Washing Machine Powder

[Thermomixer]

Hope all went well - didn't blow the machine up 

[chocdoc]

It went well.  Clothes appear to be clean, smell good and feel as soft as would be expected.  I suspect I won't be found buying the expensive Persil detergent for my front loading Miele again.

[Thermomixer]

Ta - looks like yo ticked over to a Jr Member - not sure what the different levels are but you have 2 stars - woohoo

[chocdoc]

Must hit that when you get 50 posts.  Makes me feel young again being Junior!

[CreamPuff63]

This works extremely well for me - make up 2 x batches to keep you going (see note below):

1 x Velvet (or pure) soap, roughly chopped
1/2 x Sard (or stain removing) soap, roughly chopped
200g Borax
315g Washing Soda

Blitz soap for approx 5 seconds on Speed 7.
Blitz all ingredients together on Speed 7 for approx 10-20 seconds until it is evenly combined.
Use 2 x heaped tablespoons per wash.

Note: do not double mix as the weight places too much stress on the blades, and it will wear them down (learnt from experience). Just make as many batches as you wish.

[cookie1]

CP63 do you have a front loader or top loader please?

I found some Sard powder in the cupboard and have been putting some of that in each of my loads with the powder. I'm very pleased with that. I just made a fresh lot yesterday, but will give yours a try next time.  It's basically the same.  Thanks.

[CreamPuff63]

Cookie its a top loader. We used to have a front loader, but we have way too much washing and the kids just used to shove so much in that it had a hard time washing the clothese properly. If you have a front loader I would start off with a very small amount because you wouldn't want it to be too sudsy - what do you think?

[cookie1]

I use about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the washing powder and then add sard powder. Will give it a try as soon as I finish this lot.
 We had to buy a front loader when we built this house. We had the laundry made larger, but then the day we shifted in I found that I couldn't close the back door with the washing machine there. We had got rid of the big glass sliding doors in the laundry and changed  them for a normal door. It was only a few mm out. So....................off to buy a front loader! I am quite happy with it.

[meganjane]

I haven't got around to making my own laundry soap yet!  Way too much else to do...

I love this laundry powder and use nothing else. You only need a small amount of essential or fragrant oil, so don't overdo it and glug it all up.

Has anyone found a really good uncoloured unscented soap to use? Velvet is yellow and everything else is scented.

[alioop]

Has anyone found a really good uncoloured unscented soap to use? Velvet is yellow and everything else is scented.

Meagan, how about Lux pure soap flakes (in a box in the laundry isle of supermarket)?  Might be a bit more expensive than the bars but from memory are unscented and uncoloured.

[faffa_70]

Yes the Lux flakes work  - I am having trouble getting borax as my  local Woolies have stopped stocking it 

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

Be careful using Lux flakes in your mix all the time.  Is there still a warning on the Lux flakes box and a caution to only use it every second or third wash.  It isn't good for washing machines apparently - I think it clogs them?? 

[judydawn]

You are right there Chelsea.  When I told a friend of mine about the goo I make (her husband was a washing machine repairman), she told me pure soap clogs the machines but I figured the cloudy ammonia addition would push it through and keep it clean as would the vinegar I use instead of fabric softener.  Have had no trouble in the 10 months that I have been using this mixture - in fact my Hoover is 15 years old and has never given me a problem.  Now that I've said that, it will probably break down next week 

[CreamPuff63]

faffa try Bunnings, as they normally stock it. Our local Woollies has still got it.

[AmandaN]

Re: borax

I swear my local Woolies didn't have it a few weeks ago, because I was looking for it to make some silly putty with the kids (from PVA glue), and I could not find it in the supermarket, the chemist or Bunnings.  Just happened to stop at a Foodland and found some.  THen what do you know....went to Woolies again yesterday and they had Borax on the shelf!