it down, showing it in action with the science experiment. Thank you!
You had me at spectrometer.❤ Awesome video, I love it. Thank you so much for reviewing & improving diy recipes, this is exactly the info I was looking for!
For a while we had to be really frugal. And buying a pinesap soap bar was much cheaper. However this all explains why the clothes that we washed at 40Celsius started to leave a nasty odor. And I had to deep clean the washing machine a lot. Even started making my own vinegar to do the deep clean more often. Also with soap bars I am still attracted to the plastic free packaging. Right now I found store bought liquid detergent that's almost plastic free (the cap is plastic I think) and works great. At least on the smells. Cleaning soda was at the time of our frugality too expensive. So I followed a diy recipe how to turn baking soda into cleaning soda. It was very easy! Just needed an oven for that.
Totally here for it! 👏👏👏 Thank you. And great job. I like cold water because I wear natural fibers, washable merino, linen, cotton. Love to see your ideas on that!
I would LOVE to see where some powder brands end up. You mentioned Roma, and I NEED to know about FOCA. it's super cheap at Sam's club, but I'm not sure it's worth it. I have totally been using the least amount of liquid, though. Thanks sooooo much for all this info! And some of us really do nerd out with you!
The number one thing that bothers me is seeing people use cleaners that are great in the most ineffectove way😂 theres a reason your peroxide is stored in a dark bottle yall!
Homemade Laundry Detergent: 1 bar Fels Naptha Soap 1 box 20 Mule Team Borax 1 box Arm Hammer Super Washing Soda 1. Grate the Fels Naptha. 2. Put the Fels Naptha in a food processor to make it into a powder. 3. In a 5 gallon bucket, Combine the Fels Naptha powder with the 20 Mule Team Borax and with the Arm Hammer Super Washing Soda. 4. Mix thoroughly to make sure everything is combined. 5. Store in airtight container to prevent clumping. 6. Use 1/2 cup per load. Suggestions: Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the wash basket after you add your detergent and before you load your laundry. The baking soda softens the water and deodorizes your laundry. Add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser or to the final rinse cycle. The white vinegar dissolves soap residue and softens your laundry. Use wool dryer balls in your dryer. The wool dryer balls fluffs your laundry and reduces drying time.
I use fels naptha bar soap, washing soda, and borax. I first take the fels naptha bar cut it in chunks and then let a food processor grind it up to a very fine powder. Then I take a cup of washing soda and borax and do the same thing; letting the food processor grind it to a very fine powder. Mix all three ingredients together, one last fine grind and it comes out very fine powder that mixes well in hot or cold water. I love your videos especially the ones on stain removal.
Saw you on my local news, speaking about your book. Which i am going to buy :) I am learning tons from Your channel. I am going to look to see if You made a video on washing clothes using the Express Wash/quick cycle. If you don't already have one, please make a video on the Express Wash/quick cycle. Recently I started using it, since my clothes are that dirty and don't smell. I have been using less detergent for years, But most of my life i used 1/4 cup or more. I am pleased to hear you confirm i am correct in using less detergent. 🌻
A lot of people who are concerned with ingredients are concerned with fragrances and how those ingredients effect us. Some have a family member who has severe reactions to fragrances. This is an important topic in laundry. Also, how to get fragrances out of clothes once there either from used clothes or just exposing to fragrances in people's homes who regularly use fabric softener and other fragrances.
Other than killing mites, unsure the point of Borax since IME it always seems to deteriorate textiles faster! SP and washing soda seem enough for raising the pH of water. The one booster I'd love to see you test is Trisodium Polyphosphate (TSPP) with detergent and nothing else.
I could be wrong, but I think "pure soap bar" means Castile soap, not a laundry bar (unless the laundry bar is Castile soap). Also, there's a variety of reasons people make their own laundry soap, including sensitivities, wanting to avoid toxic chemicals, cost, etc. I have a friend that's finding it harder and harder to find unscented powdered detergent vs pods. His wife and kid both react to scented detergents and to the pods.
This is the laundry gel recipe I use (from a defunct blog Vintage Kids in a Modern World and the commentary is hers). I add borax in when I wash and vinegar in the rinse cycle. Our water is horribly hard 1 C. liquid castile soap 1/2 c. table salt 1.5 c. washing soda hot water 1 gallon bucket with a lid -mix the salt and washing soda with 2 c. hot water. ( it won’t completely dissolve, but will help break it down.) Then, in a separate container (I use a quart mason jar) add your liquid castile soap into about 3 c. hot water. (SIDE NOTE: this is an important extra step - don’t skip it! you’ll thank me later! There is a mild chemical reaction that takes place between the salt, soda and castile soap that causes the castile soap to gel into large clumps. By diluting it first, you are minimizing the initial reaction and it makes it MUCH easier to stir and mix thoroughly.) Then add the soap/water mixture into the salt/soda mixture. Pour slowly and stir constantly. The castile soap will start to gel instantly, so make sure you stir it really well. Add additional hot water until you’ve reached 1 gallon. After this, you are good to go! However, when I have the time, I let it cool on my kitchen counter and stir it as it sets up. As it cools, it will start to thicken and gel. I use a wire whisk and stir it every so often. This makes it easier to use, because otherwise you will get large soap clumps when you scoop it out to use it. When you are ready to wash your clothes, I recommend 1/2-3/4 c. of Laundry Soap for a large, lightly soiled load. I’ve read on other blogs that some people can get away with 1/4 cup. my family stinks. we need more than that, and I think 3/4 c. does a great job for an average load. However, if I am washing work clothes, I bump up the amount to one cup of soap per large load. and there you have it!! it sounds way more complicated than it really is - I make it in less than 5 minutes, and then stir it when I remember to! AND this costs around $0.02-4 p/load! oh - and remember how I said that I would never use the store brand again. well. I fudged and bought a bottle on sale over the holidays, when things were SO hectic that I gave in to convenience and grabbed a bottle (at least it was unscented….) our clothes STUNK. never gonna do that again. I hate doing laundry enough that doing the same load TWICE just about did me in. UPDATE! I got a great reader question, asking how my breakdown p/load was so low, so here is my mad-math-skills, for your reading pleasure - and also a CORRECTION! When I buy my liquid castile soap, I can find it at my local grocery store for approximately $13 for 32oz, my washing soda is $3 for 55oz. and my good ole regular table salt is $0.53 for 26oz. So here is my breakdown of my hard costs p/ one gallon batch:
Does the clear kirkland ultraclean laundry detergent without the dyes and perfumes score the same in cleaning power as the regular kirkland ultraclean laundry detergent? Or is the later far more superior in cleaning power or slightly better?
