The Glade 4.0

"Turn the lights down, the party just got wilder."
It is currently Fri Oct 24, 2025 7:30 am

View unanswered posts | View active topics


Board index » The Glade » General

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]



Post new topic Reply to topic  Page 1 of 2
  [ 31 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
  Print view Previous topic | Next topic 
Author Message
LadyKate
PostPosted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 7:39 pm 
Offline
Home of the Whopper
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:51 am
Posts: 6100
...I made some. It's pretty rockin. Cleans great, smells *clean* with no scent and was loads of fun to make. (If you want to add scent, fill an old detergent bottle with your finished product and add some essential oil of your choice. I tried that with some "sea island cotton" oil from B&BW and it smells awesome...you can make each bottle a different scent if you like.)

For all you math minded people: 1 bar of Fels-Naptha soap was $1.29, 4lbs of Borax was $3.99, and 3lbs of Washing Soda was $2.99. I used one cup of washing soda and half a cup of Borax and a whole bar of Fels-Naptha to make 5 gallons of detergent....you use one cup of detergent per load.

For anyone who is interested, here is the step-by-step I made with pictures:
Spoiler:
Image
YOU WILL NEED: A 5 gallon bucket, 1/2 cup of borax, 1 cup of washing soda, 1 bar of Fels-Naptha, essential oil (optional), a cooking pot, a cheese grater, and hot water.


Image
Fels-Naptha soap. You can use any kind of soap but from everything I've read, this is the best kind and its pretty cheap...I got all of the ingredients at Kroger by the way.


Image
Step One: Grate the soap.


Image
Step Two: Put it on the stove. (Don't turn it on yet until you see the next picture, hahaha!)


Image
Step Three: Add about 5 cups of hot water to the soap and heat on medium, stirring constantly/occasionally/whatever. It took about 20-30 minutes for the soap to melt.


Image
This is what it looks like while its "cooking."


Image
This is what it looks like when it is finished cooking. Make sure the soap has melted all the way or the final product will not gel.


Image
Step Four: Pour the melted soap/hot water mixture into your 5 gallon bucket.


Image
Step 5: Add one cup of washing soda and stir.

Image
Step 6: Add one half cup of Borax and stir.


Image
Hooray we are stirring soap!


Image
Step 7: Add hot water until the bucket is full. Stir.


Image
This is what it looks like when its all mixed up...there is a layer of suds on the top.


Image
I scooped away some of the suds so you can see what it looks like.


Image
Step 8: Put a lid on the bucket and let the mixture sit overnight. It should gel by morning. You can put some in an empty detergent bottle and add 3 to 4 drops of an essential oil for fragrance if you like.
Use one cup of detergent for each load of laundry.

_________________
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Jesus of Nazareth
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
LadyKate
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 8:50 pm 
Offline
Home of the Whopper
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:51 am
Posts: 6100
Yeah...on the math thing I was kinda hoping that someone would jump in and do the math for me about how much that averaged out per load, hahaha! :)
I'm so mathematically challenged!

_________________
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Jesus of Nazareth
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Ulfynn
PostPosted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 8:59 pm 
Offline
The artist formerly known as Raber
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:18 pm
Posts: 618
Location: WA state
I'm curious how this experiment came about? :)

Math: the amounts of Borax and Washing Soda you said you used are given in volume (cups or fractions thereof), instead weight as you show in how much you spent on the full boxes of product. How many cups in the full boxes of Borax and Wash Soda?
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Corolinth
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 9:08 pm 
Offline
Manchurian Mod
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2009 9:40 am
Posts: 5866
That's because you haven't exactly provided the information someone would need. Incidentally, I can only find washing soda sold in 55oz quantities, which is actually a bit more than three pounds. (Yes, that makes a difference in price per load).

_________________
Buckle your pants or they might fall down.
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Corolinth
PostPosted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 9:33 pm 
Offline
Manchurian Mod
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2009 9:40 am
Posts: 5866
Dry washing soda has a mass density of 2.54g/mL
Borax has a mass density of 1.73g/mL

1 U.S. gallon = 16 U.S. customary cups
1 U.S. customary cup = 237mL
1lb = 453.5924g

You've used 410.01g of Borax and 601.98g of washing soda. You've made yourself five gallons of laundry detergent for $3.51. At one cup a load, you're coming out to four cents to do a load of laundry (actually, closer to 4.5 cents per load). This does not account for the water or the gas/electricity to run your stove while you cook it. Considering searches for washing soda and Borax are showing that they're sold in 55oz and 76oz packages respectively (3.5lb and 4.75lb packages), you might actually be running under four cents per load.

