STUPID DETERGENT IDEA 2-28-16

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I'll say it again....

Using true soap for laundry requires skills and knowledge that many today simply not have. The result is washing that would put our great-grandmothers to shame; tattle grey laundry.

To launder with soap you not only need the proper concentrations but plenty of warm (good) or hot (better) water. A hot or warm wash must be followed with at least two hot (best) or warm (ok) rinses. A few more rinses follow to ensure all traces of soap and soil are removed.

Aside from controlling the excess froth created in front loading washers from using soap, you need a few hot or warm rinses. Commercial/steam laundries used soap in H-Axis washers for years before detergents came along, and they had great results.
 
My great-great-great grandmother used soap

And her laundry was perfectly clean.

Of course, she used boiling water. Boiling soft water.

Lots of borax, lots of chlorine bleach.

Lots of boiling hot rinses.

And a wringer washer coupled with a stand-alone spinner (about 2000rpm?).

As Laundress has taught us over the years, properly used, soap cleans really well.

Just - soft water, hot rinses (lots of them) and proper auxiliaries and it works great.

But - in cold water? Cold, hard water with no proper agitation, one half-hearted cold rinse and those dosage instructions?

Worthless. Worse than worthless.

This is why I say cold-water washing is of zero value.
 
In my perfect world

Would couple a wringer washer for capacity and a hydro-extractor like a Monex or Bock.

Have been trying for years to find a Thor Cylinder Washer in good condition, but no such luck so far. http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?21790

No, I tell a lie. There was one on CL about a month ago. However the seller was one of those idiots that never answered emails or other methods of contact. In a few weeks the listing was taken down so presume it sold.
 
"You "may never have to buy again" laundry detergents, but instead, you have to buy other ingredients. Plus take the time and energy to put them together."

Yes, you do have to buy these ingredients, but they are CHEAP. Like, way cheaper than buying laundry detergent. And yes, you do have to take out the time to put these ingredients together, however, I only had to do it twice per year. I was making the liquid in a five gallon bucket, which would last six months for a family of four.

I am still bummed that my homemade liquid detergent was making my laundry dingy, as detergent is on the pricey side and I'm frugal. Maybe I will figure something out though. I was thinking about putting a bar of white Zote soap in some sort of mesh bad on a long string, wrapping the string around the top of my wringer's agitator, and leaving the bar in there to dissolve a bit of it while I fill the tub with hot water. I may just try that next time and see how it works out. Zote is only $1 a bar. I have oxy "bleach" on hand as well as super washing soda and borax. Anyone have an idea of how much of the latter two ingredients one would need to add? I know the water must feel slippery or it's not ready.
 
What we do...

I make my own detergent and have had really good results (especially considering the fact that we cloth diaper our baby... if that doesn't put it to the test, don't know what does!).
All I do is combine 3 bars of handmade coconut oil soap (approx 5 oz each) with 6 cups of washing soda. I use my food processor with the blade attachment to get the soap to a fine crumble/powder.
I just store it in a bucket with a lid and use about 2-3 tbsp per load. The diapers come out fresh and without residue. The only area that I find this mix is lacking is in stain removal. If there is a dark stain on something (like when my son spilled hot chocolate down his shirt last week... :/ ), I have to pre-treat it with something like Oxo-Clean spray or whatever, otherwise it will be faded but still visible.
Just wanted to share my experience.
 
My mix

I use about 40% homemade lye soap (by weight, 40% washing soda, and about 20% STPP. I use 1/2 to 3/4 cup per load in my Whirlpool DD, and wash in warm or hot. After the first spin,I reset the washer for a short wash at warm or hot, then let it proceed thru the deep cold rinse and spin spray rinses. Clothing turns out clean, with a lovely fresh scent, and no rashes for me. Proving again that Launderess is correct.
 
Great to have you back Keven....

Just the other day I was wondering where you and a few others from the past were and how you were doing.

Laundress, I forgot how much fun that thread was... have you used any more of the vintage Persil since then?

How different is the scent from the modern German Persil?

Alan
 
@miele_ge

No, haven't made a dent in that Persil soap powder stash! *LOL*

Scent wise both the vintage Persil59 and Persil soap powder are nothing like today's offerings from Henkel. The first has a mild fresh scent many of us recall from the laundry detergents our grandmothers and mothers used back in the day. The Persil soap powder as a light "soapy" scent which is also divine.

One can only use small amounts in either the Miele or AEG due to forth issues and quite frankly excessive use is not required.

If my plans for a conventional washer gel maybe things can be different. Probably should sell up a few boxes as am sure otherwise my estate will end up getting rid of it after my demise. *LOL*

Other worry is have so much vintage laundry soaps (Kirkman's Borax, P&G white, savon de Marseille, Ivory Snow and Lux) that tend to swap things up when wanting to play about.
 
 

 

I think the lamest idea in laundry detergent, is buying it in hoards, thinking the world is going to end, but at least you can do laundry...

 

The stuff loses it's umphh, over time.    One may physically have 6 years worth of detergent, but if it loses its strength after 6 months......

[this post was last edited: 3/2/2016-22:05]


delaneymeegan++3-2-2016-19-09-42.jpg.png
 
Sorry but you'd be incorrect in that train of thinking

May of us including *Moi* are and or have used detergents from the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, and 1980's without any issues. In some cases the scent may have gone (sadly was the case with my vintage lemon scented FAB and also Gain), but that has more to do with how scent was put into detergents back then. Unlike today's stuff that reeks to high heaven and won't wash out....

Am currently working my way through a huge box of 1970's All with "Bleach, Borax and Brighteners" from the 1970's (or is it 1960's) and it cleans as well or better than many modern detergents.
 
OMG !

 

 

Thanks Laundress-

"Am currently working my way through a huge box of 1970s All with "Bleach, Borax and Brighteners" from the 1970's..."

 

I'm glad it still works.   I read that these have a limited shelf life.  Apparently what they are talking about is the scent.  But since you mentioned it's from the 70s, I wonder if it could be that <span style="text-decoration: underline;">todays</span> soaps are formulated differently (weaker).

 

I TOTALLY agree with you on the awful scents these days.   EEEE-GAWD !

 

Where does one get a box of detergent from the 70s, I wonder.  Not that I'm buying.

 

Remember the economy size of tide circa 1981?    The box stood like 20" tall, a foot wide, and 6" deep.  It had a handle to make it easy to carry and you pulled a tab around three sides of the top and the forth side became a hinged side.  I still remember that scent.  ..... and convincing my mother to  switch from Cheer to Tide.  lol.

 

I forget if it was considered "King size" or "Economy size".
 

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