Homemade detergent for a front load Speed Queen

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julianweber

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Oct 14, 2012
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Location
Rome, GA
I have just ordered a new Speed Queen AFN50F washer, and it will be our first front load washer. My wife likes to make her own laundry detergent like the directions posted on the link below.

What settings or changes to the wash cycle would be optimal for this type of soap? ie. Water level, wash temp, rinse temp, pre-soak, wash length, number of rinses etc.

Also, if anyone has there own formula for detergent that they like better for certain stains or soils, I would like to hear those as well.

http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm
 
There Are Several Threads Here In the Group About That *Home

Long story short do not bother.

First the recipe uses far to little soap to get the job done. Next the entire thing does not begin to match the cleaning power of a good modern detergent like Tide, especially for stain removal.

Pure soap for laundry day went out of fashion for many reasons which again you can search about here in the group. Without a vast supply of hot water for both washes and several rinses using pure soap is going to leavy your laundry dull, dingy and what is more gunk up your new washing machine.

SQ states in it's owner's manuals (or at least it used to) that one could use regular detergent in their washers, long as dosage was 1/4 cup or less. What you want to avoid is froth (suds), that is because the excess of which not only hampers wash action in front loaders, but can also can lead to machine problems like early bearing failure.

Cannot speak to where you live, but Tide is frequently on sale around here. There are also many decent choices for "HE" detergents. What you'll have to do is experiement with dosages until you find the right balance between amount and clean laundry. Usually anywhere from two tablespoons (don't look at me like that) to 1/3 is about right for most machines especially as most detergents are now more concentrated.

With a brand new washer it is important to start things off right. It will save you no end of trouble down the line.
 
Sears

Congrats on your brand new Speed Queen. Sears powder is a great detergent and is safe for front loaders. I use the one without built in softner. Happy washing. Gary
 
Launderess

Interesting bit of info there. What would be the correct concentrations of soap etc for proper cleaning. Do you happen to know what the makeup of a modern detergent is?
 
If you want cheap detergent, try FOCA. It's a Mexican detergent that is relatively low sudsing and cleans very well. A nice size bag that will last you at least 6-8 months is generally available at WalMart for $3.27 a bag. And that's really cheaper than the home made detergent is.

I have used it in front loading machines and it does keep the suds down and rinses out really well while doing a good job of cleaning. It even smells nice too.
 
Correct Dosage Of Real Soap For Laundry

Will vary by several factors up to and including water hardess, soil amount of wash load, and water temperature.

Best method is to use enough soap so there is a "lively" amount of deep creamy froth during the wash. This can vary from one to two inches deep when tub washing or in a top loader with a central beater, to nearly one third to one half way up the window in front loaders.

As you can see the amount of froth required for good cleaning in a front loading washer with soap isn't really practical. That amount of froth will form a cushion which leads to poor laundering performance. Then there is also the fact it could cause suds lock and or otherwise damage your washer.

Have tons of vintage laundry soaps in my "stash" (Ivory Snow, Kirkman's Borax, P&G White Laundry Soap, Lux Flakes, etc..) and do love experimenting with various brews, but wouldn't want to go back to using only soap on wash day.

Word of warning, use of soap for laundry requires lots of hot and *soft* water. If you don't have either especially the latter shouldn't mess around with the stuff in your washing machine. After awhile your nice new machine will start to get a build-up of gunk inside from soap scum deposits.
 
juilianweber

Is there a particular reason your wife is using the homemade stuff?

She may have her reasons?
Happy wife... happy life!

Depending on her reasons, or if she insists on this, I may be able to help her by suggesting some changes to the percentages of her three ingredients, and or substituting with another, to make what she's using more effective.

The Fels Naptha isn't exactly a "pure soap" per se, as there are some ingredients already in the bar that are "supposed" make it.. sort of a built soap.

If her reason is, to be more economical, then I would agree with what's been pointed out up thread.
 
If you can get your hands on some STPP, and add it to the washer BEFORE the clothes, water and homemade laundry detergent, then you MIGHT be able to get away with it.

 

I've used it in combination with grated Ivory hand soap, with relatively good results. However hot water is a must in order to get the soap to dissolve. And it IS difficult to find a modern front loader (or any modern washer) that will allow one to select hot rinses. So rinsing out soap residue/scum may be a bit dicey in a modern machine.