_________________
Buckle your pants or they might fall down.
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
LadyKate
PostPosted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 1:39 am 
Offline
Home of the Whopper
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:51 am
Posts: 6100
Ulfynn wrote:
I'm curious how this experiment came about? :)


I was on one of my message boards with a bunch of homemakers and someone was talking about doing it and one thing led to another and I decided to try it. It's pretty cool! :)

Coro, thanks for the math! I checked under the sink and the Washing Soda is 55oz and the Borax is 76oz. The cheapest store bought stuff around here is about $5 and it says it does 75 loads so thats like what 6 cents or so per load? But the homemade stuff is better...and cheaper...and more fun. :D

_________________
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Jesus of Nazareth
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Jhorra
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 10:45 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:41 pm
Posts: 411
It seems like you're not really making laundry soap if your first ingredient is laundry soap. What's the original bar of soap made out of, how hard is it to make that?
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
LadyKate
 Post subject: Re:
PostPosted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 2:16 pm 
Offline
Home of the Whopper
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:51 am
Posts: 6100
Jhorra wrote:
It seems like you're not really making laundry soap if your first ingredient is laundry soap. What's the original bar of soap made out of, how hard is it to make that?


Is that a challenge? Because there are plenty of recipes for that as well. Guess I will need to go and find one....

_________________
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Jesus of Nazareth
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Jhorra
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 3:36 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:41 pm
Posts: 411
No, I like the idea of what you're doing, I just think you could take it a step further.
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Jhorra
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 3:49 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:41 pm
Posts: 411
Actually to clarify further, I really like the idea, and have half a mind to try it myself. I just wish it could be done from an earlier starting point. Can it be easily made from mostly natural ingredients. I didn't mean it in any way to put down what you were doing.
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Corolinth
PostPosted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 3:50 pm 
Offline
Manchurian Mod
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2009 9:40 am
Posts: 5866
LadyKate wrote:
Coro, thanks for the math! I checked under the sink and the Washing Soda is 55oz and the Borax is 76oz. The cheapest store bought stuff around here is about $5 and it says it does 75 loads so thats like what 6 cents or so per load? But the homemade stuff is better...and cheaper...and more fun. :D
To be quite honest, you're probably only getting 75 loads out of your batch of homemade detergent, rather than the 80 loads I used to calculate how much you're spending to do laundry. A cup isn't exactly a precise unit of measure. You also acquired your Borax and washing soda for about half of the best prices that turned up on Google.

_________________
Buckle your pants or they might fall down.
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Lex Luthor
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 12:47 am 
Offline

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:03 am
Posts: 4922
Corolinth wrote:
Dry washing soda has a mass density of 2.54g/mL
Borax has a mass density of 1.73g/mL


If they have different chemical formulas, then one might be more effective than the other.
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
LadyKate
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:33 am 
Offline
Home of the Whopper
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:51 am
Posts: 6100
Jhorra, this is the recipe (more or less) that everyone that I've heard of uses. (Including the famous Duggar family.)
I do have friends that use their own homemade bar soap instead of the Fels-Naptha, but as far as using all natural ingredients (ie no borax or washing soda) I haven't heard of anyone doing that. I'm quite certain you could, though, provided you were willing to do a lot of work and saving money wasn't your motivation for doing it.
Coro, I'm sure if I ordered the ingredients online I could get them cheaper, but after you pay for shipping, wouldn't it really be the same thing?

_________________
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Jesus of Nazareth
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
FarSky
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:46 am 
Offline
Near Ground
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 10:38 pm
Posts: 6782
Location: Chattanooga, TN
First off, that's cool, LK.

Secondly, I think Coro was saying you got your ingredients for less than he could find online.
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
LadyKate
 Post subject: Re:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:52 am 
Offline
Home of the Whopper
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:51 am
Posts: 6100
FarSky wrote:
First off, that's cool, LK.

Secondly, I think Coro was saying you got your ingredients for less than he could find online.


