It seems every time I turn around, I'm having to buy laundry detergent! This is a huge pain to me because I'm always torn between the cheap, chemical-laden detergent or the all natural version that costs twice as much. We are very skeptical of chemically engineered products and are uneasy about using them. We feel like we can trust the things God has naturally given us and things that have been faithful throughout history. We cannot trust what man has created as willingly, no matter what kind of degrees they have, because humans make mistakes. How often have we seen these concoctions recalled and taken off the market because what the FDA once thought was safe, they're now realizing it's not. Although there is no proof that the chemicals in detergents and other soaps are harmful, we'd rather be on the safe side as often as possible! That being said, store-bought all natural cleaning products usually come with a price too high for us! We've gotten around this many times by learning how to make our own. So I was very happy when I got an e-mail from a good friend of mine saying she had a recipe off the Duggar family's web-site with a homemade detergent recipe! So, I will post the link, and then add a few things of my own.
http://duggarfamily.com/recipes.html
Okay, washing soda and borax cost about $2.50 a box around here and a friend of mine picked up the soap for me, but I don't think it cost more than a couple dollars, either. This makes a 5 gallon bucket full of solution, but you mix 1/2 solution, 1/2 water in an old laundry container to use, so your talking about a big bang for your buck! After you make the solution and let it sit for a while it will separate and need to be stirred to refill your smaller container. My friend Heather suggests using a thick dowel rod, which works great. Also, you'll need to shake the bottle of solution well before you add it to your washer. For measurements, we marked a line on a paper cup that we keep next to the detergent. Without adding any essential oils for fragrance, the clothes don't really have a scent and the water won't get sudsy at all. But when you take a whiff of your freshly laundered clothes they smell clean, not like Wild Flowers, Lavender Vanilla, or any other false smells your ordinary detergents carry, just clean. How simple and refreshing!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Are you still doing this?? What do you think so far? Does it work well for food messes?
This is Mindy - we met in line at ARCHE. As I was checking my friends' blogs today I remembered seeing your blog link at the bottom of your e-mail. I am glad I checked it out. I really enjoyed reading it. Except now I am upset that I can't sew! :)
Are you still doing this?? What do you think so far? Does it work well for food messes?
This is Mindy - we met in line at ARCHE. As I was checking my friends' blogs today I remembered seeing your blog link at the bottom of your e-mail. I am glad I checked it out. I really enjoyed reading it. Except now I am upset that I can't sew! :)
Hi Mindy! I am still doing this and the detergent lasts so long that I haven't even had to make a new batch yet! I'm about half way through my 10 gallon bucket. I really like it. As long as I don't let the stains set in, it works well to get them out. Ava spilled grape juice on her white sweater the other day and I took it and soaked it in cold water for a little bit, then washed it the next day like normal and it was stain free! The first few times I used it I was a little unsure because it doesn't really get sudsy at all. But I've tried other homemade detergents in the past that couldn't even get get a little dirt out of clothes. But this solution, sudsy or not, works like a charm!
Now, to quote my friend Heather, "If I could just learn how to make my own toilet paper, I'd be set!"
Post a Comment