Tide Sport caused me skin irritation along with my kids. We aren't normally sensitive 🤷. Sometimes I pull clothes out of the dryer early and hang them to finish drying, well they still smell as if I left them damp for days! I swore I would never let the clothes get stinky again and I made sure to pull them. Tide is unforgiving. I now stick to Kirkland pods which have never made my clothes smelly even if I left them in the basket over night.
Finally!! Someone debunked the homemade laundry detergent!! My lady and I go back and forth with this; she makes her own detergent, and swears by it. I use regular detergent, and feel cleans better. Hey - I have to ask. You have Ariel Doble Poder liquid behind you! That’s what I’ve been using! What do you think of it?
New sub here! Love your thoroughness! Can you please do a review of the Costco Kirkland detergent behind you? I started buying it over the Tide because it's a better deal at Costco. I'd imagine that it's formulated to wash with Cold water better than these DIY detergents from this video, and would therefore result in a better cleaning result than the DIY detergents? Is my guess correct? LOL I'd love to hear your review on this. BTW you have beautiful hair.
So what about those making liquid detergents where we "melt" the laundry bars down after grading them? then adding in our Borax and washing sodas. Wouldnt this solve the hot water was issue?
Homemade Dishwasher Detergent: 1 box 20 Mule Team Borax 1 box Arm Hammer Super Washing Soda 1. In a 5 gallon bucket, Combine the 20 Mule Team Borax with the Arm Hammer Super Washing Soda. 2. Mix thoroughly to make sure everything is combined. 3. Store in airtight container to prevent clumping. 4. Fill the detergent dispenser with every load. Suggestions: Fill the rinse aid dispenser with white vinegar. The white vinegar dissolves soap residue and makes your dishes shine. Use the Heated Dry Option on your dishwasher. The Heated Dry Option dries your dishes faster and sanitizes them.
What is your opinion on Dr Bronner's SAL SUDS detergent for laundry? I see people raving about it online in the cleaning community (because it has so many uses) but I've never tested it myself. Could kinda go along with your DIY natural theme here, as people will also pair it with baking soda. Curious to see how that would perform in your test compared to something like Tide or Kirkland detergent, if you could make a cool video on that perhaps. Thank you kindly for your consideration!
Sals Suds (54%) performed better than Dr Bronners original (50%) when it comes to stain removal in laundry. Both performed worse than I expected. Both finished in the D-Tier (50-55% stain removal)
@The Clean Club have you Tested Puracy laundry detergent? Curious where it falls on the board. I love laundry product testing haha, glad I found your channel.
I always thought those diy recipes were bad. I read some commenters saying they can produce soap scum build up in the machines. So im hesitant to trying it
Hey Zach! Got Over here from your IG video you posted recently ! Will binge your videos and give some love as I definitely enjoy learning from your content !!! -Eve x
For me and I think most others making your own detergent is about reducing costs and also knowing what ingredients are in your products as well as trying to eliminate harmful toxins or skin allergens. Would you be willing to make a video on a diy detergent with these traits, or if you have one already can someone point it out to me? Thanks👍🏼
I have yet to find a DIY laundry detergent recipe that lets you make the surfactants from scratch (as opposed to buying a laundry bar). I'm convinced it's impossible without access to professional equipment and professional chemicals
I know this is 4 months later but as a chemical engineer surfactants are incredibly difficult to manufacture and require very specialist equipment. Their feedstock chemicals would not be available to an average consumer.
Soap is a surfactant! Coconut oil soap has a cleaning grade of 92 out of 100. It makes really "harsh" soap, which is why it's usually made with up to 20 percent superfat if used as a body soap. For comparison, Castille soap made from olive oil has a cleaning grade of 2 or 3 (if my memory serves correctly). Pure coconut oil soap with zero percent superfat (DIY at home) makes a fantastic laundry soap. Either as liquid soap or dissolve the flakes in hot water before using. Then wash clothes in cold water.
For your recipe, do I have to buy strict 100% pure Sodium P, or can I just use OxiClean? Also, how much of your recipe should I use per load of laundry.
@@kathylovegrove4987 Here's what I used (following Zach's recipe as close as possible): 2 x (3 lb. 7oz.) boxes Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 1 x (4 lb. 1oz.) box 20 Mule Team Borax 1 x (3 lb.) container OxiClean w/ Odor Blasters 1 (52 oz.) bag Ariel with Ultra Oxi Powder Laundry Detergent (this is made by TIDE, but much cheaper - the bag is 3.25 lb.) Mix together in a gallon bucket using a long paint stirring stick. For each load of laundry, dissolve 1/4 cup in 16 oz. boiling water. This is where those plastic insulated coffee mugs come in handy.
