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stan

stan

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A few times, it has come up here on the forum, for discussion. By someone that is new, or has just happened upon it on the net. Most here think it's "crap" dosen't work, ect, and I agree!
However I thought I would analyze this further to see exactly why it's "crap"

Most of the "online" recipes call for 1 cup of Fels Naptha Soap, 1 cup Washing Soda, 1 cup Borax Then this mix is diluted into 5 gallons of water...well to make a 5 gallon mess, and only a half cup or so is used per load! The "online" dry version is the same, only 1 or 2 Tbls of the dry powder are used per load! Now this absolutely makes no mathematical, or chemical sense what so ever! These are not concentrated ingredients, so 1 or 2 Tbls wont accomplish anything? IMHO

So I decided to calculate, what I think, are more reasonable proportions in order to MAKE it work!

Now keep in mind that this thread, is not to criticize the ingredients, or to advocate for them, just to make use of them, in what "I think" would be better! We all know there are better commercial formulations on the market. But for those who are considering trying this for their own reasons, maybe avoiding extra chemicals, optical brighteners ect, or for some sense of, nostalgia, or just being able to make their own, heres what I came up with...

First was to consider each ingredient for its intended purpose!
The Fels (surfactant)
Washing Soda (boosts alkalinity, stain and grease shifting)
Borax ( water softener, brightener)
I decided to added a forth ingredient, powdered OxyClean. (oxygen bleach)

It makes more sense to consider the weight of each ingredient, therefor I used a figure of 8 ounces by weight, not volume, as TOTAL for a test batch. (used digital scale)
I wanted the surfactant to be 55% of the total. (grated Fels) 4.40 ounces, this nearly filled a two cup measuring cup, and used up more than half of the well dried out bar.
Borax 20%
Washing Soda 15%
OxyClean 10%
The last three by weight were not very much in volume, as they are much heavier than the soap. My percentages by weight added together made 100% of the total. When mixed ( mini food processor) and remeasured by volume, it ended up being a cup and a half, or 12 ounces, by volume.
Next was to figure my water hardness 5.2 grains (med hardness)
Then how many gallons of water for a med size load. (about 17 in my washer)
Now Im not a chemist but my best calculation for dosage was 2.15 ounces by weight or about 1/3 cup, per load.

I washed two loads with this, one colored, one white, (10 min wash time) I did not pre spot anything as I wanted to see how it would perform on it's own. It actually did very well!! Don't know what long term use would be, but...
My estimate is that the small amount I made would do approximately three loads.

In conclusion, it's not really "crap" LOL Its that the online versions don't use enough surfactant, way too much washing soda, and don't put enough in the water! IMHO

If anyone wants weights, measurements to make a larger batch to try this out, I'l be happy to help.

Happy Washing!

P.S all my calculations would be different if I was using a different surfactant, and sneaking in some STPP
 
I see Fels all the time in our local Kroger. From what I understand it ~used~ to contain Stoddard Solvent which was a pretty darn powerful stain remover IIRC. Now however I think it is just a "soap" which could cause issues if you have hard water or can't soften it enough with the other parts of the home-mix.

For folks who are **really** into making this homemade stuff, the thing I always come back to is - what's your time worth? Once you've bought all the bulk ingredients, grated the soap, mixed the dry or "goop" version and stored it, how much time have you used...and how much money have you actually spent? For comparison, Tide Pods - arguably one of the most expensive domestic-sourced ways of washing your clothes - are $0.25/ea in a 77 pack from Amazon (out of stock right now, but that's the standard price.)

Reach into the container, toss one in, press Start...done - taking advantage of the 10s-100s of millions in chemical engineering P&G has expended. For a quarter.

(Same reasoning could be applied to any branded detergent of course - I'm just using Tide Pods as an example.)
 
If It The Name Is Still "Fels-Naptha" Then It Contai

Unless P&G has changed things again the current Fels bar contains "HYDROCARBONS, TERPENE PROCESSING BY-PRODUCTS".

