Household Cleaners I Make Myself

1. All- Purpose Cleaner

2. Laundry Soap

3. Powdered Laundry Soap ( this is the recipe I am currently using)

4. Grapefruit Cleaner

5. "Dryer Sheets"


I am linking this post up here:

Powdered Laundry Soap

 This post is for Diary of A School Nurse who has asked me if I had a recipe for homemade laundry soap :) I have posted here about my semi homemade laundry soap .  I have recently tried out another new recipe for the powdered version.  So far I like it and it works well.  It also uses the same ingredients that I use if I make the liquid/gel version.  I thought I would share the recipe.  Also you can now find all the items to make this in the laundry isle of my Walmart.  Although I am still unsure if that is the cheapest place to get the Washing Soda or not.  I need to check into that!

1 box - Arm and Hammer Washing Soda
1 box - Borax
4 bars - Fels Naptha
4 cups - Oxyclean type product.  I use the Sun version of this.

I cut the Fels Napth bars into chunks and then run them threw my food processor.  I then mix all these items together in a big plastic laundry soap box I saved from forever ago.  When I make the liquid/gel version of laundry soap this is what I make it into and store it in also.  I then put some of the powdered version in a glass jar on my dryer.  I have a old tablespoon scoop I use in the jar.  Many people say you can use 1 TBSP per load but I usually use 2.  I don't know why but that just seem to work for me :)

I have also been asked about my dryer sheets which I shared about here.  I am on my third round of using this idea and they seem to work great.  The last old napkin I soaked in a fabric softener sample I had received in the mail.  So this batch of "dryer sheets" were actually free :)

Homemade Laundry Soap

I have been making different versions of homemade laundry soap for along time.  I use to make a liquid/gel type version that a wonderful lady by the name of Diane gave me the recipe for about 10 yrs ago.  I still make it sometimes but lately I have been making a slightly homemade version of a powered form.  This is easier for me since at this season of my life I am busy running kids around and do not always have alot of time.
I found this recipe for the powered form on a blog somewhere.  I do not remember whose it was so I can not give them credit.  If I find it again I will be sure to edit this post :)

Here is the semi homemade powered version I have been using:

Powdered Laundry Soap

1 cup Sun w/ bleach alternative powder laundry detergent ( bought this at Walmart and I just used regular Sun laundry detergent NOT the kids with bleach alternative in it)
1 cup Sun Oxygen Cleaner ( I found this at the Dollar General Store)
1 cup Borax ( I buy this at Walmart)
1 cup Super Washing Soda ( I can only find this at Schnucks in my area)

Mix all ingredients and put in a plastic container with a lid.  To use: 1/8 cup per load.

I love the powered version.  This is suppose to be a semi homemade cheaper version of Tide.  I have been using it for 6 months now with no problems.  I make up a double batch at a time and store it in a old ice cream tub.

Here is the liquid version that I have used in the past.  I used this version for a very long time.  I really loved it but it does take time to make and I just don't have alot of extra time right now so that is why I switched.

Liquid/Gel Laundry Soap

Grate 1 standard size bar 5.5 oz Fels Naptha Soap ( I buy mine at Kroger)  I have used both a cheese grater and a food processor to do this
Mix the grated soap with 4 cups hot water and cook over low heat stirring constantly until all the grated soap is dissolved. ( do not let come to a boil)
Pour into 5 gallon bucket and add 3 gallons of hot water straight from the tap. Stir to mix.
Then stir in 1 cup or more if you have hard water of Super Washing Soda ( I buy this at Schnucks). 
I then also at 1 cup Borax.  This is not in the original recipe my friend gave me but I have seen this in other similar recipes and it seems to help with my hard water.
Mix well.
Then let the mixture sit over night and set into a gel type substance.  Stir well before using.
For use:  use 3/4 to 1 cup depending on your needs.  I use about 1 cup.  I have heard this is safe for front loading machines although I do not have one.  This laundry soap does not suds up.  If you are big on suds then this is not the soap for you. 
I have found this works well and did well on stains too.

I am linking this post at http://beingfrugalbychoice.blogspot.com/2011/04/mostly-homemade-mondays.html

Laundry Day

Thankfully I am feeling  almost human again.  Although my youngest is still sick with the flu. 

On Wednesday's is the start of my laundry day.  I usually can't get all of it done in one day.  That is usually because I try to get to many things done at one time instead of just concentrating on the laundry.

There are a few things I do to make my laundry experience as painless as possible in the time and money department.

1.  I pretreat all stains
2.  I make my own laundry soap. ( will do a post on the recipe for that at a later time)
3.  I wash all loads except whites and sometimes bedding in cold water
4.  I have stopped using fabric softener and have noticed hardly any difference
5.  I hang alot of my own clothes on a drying rack to dry instead of using the dyer.       
    That is not to say that I never use the dryer but I do hang most of my own
    clothes.
6.  In the warm weather months I use a clothes line and use the dryer only at night after 
     the sun goes down. ( I'll have to do a post on that one too when it gets warmer )

All of these things combined I believe help me to save at least a few pennies or more each month to add to my "debt snowball" !