How to Wash Laundry with Ivory Soap

Ivory soap has been around since 1879. It is a simple soap which is 99 & 44/100 percent pure soap. Even today this simple product is reasonably priced and readily available with a bar in bulk packs costing less than fifty cents.

Ivory soap has been used for a number of things over the years and still performs reliably. In ages past it was even grated and marketed as Ivory flakes, the boxed cleaner that your grandparents and great-grandparents may have used to clean their floors and laundry.

Ivory soap has not changed over the years; it is still as pure and as simple (and as handy) as ever. Users can clean their bodies and their personal items inexpensively and safely. You can even use it to clean your laundry.

If you use a washing machine you can make a gallon of liquid laundry detergent using Ivory soap. Instead of using a cup of Octagon or Fels Naptha simply grate a whole bar of Ivory soap to make a gallon in this recipe. This makes a mild laundry detergent that is perfect for the everyday wash.

If you do not want to make laundry detergent from scratch you can grate a tablespoon of Ivory Soap into a load of dirty laundry for a simple, effective cleaner as well.

If you wash your clothes by hand you don't have to even do that much.

Things Needed:
Bar of Ivory Soap
Dirty Laundry
Washbasin
Water

Step One:
Place the bar of Ivory Soap into the washbasin. Close the drain on the washbasin.

Step Two:
Run warm water into the washbasin, allowing the stream to land on the bar of soap until the water is milky in appearance.

Step Three:
Place the item to be washed into the soapy water. Remove the bar of Ivory Soap and allow the item to soak for a few minutes if it is really dirty.

Step Four:
Agitate the item in the soapy water to ensure it is thoroughly saturated.

Step Five:
Rub the bar of Ivory Soap on the item and lather well. Focus on the obviously dirty areas to remove any stains. Scrub the garment well using your hands or a brush.

Step Six:
Drain the water from the washbasin and wring the item out.

Step Seven:
Rinse the item well with clean water.

Step Eight:
Wring the item out and place it on a drying rack.

References:
The History of Soaps and Detergents