Wow, I just found your channel! This is super useful information so thank you for sharing! Question if you don't mind, I live in a complex with shared washing machines and grown adults apparently don't know how to use washing machines, therefore our clothes are not getting properly washed as a result (we find weird things like sand or leftover scent booster beads left behind in the machines). We typically use All Free and Clear (liquid) with vinegar as a booster (even though we HAVE everything mentioned in the video, but stopped using powders because of residue) but what would you recommend for someone in my situation? Going crazy because even if obvious stains are gone, our clothes just always look dingy no matter what! I'm willing to buy (almost) whatever, just that I have a fragrance sensitivity, so I typically use lightly scented/unscented detergents! Thank you in advance!
Try adding some powdered boosters into the drum also. I like using 1 part borax 1 part washing soda and 2 parts sodium percarbonate. This should help move things along. I appreciate the kind words as well
I think the main issue with these recipes is that they do the opposite effect if you have hard water. Soap-based laundry "detergent" is not a mixture that will get your clothes that clean. It'll start to build a layer of soap scum on the fabric of your clothing each time you wash.
I know nothing but I have used my own powder laundry detergent for a long time. I think people might use way too much in each load. I think that might be the problem people have with it. I use only one tablespoon for a normal load and I have no problem with it. It even cleans blankets used by foster kittens! That’s a true test! 😊😊😊😊😊 I’m fascinated by soaps and detergents-don’t know why 🤷♀️ have a great day!
I’m glad I came across this video. . . I wanted to get your opinion on the Tide Ultra Oxi Powder that you used in your recipe vs the Tide With Bleach Powder. . . Is there any significant difference between the two? And which is more effective in stain fighting and efficiently getting clothes clean? Thanks in advance.
As far as creating the soap goes, I found microwaving the soap for a bit in SMALL INCRIMINATES to make "cloud soap" was better. When the soap hardens again and dries after becoming a cloud, you can crumble it into a powder. No grater needed!
so youre taking a solid, shredding it, mixing it with a liquid, drying it, and then turning it back into a solid? im very confused as to how that helps
@@jeevesny you aren't shredding it. You only cut in into smaller pieces because of the sheer amount of expanding the right soap does in the microwave. If you wish to microwave a whole bar, you would be unpleasantly surprised to find the whole microwave filled with burning hot cloud soap. The microwave expands the correct soap, not like hand soaps that liquefy. The correct soap will turn into a "cloud", which can be crumbled easily into dust.
Ivory soap is what I used, and it expands quite a lot. After you remove it from the microwave, it is hot and must cool/settle before you can crumble it with your hands.
How big of a difference does it make to use washing soda vs baking soda as a laundry booster? Like I’m sure washing soda works better but baking soda is just so much cheaper and readily available where I live 😅
Hi Zach! I'm considering following your recipe recommendation. Would it be possible to dissolve the ingredients to make a liquid, or would that render the sodium percarbonate and Oxyclean useless?
@@jeevesny Unfortunately I live in apartment with some pretty shoddy machines (at least they're free!). I don't trust them to dissolve the powder and clean adequately, but they seems to do fine with liquid. Maybe an issue with water temp control...
Do you have any recommendations for how to stop a garment that bleeds color? I have a pair of jeans I've washed at least six times and they still eep blue ☹️☹️☹️ Thank you!
What is the dosage of your mixtures. You show the parts per ingrediënten instead of weights. How much of the diy detergent should you add per average wash.
This may sound dumb but how much of your/your dad's DIY recipe should one use in a top load and a front load washer for a full load? Hoping for an answer in tablespoons or cups, etc. Just found your channel and I'm stoked LOL
most reg soap bars have oils and scents in them and are not as good as Zote or Fels Naptha. Both those laundry/cleaning bars are made without extra ingredients (oils and scents) and that is why Zote and Fels Naptha are great soaps to make your own laundry detergent. Fels Naptha is great for other things as well. I also like the smell.
Baking soda has the same effect as the washing soda but only worse. They are similar compounds sodium carbonate vs sodium bicarbonate. Where washing soda just does the same job in your detergent but only better. Baking soda( bicarbonate) can be a substitute but you would have to add more.
Thank you for sharing the recipe. May i know , what do i add if i could only get the original tide powder detergent without the ultra oxi? and does the zach's (your) diy recipe provided can be used on darker garment cycles? does it fade the blacks or dark colors ? Tq for answering and tq for sharing ❤
I made my own franken powder. I added in persil, dollar tree oxiclean, tide and ariel ( all powdered). Put in 1.5 tbsp per load but treat stains before the wash. Clothes come out super clean.
4th gen dry cleaner ??!! woww thats such an awesome family tradition !! u are so cool, ur like a doctor of clean.... love it....u make me feel taken care of and loved just like a really good gonstead chiropractor . omg... just realized my chiro's name is also Zach!!! no wonder !! 😂😂😂
In my early 20s I used to do this because I thought it was cool and I was trying to live with less waste. It never really felt like it cleaned my clothes well, clothes seemed to break down faster, and they often smelled kind of funny after washing. Not dirty, just….weird. I’m just not convinced it’s really worth it.
