Combine two cups of borax, two cups of washing soda, and one cup of soap flakes. Stir well with a wooden spoon to mix and promptly seal the container. Be sure to add a label and directions on how to use the detergent.
Note: While baking soda, washing soda, and borax are all different, they are safe to combine. In fact, I use all three in the recipe for my favorite homemade laundry detergent, along with Fels-Naptha bar laundry soap.
The general ratio for the laundry stripping recipe is 2 parts powdered detergent, 1 part Borax and 1 part washing soda. For most laundry stripping in standard size tubs, follow this recipe: ¼ cup ARM & HAMMER Super Washing Soda. ¼ cup Borax.
Fill your 5 gallon bucket half full with HOT tap water, add melted soap, washing soda, and borax and stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill the bucket the rest of the way to the top with hot water, stir, cover, and let sit overnight to thicken.
Borax is most effective in hotter water, while washing soda is perfect for any temperature. When thinking about doing your own laundry detergent, consider that Borax is perfectly fine, but if you're having trouble getting things really clean then replacing borax with washing soda might be the way to go.
Washing soda (sodium carbonate) has a very high pH level, making it an extreme alkaline compound that is very effective as a cleaning agent. Borax (sodium tetraborate) pH levels aren't as high as washing soda, and it doesn't have the same cleaning power as washing soda.
Borax has been used for thousands of years to help launder clothes and clean surfaces because it also softens water in the same way washing soda does. However, the molecules in borax are much less “sharp” so they dissolve in water more easily change the composition of the molecule itself.
First, make sure to keep it away from children's reach. Second, avoid using it as a cosmetic product and handle it with care at all times. This usually means wearing a mask and gloves when using it. Finally, do NOT mix Borax with any boric acid products, such as pesticides.
While the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies borax as being noncarcinogenic, it does pose some risks, including: skin, eye, and respiratory irritation. digestive problems. infertility.
For home laundry, washing soda can be dissolved in water to create a pre-soaking solution for tough stains such as grease, blood, tea, and coffee stains. Outside the laundry room, sodium carbonate is also used by some textile artists to help dyes adhere to fabric.
DIY cleaners offer control over ingredients and cost savings, but when it comes to homemade laundry detergent, experts say to skip it.
The high alkalinity of washing soda helps remove grease and stains. It can also balance the pH level of water to enhance detergent's effectiveness. Because washing soda is highly alkaline, too much washing soda can damage surfaces, fade colors, and eat away at fabric/surfaces over time.
For this reason, borax makes for a decent laundry detergent substitute. While borax is a great sidekick to detergent in small amounts, it can be used to loosen stains and brighten up clothing on its own.
OxiClean contains several ingredients, but the important one for boosting and brightening laundry is sodium percarbonate — basically, dry hydrogen peroxide plus washing soda (also called sodium carbonate, which is very similar to but not exactly baking soda).
Vinegar and Borax Are Safe to Use In HE Washers.
Made with only four ingredients, Laundry Soda is a highly concentrated formula that dissolves quickly in cold or hot water and is septic safe.
Don't use Borax at the same time as vinegar or you'll just create a nice little acid-base reaction and make salt. What is this? When using Borax to help soften or condition your water, for both high efficiency and most top-loading washing machines add 1/2 cup of Borax per load.
Concentrated; Does up to 640 Loads.