Homemade Clothing, Homemade Detergent

If you're gonna go, go all the way.  If you are going to take the time to make your clothing, take the time to put the proper care into them.

A friend of mine sent me this link to Being Creative (to keep my sanity) with a tutorial on how to make your own laundry detergent.

Now, I have tried to do this before but I had some issues.  Well, one issue.  I used a bath bar instead of laundry soap.  I had a ton of undissolved white soap nubbins on everything until I exclaimed "Zounds!  This project has left me with a poor taste in my mouth!"  So I stopped eating the soap and went back to regular detergent.

Until now.  I used the proper Fels Naptha laundry soap this time.  I also added baking soda, which had not been called for in the previous recipe I used.  So now... now I have some of the softest laundry I've ever had.  And now I have some of the least smelly laundry I've ever had.

The questions that have popped up on my Facebook Discussion:

Does it dissolve in a cold water load?  Yes.

Does it take care of smelly stuff?  Yes.  It passed the test on my kitchen towels and martial arts uniforms.

Is it easy to make?  Yes.  Don't grate your fingers when you're shaving the soap.  Twice.  Like me.

Does it work in an HE washer?  Yes.  However, you would have to put it straight in the drum as I'm not sure that it would work in the dispenser box.  It does not suds up at all.

My cousin has also been making her own detergent, but she has been making the liquid style.  The Common Room has a tutorial for liquid soap.  She referred to it as her 'vat of slime' but said it worked well and got her clothes clean.

So go wash things!  My next laundry-related item to make will be wool dryer balls.

What things do you find essential in your laundry room?