Zach! I have a question!!! Years ago my mother told me this nifty trick that sailors used to use when they were out on the Bonnie seas. She said they would save their urine because it would turn into ammonia which worked for washing their clothes. Do you have any recipes that include ammonia, and if so, how and why?
ammonia is a very helpful laundry booster for very smelly clothing or items soiled with urine / body waste. id add 1/4 cup to the drum of the machine for things like that, but i wouldn't use it for most loads
so what do you think of this recipe, what should be removed or added? --- 65oz borax, 55oz washing soda, 2 bars (14.1oz each) zote, 4 lbs baking soda, 105oz ariel, 5lbs oxiclean? and this one ---3 lbs oxiclean, scent booster of choice, 1 box washing soda, 11 lbs FOCA, 11 lbs ROMA, 105 oz ariel and 2 zote bars?
I like everything but the Zote. I'd much rather you use Zote as a pretreatment for specific stains and then use an actual detergent as your main cleaning engine.
I’m not convinced that baking soda does actually “soften” water. “Softening water” usually means preventing any dissolved mineral salts, like calcium etc., from clinging to surfaces (including fabric), but baking soda *is* a salt. I’ve cleaned with it before, not rinsed thoroughly, and it’s clung to those surfaces as much as hard water crust from any other source. Usually, the counter for mineral salts is an acid, like vinegar, citric acid, et al.
I wash with cold water, but I dissolve my powdered products in hot water before adding them to the machine. It’s quick and I don’t end up with grit at the end of the cycle.
Me too
That sounds like a good idea
10 years ago I was really into diy and I found a version of the first recipe that was fels naptha, borax, and washing soda. The varient was that water was added and everything was boiled and then emulsified into a wipped "sauce". It did a great job cleaning my spouse's truly gross ACUs but when we moved to an area with muuuch harder water it wasn't nearly as effective. I used the remaining jars I had made as a stain treatment and went back to tide pods 😊
When I used to make my own laundry detergent I used to have a dedicated food processor to make a lot of DIY laundry detergent. I have a large family with 14 children so when they were all little DIY detergent saved us a lot of money! It was so worth it. Thanks for sharing your recipes, good stuff!
Yeah my mom and grandma use a food processor to grate the soap too! haha
You learn the most from people who take pride in their work! Bet this guy is an absolute operator on the line as well. Love to see it
Now that was a good informative video. I totally agree with the notion that people think they are doing environmental or cost cutting improvements when they do not think about the time, cost of ingredients and energy consumption. I usually buy the Arm and Hammer liquid but will look into lower costs powders, especially in a box so it is bio degradable. I do hate throwing those liquid plastic containers in the trash, and no, they do not get recycled.
Agreed, Im glad to see people trying to break the wheel but some additional teaching is needed
Hi Zach, I follow you on IG and now, I follow you here. Your knowledge of cleaning products is amazing! And your videos are very informative educational. It’s impressive that you are the fourth generation of cleaners. I look forward to watching more of your videos.
Thank you for the love, it means a lot to me
One thing people ignore is most He machines cannot take laungry soap which is the main cleaning agent in DIY laundry. Borax is hard on the rubber seals on front loading machines. I will stay with purex Free and Clear. Its made for He machines and won't void the warranty. I will take your. Advice and not put too much detergent in a load. I have a top loader old school and it agitates real well. I just cleaned my machine today.
A thirty year old Maytag still running as good as the day i bought it. 73
P.S. i must qualify my remarks on He Machines. I have two on my mountain property. The front loader has an Afresh cycle and i would like to try washing my dirty jeans using that cycle and just use the extra rinse to rinse out my jeans. The other is a top loader with no agitator. I really don't like those machines. I prefer agitators over wash plates.73
Please do a review on Mexican detergent powder brands.
omg yes!!
Came to ask about Foca!
I came to ask about Foca!
Areal mixed with borax and washing soda is amazing
If I'm around people that use them I start wheezing. I have COPD and asthma. Heavily fragranced detergent should be banned as a public menace.
If you dissolve your homemade laundry detergent in hot water before adding it to your washer, you can still wash in cool and warm water.
A large group do it because of skin sensitivity issues. Many of the detergents you recommend for improving is what I’m trying to get away from. But… all in all I did learn something. Thank you
Once a year I make bar soaps this includes making laundry soap 🧼. I like using it for my clothes that aren't really dirty but need to be washed. I really appreciate you breaking it down .
Very helpful! I'm trying to improve the laundry detergent I made years ago. I used to do a lot more warm/hot water wash when my babies were babies and in cloth diapers so the homemade laundry detergent worked fine dissolving in hot water. Now that I do almost all cold water wash, I meed an improved recipe that tackles stains and still works with cold water. I appreciate you nerding out with you expertise, breaking it down, showing it in action with the science experiment. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
You had me at spectrometer.❤ Awesome video, I love it. Thank you so much for reviewing & improving diy recipes, this is exactly the info I was looking for!
Three tablespoons of peroxide diluted by a tub full of water is useless, but sounds good.
Not mean't negatively, I LOVE your channel!
3tbsp 40% developer (12% peroxide) in laundry is the cheapest way!
wow this is amazing! I appreciate how you condensed all this research into one video!
For a while we had to be really frugal. And buying a pinesap soap bar was much cheaper. However this all explains why the clothes that we washed at 40Celsius started to leave a nasty odor. And I had to deep clean the washing machine a lot. Even started making my own vinegar to do the deep clean more often.
Also with soap bars I am still attracted to the plastic free packaging. Right now I found store bought liquid detergent that's almost plastic free (the cap is plastic I think) and works great. At least on the smells.
Cleaning soda was at the time of our frugality too expensive. So I followed a diy recipe how to turn baking soda into cleaning soda. It was very easy! Just needed an oven for that.