You cannot call something "naptha soap" if it does not contain the substance no more than you can call a a sandwich made from fish a chicken one.

Naptha, Stoddard Solvent, etc are all similar by-products of petrol production and carry equal potential health and safety dangers.

It is also wise not to breathe in too much of dust from grating Fels or any other soap. I prefer to make thin sheets (using a surgical mask and out of doors) using a carpenters plane, then mash those into "flakes". From there the soap is placed into boiling water just as our grandmothers and everyone else did to make jelly or liquid for wash day.

As for using soap homemade or otherwise for laundry one thinks it is best to use a bit of unscented liquid laundry detergent and or surfactants (such as SLS) instead of all the soda and borax.

If one examines many European and UK laundry liquids many contain soap in various amounts. However because they are blended with surfactants, anti-redepositing agents, and so forth the results are better than using pure soap alone.

 
Stoddered Solvent

No.
At least not according to their website, or list of ingredients. Their claim is that the "stodderd" solvent is no longer used?
Is it possible that with such a mainstay household name, that they just didn't change the name?? (naptha)

The only questionable ingredient is the Peg-6 metnyl ether, which is a type of solvent...but one that is commonly used in cosmetic formulations (cleansing creams)

The first main ingredients are common soap! nothing uncommon, or ominous?

I often find that the problem with "some" MSDS is that ingredients are not always listed in percentages by weight, or volume! so it make it difficult to tell how much of what is actually therein.
 
Dial Keeps Messing About With FN Soap

Here is the formula from not too long ago:

Stoddard solvent 008052-41-3 Fatty acids, C8-C18 and C18-unsaturated, sodium salts 067701-10-4 Hydrocarbons, terpene processing by-products Terpene processing by-products

Then you have this: " Stoddard solvent is another name for mineral spirits, which are, like petroleum distillates, a mixture of multiple chemicals made from petroleum. Exposure to Stoddard solvent in the air can affect your nervous system and cause dizziness, headaches, or a prolonged reaction time. It can also cause eye, skin, or throat irritation."
 
Interesting!

I'm getting my info from the Fels Naptha website that included a list of ingredients, which lists sodium tallowate, sodium cocoate, sodium palmate as the first three on the list (soap).
Wilka pedia, that says that the solvent is no longer included in the soap?

Where is your info coming from?
It would be nice to know for sure what there doing! Not that it will matter to me, much as I will continue to use it on certain stains! But I'd like to know for sure one way or another.
 
My Info Came From Googling Fels Naptha

Finally was able to get to the Fels Naptha soap site on Dial.com,and yes it does seem as if they have removed all petrol based solvents. But again the soap still contains polyethylene glycol ether of Methyl Alcohol, which is a solvent.

Still one wonders how Dial Corp gets away with calling the stuff "Fels Naptha" even though it does not contain any such thing.
 
Polyethylene glycol

is the Peg-6, I mentioned up thread,
A type of solvent used in cosmetics, including skin lubricants, and cleansing creams.
This ingredient comes in 6th or 7th on the list in Fels, so I would'nt be too concerned.

I have made my own stain stick in the past, in an attempt to re-create a "old" Fels type bar, and did use a little mineral spirits in the mix, but never had the courage to grate up and add to the wash, just use as a pretreat only. Mine dose work better that new Fels. LOL

What I've always been interested to know, when it comes to manufactured soap for laundry in present times, is the amount of fat or oils that are remaining in the bar ( superfat should be 0% ) This is information that I don't think we will ever find out from the manufacture
 
If You Want The "Good Stuff" Laundry Soap

Just drop me an email. Would be willing to part with some of my stash for an "insider's" price just because you're you. *LOL*'

Have Fels Naptha (made by Purex and yes it does contain the stuff, along with washing soda).

Kirkman's Borax and P&G White Laundry Soap.
 

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