Powder or Liquid Laundry Soap??

**SandNOceanGirl** · 12-01-2008, 08:35 AM

Ok... I was doing some searching and couldn't find a thread that truly answered my questions so here I am asking...

Do you use powder or liquid laundry soap? How much of it do you use?

I am wondering if it is cheaper to use powder compared to liquid or is the cost about the same? Does name brand soap clean better than a "cheaper" brand?

Thanks in advance for any input you have!!

**mandi0808** · 12-01-2008, 08:58 AM

I use liquid. I don't like powder, as I sometimes find it leaves a residue on black and dark blue jeans.
I usually use generic liquid, about half of what it says to use per load.
Thanks to coupons I have name brand liquid now and I still use only half of it.
I find that name brand makes my clothes cleaner and fresher smelling.

**freebs** · 12-01-2008, 09:00 AM

I use whatever is cheap, mostly powder tho.

**Lady_V** · 12-01-2008, 09:02 AM

I use powdered... but I make it myself.

**onencgirl** · 12-01-2008, 09:12 AM

I use liquid that I make myself.

**SandNOceanGirl** · 12-01-2008, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by SandNOceanGirl

How much of it do you use?

Couldn't find place to edit but I meant to ask how much of it do you use per load?

**The Muse** · 12-01-2008, 11:36 AM

I make my own powdered and liquid laundry soaps. DH likes the liquid I make with Fels Naptha soap, 1/2 - 1 cup per load. I prefer no scent, so I generally use a powder I make from Ivory Soap, Borax, and washing soda; 1 - 2 T per load. The liquid comes out cheaper per load, but I think they both clean about the same.

**TexasPeanut** · 12-01-2008, 11:43 AM

I use liquid as I only wash in cold water and I have found that powdered detergent sometimes will not dissolve completely in cold water and leaves soapy looking lines on dark clothes.

I usually buy what is on sale that I can get with coupons at a low price. Whether it's generic or name brand doesn't matter as long as the cost is low when I am buying it and as long as I know that it will clean well. I will usually try to stock up on the detergent when I find it on a good sale to keep enough for about 3 - 6 months if I can. I have made my own and that worked well, and I do keep the ingredients on hand to be able to make my own just in case I run out or something.

I usually use half of the recommended amount of detergent and sometimes less. If I have a small load to wash I may only use less than a 1/4 of the cap, just a little swish of detergent, while on a large load or something that is really dirty I may use 1/4 to 1/2 of the capful. I never use what they say to.

As far as wondering if the cheaper detergent will clean less than name brand, some will. It's a trial and error thing when it comes to that. I have found that with most of the generic ones I have used they have cleaned just as well and in a few cases better than a name brand.

**nvmommyx6** · 12-01-2008, 11:44 AM

I make a liquid soap out of
1/3 bar fels naptha soap shredded
1 cup borax
1 cup arm and hammer washing soda
bring all ingredients to a boil in 6 cups water till fels naptha soap pieces are disolved, pour equally into two 1 gallon containers, then fill the rest of the containers with hot water. Shake before each wash as sometimes it seperates a little, but there is no residue with it as with the powder I've made and it cleans like Hazel!!!!!
And I use about 1/3 cup per large load of laundry!
Here are some pictures of the products so you know what to get!

**Wendy99** · 12-01-2008, 02:10 PM

i use whatever is cheapest, but prefer liquid, but have had powered lately. I dont find it makes any difference what brand it is. for powered i use 1/4 cup and for liquid usually about 1/2 the amount they require

**Tnmom** · 12-16-2008, 03:53 PM

I used to use powder only, but then started having problems with our septic tank getting stopped up. When the tank was dug up and opened, powdered detergent had blocked the opening. So the second time this happened, I switched to liquid. Not a problem since..(knock on wood)
I now make my own, but keep a bottle of Gain on hand and add a cap ful of Gain to the soap that I make..just for scent and color.

**homesteadmamma** · 12-16-2008, 03:57 PM

I use liquid only because with our extremely hard water, powder leaves a residue. I use very little for a load. I read somewhere it's not the amount of soap you use that cleans, it's the agitation that does.

**zakity** · 12-16-2008, 04:15 PM

I use powder, but I disolve it in some hot water before I put it in the wash.

**Starlight9803** · 12-16-2008, 07:27 PM

I use liquid detergent. Usually Xtra brand, unless I get a really great sale/coupon deal on a name brand. I use half the recommended amount for our clothes and wash in cold water. I used to use powder detergent, but it doesn't dissolve well in our hard water, and didn't dissolve at all in cold water washes, which made the powder more expensive for me to use, since I had to use a warm/hot wash

**MomToTwoBoys** · 12-16-2008, 07:58 PM

I use the liquid stuff because I've had just way too many problems with the powder stuff crusting onto the clothes. I tried pouring it into the washer after it had started filling, then adding in the vinegar, but it still feels odd.

I use about 1 tablespoon of detergent and 1/4c of vinegar and can stretch a 26 load bottle about a month or two. We also have really hard water, so the liquid works way better.