just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing?

just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (Full Version)

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Toppingfrmbottom -> just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/18/2010 5:16:59 PM)
I have heard people say that bottles of laundry soap often recommend far, more than you need, and so just how little a capful can you use? Also, What's the best detergents you find with out tons of chemicals and some of them harmful to humans? I also like my detergents not to have dies and fragerances, and for that I use hypoallergenic Purel, but I don't know what the ingredients are or if they're harmful. I never thought about it till today.

CynthiaWVirginia -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/18/2010 5:26:39 PM)
Good question, Toppingfrmbottom. I would like to reduce the laundry soap I use but it has been years since I read a book that told me how low I could go. The info is out there, but...I suck at looking things up online. I'll look in my Miserly Moms book, by Jonni McCoy to see if she talked about it. This wasn't the book though, that I remember from before.

Toppingfrmbottom -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/18/2010 5:30:51 PM)
Thank you. And thank you again. quote: ORIGINAL: CynthiaWVirginia Good question, Toppingfrmbottom. I I'll look in my Miserly Moms book, by Jonni McCoy to see if she talked about it. This wasn't the book though, that I remember from before.

Toppingfrmbottom -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/18/2010 5:32:03 PM)
And when you're washing fabrics such as flannel, like you'd make baby bibs out of, since you need to wash the stuff you get from craft stores before using it since flannel shrinks, how do you dry it with out it immediately looking old after 1 drying? is the heat up to high?

DameBruschetta -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/18/2010 5:41:08 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Toppingfrmbottom I have heard people say that bottles of laundry soap often recommend far, more than you need, and so just how little a capful can you use? Also, What's the best detergents you find with out tons of chemicals and some of them harmful to humans? I also like my detergents not to have dies and fragerances, and for that I use hypoallergenic Purel, but I don't know what the ingredients are or if they're harmful. I never thought about it till today. I have issues with some detergents, so I generally buy "free" from dye & scent laundry detergent. For a while I was pretty brand loyal (going with all versus tide since its not as harsh) but these days with more brands coming out with a dye & scent free formula I switch around quite a bit when it comes what I use. These days I manage for find high value coupons for Tide's new green works line & I usually manage to snag a bottle or two free from pretty much all of my local stores since they're pretty often on clearance. Basicly, back when I used a top loader washer I found that I could easily use about half of what the manufactor suggested and my clothes would come out just fine. (If they were super super dirty or something I might use more, but never the suggested amount.) You most likely could even cut down that dosing even more, to say about 1/4 of what is recommended without finding much of a difference in theory. Laundry detergent these days is becomming more and more concentrated and is formulated to create smaller amounts of sudsing so thats no longer an indication. If you really want to go super cheap and be careful of what is in your laundry soap you can make your own. (I've just never gone that far.) In case you want to do the DIY route: 10 different recipes Photo Guide There are a bunch more if you just do a web search. There are a huge amount of options and a lot of people are sucessful. I've just never done it since I own a front loader these days and its just not worth messing with. (And I only need about a tablespoon of detergent if that so its not even worth worrying about.)

DameBruschetta -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/18/2010 5:48:02 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Toppingfrmbottom And when you're washing fabrics such as flannel, like you'd make baby bibs out of, since you need to wash the stuff you get from craft stores before using it since flannel shrinks, how do you dry it with out it immediately looking old after 1 drying? is the heat up to high? This is just me, but anything I would worry about shrinkage/wear and tear I either a. purposefuly preshrink fabric before using b. wash in cold and hang dry - fluff in dryer on low heat if needed There are some things I prefer to not put in the dryer since the extra wear and tear (over wash after wash after wash) sometimes makes things look old before their time.

Toppingfrmbottom -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/18/2010 5:55:13 PM)
Yup, that's what I do too, and why it's washed the moment fabric from the craft store gets home. That and to make sure I know it's a clean surface before starting. Who knows what grim and grit is on the fabric unseeable to you. I also never, or next to never, I do sometimes now put my clothing in the dryer, I always line dry. Maybe I'll go back to doing that for my crafting fabrics. quote: ORIGINAL: DameBruschetta [ This is just me, but anything I would worry about shrinkage/wear and tear I either a. purposefuly preshrink fabric before using b. wash in cold and hang dry - fluff in dryer on low heat if needed There are some things I prefer to not put in the dryer since the extra wear and tear (over wash after wash after wash) sometimes makes things look old before their time.

KyttynTheMynx -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/18/2010 6:03:02 PM)
My mom uses Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Castile (or something like that) soap to wash herself, as well as her clothing.