Heh. I read that wrong...thanks. :)

_________________
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Jesus of Nazareth
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Colphax
 Post subject: Re:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 12:07 pm 
Offline
Illudium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2009 5:46 pm
Posts: 900
Location: In the rain shadow
LadyKate wrote:
Jhorra, this is the recipe (more or less) that everyone that I've heard of uses. (Including the famous Duggar family.)
I do have friends that use their own homemade bar soap instead of the Fels-Naptha, but as far as using all natural ingredients (ie no borax or washing soda) I haven't heard of anyone doing that. I'm quite certain you could, though, provided you were willing to do a lot of work and saving money wasn't your motivation for doing it.
Coro, I'm sure if I ordered the ingredients online I could get them cheaper, but after you pay for shipping, wouldn't it really be the same thing?

What exactly do you mean by "natural" ingredients? Borax is a naturally occurring mineral, while washing soda is a mineral compound left over in seasonal lake beds after the water evaporates (although it can also be created in a couple industrial lab processes), while soap is just saponified fat. The recipe as it stands is full of "natural" ingredients.

_________________
Women are from Hoboken, men are from Trenton. ~ Jimmy Kimmel
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
LadyKate
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 12:10 pm 
Offline
Home of the Whopper
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:51 am
Posts: 6100
Well, I guess I mean stuff you can go out and get from your yard or something, hahaha! In my mind the only way that recipe could get any more basic is by making your own bars of soap to go with the borax and washing soda.

_________________
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Jesus of Nazareth
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Corolinth
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 12:45 pm 
Offline
Manchurian Mod
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2009 9:40 am
Posts: 5866
Yes. After some searching, I managed to find all of the ingredients for close to your listed prices, but you definitely got some stuff on sale. Do not expect future purchases to be quite so inexpensive.

_________________
Buckle your pants or they might fall down.
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
LadyKate
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 12:49 pm 
Offline
Home of the Whopper
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:51 am
Posts: 6100
Coro, I live in Mississippi. Everything is dirt cheap.

_________________
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Jesus of Nazareth
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Jhorra
 Post subject: Re: Re:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 5:12 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:41 pm
Posts: 411
Colphax wrote:
LadyKate wrote:
Jhorra, this is the recipe (more or less) that everyone that I've heard of uses. (Including the famous Duggar family.)
I do have friends that use their own homemade bar soap instead of the Fels-Naptha, but as far as using all natural ingredients (ie no borax or washing soda) I haven't heard of anyone doing that. I'm quite certain you could, though, provided you were willing to do a lot of work and saving money wasn't your motivation for doing it.
Coro, I'm sure if I ordered the ingredients online I could get them cheaper, but after you pay for shipping, wouldn't it really be the same thing?

What exactly do you mean by "natural" ingredients? Borax is a naturally occurring mineral, while washing soda is a mineral compound left over in seasonal lake beds after the water evaporates (although it can also be created in a couple industrial lab processes), while soap is just saponified fat. The recipe as it stands is full of "natural" ingredients.


Natural was probably the wrong word to use. Although looking back on it now, I couldn't tell you exactly what I meant when I wrote that.
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
LadyKate
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 5:23 pm 
Offline
Home of the Whopper
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:51 am
Posts: 6100
Jhorra, admit it, you're a hippy and you want a plant that grows in your back yard that you can make soap out of AND smoke it.

_________________
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Jesus of Nazareth
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
NephyrS
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 5:37 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 9:12 pm
Posts: 2367
Location: Mook's Pimp Skittle Stable
Mmmm, hemp oil soap..... Not all that common, though. I think it's more common to make them from animal fats.

Not that you can't make them from vegetable oils, it's just a good image to hold in your mind: every time you use soap, you're basically just rubbing a huge piece of purified animal fat all over your skin.

_________________
Darksiege: You are not a god damned vulcan homie.
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Jhorra
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 6:14 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:41 pm
Posts: 411
Not a hippy, but I will admit the survivalists are starting to sound more and more convincing.
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
LadyKate
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:21 pm 
Offline
Home of the Whopper
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:51 am
Posts: 6100
Good point. It is becoming more and more interesting learning how to make do with less and try to be more independent with food and stuff.

_________________
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Jesus of Nazareth
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Jhorra
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 8:17 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:41 pm
Posts: 411
I'm thinking about getting some land, a few animals and maybe try to plant something. I don't want to go crazy about it, but to be able to provide some or all of my food seems like a good idea. making my own soap seems like a good thing to add to that.
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  Page 1 of 2
  [ 31 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

Board index » The Glade » General

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 37 guests

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group