47 replies to this topic

[Shari]

Just found Fels Naptha Soap at our Roundy's food store. It is scented! A very strong floral. When did they start that? Brother-in-law usually washes all his hunting clothes in Fels Naptha so the animals can't smell him. This definitely will not work unless he's hunting two-legged deer. Better warn my sister!

[franksgirl]

Found everything we needed EXCEPT the Fels Naptha Soap! Went everywhere! Finally ordered it for $1.50 a bar (shipping for up to 7 bars was $4.65. I just googled Fels Naptha and there was a store for purchasing soaps from by-gone eras! Want to experiment with it and see if it is something that would be of interest of others wanting to go "green" around here . . . .

[mommato3boys]

For those looking Fels Naptha Soap, Lehman's has it

http://www.lehmans.com/jump.jsp?itemType=P...amp;itemID=2059

[ibelieve]

Originally Posted By: Crazy4Canning

1. How does it keep the colors bright, prevent fading, and fresh smelling?

I've never noticed any smell other than clean. My clothes don't seem to have faded at all & seem just as bright as they were before.

2. Couldn't you use bluing instead of soda for brightening?

Sorry, I don't even know what blueing is.

3. This caustic combination also tends to dry skin - for those with sensitive skin, wouldn't it wreak havoc on clothes, not to mention the residues on skin?

My daughter and I both have very sensitive skin and I think it is much less irritating than the store stuff with coloring (which she is allergic too) and perfumes. I never ever noticed it leaving any residue on my skin or clothes in the year I've been using it. JMO.

4. Has anyone with a front-loading machine used this homemade soap with success?

Sorry, top-loading machine here.

Thanks for your feedback. I really wouldn't mind making soap, but this is something that unless I HAVE to do it, I'm not looking forward to it.

HTH

I also want to add that we do not use fabric softener/dryer sheets other than 1/2 cup of white vinegar with every load of clothes. I do have to use the vinegar or the clothes are too stiff feeling, especially the towels.

[mommato3boys]

Originally Posted By: Crazy4Canning

Hi,

4. Has anyone with a front-loading machine used this homemade soap with success?

I have used it on in a front loading washer in a laundry mat of all places. The owner almost had a cow but I assured him I would not flood the place with suds. Before I left there he was asking me for the recipe for my washing powders.

I do not add the water I just the powder and I use 1-2 tablespoons depending on what I am washing.

I add 1/4 vinegar to the rinse water and my clothes are clean and don't have any perfume smell. We have bad allergies and can not handle the strong perfume smells from washing powders and dryer sheets.

[Cat]

Another

[Debbie J]

Last night on, "Are You Really Ready" I clicked on Washing Clothes the Old Fashioned Way". I ran across a piece by SDBookMom discussing wash boards. (Thanks,I need a large one) I went to the site she suggested and them one thing led to another and then I was reading PureCajunSunshine's post about "Wash day on the Bayou". There, she mentioned the Octagon bar soap and I had never heard of it. Sooo, I Googled it and somewhere along the line I ran across www.soapsgonebuy.com. There are laundry soap recipes there as well as a few products. Maybe someone might be interested. I did discover that Octagon soap has lye in it.

I make my own soap and use it. It is made with Lye. It is not hard to make at all. I use it for everything! Laundry bathing and heavy cleaning. I also use animal fats to make my soap, but I have also made some with just vegetable type oils. You do have to be careful as to what you put in your soap, if anyone in the family has allergies.

[Debbie J]

Originally Posted By: Crazy4Canning

1. How does it keep the colors bright, prevent fading, and fresh smelling?

I've never noticed any smell other than clean. My clothes don't seem to have faded at all & seem just as bright as they were before.

2. Couldn't you use bluing instead of soda for brightening?

Sorry, I don't even know what blueing is.

3. This caustic combination also tends to dry skin - for those with sensitive skin, wouldn't it wreak havoc on clothes, not to mention the residues on skin?

My daughter and I both have very sensitive skin and I think it is much less irritating than the store stuff with coloring (which she is allergic too) and perfumes. I never ever noticed it leaving any residue on my skin or clothes in the year I've been using it. JMO.

As to the dry sensitive skin, I use my handmade lye soap and have not had dry skin. It is more moisturizing than store bought bath soaps. It is much easier on the clothes, in my opinion, that store bought. Also the handmade soaps don't have any fillers in them. Take two glasses half full of water, add a teaspoon of store bought laundry soap to one and stir to dissolve, Then, add a little less or the same amount of handmade laundry soap to the other glass and stir. See which has things floating in the bottom. The only other laundry soap that I have found that didn't have additives was from Amway. And you only used less than a quarter of a cup to a large load of clothes. It makes me wonder if it was all natural.