Toppingfrmbottom -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/18/2010 6:05:47 PM)
and it's a liquid, if you use it as a detergent or do you have to shave it an stuff? quote: ORIGINAL: KyttynTheMynx My mom uses Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Castile (or something like that) soap to wash herself, as well as her clothing.

sub4hire -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/18/2010 6:06:42 PM)
Read the bottle. Target just came out with a free type of soap that you use two pmps..the entire bottle costs around 10 dollars and is maybe 8 ounces big. Yet it lasts about 35 loads.

Alphascendant -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/18/2010 6:22:46 PM)
The site for homemade laundry detergent is great! With the wringer washer I dump in the detergent before the clothes and let it sud up. My cousin makes her own bar soap, she will definitely like the idea of home made laundry detergent, especially because it is so easy. It might be fun experimenting with different combinations, such as with the baking soda , Bronner's peppermint soap, and of course, my favorite Irish Spring. Nice, even my clothes can now have that fresh Irish scent.

thornhappy -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/18/2010 7:00:01 PM)
FR... Somewhere I saw that if you put one of your towels in the washer with no detergent and you see suds in the rinse cycle, you're using too much soap. They recommended trying 1/2 the recommended and work from there. You might have to adjust it a bit. I dry some clothes by using the dryer until the clothes are damp and line drying them after.

KyttynTheMynx -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/18/2010 7:01:45 PM)
TFTB, its a liquid.

Toppingfrmbottom -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/18/2010 8:40:34 PM)
yes sub4hire, a lot of the bottles say 34. what's pmps? Pumps? quote: ORIGINAL: sub4hire Read the bottle. Target just came out with a free type of soap that you use two pmps..the entire bottle costs around 10 dollars and is maybe 8 ounces big. Yet it lasts about 35 loads.

marie2 -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/18/2010 8:58:00 PM)
If you've ever done laudry in a front-loader machine with the see-through door, you'd be surprised at how dense the soap lather is. I think you need less than they recommend, but it also depends on what quality soap you use...some are thicker and richer than others. I refuse to spend 7 dollars on a bottle of laundry soap and 5 dollars on brand name dryer sheets either. I use "Xtra" Laundry detergent, and get it for under 2 bucks a bottle. It works fine, and I use one capful for a large load, a little bit less for smaller loads. The clothes come out great, nice and clean, no problems. Maybe it's not as heavily scented as some of the more expensive products, but I don't really care about that. I throw a generic brand softener sheet in the dryer with the clothes and everything comes out very nicely. And I never use hot water....ever. Not even on sheets towels, panties. And it all comes out as fresh as can be. Never had a problem.

WinsomeDefiance -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/19/2010 6:18:39 AM)
Good question. Not one I can answer, because I'm obsessive about using too much soap. I always double up on the soap, because in my mind if one cap gets it clean, two caps will get it cleaner. Dumb, I know. I've tried cutting down, but I just can't convince myself the clothes are clean enough if I do that, and I end up washing them twice to make sure. I spend at least $50.00 a month just on cleaning supplies (sighs). It would be nice to cut that budget down.

sub4hire -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/19/2010 6:27:15 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Toppingfrmbottom yes sub4hire, a lot of the bottles say 34. what's pmps? Pumps? Yep, that is exactly what my fingers were trying to say. Thanks for catching it. My brain always thinks faster than my fingers can type. http://www.target.com/s?keywords=laundry+detergent&searchNodeID=1038576\|1287991011&ref=sr_bx_1_1&x=0&y=0 I've tried this, it was new and new things catch my eye. Especially since it was in small packaging. It worked fine.

sub4hire -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/19/2010 6:29:17 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: KyttynTheMynx My mom uses Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Castile (or something like that) soap to wash herself, as well as her clothing. I use Dr. Bonners as well. Since moving to the midwest I have a skin condition in the winter months that no doctor has been able to figure out yet. So, I've experimented with this and that. Dr. Bonners actually keeps it pretty clear. You can do everything with Dr. Bonners and if you purchase off of amazon you can get it for a steal and don't have to use the peppermint smell.

KyttynTheMynx -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/19/2010 7:05:38 AM)
I am a total sucker for the peppermint! Nothing like jumping out of the shower and getting tat tingly feeling all over! lol

defiantbadgirl -> RE: just how little laundry soap can you get away with an still have clean clothing? (8/19/2010 7:24:23 AM)
I lived with my grandmother during the last 3 years of her life. She refused to let me wash her clothes or even my own (she didn't want anyone else using her washer because they used too much soap lol). I ended up rewashing clothes when she was gone or asleep because they still smelled dirty. One can use too much laundry soap, but there's also a such thing as using too little.

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