home made dishwashing detergant/washing powder recipe??

[mrsmac]

- Low Allergy Laundry Powder -
Measure by volume, not by weight,

one part - Bi Carbonate Soda,

one part - Washing Soda (the powder form - not the crystal form)
and

one part - pure Soap Flakes, (either Lux, grated Sunlight soap, or your grated home made soap).
These three ingredients mixed together will get your clothes clean, without the chemicals that are destroying our environment and harming many people at the same time.

That sounds easy to make and use, thanks Kim. Does it wash well???

[squidipa]

thanks,, is it actually cheaper mind u i buy the cheaper brands anyhow? anyone know what the savings are? anyone have some good feedback on these recipies?

[Lulu]

i don't mix anything up for the dishwasher, just plain Bi-carb, vinegar in the rinse aid. I can't quite believe it but it works! I do however dump everything in the sink hot water before it goes in.

I just look for good quality phosphate free wash powder, use half the amount stated and back fill with bicarb.

I couldn't be arsed mixing anything up - lucky for me it works well!

Saved a PACKET though xoxoxoxo

[Fleur]

and Jasp the fabirc softener - does it work ? what are your ratios ? i dont want my clothes to smell like vinegar or get oil stains .. kwim ... i have also seen a recipe where you can use conditioner as a main ingerident ... will have to find it again ..

I have 2 empty Earth Choice dishwashing liquid containers - the caps screw off & they are large-ish & easy to wash - I have rinsed them well & I just fill them almost to the top with vinegar. I add 2-4 drops each of oil, and if I'm using the cheaper Lavender oil which you can get in the supermarket then I add a capful of that.
So a typical blend might be 2-3 drops each of lemon, orange & sandalwood, plus a cap of lavender blend (you can get a water-soluble one in the supermarket cheap).
It's very cheap & very easy - easy is important! and IMO more effective than fabric softeners, which can be pretty nasty chemically.
I have been doing this for about 18 months & have never once had any problems with the machine or with oil stains etc, and I don't think you get the vinegar smell even wiothout the oils. Give it a go on a load of towels or something first if you're worried but I LOVE it & will never use anything else.

thanks,, is it actually cheaper mind u i buy the cheaper brands anyhow? anyone know what the savings are? anyone have some good feedback on these recipies?

I thought the washing powder in the machine worked quite well, although for white clothes I would still use something else now & again to keep them 'white' iykwim.
It was cheaper for us, but I use OMO or Coldpower if I'm not making my own. The biggest problem really is...like Lulu said... a lot of the time, I couldn't be arsed making it.

The dishwashing liquid, as I said I wasn't really impressed with. I will stick with Earth Choice.

And the fabric softener - I have never used anything else since I started with this, and never will, it's easy & cheap & IMO better

[~Kim~]

I haven't got around to trying the washing powder yet (using up DH's enormous stash), but I do use vinegar rince and bicarb only for my nappies. I aslo use bicarb and vinegar in the dishwasher.
Vinegar works better than rinseaid!

[squidipa]

hrmm interestiing

[mrsmac]

I haven't got around to trying the washing powder yet (using up DH's enormous stash), but I do use vinegar rince and bicarb only for my nappies. I aslo use bicarb and vinegar in the dishwasher.
Vinegar works better than rinseaid!

So no dishwasher tablet? Just bicarb and vinegar in the washing powder dispenser?

[*Ash*]

So no dishwasher tablet? Just bicarb and vinegar in the washing powder dispenser?

Bi carb in the powder dispenser and vinegar in the rinse aid dispenser.