 
 
Comcentration

Chris, I have a Spanish Fagor front loader machine and use regularly Ariel (made in Argentina) and put 2 or 4 tablespoons of powder detergent and works perfectly. If I want to whiten clothes I add non chlorine bleach and wash in 40o C.. That's enough. If I use liquid Ariel, also Argentinian, I probably use about 2 tablespoons sometimes only 1. I don't need more than that. My machine uses SO little water for cottons that you can't see the water level through the window, but the results are outstanding. My two cents.
Apart from this, I wonder WHY some individuals refuse to fill in the questions and data of their profiles. What are they afraid of? I think this is a safe place with certain (good) surveillance from our webmaster which makes it a safe place where we can be quite sincere referring our feelings and thoughts. I don't want to offend anyone, but I just can't understand their reasons. My regards to all, Gus
 
Mr. Weber---

PLEASE listen to Laundress! Please.

The Speed Queen is the best washer made in the United States now, and we all want you to have a good experience with it.

I agree with the suggestion of Sears Ultra Plus detergent. Ten cents a load! It is often on sale, and price per use goes as low as five cents a load. That homemade blend isn't any cheaper! You'll want the orange box formula.

Lawrence/Maytagbear
 
We still don't know

the wife's reasons for her preference to "The Homemade mix"
So we can't help til we know why?

Laundress has pointed out that there is not enough soap in the mix. She is absolutely correct!

When you do the math, the mixture calls for 10 cups of water along with the 5.5 ounces of Fels. This is all supposed to do 64 loads of laundry! The 5.5 ounces divided by three, equals 1.83 ounce per BATCH! Or to make this easier to understand in grams, that is only .84 grams per LOAD of laundry. Not even one full gram!
I could go on with the rest of the math for the other ingredients if you want, but the point is, there is NOT enough to do anything to the fabric, or to the machine at this dilution.

If your wife insists on using this, then there is a much better math formula she could use!
The STPP that sudsmaster suggested incorporating to the mix, would be a huge step in making this preform much better, provided that you have at least a warm option for rinsing

If you want a better math formula, with some additions (STPP, and maybe some OxyClean) I'll be happy to help.
 
@chris74

Should have been more clear.

One to two tablespoons applies to most European detergents in my stash (Persil Megaperls (Henkel),and so forth).

Because the water in the United States, especially in my local area is much softer than what is quite often found in the UK or EU areas one needs less detergent.

Of course it all depends upon load size and soil levels. For instance more than about 1-2 TS of French Ariel "Excell" gel (Alpine Fresh) will cause tons of froth and take ages to rinse.

The Amercian detergents such as Tide "HE" in both powder and liquid have a very fine line between proper dosage and too much. Once you reach the latter it takes more rinsing the usual to get the stuff out.
 
I agree with everyone steering you toward a good HE (high efficiency) detergent for your new Speed Queen.

I bought homemade soap online and used it in a top-loader, where I could get a warm rinse. If you follow a warm or hot wash with a cold rinse (as you'll have to with your new washer), soap scum will build up quickly "behind the scenes" in your washer.

HE detergents are formulated for use in new washers which use very little water. Unless you drastically reduce the amount of standard detergent/soap used, you'll not be pleased with rinsing results.

And heed the warnings about early bearing failure due to oversudsing.

Hope you love your new front-loader! I am a die-hard front-load advocate, and I find that even the new machines which use very little water can produce excellent results. I use powdered Tide HE Vivid (color safe bleach) and Persil Bio powder from the UK. Both give excellent results in my 2010 Frigidaire front-loader. Be prepared for the shock of seeing no water in the tub! Clothes are saturated with highly-concentrated detergent, but there will be no water splashing about.
 
Wife's Reasons

Thanks everyone for all the information and advice. I love all the experience available on this site!

Stan, the reasons for using the homemade detergent is due to allergens. Supposedly the Borax will kill dust mites (something that causes us allergy's). We are also concerned with the various carcinogens in commercial detergents. I would absolutely like to know what other recipes / concentrations you would suggest.

Sudsmaster, What is STPP and how does it affect the outcome of the wash.

