Laundry Detergent

This is a recipe for laundry detergent I recently tried with much success... oddly enough, my clothes smelled cleaner than usual after using this.

It's quite simple to make and will cost you fractions of pennies per load. My cost for one batch of this (about 12 liters of detergent - or around 4 regular bottles of store bought detergent at $4.99 on sale) was .68 cents - that's .17 cents/bottle!!!

Plus, you will no longer be putting those harsh chemicals they put in laundry detergent into the water, thus having less impact on the environment and your wallet.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent



You Need:

• 3.1 oz bar Ivory soap (Ivory is a natural pure soap perfect for cleaning)
• 1 cup Borax
• ½ cup Washing Soda
• 3 gallons + 5 cups Water
• 4-5 Gallon container
• Grater, knife, or blender
• Large Pot
• Long stirring stick or spoon (for 5 gallon container)

Directions:

1. Shave/grate/process the soap and place in the pot with 5 cups of water.
2. Heat the water until it is just about to boil and stir until the soap is completely melted.
3. Pour 3 gallons of hot water into the 5 gallon container.
4. Pour the soap and water mixture into the 5 gallon container and stir until well blended.
5. Add the 1/2 cup washing soda and stir until dissolved. Repeat with the cup of borax.
6. Once all of the soap shavings are melted, pour the mixture into the 5-gallon container and stir.
7. Now you may add essential oils for fragrance if you wish (lavender would be a good one).
8. The mixture should look like hot soapy water. You can either cover the container now and let it sit out of the way overnight, or you can pour the mixture into smaller containers (I use recycled store bought laundry detergent bottles and cat litter containers), cover, and let sit overnight.
9. The next day it should be cooled and gelled. It will be lumpy and watery. It's ready to use.
10. Add 1/2 cup of mixture per load of laundry just like you normally would - I just use the laundry bottle lid.

Here's the recipe for Powdered Laundry Detergent, probably a better choice for those who don't have room to store 12 liters worth. I haven't tried this yet, but when I do I will let you all know how it worked. Recipe makes enough for 32 loads.

Homemade Powdered Laundry Detergent



You Need:

• 2/3 bar Laundry Soap (equivalent of 1 cup grated) - you can use the bars of laundry soap they sell at the grocery store or you can use the Ivory soap.
• ½ Cup Borax
• ½ Cup Washing Soda
• Grater or blender
  
• Container large enough to hold 2 cups of laundry detergent

Directions:

1. Grate or blend the bar soap.
2. Add the ½ cup of Borax and ½ cup of washing soda.
3. Shake /mix well.
4. Add one tablespoon of mixture per load, more for very dirty clothes.

-Love Marylin.

Green Tea Slushy

This is so yummy and perfect for a hot day!

Green Tea Slushy
Serves 1

You Need:

• Green Tea bags (the amount depends how strong you want it, I make mine really strong)
• 3 cups boiling water
• 3 Tbsp honey (more or less depending on how sweet you want it)
• Lemon juice (optional)

Directions:

1. Steep the tea bags in the boiling water for at least an hour, longer if you want it stronger.
2. When the water has cooled, take out the tea bags and mix in the honey and lemon juice.
3. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays or several smaller, freezer safe containers and place in freezer.
4. Once it's completely frozen, take it out of the freezer and put the frozen pieces into the blender.
5. Blend till smooth and pour into a tall glass.
6. Enjoy.

(3 WW Points per serving)


-Love Marylin.

Drain Cleaner

Environmentally Friendly Drain Cleaner

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 gallon boiling water

Pour baking soda down drain, followed by vinegar. Let it foam for a few minutes before pouring the boiling water down the drain.

*I also squirt a bit of lemon juice in with the vinegar.


-Love Marylin.