DIY Natural Powdered Laundry Detergent

I posted on Facebook that I was "testing" DIY powdered laundry detergent a few weeks ago, and I am sure many of friends are wondering what I thought of it and how well it actually worked!  I have to tell you that I tried two different batches, and chose to make powdered versions rather than the liquid.  The reason is simply that I am pregnant and extremely impatient right now (and remember this blog is supposed to be about simplicity, right?).  Plus, I was not looking forward to mixing liquid detergent in a 5 gallon Home Depot bucket.  :)  I made one batch with Ivory soap (which is 99.4 % pure) and one batch Dr. Bonner's lavender soap (which is vegetable-based and contains organic oils).  I have to say that I prefer the batch with the Dr. Bonner's, however, both batches will clean your clothes effectively and work well.  Why do I prefer the Dr. Bonner's?  Simply put, I like the very subtle lavender smell it leaves on my clothes.  I love ALL things lavender, which is probably why I prefer this detergent batch so much.  Both batches worked well for my extremely sensitive skin (Yea, no itching for me!).  I have been using a name brand detergent for years now and cannot stray from it because of my sensitivity issue.  I truly had no trouble using either batch of detergent, and I would recommend using these detergents to anyone who has sensitive skin.  I believe this recipe would work well for babies too.  Both my children have been "cursed" with their mother's sensitive skin and eczema, and they have not had any reactions with these detergents either.  Let me also tell you that while both detergents work well, the batch with Dr. Bonner's seemed to dissolve better in a cold wash cycle.  I did notice some little soap bits on my washing machine door when I ran a cold wash cycle with the Ivory batch, however, no soap bits were left on my clothes.  The ingredients within the recipe are natural, Eco-friendly, and this detergent is safe for HE washing machines.  I noticed two things about the batches of detergents that truly surprised me.  One, the detergent washes clean (yes, both batches).  Meaning that there was no residue left on clothes.  In fact, when I washed a load of clothes with my unmentioned name brand detergent, I could feel a slight residue on the clothing ("free and clear" suddenly did not seem so free and clear to me).  The clothing just felt cleaner with the DIY detergent batches, and the clothes also felt softer.  Two, there was less lint in my dryer from the clothes washed in the DIY detergents.  From my internet research, this is probably due to the fact that the DIY detergent batches are low sudsing, which is great for HE washers.  I have yet to try this on cloth diapers, but I think it would work well since most cloth diapers require or suggest that you use a low sudsing, natural detergent for washing.  Here is the "recipe," it really is simple to make.

DIY Natural Powdered Laundry Detergent

1 bar of Dr. Bonner's or Ivory soap (Castile soap does seem to work best), grated
1 cup Borax
1 cup Washing Soda

I mixed the ingredients in a bowl and then ran them through the food processor to combine them better, as well as make the soap into even smaller pieces.  Running the ingredients through the food processor does seem to help the soap dissolve better in the wash. (The pictures below are from the Ivory soap batch)

Store your detergent in an air tight container.  You only need to use 1-3 tablespoons of detergent based on the soil level and size of your loads.  I have been using 2 tablespoons per load (I typically have large loads and normal to heavily soil levels-HELLO, I live with a man and two kids!).

If you choose to make your own detergent using this recipe, you will save lots of money and be living a little greener.  And who wouldn't want to save money while being green?

Vinegar

I LOVE vinegar! It is a little smelly, but it is so wonderful. I love using it for cleaning and laundry. Have a kid that ate a red icing cupcake at a birthday party and get it all over their clothes? No problem for vinegar! Simply wash the garment(s) immediately with your favorite detergent, but before adding your detergent put 1/2 to 1 cup of vinegar in your pre-wash or detergent dispenser and all that icing will come out (it really will!). I normally add 1 cup to ensure it all comes clean, but my friend swears by only using 1/2 cup in her wash.

Case in point...today is happy hour at Sonic all day. Yea! Yea, until you have a little gremlin in your car poke her straw through the cup and unleash a red, red sticky slushie mess all over her clothes and car seat. By the way...if you don't have paper towels in your car and you happen to have a spare diaper...a diaper will quickly absorb red sticky slushie. :) What is a momma to do? Why wash the clothes and car seat cover with vinegar of course!


And the results...


Amazing! Completely out! Yes, this really does work for cake/cupcake icing, I promise. Remember, to wash the garments immediately with 1/2 to 1 cup vinegar added to the pre-wash or detergent dispenser before adding your laundry detergent. Simple and easy! Doesn't this simplify your laundry process? No need to pre-treat the areas, the power of vinegar removes it. Adding vinegar to your baby's laundry can remove "spittles" (spit up), and can help remove ammonia smells from cloth diapers.

Another way I use vinegar in my house is to clean the microwave with it. I simply put 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a pyrex measuring cup, and microwave for 2-3 minutes. Then, I wipe down the whole microwave with a microfiber cloth. The condensation from boiling the vinegar and water easily removes microwaved food debris from your unit.

Hope these tips help you, and simplify your life in the process!

Now to get that car seat cover to dry quicker so we can run our errands!