Frigilux, I am looking at using a thermostatic mixing valve on the cold water inlet to the washer, thus limiting the cold water rinse to a minimum temperature. In other words what the machine calls a cold water rinse would become a warm water rinse.
 
Julian

Whilst I can't for a minute suggest that the chemicals used in detergents are not harmful, they have all been approved for use - most of them globally.

If dustmites are your worry, I'd be focusing on house cleaning more than trying to kill them once they are there as they live off the dander that we, and our pets, create and it is their faeces that causes the issues.

The best thing you can do to get rid of them is to:

- remove your carpets
- air your house out regularly
- vacuum regularly with a good cleaner (twice weekly)
- 'damp' dust
- dry washing outside.

Using a home made detergent isn't going to fix the problem and it WILL, without any doubt at all, lead to issues with your rather expensive new washing machine, your clothes WILL become manky and you WILL end up cursing.

The people on here have, cumulatively, many 100's of years experience with machines and detergents, not to mention the 'soap' concoction you mention above. A good detergent, synthetic or otherwise, will run rings around anything you care to make at home and be better for your machine.

If chemical concern is an issue, buy one of the 'green' options, but I'll lay down a challenge. After using your home option for 12 months, do 2 things. Get the best detergent you can and do a HOT, empty wash in your machine and then look at the wash water as it drains. It should be milky if your machine is clean inside, but pound to a penny says it will be grey at best indicating a buildup of gunk....

...next, take a load of supposedly clean sheets that you've used regularly and repeat the procedure.

My guess is you'll never use home made stuff again.
 
Wouldn't "All Free" powder or "All Free and Clear" liquid be a better substitute over the homemade stuff? I keep seeing ads about them being recommended by various dermatologists over Tide Free or any of the others in that category.

Also, if worse comes to worse, I'm sure you can add a tablespoon or whatever the recommended amount on the package is of Borax to your wash load.
 
It's always fun to see home-brew soap recipes.

My Aunt Alice used to make soap with rendered pork fat, lye and a couple other secret ingredients. She made it outside in a cauldron over an open fire - probably because unleashing that much Sodium Hydroxide indoors would have sent everyone to the hospital.

Aunt Alice's soap was a great stain pre-treat formula, though - she passed 30+ years ago and there are still a few closely-guarded sticks floating around our family.

I sure wouldn't use it in a washing machine, though.
 
STPP

I did a little search for STPP on google and came across this rather favorable bit of information about it. Can any of the folks on here acknowledge or refute what this article says about STPP?

So far it sounds like between STPP, sodium carbonate, borax and a minimal amount of soap, a functional detergent can be made.

I am still looking for more input on quantity of each component as well as additional ingredients that I am not yet aware of.

Also, will substituting the STPP in place of much of the soap take care of the soap scum problem?

http://ths.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/laundry/2003052601018823.html
 
Yes and No

You'll still need to have hot or at least warm water rinses to ensure total removal of soap, or at least most of it as the stuff never truly leaves fabrics.

Then there is the fact pure soaps aren't the best stain removers, and indeed can set certain types such as tannin so they are difficult to impossible to remove.

If you are going to use phosphates, yes they make great water softeners when using soap but you will have to add some to at least the first if not perhaps second rinses to ensure total soap removal.
 
I thought that might be

the "reasons" your wife was using, That's why I pressed for a answer!

The "minimal amount of soap" is a rather tricky question! The first thing to consider is why your using a "soap" or "detergent" in the first place!
The answer is that both are surfactants (surface-active agents) They both reduce the surface tension of the water. In other words they make water wetter, and they both soften the water, witch allows for the shifting of soil in the fabrics. (very short answer really) It gets very complicated beyond this point, with water temps for washing, rinsing, P.H, enzymes, water softening agents, optical brighteners, suds suppressants, ect ect but there still needs to be a sufficient amount of "surfactant" involved in the process, be that SOAP or DETERGENTS. This is why manufactures employe highly trained chemists, to produce something that works in general, and in most all water conditions. But I digress..