Totally here for it! 👏👏👏 Thank you. And great job. I like cold water because I wear natural fibers, washable merino, linen, cotton. Love to see your ideas on that!
I would LOVE to see where some powder brands end up. You mentioned Roma, and I NEED to know about FOCA. it's super cheap at Sam's club, but I'm not sure it's worth it. I have totally been using the least amount of liquid, though. Thanks sooooo much for all this info! And some of us really do nerd out with you!
The number one thing that bothers me is seeing people use cleaners that are great in the most ineffectove way😂 theres a reason your peroxide is stored in a dark bottle yall!
Homemade Laundry Detergent:
1 bar Fels Naptha Soap
1 box 20 Mule Team Borax
1 box Arm Hammer Super Washing Soda
1. Grate the Fels Naptha.
2. Put the Fels Naptha in a food processor to make it into a powder.
3. In a 5 gallon bucket, Combine the Fels Naptha powder with the 20 Mule Team Borax and with the Arm Hammer Super Washing Soda.
4. Mix thoroughly to make sure everything is combined.
5. Store in airtight container to prevent clumping.
6. Use 1/2 cup per load.
Suggestions:
Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the wash basket after you add your detergent and before you load your laundry. The baking soda softens the water and deodorizes your laundry.
Add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser or to the final rinse cycle. The white vinegar dissolves soap residue and softens your laundry.
Use wool dryer balls in your dryer. The wool dryer balls fluffs your laundry and reduces drying time.
I use fels naptha bar soap, washing soda, and borax. I first take the fels naptha bar cut it in chunks and then let a food processor grind it up to a very fine powder. Then I take a cup of washing soda and borax and do the same thing; letting the food processor grind it to a very fine powder. Mix all three ingredients together, one last fine grind and it comes out very fine powder that mixes well in hot or cold water. I love your videos especially the ones on stain removal.
So glad in England Front l9aders are the norm..
Howerver we also tend to have washers and driers in our kitchens
I'm a laundry nerd too! I've seen a few diy laundry soap videos who only use cold water and I was thinking the same thing 😊
Saw you on my local news, speaking about your book. Which i am going to buy :) I am learning tons from Your channel. I am going to look to see if You made a video on washing clothes using the Express Wash/quick cycle. If you don't already have one, please make a video on the Express Wash/quick cycle. Recently I started using it, since my clothes are that dirty and don't smell. I have been using less detergent for years, But most of my life i used 1/4 cup or more. I am pleased to hear you confirm i am correct in using less detergent. 🌻
A lot of people who are concerned with ingredients are concerned with fragrances and how those ingredients effect us. Some have a family member who has severe reactions to fragrances. This is an important topic in laundry.
Also, how to get fragrances out of clothes once there either from used clothes or just exposing to fragrances in people's homes who regularly use fabric softener and other fragrances.
Yes!
I've only found one way to get rid of perfume smells - put the smelly thing in the sunshine for several hours. It works.
Other than killing mites, unsure the point of Borax since IME it always seems to deteriorate textiles faster! SP and washing soda seem enough for raising the pH of water.
The one booster I'd love to see you test is Trisodium Polyphosphate (TSPP) with detergent and nothing else.
I could be wrong, but I think "pure soap bar" means Castile soap, not a laundry bar (unless the laundry bar is Castile soap). Also, there's a variety of reasons people make their own laundry soap, including sensitivities, wanting to avoid toxic chemicals, cost, etc. I have a friend that's finding it harder and harder to find unscented powdered detergent vs pods. His wife and kid both react to scented detergents and to the pods.
This is the laundry gel recipe I use (from a defunct blog Vintage Kids in a Modern World and the commentary is hers). I add borax in when I wash and vinegar in the rinse cycle. Our water is horribly hard
1 C. liquid castile soap
1/2 c. table salt
1.5 c. washing soda
hot water
1 gallon bucket with a lid
-mix the salt and washing soda with 2 c. hot water. ( it won’t completely dissolve, but will help break it down.) Then, in a separate container (I use a quart mason jar) add your liquid castile soap into about 3 c. hot water. (SIDE NOTE: this is an important extra step - don’t skip it! you’ll thank me later! There is a mild chemical reaction that takes place between the salt, soda and castile soap that causes the castile soap to gel into large clumps. By diluting it first, you are minimizing the initial reaction and it makes it MUCH easier to stir and mix thoroughly.) Then add the soap/water mixture into the salt/soda mixture. Pour slowly and stir constantly. The castile soap will start to gel instantly, so make sure you stir it really well. Add additional hot water until you’ve reached 1 gallon. After this, you are good to go! However, when I have the time, I let it cool on my kitchen counter and stir it as it sets up. As it cools, it will start to thicken and gel. I use a wire whisk and stir it every so often. This makes it easier to use, because otherwise you will get large soap clumps when you scoop it out to use it. When you are ready to wash your clothes, I recommend 1/2-3/4 c. of Laundry Soap for a large, lightly soiled load. I’ve read on other blogs that some people can get away with 1/4 cup. my family stinks. we need more than that, and I think 3/4 c. does a great job for an average load. However, if I am washing work clothes, I bump up the amount to one cup of soap per large load. and there you have it!! it sounds way more complicated than it really is - I make it in less than 5 minutes, and then stir it when I remember to! AND this costs around $0.02-4 p/load! oh - and remember how I said that I would never use the store brand again. well. I fudged and bought a bottle on sale over the holidays, when things were SO hectic that I gave in to convenience and grabbed a bottle (at least it was unscented….) our clothes STUNK. never gonna do that again. I hate doing laundry enough that doing the same load TWICE just about did me in. UPDATE! I got a great reader question, asking how my breakdown p/load was so low, so here is my mad-math-skills, for your reading pleasure - and also a CORRECTION! When I buy my liquid castile soap, I can find it at my local grocery store for approximately $13 for 32oz, my washing soda is $3 for 55oz. and my good ole regular table salt is $0.53 for 26oz. So here is my breakdown of my hard costs p/ one gallon batch:
Does the clear kirkland ultraclean laundry detergent without the dyes and perfumes score the same in cleaning power as the regular kirkland ultraclean laundry detergent? Or is the later far more superior in cleaning power or slightly better?
