Homemade Powdered Laundry Detergent

I found several homemade laundry detergent recipes online, and I've been washing my own laundry using just this basic recipe.  I have really dry & sensitive skin and prefer this over any "free" detergents on the market.  I haven't noticed any dulling or issues getting stains out.  I have never used anything but liquid detergents since I had babies in the house.  So, I was nervous switching to the powder.  But I prefer this over the liquid now.  I put one scoop(1 Tbl.) into the detergent compartment for my HE front loading machine.  My clothes smell really nice, it's not overpowering.  I LOVE doTerra Essential Oils, Lemon, Wild Orange, or Lavender, or a combination.  I buy mine from my sweet friend Crysty, HERE.

Basic Recipe:

1 cup Borax

1 cup Washing Soda

1 BAR of either Kirk's Castille Soap, Fels Naptha, or Zote

10-15 drops doTerra Lemon Essential Oil

The first time I made this I used Fels Naptha soap, it's a large yellow bar, found in the laundry aisle, and specifically designed for laundry.  It's really hard and took some muscle to grate it.  I ordered the Kirk's Castille Soap online from Amazon.com, I love that site.  It was easier to grate and a smaller bar.  It's designed for use on people with sensitive skin and rinses clean.  It also has a coconut oil base.  Neither bars suds very much, so this is safe for the HE washers.  I have read you can also use Ivory soap or Dr. Bonners.  I chose to try using this powder recipe because it just seems a little more concentrated than the diluted down liquid recipes for homemade detergent.  Just a preference, I have no idea if one is better than the other.  

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 Grate the bar of soap on a sheet of wax paper and pour into the base of your food processor.  Add 1 cup Borax, 1 cup Washing Soda, and 10-15 drops of your favorite Essential Oil.  Process until very fine.  Your house will smell unbelievably clean right now.  

Divide the contents between 2 16oz. canning jars.  Use 1-2 Tablespoons, depending on how dirty your laundry is.  I have never used more than 1 Tbl.   

The jar on the left is the Fels Naptha version(which is why it's a little yellow in color), and the right is the Kirk's Castille soap recipe version.  Takes up so much less space.  Store extra jars above in the cupboard.   Use fabric softener if you wish, or a dryer sheet.  

This is my laundry treatment area.  Baskets and bar from Ikea.  

Going Green

There's a little more to this being "green" thing than I expected.  I'm not talking granola green, I'm talking "cha-ching" green.  But, it turns out, granola AND cha-ching, work really really well together.  Green Granola?

Here's what I did.  I found a recipe online for homemade dishwasher detergent.  I don't have really hard water, but the money savings was awesome.  I have a great dishwasher(Bosch) so it really does do a nice job.  But, I thought, "What the heck?  I'm only out a few bucks if it doesn't work."  And it did!  It works great.  I don't think I'll go back to store bought detergent again.  My dishwasher looks bright and shiny, it really cleans the dishes and stained plastic ware, and it smells good afterwards, unlike the store bought $$$$ stuff.  Here's the original post HERE.

And any time I can use my Cricut, even better yet.

And I don't have clip coupons for dish soap anymore!

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

2 cups Borax

2 cups Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

2 cups LemiShine or 12 packets unsweetened lemonade Koolaid(ONLY  lemonade flavor)

1 cup Kosher Salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  There is a chemical reaction of some kind that makes these ingredients clump up and get hard.  So, just set aside the large bowl on a counter away from children and pets.  Give it a good stir every once in a while for a few days.  Then store on the countertop in a sealed container.

Use Vinegar as a rinse agent.

I also just went paperless with my insurance for email Explanation of Benefits instead of mostly useless papers I just have to find a place to file, and find the time, and shred when I'm done, which also equates to wasted crap in my garbage can.  Which saves me cha-ching again, along with the added benefit of less crap in the landfills.  Which again, I'm not granola on it, but I do feel better about that.

Apps!  Check this out.  There are apps out there for your iPhone and other smart phones that save the barcodes right on your phone.  Instead of all those little member cards and key fobs(that always rip off), you just open up your app, and show the cashier, gym, rental places, your little barcode on your phone.  Just search "Key chain app".

I know there's more I've done lately, that have been little ah-ha moments for me.  I do bake my own bread most of the time.  I make a lot from scratch.  It just tastes better too.  Next up just may be homemade laundry detergent.  My daughter and I both have really sensitive skin and it can be downright painful, especially this time of year.

Orange Dreamsicle Cookies

This is one of my new favorite cookies now!

Ingredients:


Double Batch:
2 boxes Orange Supreme Cake Mix
3 Eggs slightly
1 stick of butter, melted and cooled
1/2 stick Butter flavored Crisco(1/2 cup)
2 tsp. vanilla
Zest of 1 large orange
Preheat oven to 350'. Combine all above ingredients in a mixer until smooth. If it is too dry, you can add a little canola oil. Use a cookie scoop to get even size cookies. On a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, plop cookies approx. 2" apart. Use a flat bottomed glass dipped in sugar to flatten to approx. 1/4" thick. Give a slight twist after pressing down if cookies stick. Back for 8-10 minutes, one sheet at a time. Let cool for 5 minutes and remove to cooling rack. Cookie sheet should be cool before preparing more cookies or they will be very flat and spread unevenly(as with all cookies).



Frosting/Glaze:
1 lb. powdered sugar(approx. 1/2 bag)
2 Tbl. softened/room temp. butter
zest & juice of 1 large orange
Whisk frosting ingredients until smooth, may add milk if too thick. Add more sugar if too thin. Spread a small amount in center of cooled cookies, may need to spread a little if it doesn't pool to the edges.

Ranch Style Dressing Mix

2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard
2 teaspoons dried minced garlic
3 tablespoons dried minced onion
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

Combine ingredients; blend well. Store in an airtight container. Give in decorative jars with directions below for dressing and dip. Makes 1/2 cup of mix, or 8 portions for dressing or dip.
Dressing:
In a bowl or jar combine 1 cup of mayonnaise and 1 cup buttermilk. Add 1 tablespoon mix and blend well.

Dip:
In a small bowl blend 1 tablespoon mix with 1 cup sour cream. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Better than Aunt Jemima's Butter Flavored Maple Syrup

1 c. water
1 c. white granulated sugar
1 c. brown sugar, loosely packed
1 tsp. Mapleine flavoring
1/2 tsp. Butter flavoring(liquid)
1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil on stove or in microwave(watch for boil over or it's a NASTAY mess to clean up), reduce heat and stir until sugar is completely disolved. Remove from heat and add flavorings and stir. Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  It's also much easier to do this in a microwave.  Pour 1 cup boiling water over sugars in a glass container.  Microwave on high in 30 second intervals, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is clear.

I can't stand buying syrup already made now because this is so stinkin' cheap to make. My husband's grandma taught me to make when were first married, seriously, pennies to make.