If you make your own laundry detergent...

PTKate05

I tried to make laundry detergent today with borax, washing soda, and castile soap.  However, grating the soap was a PITA!!!  I have a cheap $1 grater, would a better one help?  And would a grater with a spining handle (I don't know what to call it, but they use them at Olive Garden) work or is the soap to hard?  Please help with any suggestions!  Thanks!!

melrrr

Hmm. I have only made it using a food processor. I use the grater attachment first, then the regular chopping blade to get it really fine. I can imagine it being a pain in the butt with a hand grater!

photo_nut

I use fels naptha, and that stuff grates really easily, it crumbles to a powder almost.  I have heard of people using food processors.

smurfetteinred

That's why I switched to one that doesn't use bar soap! Even with fels naptha (which is easier) it's still a pita to grate that thing down!

Galena99

What's in Fels Naptha?  I think it isn't very eco friendly...

Anyway, I am on the same boat.  I use a cheapy grater and really irritate my carpal tunnel and my mood.  It takes a while and sometimes I put it down and come back to it, but I haven't found a better way.  I have a mini food processor and that takes forever to get all of the chunks out.  I haven't tried my nice cheese grater (the Olive Garden one) because I'm afraid it won't clean off easily and then I'll be eating soap with my cheese.

pixieprincss

I use the food processor with the wheel blade for shreeding cheese. Then if I want it very fine I continue to grind it up with the normal blade.

As for the PP who questioned Fels Naptha, it might not be THE greenest, but Green Clean for sure, and I also think Organic Housekeeping, list it as acceptable. Despite the name, it does not contain naphthelene which should be avoided. (But personally, I just use 100% castille soap.)

photo_nut

Galena99:

What's in Fels Naptha?  I think it isn't very eco friendly...

Fels Naptha is about as eco friendly as borax - it's laundry soap that has been around for a long long time. You need to be careful of it, just like borax, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar and other "natural" cleaners, keep it out of your eyes and don't eat it/drink it or have it around children.

What makes homemade laundry eco friendly is that it has no phosphates, that's really about it. 

pixieprincss

photo_nut:

Galena99:

What's in Fels Naptha?  I think it isn't very eco friendly...

What makes homemade laundry eco friendly is that it has no phosphates, that's really about it. 

And no artifical colors or fragrances. In our house I am the anti-phosphate party and DH with severe contact dermatitis is the anti-fragrance party.

ndilemma

I use a cheese grater as well.  It is a pita though! Oh well!

Rachel Davis

I also use a CuisinArt food processor.  I cut the soap in pieces and run it through the grater twice.  We couldn't live without our food processor!