Laundry soap question

[happymom]

Hi everyone. For clothes that have set oily stains (I always seem to get these on sweatshirts) I was thinking about making a really lye-heavy bar of laundry soap and using the shredded soap + borax + washing soda recipe, or using the bar as a stain stick - reasoning that lye might attract the oil molecules.

Any thoughts on this, or recommendations on the lye/oil ratio? How high can I go?

Thank you!

Karen

 

[SoapAddict415]

I don't think a lye heavy soap is safe. I'd try a 100% coconut oil or beef tallow bar, something with a high cleansing factor.

 

[Obsidian]

I made 100% coconut liquid soap with zero SF for treating stains. Works pretty good if you test the stain asap.

 

[cmzaha]

I don't think a lye heavy soap is safe. I'd try a 100% coconut oil or beef tallow bar, something with a high cleansing factor.

Lye heavy soap is fine for laundry stain sticks. I make a lye heavy turpentine & CO stain stick. The only thing is you have to test for color fastness before using it, but it does not remove oils I get on my clothes. I also have a lye heavy CO soap paste that I use for cleaning. There was a time lye solution was used for cleaning.

This is what I have found that will work if you catch the stain before washing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WGPC9NM/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20. I love this line of stain removers

 

[happymom]

Laundry soap

Thanks for your replies. I had not heard of the Carbona, I will try that first - thanks Cmzaha. Nice that's it's formulated for oil stains and very inexpensive. You also answered my question about whether a lye heavy soap would pull out oil - since this does not happen I will nix my idea!

If the Carbona doesn't do it (I already washed the garments) I will make a CO bar and test that.

Obsidian, just curious why you went w liquid soap, because it's easier to rub into stains?

Karen

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I use polysorbate 80 to remove oil/grease stains... even old "set" stains come out with a little pre-treating and a bit of a rub. Let it set for a bit before tossing in the washer.

ETA: Clean Green: Stain Remover from MommyPotamus:

https://www.mommypotamus.com/homemade-stain-remover/

OxiClean is an environmentally safe stain remover that works well too!

Didja know? Olive oil can remove ballpoint pen ink from a silk blouse? Been there; done that... I bought a silk blouse on sale for 75% off! It had ink from a ballpoint on the sleeve. I rubbed some OO on it, then soap to dissolve the ink-laden OO and it came right out! Surprised my eyes! LOL OO also works on lip stick and mascara!

HTH

 

[Obsidian]

Yes, it's easier to run into the stains. I made stain sticks at first but they were rock hard and difficult to work with.
Now I put my liquid soap in a squeeze bottle, easy peazy.

 

[happymom]

Zany, once you got the stain out, how did you get the olive oil out of the blouse, did you wash it by hand or in your washer? Who knew? Do you think it works on other fabrics like cotton? Thanks for the other suggestions.

So here is another question - has anyone made a superfatted soap, then made laundry detergent out of it and actually gotten an oily stain on something in the laundry? One of my shirts really seemed like it came out of the washer that way.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Zany, once you got the stain out, how did you get the olive oil out of the blouse, did you wash it by hand or in your washer? Who knew? Do you think it works on other fabrics like cotton? Thanks for the other suggestions.

So, the ink came out with the olive oil, but then I used soap to wash the olive oil out. Then I hand washed the blouse and hung it to dry. And you may remember a thing called "ironing" LOL. I did that. As far as whether or not it would work on cotton, my guess is it would. Oil dissolves oil, or so I've read.

So here is another question - has anyone made a superfatted soap, then made laundry detergent out of it and actually gotten an oily stain on something in the laundry? One of my shirts really seemed like it came out of the washer that way.

I don't superfat laundry soap, so I really can't say. But I'm interested to know if that's happened to anyone else.