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Diaper Washing: Homemade liquid laundry detergent

Catherine McDiarmid-Watt | Thursday, February 11, 2021 | 1 comments
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Image: Laundrypile by Robin Skyler Tell, on Flickr

Ingredients:

🧼 one bar Fels Naptha soap, grated (2-3oz bars or 1 4-5.5oz bar) (the finer grated the better)
🧼 one cup washing soda
🧼 5 gallon bucket
🧼 Water

Directions:

Place grated soap in a small saucepan and cover it with water.

If you let this sit overnight, it is MUCH faster.

Heat on low until dissolved - don't stir too rapidly or too much, it will get foamy and you won't be able to see if it dissolved.

If you let it sit overnight, it takes roughly 20 minutes to dissolve.

If you didn't let it sit, it takes much longer.

Image: Dial Corp. Fels-Naptha Laundry Bar Soap | Make your own Laundry Detergent | Recipe Available
Fels-Naptha Laundry Bar Soap
When the soap is just about melted, put the bucket in the tub and fill with hot water almost to the top, then add melted soap.

Stir to combine.
Add 1 cup of washing soda and mix well.
Don't reverse the order or it won't turn out.

As it cools it will thicken.
Use about 1/2 cup for diapers.
And 1-2 cups for other types of laundry.

Image: Kraft Tool Plastic Bucket without Lid | 5-Gallon | For general uses such as mixing of moving various materials
Plastic Bucket
If you keep it in the big bucket, you will need to stir each time before you use it.
I pour it into gallon jugs while it is still warm.

If you do this, only fill 3/4 of the way.
You will want to shake it to get it to mix and will need the room.
I learned this the hard way. LOL.

You can customize your detergent by adding essential oils to it.
Only add to the current jug you are using, because it loses its smell.

It is very soft without fabric softener.
If you add fabric softener, it makes clothes feel funny.

Thanks to Judi Sutherland for this Frugal Baby Tip!







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Catherine

About Catherine: I have been writing my Frugal Baby Tips since 1982, when I was a young divorced mom of two - for my baby product company, Born to Love. I am now mom to three grown up sons, and a grandma - and happily married to a wonderful man. We have rescued two little dogs, Denny and Dexter - and a rescue cat, Bella.

Taking care of baby and mom needs naturally, does not have to cost a whole lot of money! Money-saving tips on diapering, diaper washing, safety, sling and baby carriers, toys, clothing, nursing, menstrual needs, traveling with kids, and more!

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1 comments

  1. If anyone is reading, don't do this!!! This is a great way to get smelly diapers and rashes. To clean diapers properly in modern low-water washing machines you need a detergent with surfacants. Surfacants and soaps are not the same; info here: https://www.nycoproducts.com/resources/blog/simple-science-the-difference-between-soap-and-detergent/

    Soap leaves a film that can trap bacteria and detergent which becomes a big problem with diapers.

    These are the dirtiest things you'll ever wash, wash them with detergents that can get them clean.

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