Tide Sport caused me skin irritation along with my kids. We aren't normally sensitive 🤷. Sometimes I pull clothes out of the dryer early and hang them to finish drying, well they still smell as if I left them damp for days! I swore I would never let the clothes get stinky again and I made sure to pull them. Tide is unforgiving. I now stick to Kirkland pods which have never made my clothes smelly even if I left them in the basket over night.
Sounds like dye and perfume are a no go for your family. Try free and clear products
Thanks for including Celsius for us Aussie boys 😘
of course! its a better system anyways
Amazing stuff. Please keep up with these really educational videos. I'm learning a lot from them.
mine is sodium thiosufate with sodium hydrosulfate falling behind ... i love redceing bleaches
I love your information and logic. Thanks for being critical and not mean!
long form content finally! super hyped and just learned your name isnt jeeves!
hehehe I'm Zach! appreciate the love, have a great day :)
Finally!! Someone debunked the homemade laundry detergent!! My lady and I go back and forth with this; she makes her own detergent, and swears by it. I use regular detergent, and feel cleans better.
Hey - I have to ask. You have Ariel Doble Poder liquid behind you! That’s what I’ve been using! What do you think of it?
When would you add borax, washing soda or baking soda? When is one better than the other?
Can we see how you handle stains that have been “cured” or not fully removed then put in the dryer? Thank youuuuuuuu✨💚✨
New sub here! Love your thoroughness! Can you please do a review of the Costco Kirkland detergent behind you? I started buying it over the Tide because it's a better deal at Costco. I'd imagine that it's formulated to wash with Cold water better than these DIY detergents from this video, and would therefore result in a better cleaning result than the DIY detergents? Is my guess correct? LOL I'd love to hear your review on this. BTW you have beautiful hair.
I will review it but it's amazing, currently my third favorite when it comes to stain removal. Plus you cannot beat the size and price
So what about those making liquid detergents where we "melt" the laundry bars down after grading them? then adding in our Borax and washing sodas. Wouldnt this solve the hot water was issue?
Homemade Dishwasher Detergent:
1 box 20 Mule Team Borax
1 box Arm Hammer Super Washing Soda
1. In a 5 gallon bucket, Combine the 20 Mule Team Borax with the Arm Hammer Super Washing Soda.
2. Mix thoroughly to make sure everything is combined.
3. Store in airtight container to prevent clumping.
4. Fill the detergent dispenser with every load.
Suggestions:
Fill the rinse aid dispenser with white vinegar. The white vinegar dissolves soap residue and makes your dishes shine.
Use the Heated Dry Option on your dishwasher. The Heated Dry Option dries your dishes faster and sanitizes them.
What is your opinion on Dr Bronner's SAL SUDS detergent for laundry? I see people raving about it online in the cleaning community (because it has so many uses) but I've never tested it myself. Could kinda go along with your DIY natural theme here, as people will also pair it with baking soda. Curious to see how that would perform in your test compared to something like Tide or Kirkland detergent, if you could make a cool video on that perhaps. Thank you kindly for your consideration!
Sals Suds (54%) performed better than Dr Bronners original (50%) when it comes to stain removal in laundry. Both performed worse than I expected. Both finished in the D-Tier (50-55% stain removal)
@The Clean Club have you Tested Puracy laundry detergent? Curious where it falls on the board. I love laundry product testing haha, glad I found your channel.
I always thought those diy recipes were bad. I read some commenters saying they can produce soap scum build up in the machines. So im hesitant to trying it
Id try swapping out those laundry bars for a modern powdered detergent. Easiest way to avoid build up and nonsense!
Hey Zach! Got Over here from your IG video you posted recently ! Will binge your videos and give some love as I definitely enjoy learning from your content !!! -Eve x
Thank you Eve, that means a lot to me :)
What ingredient gives Tide Hygienic pods so much strength?
I remember hearing that they use more effective enzymes to clean the clothes.
Fairy powder ✨️🧚♀️
For me and I think most others making your own detergent is about reducing costs and also knowing what ingredients are in your products as well as trying to eliminate harmful toxins or skin allergens. Would you be willing to make a video on a diy detergent with these traits, or if you have one already can someone point it out to me? Thanks👍🏼
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) will become basic water (H2O) long before it evaporates. It's packaged in an opaque bottle to slow down this conversion.
exactly, adding it to a DIY recipe negates its effectiveness
Excellent video, very thorough and concise. Love it. Thank you!
Adding salt might help with the clumping in the first powder
Zach! You are a lifesaver. Thank you!!!
Appreciate the love
I have yet to find a DIY laundry detergent recipe that lets you make the surfactants from scratch (as opposed to buying a laundry bar). I'm convinced it's impossible without access to professional equipment and professional chemicals
Agreed, that would be a fun project though
I know this is 4 months later but as a chemical engineer surfactants are incredibly difficult to manufacture and require very specialist equipment. Their feedstock chemicals would not be available to an average consumer.
