Clothes are cleaned mostly by agitation and water?

[herbsgirl]

I read on the Internet last night that Clothes are mainly cleaned with the agitation from the washing machine and water. That got me to thinking that I could probably get by with the teeny tiniest amount of soap, less than you could every imagine!

So I am doingan experiement of sorts Can I get by with Tablespoon and even down to teaspoons of most laundry detergent and still get my clothes clean? I guess I am about to find out!

I started out by using aprox 1/3 less of the Xtra Scentsations (Walmart), which is about 1 Tablespoon. I am still in the midst of trying that. If that works, then the 160 load container would last me 480 loads.


This seems easier to me than making the liquid soap with Fels Naptha. (Trying to get by with the least amout possible and still getting clothes clean)

I also have some Tide Total Care that I am using for my dresses to prevent fading. It smells so good. I measured out that I am going to try using 1/6 of that. So I am going to be trying 1 Tablespoon in my good laundry. 1/6??? Wow!!! That means my Tide Total Care 40 loads would actually last 240 loads if I used 1/6 of what the normal load was, around 1 Tablespoon!

Of course oily, greasy stuff and stains would have to be pretreated. (I have read that Dawn dishsoap takes out alot of stains!)


This could save me quite a bit of money really! I have tried using 1/2 of what the manufactur recomends, but I think this can be carried furthur, even down to 1/6 of the amount, especially if you are using a good soap like Tide, ect.

Anyone want to try the experemint with me? Can we get by on far less soap than we ever imagined and still have clean clothes?

[Englishlady]

I don't use ANY laundry soap!!!!

I use 2 tablespoons of washing soda crystals in a front loader ( you would probably need to use 4 for an American Top loader as they are bigger).

I pre treat with Carbolic soap and obvious stains and the arm pit areas of shirts etc. ( Carbolic is a bit like Fels Naptha).

Washing soda removes grease and is a water softener and in my front loader it means I no longer have greasy balck old soap scum build up in the rubber seal around the front door.

Dirt cheap but with no dirt = win win!

[herbsgirl]

Just washing soda? In another thread in this forum, I tried 1/2 Tablespoon each of Washing soda and Sun Oxygen cleaner in hot water for my cloth diapers. IT worked!! My diapers came out clean, and seemed whiter/brighter in some areas.

I guess that goes to show that we dont always have to follow the "accepted thing" (such as always using laundry detergent) We can experement and see what works, because expereminting could save us ALOT of money in the long run!

[Mom2-3]

We have done this for years. I use less than half of the recommended amount. The clothes look and smell clean. I just recently made homemade (powder) detergent. The family loves the smell! I use 1-2 tbs. depending on the size and stinky-ness of the clothes.

Good luck and let us know if it works for you too.

[Englishlady]

herbsgirl, don't forget the whole of the manufacturing industry is geared to making us feel dirty/smelly/surrounded by bugs and with a desperate need for a new wonder product!

You will find that as you experiment ( and indeed read about other peoples) that there are lots of products you don't need.

For example in another thread I mentioned that the bubble bath stuff that some people use as a cheaper refil in their liquid hand soap can also be used in tiny amounts for washing up

I find it fun and stimulating to think up ways of beating the advertisers by using fewer products and this saves money and in a tiny house space too

[Momto5RN]

i have used way less then what the bottle recomends for years and i spend less or close to the same as what it costs for the ingredients home made , by watching sales using coupons and doing tthis.

[Pemberleyan]

I saw or read something a while back about some experimentation in Japan, I believe, with washing machines using no soap. I think they were using sound waves or something -- can't remember the details, but it was interesting.

[cab54]

I saw or read something a while back about some experimentation in Japan, I believe, with washing machines using no soap. I think they were using sound waves or something -- can't remember the details, but it was interesting.

I wonder what the price of sound waves is? LOL!

I use cheaper-brand laundry soap, use half, and cold water usually. I don't think my dh would let me get by with no soap at all. He's a 'smell' oriented person. LOL.

[frugalwarrior2]

Yes, the industry pays lots of money to manipulate us. By the way-A dryer drys w/ air flow much more than heat. If your washer rings/spins the clothes properly air fluff cycle uses less energy too.