The Power of Baking Soda

Did you know that baking soda is natural, non-toxic, a natural abrasive, and can be used for SO many things? Case in point...I bought Muirenn Easter shoes that were slightly big last year. We went to Dillard's the other day to buy new ones, I had her foot measured, and found that her little foot had not grown much. She still needed a size 8, it was hard to believe! I thought about buying her new shoes anyway because the old ones were not as white as I thought they should be for Easter. Then I quickly stopped myself...why not save money (Hello!!! Save money!) and find a way to make them white again! I could somehow manage to get them nice and white again, I told myself. My mom used to use hair spray to get my Easter shoes white during the summer, after they had been worn for many months and became dirty and scuffed up. However, since I had no hair spray in the house (I can't stand the smell or stickiness of it and don't use it in my hair), I had to think of something else to use in cleaning these shoes. Then it hit me...baking soda! Baking soda used to be used as toothpaste powder (my grandmother taught me this during my youth) and is a natural whitener. I grabbed her shoes, got an old toothbrush that I strictly use for cleaning a little wet, and dabbed it in some baking soda (which I placed in a bowl). I went to work "brushing" her shoes, and viola, it worked! Let me tell you that I barely "scrubbed/brushed" the shoes, and just had to wipe away the excess baking soda once finished. Her shoes look brand new, and are now white as snow. If you have little girls with Easter shoes that need a "pick me up," try this! Below are a list of ways you can use baking soda in your home.

1. Pour in your trash can. It is a natural deodorizer (You can also leave a slightly opened box in your fridge for this reason too).

2. Pour in your drain and add a bit of vinegar. This can unclog your drain and clean the pipes for you. You can also do this to clean your garbage disposal.

3. Use it to clean your bathroom. Yes, all surfaces! It is a natural abrasive that can remove mildew and soap scum.

4. Make a tooth powder. My friend, whose blog can be found on this page (broodingon.blogspot.com), makes a tooth powder with baking soda and peppermint extract. Baking soda is a great natural toothpaste and super cheap! They used to use this in the "old"days, my grandmother taught me that you can brush your teeth with this stuff when I was a little girl.

5. If you have a little one that has a yeast type of diaper rash, you can pour baking soda into their bath, it will help clear up the rash with each use. Our pediatrician actually recommended this method because Muirenn was so resistant to any kind of medicinal cream.

6. You can use baking soda for heartburn. Just look up the recipe on the box!

7. Can be used to shine up your grill! Make a thin paste using baking soda and water, rub it onto the grill in circular motions, rinse off, and buff the grill with a dry cloth for it to shine.

8. Deodorize your carpet! Sprinkle into your carpet, let "sit" for 10-15 minutes and vacuum it up. Easy!

9. Use it to clean your oven. Make a paste using baking soda and water, scrub away with a rag, wipe away excess and now you have a clean oven.

10. Did you really need more ideas??? There really are many, many more cleaning recipes for using baking soda. You can find them on Pinterest, any green or natural cleaning book, or just Google cleaning with baking soda. Happy cleaning!

I hope you all have a very happy and blessed Easter!

Amanda

Homemade Almost-natural Dishwasher Detergent

Since my eldest daughter was born, I have been trying to find recipes and use natural homemade cleaners in our household. Before she was born, I was a preschool teacher and we used lots of bleach in the classroom. When I became pregnant with her, the smell of bleach was atrocious. It also was hard for me to breathe around the stuff, so I decided that my child should not breathe it in either. This "quest" led me to an awesome all purpose "safe" cleaner (which I will share in a later post), but also led me to countless recipes for various homemade naturally green cleaners for the home. My latest search brought me to this recipe, which I found on Pinterest. The recipe comes from the blog Homestead Wannabes (http://homesteadwannabes.blogspot.com) and in my opinion is a great alternative to many "green" dishwasher detergent recipes, since most complaints are that "green" natural dishwasher detergents leave behind a "foggy" residue. This is especially true for recipes that do not contain citric acid. Citric acid can be expensive and can be hard to find (you can only find this at certain health food stores). By using this recipe, you will gain the effects of citric acid because the Cascade Complete contains this ingredient. As most people are now doing, I am trying to live on a budget. Yes, I want to live "greener," but most importantly, I must count every penny I spend. So I was happy to find this simple "almost natural" recipe. While it is not "green," it will make less of an impact on the planet because you are not using as much Cascade over time. Here is the recipe from the Homestead Wannabes blog site:

1 part Borax (located in the laundry aisle)
1 part Washing soda (located in the laundry aisle)
1 part Cascade Complete Powder

Mix well, and store in an air tight container. Use 1 Tablespoon per load.

Now, I did not follow this recipe exactly. Frankly, I was too lazy and did not want to measure it out. Being pregnant can do that to you! I mixed together a 4 lbs. 12 oz. box of Borax, a 3 lbs. 7 oz. box of Washing soda, and a 4.68lbs. of Great Value Dishwasher detergent (compared to Cascade Complete with Dawn) in a large mop bucket. I then put the detergent into two Tupperware containers (each container is 4.6 quarts in size). This made SO much dishwasher detergent. When I calculated the amount of loads for this mixture, I was shocked. This will produce enough detergent for 412 loads!!! That is well over a year's worth for us, and I run a full load every day. I did add vinegar to my rinse agent compartment because I like having a rinse aid, but I truly don't believe you need to do so. I just like using vinegar as a rinse agent. Total cost of this detergent: $9.84 plus tax! WOW! That is a huge savings for our family! I have now been using this detergent for two weeks and LOVE it! It rinses completely off all sippy cup parts (my brand name detergent did not do this), and does not leave any sort of residue on my dishes. I am one happy money saving momma!