There are liquid diy options that use castile soap which could be a good base option to build on.
Soap is a surfactant!
Coconut oil soap has a cleaning grade of 92 out of 100. It makes really "harsh" soap, which is why it's usually made with up to 20 percent superfat if used as a body soap. For comparison, Castille soap made from olive oil has a cleaning grade of 2 or 3 (if my memory serves correctly).
Pure coconut oil soap with zero percent superfat (DIY at home) makes a fantastic laundry soap. Either as liquid soap or dissolve the flakes in hot water before using. Then wash clothes in cold water.
I use the DIY in warm water whites only.
For your recipe, do I have to buy strict 100% pure Sodium P, or can I just use OxiClean?
Also, how much of your recipe should I use per load of laundry.
@mustangleaf2010
I was wondering the same thing💕
@@kathylovegrove4987
Here's what I used (following Zach's recipe as close as possible):
2 x (3 lb. 7oz.) boxes Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
1 x (4 lb. 1oz.) box 20 Mule Team Borax
1 x (3 lb.) container OxiClean w/ Odor Blasters
1 (52 oz.) bag Ariel with Ultra Oxi Powder Laundry Detergent (this is made by TIDE, but much cheaper - the bag is 3.25 lb.)
Mix together in a gallon bucket using a long paint stirring stick.
For each load of laundry, dissolve 1/4 cup in 16 oz. boiling water.
This is where those plastic insulated coffee mugs come in handy.
Wow, I just found your channel! This is super useful information so thank you for sharing! Question if you don't mind, I live in a complex with shared washing machines and grown adults apparently don't know how to use washing machines, therefore our clothes are not getting properly washed as a result (we find weird things like sand or leftover scent booster beads left behind in the machines). We typically use All Free and Clear (liquid) with vinegar as a booster (even though we HAVE everything mentioned in the video, but stopped using powders because of residue) but what would you recommend for someone in my situation? Going crazy because even if obvious stains are gone, our clothes just always look dingy no matter what! I'm willing to buy (almost) whatever, just that I have a fragrance sensitivity, so I typically use lightly scented/unscented detergents! Thank you in advance!
Try adding some powdered boosters into the drum also. I like using 1 part borax 1 part washing soda and 2 parts sodium percarbonate. This should help move things along. I appreciate the kind words as well
I even like making my own bar and liquid soap! I’ve got it bad!!! 😊😊😊
I think the main issue with these recipes is that they do the opposite effect if you have hard water. Soap-based laundry "detergent" is not a mixture that will get your clothes that clean. It'll start to build a layer of soap scum on the fabric of your clothing each time you wash.
I know nothing but I have used my own powder laundry detergent for a long time. I think people might use way too much in each load. I think that might be the problem people have with it. I use only one tablespoon for a normal load and I have no problem with it. It even cleans blankets used by foster kittens! That’s a true test! 😊😊😊😊😊 I’m fascinated by soaps and detergents-don’t know why 🤷♀️ have a great day!
I’m glad I came across this video. . . I wanted to get your opinion on the Tide Ultra Oxi Powder that you used in your recipe vs the Tide With Bleach Powder. . . Is there any significant difference between the two? And which is more effective in stain fighting and efficiently getting clothes clean? Thanks in advance.
the tide ultra oxi powder is prob. color safe.
Could you give a breakdown of the stain swatches that you made? What are the stains in case i want to do tests of my own?
This is so informative! Thank you!
As far as creating the soap goes, I found microwaving the soap for a bit in SMALL INCRIMINATES to make "cloud soap" was better. When the soap hardens again and dries after becoming a cloud, you can crumble it into a powder. No grater needed!
so youre taking a solid, shredding it, mixing it with a liquid, drying it, and then turning it back into a solid? im very confused as to how that helps
@@jeevesny you aren't shredding it. You only cut in into smaller pieces because of the sheer amount of expanding the right soap does in the microwave. If you wish to microwave a whole bar, you would be unpleasantly surprised to find the whole microwave filled with burning hot cloud soap. The microwave expands the correct soap, not like hand soaps that liquefy. The correct soap will turn into a "cloud", which can be crumbled easily into dust.
Ivory soap is what I used, and it expands quite a lot. After you remove it from the microwave, it is hot and must cool/settle before you can crumble it with your hands.
How big of a difference does it make to use washing soda vs baking soda as a laundry booster? Like I’m sure washing soda works better but baking soda is just so much cheaper and readily available where I live 😅
Hey, do you have a best “natural” laundry detergent brand u recommend ? In the class of like Ecos or Trulyfree or similar brands?
Hi Zach! I'm considering following your recipe recommendation. Would it be possible to dissolve the ingredients to make a liquid, or would that render the sodium percarbonate and Oxyclean useless?
Hello! Why do you want to make it a liquid?
@@jeevesny Unfortunately I live in apartment with some pretty shoddy machines (at least they're free!). I don't trust them to dissolve the powder and clean adequately, but they seems to do fine with liquid. Maybe an issue with water temp control...
I bought all the stuff to try out your DIY recipe, sorry if I missed it but how much of it do I use once it’s all combined? Thanks!
obsessed w this channel
so glad youre here
good lord, thank you for this
What do you think of laundry sheets? Do any of them clean as well as more traditional detergents?
Are there any powders you would recommend for sensitive skin?
Do you have any recommendations for how to stop a garment that bleeds color? I have a pair of jeans I've washed at least six times and they still eep blue ☹️☹️☹️ Thank you!
What is the dosage of your mixtures. You show the parts per ingrediënten instead of weights. How much of the diy detergent should you add per average wash.
