[ladykemma2]

another day of "thinking outside the box"

i go through a box of Gain laundry detergent a month (120 loads - $16) or the randalls brand ($9).

i ran out and couldn't go to the store. so i used ajax lemon dishwashing liquid in the washing machine. it worked well. $1.88 a bottle, less if on sale.

a bottle lasted about two weeks. it's the same molecule, and my clothes are clean. $7.52 for a month. and my clothes won't fade because the the lightening agents in the detergent.

homemade won't work for me because of hard water.

 

[ladykemma2]

another day of "thinking outside the box"

i go through a box of Gain laundry detergent a month (120 loads - $16) or the randalls brand ($9).

i ran out and couldn't go to the store. so i used ajax lemon dishwashing liquid in the washing machine. it worked well. $1.88 a bottle, less if on sale.

a bottle lasted about two weeks. it's the same molecule, and my clothes are clean. $7.52 for a month. and my clothes won't fade because the the lightening agents in the detergent.

homemade won't work for me because of hard water.

quoting myself, i made a math error. about 5 bucks a month.

 

[Debbie-cat]

How much Ajax did you put in a load?

 

[ladykemma2]

How much Ajax did you put in a load?

a "count to five" squirt, mashing hard ? i would say it was about 1/4 cup? a little more? made good suds.

i always do double rinse anyway, it rinsed well.

 

[Debbie-cat]

Thanks. I am going to try this. We have hard water too and some of the whites are getting dingy with homemade detergent. I don't want to have to start buying regular detergent.

 

[frugalfranny]

Will be watching to see how it goes for others........I would be afraid that I would have a bubble mess in laundry area.

I have a decent stockpile of reg. detergent.......should be okay for awhile.

Sidenote: the dollar store here carries the Ajax.........don't know the ounces you had......but a buck a bottle. It does
suds way less than some of the others.

 

[wanderlusting]

On a cloth diapering forum I'm on, a lot of moms swear by regular Dawn instead of laundry detergent- they say their cloth diapers come out extra clean and no residue or buildup

 

[hotprincesscm]

Nice I will have to keep this in mind!

 

[NewLeaf]

My friend's dh is a coal miner. She washes his clothes in Dawn dish detergent.

 

[NewLeaf]

I wonder if you could add Tide Stain Release to homemade laundry detergent to help the clothes from getting dingy?

 

[HappyMama]

another day of "thinking outside the box"

i go through a box of Gain laundry detergent a month (120 loads - $16) or the randalls brand ($9).

i ran out and couldn't go to the store. so i used ajax lemon dishwashing liquid in the washing machine. it worked well. $1.88 a bottle, less if on sale.

a bottle lasted about two weeks. it's the same molecule, and my clothes are clean. $7.52 for a month. and my clothes won't fade because the the lightening agents in the detergent.

homemade won't work for me because of hard water.

Great job LK! If by chance you ever want to try homemade. I started making it for the great smells I could blend, organic etc. Then people wanted to buy etc. If you have hard water use one cup of salt in your mix ( dry recipe ) there are plenty out there. I use real salt or celtic sea salt. I buy in bulk so price is great.

 

[Paws]

another day of "thinking outside the box"

i go through a box of Gain laundry detergent a month (120 loads - $16) or the randalls brand ($9).

i ran out and couldn't go to the store. so i used ajax lemon dishwashing liquid in the washing machine. it worked well. $1.88 a bottle, less if on sale.

a bottle lasted about two weeks. it's the same molecule, and my clothes are clean. $7.52 for a month. and my clothes won't fade because the the lightening agents in the detergent.

homemade won't work for me because of hard water.

Is this in a regular washer or a HE machine?
Wondering cause I have a HE...and I"m always looking for a cheaper way.

 

[ladykemma2]

Is this in a regular washer or a HE machine?
Wondering cause I have a HE...and I"m always looking for a cheaper way.

regular.................

 

[onencgirl]

I've used Dawn before with good results. I had a recipe that calls for 1/4 cup Dawn then fill rest of a quart jar up with water. Measure load as you normally would. I use this when I'm out of Charlie's Soap, which I swear by.

 

[ladykemma2]

I wonder if you could add Tide Stain Release to homemade laundry detergent to help the clothes from getting dingy?

no, the chemistry is

"sodium salt of fatty acid molecule" plus "calcium carbonate (as hard water)" -> "calcium salt of fatty acid" plus hydrogen carbonate

so you end up with "calcified fatty acid soap scum yuck" all of your clothes.

 

[mommynurse]

I've used Dawn before with good results. I had a recipe that calls for 1/4 cup Dawn then fill rest of a quart jar up with water. Measure load as you normally would. I use this when I'm out of Charlie's Soap, which I swear by.

Was this with "ultra" Dawn or the regular?

 

[sinopa27]

thanks for the tip. I may try it. Isn't dawn kinda expensive? I guess if you get it on sale and with a coupon........

 

[2ndGenGranola]

Thanks. I am going to try this. We have hard water too and some of the whites are getting dingy with homemade detergent. I don't want to have to start buying regular detergent.

Are you using bluing in the rinse?

Homemade detergents are often stronger than storebought which means they are going to wash the blue dye out of the white clothes faster. (Bright whites have blue dye even in food products like marshmallows or cake frosting). White clothes without blue dye look dingy. A few drops of bluing in every rinse keeps the clothes bright (already dingy clothes may need more but go easy because it can spot). Notice how that Dawn that does the best job is blue?

 

[ladykemma2]

no, the chemistry is

"sodium salt of fatty acid molecule" plus "calcium carbonate (as hard water)" -> "calcium salt of fatty acid" plus hydrogen carbonate

so you end up with "calcified fatty acid soap scum yuck" all of your clothes.

quoting myself hydrogen carbonate should read sodium carbonate.
don't do stuff like this before I am fully awake....

 

[amlitrocks]

Our whites are very dingy. How much Dawn would I need to put in a front loader to brighten our whites?