If she feels that the Borax kills the dust mites (it probably dose) and is apprehensive about the chemicals in standard synthetic "detergents" then don't forget that she might be O.K with Borax added to some "earth friendly" detergent like unscented Ecos, Seventh Generation ect ect. Most here are not fans of either of these, but I think would agree, they would be better than the online "soap recipe"
( I'm just using them as two example's)

The article you've read on the STPP, I think is a fair one, and I believe is accurate, (even though it's from 2003) Others will weigh in on that, I'm sure!

I know it sounds like we are all trying to steer you away from the "soap formula"... and we are LOL, but, as I said before, if your wife insists, then find out how hard your water is in grains ( your water Dept can tell you ) and send me a email, and I'll do the math including the STPP, and without, in attempt to make it work better than the online formula she using.

HTH
 
Not To Point Out The Obvious

But if concerns about cancer are the rationale behind using the formula for homemade laundry "detergent" linked above, you might wish to reconsider.

Of the three soaps recommened the only one with any sort of cleaning power for heavy to moderate laundry soiling is Fels Naptha. Historically that soap was just that, a soap containing Naptha a hydrocarbon produced through a distillation process. This is not something one would want to breathe in dust of (as when grating said soap for your project), nor use if potential cancer causing agents are a worry. If that is the case you'd be better off sticking to modern detergents which also are made from petrol chemicals but at least their value has been proven.

Modern Fels Naptha soap claims it does not contain Naptha,and IIRC the last time Stan and I went a few rounds on the matter it neither contains Stoddard solvent or any other petrol replacement. However to my mind's eye how can a soap still be called "naptha" soap if it doesn't contain that or any other petrol based chemical?
 
Not To Point Out The Obvious

But if concerns about cancer are the rationale behind using the formula for homemade laundry "detergent" linked above, you might wish to reconsider.

Of the three soaps recommened the only one with any sort of cleaning power for heavy to moderate laundry soiling is Fels Naptha. Historically that soap was just that, a soap containing Naptha a hydrocarbon produced through a distillation process. This is not something one would want to breathe in dust of (as when grating said soap for your project), nor use if potential cancer causing agents are a worry. If that is the case you'd be better off sticking to modern detergents which also are made from petrol chemicals but at least their value has been proven.

Modern Fels Naptha soap claims it does not contain Naptha,and IIRC the last time Stan and I went a few rounds on the matter it neither contains Stoddard solvent or any other petrol replacement. However to my mind's eye how can a soap still be called "naptha" soap if it doesn't contain that or any other petrol based chemical?
 
Hello Dear

I remember how put off you were about them calling it Naptha when it no longer contained any! LOL, or any other stoddard solvent!
I agree it's is misleading.
But since it no longer contains that, I dont think there's much of a health concern here!

What the new version dose have is the pentesodium, and or tetrasoduim, witch are chelating agents that help with hard water,
(similar to EDTA) thus preventing, or a least helping to prevent most of the hard water scale/scum.
Not a bad thing, considering Fels Naptha's intended use.
 
SQ Rinse

HI I we dont have SQ's in the Uk but I'm sure its a very good machine from what I have read here, I think you will find the the rinse is so much more effective in FL washers that you will not have problems with the Allergens due to high speed intrim spins and the number of rinses. I use a non bio detergent and my machine is preprogramed in the menu setting s to always carry out an extra rinse, I'm not really sure about the need to connect it up to rinse in warm water the 1st rinse in a FL is warm anyway from the residual heat of the wash on most programs, but there are a lot of people here with a lot more knowledge than I have but I cant see that home made soap would be very good for your machine and may even invalidate the warranty
 
dust mites

Borax does not kill dust mites. If you sprinkle it into carpet, it will kill fleas because it dries them out. Death by dehydration, is what a pest control person told me. NO water involved, at all.

HOT water at 135F and above will kill dust mites.

@julianweber - has your wife considered Bio-Kleen detergent? It is fairly natural, as store-bought detergents go. The Premium version has enzymes, which will help with stain removal.

Also, has she looked at Charlies Soap? Again, a fairly simple formula, but no enzymes or brighteners. My 'whites' got fairly dingy looking after a while with CS.

All Free & Clear has no enzymes (the Oxi version does), but it does have optical brighteners and whites look nice. Shout stain pretreat works well when I use this detergent.

Sears Ultra (powder) free version works great. One Tablespoon of any of these does the job in our Miele.
 

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