So once you've made your mix. How much of it are you placing in with each load of laundry?
This may sound dumb but how much of your/your dad's DIY recipe should one use in a top load and a front load washer for a full load? Hoping for an answer in tablespoons or cups, etc. Just found your channel and I'm stoked LOL
1/4 should be plenty, maybe go up to 1/2 cup for soiled or large loads
@@jeevesny Thank you!!!
The recipes did call for pure soap, not laundry soap bars, so it could be totally DIY if you make your own soap.
most reg soap bars have oils and scents in them and are not as good as Zote or Fels Naptha. Both those laundry/cleaning bars are made without extra ingredients (oils and scents) and that is why Zote and Fels Naptha are great soaps to make your own laundry detergent. Fels Naptha is great for other things as well. I also like the smell.
You should test Cheer detergent
Thank-you for breaking this down!! Trying DIY soap.
Could you add baking soda to Jerry’s recipe?
Baking soda has the same effect as the washing soda but only worse. They are similar compounds sodium carbonate vs sodium bicarbonate. Where washing soda just does the same job in your detergent but only better. Baking soda( bicarbonate) can be a substitute but you would have to add more.
well said david
What would you recommend for top loading machines? I live in an apartment so its not an option to get a different machine.
Can you tell me how to keep sheets feeling cool and crisp? After about 3-6 months my cotton sheets loose that feeling after I wash them.
Thank you for sharing the recipe. May i know , what do i add if i could only get the original tide powder detergent without the ultra oxi? and does the zach's (your) diy recipe provided can be used on darker garment cycles? does it fade the blacks or dark colors ? Tq for answering and tq for sharing ❤
I made my own franken powder. I added in persil, dollar tree oxiclean, tide and ariel ( all powdered). Put in 1.5 tbsp per load but treat stains before the wash. Clothes come out super clean.
4th gen dry cleaner ??!! woww thats such an awesome family tradition !! u are so cool, ur like a doctor of clean.... love it....u make me feel taken care of and loved just like a really good gonstead chiropractor . omg... just realized my chiro's name is also Zach!!! no wonder !! 😂😂😂
Hello excuse me how many ounces/grams do you add to the load, i have all the ingredients and i wanna start using it 😃😃😃
How much should I use of Zach’s diy for a full load?
Can you do a video on a good general wash?
Like a general laundry how to video?
@@jeevesny haha yes, I feel like it sounds really simple, but I know you’ve got some great tips.
Have you tried oxygenating the water using a system like PureWash? I was given one and use it, but have not measured its effectiveness.
So if I use Kirkland gel detergent do I put my Oxi Clean into the drum of my front loader washer? Sorry, I feel like a 5 year old.
HOw do i clean desitin from a carpet? It is a paste ointment for diaper rash
Yeesss youtube videos! Love it
In my early 20s I used to do this because I thought it was cool and I was trying to live with less waste. It never really felt like it cleaned my clothes well, clothes seemed to break down faster, and they often smelled kind of funny after washing. Not dirty, just….weird. I’m just not convinced it’s really worth it.
Mixing vinegar and hydrogen peroxide is dangerous? Those chemicals aren’t supposed to mixed from everything I’ve ever read??
If you put the grated soap flakes in a food processor or coffee grinder, do you think they would become a powder and dissolve more easily?
I used to microwave the soap so it puffed up and was super easy to powderize
@@codename495 Oh yeah like the Ivory soap trick, right?
Zach! I have a question!!! Years ago my mother told me this nifty trick that sailors used to use when they were out on the Bonnie seas. She said they would save their urine because it would turn into ammonia which worked for washing their clothes. Do you have any recipes that include ammonia, and if so, how and why?
ammonia is a very helpful laundry booster for very smelly clothing or items soiled with urine / body waste. id add 1/4 cup to the drum of the machine for things like that, but i wouldn't use it for most loads
Is Jerry’s recipe safe to use on baby clothes?
Will the zacks soap affect color clothing? Like for example pulling the black out of my shirt like bleach would?
Could you review Dr. Bronners as a laundry detergent please.
below average, great company though
Hi what alternatives can I buy in the UK please.
I’m confused. Why you recommend them and one can do the same?
Oxi clean vs. Sodium percorbonate what is better?
Thank you!
sodium percaronbate is one of the main active ingredients in OxiClean, however OxiClean has many more. So objectively, OxiClean will be better.
so what do you think of this recipe, what should be removed or added? --- 65oz borax, 55oz washing soda, 2 bars (14.1oz each) zote, 4 lbs baking soda, 105oz ariel, 5lbs oxiclean? and this one ---3 lbs oxiclean, scent booster of choice, 1 box washing soda, 11 lbs FOCA, 11 lbs ROMA, 105 oz ariel and 2 zote bars?
I like everything but the Zote. I'd much rather you use Zote as a pretreatment for specific stains and then use an actual detergent as your main cleaning engine.
Here from tiktok 🖤
so nice to have you here!!!
Great video!
I’m not convinced that baking soda does actually “soften” water. “Softening water” usually means preventing any dissolved mineral salts, like calcium etc., from clinging to surfaces (including fabric), but baking soda *is* a salt. I’ve cleaned with it before, not rinsed thoroughly, and it’s clung to those surfaces as much as hard water crust from any other source.
Usually, the counter for mineral salts is an acid, like vinegar, citric acid, et al.
Hi i saw all your shorts,request you to do performance of foca laundry detergent
below average, id consider switching it up
@cleanfreaks thank you for reply,I am planning to go with kirkland what do you say
Can you please respond