Link to other thread (just realised it was in 2003 so not all that recent!)
Post By PamT on Sun 05-Jan-03 08:29
Gloop environmentally friendly, cheap alternative to washing powder.
- Boil 4 litres of water in a large pan
- Turn off the heat add one grated bar of unscented soap
- When dissolved add 1 cup of soda crystals
- Allow to cool slightly then add 20-40 drops of essential oil (lavendar is a good all rounder, tea tree a good germ killer and geranium is a nice smell but you can use any 'safe' oils)
- Pour solution into a lidded container (ice cream tubs are excellent)
The solution sets into a sort of gel which can be liquified by whisking it or using a potato masher to make it easier to transfer into the washing machine.
Use about 1/2 a cupful straight in the drum and rub a little into any particularly dirty marks. You won't get scented washing like you do with commercial powders as most of the oils evaporate and the solution doesn't contain the optical brighteners that manufacturers use so you will not get quite the same performance. I miss the commercial smell so I tend to use just one tablet and some gloop in my wash to get the best of both worlds. It means that a box of tablets lasts twice as long and the 50p that it cost me to make the gloop is negligable. White vinegar can also be used instead of fabric conditioner and it doesn't make your clothes smell like a portion of chips either.