Monday's Wash Day.....

( sweet dish towel gifted to me from sweet bloggy friend Shelly )
Monday's are always wash days here in my home. I meant to share this yesterday...but, I have been sick...and well, I was busy doing laundry. So, Monday's Wash Day is shared with you this Tuesday.
    

Homemade Laundry Detergent
1 bar of soap (any kind you want)
1 cup of Borax
1 cup of washing soda
a big pot ( that holds more than 2 gallons)
a grater
a funnel
a long spoon
3 empty gallon jugs/containers
( I store mine in half gallon containers I found at The Dollar Tree)
****
Directions:
Grate soap into large pot, fill one gallon jug of water and pour into pot with grated soap. Cook until soap dissolves. Add Borox and Arm & Hammer washing powder. Bring to a boil. It will start coagulating as it cools. Turn off heat. Add one gallon cold water. Mix well. Let cool. Pour soap into empty gallon jugs using your handy funnel. This soap is really thick....so, what I did was pour the soap mixture just a little above halfway then add more water to it. It should be thickened within 24 hour. I had about 3 gallons of soap to use for washing. If it is still too thick...add some more water and mix to your consistency liking. I use about 1/2 cup per load.
****
Estimated cost is $6.00 for 576 loads
 (depending on soap used and amount used per load,
ONE BOX of Borax and ONE BOX of Washing soda)

The savings is incredible.

P.S. I also made my own fabric softener.
Recipe:

6 cups HOT water
3 cups white vinegar
2 cups Suave Conditioner {or other favorite scent-I found it for $1}
Directions:
Measure out conditioner.
Whisk together hot water and conditioner.
Make sure the conditioner is mixed completely with the water- no clumps.
 I had to whisk for a minute or so.

Add Vinegar and mix well
 (This is the actual softener- the conditioner I think it just for scent. Vinegar also helps with static sling).

Use 2 tbsp in a Downy ball or in the softener dispenser in your machine.
Voila...soft clothes at a wonderful price. Just as good if not better than store bought fabric softeners.
****
 I store mine in a half gallon container which I found at the Dollar Tree.
I am happy with the results and on a frugal budget...My pocketbook is happy and so am I.
Happy Wash Day to you...whatever your Wash Day may be.

Come Along With Us Today...

Rise and shine...
We're eating Cheerios this morning with banana's cut up into each bowl...Yum!
 I used to do that as a kid yet, we didn't have yummy cheerios like this when I was young.

Let's take a walk!
 Missy loves going to the doggy park!

Finishing the morning chores!

Leaving the bathroom in order before going on a little field trip!

Freckles at The Old Town Museum....

All dressed up as a Ranch Girl.
 

Still in Old Town...We are dreaming and window shopping.

Back home having a snack...

Yummy home made dried fruit!

 

Maestro working on his score.

 So happy that he's back from Seattle!

Freckles set up her owls and played for a spell.

 This is her family of owls...Aren't they sweet?

Getting ready for dinner...

Here I have my little collection of Pyrex bowls.

 Hope you all had a lovely day!

Linking Up With:

It's A Very Cherry World!

A Bit Of Sunshine!

In The Washroom

This week we had loads of fun 

making homemade laundry powder. 

We decided to use this sort of soap to save on cost 

and go the natural route with less chemical.

I found this recipe through Maryjane's Farm forums.

I also found some great natural stain fighting recipes from

Down To Earth...

You can find more recipes for natural green home cleaning

 ******

Recipe For Washing Powder

(Makes 2 gallons)

2 bars fels Naptha or Zote

1- 4 lb box Borox

1- 4 lb. box Arm & Hammer wash soda

4 lbs. Baking Soda

grate soap: add all ingredients together,

mix well in large container.

use 2-3 tbl. per load

I put in soap first while filling: while soap

desolves a bit before adding clothes.

Recipe For Liquid Washing Soap:

 1/3 Bar of Fels Naptha or Zote, 1/2 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup borax powder. 
You grate the soap and put in a sauce pan.
Add 6 cups water and heat till the soap melts. 
Add the washing soda and the Borax and stir till dissolved. 
Remove from heat and pour 4 cups hot water into a 2 gallon bucket.
Now add the soap mix and stir, now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir.
Let the soap sit for about 24hrs and it will gel. Use 1/2 cup per load.

Recipes For Stubborn Stains:

STAIN REMOVER #1

1 Tbs. vegetable glycerin (found in natural food stores)

1 Tbs. natural dish washing soap

1/2 cup water

Shake gently before applying.
Squeeze the mixture onto the stain,

rub it in using a retired toothbrush,

and then pre soak as usual.

STAIN REMOVER #2

½ cup ammonia

½ cup homemade laundry liquid

½ cup water
Mix all these ingredients well, and store in marked spray bottle.
Make sure you mark all your bottles so you know what they contain. If you reuse a bottle that previously contained other cleansers, make sure the bottle is completely clean and marked before you fill it with your homemade cleanser.

STAIN REMOVER #3

¼ cup borax or washing soda

2 cups cold water

Sponge on and let dry, or soak the fabric in borax mixture 

before washing in soap and cold water.

STAIN REMOVER #4

¼ cup hydrogen peroxide

¼ cup water

Mix together and dab onto stain.

Leave two hours and repeat if necessary.

Good on white clothes.

  

 FABRIC SOFTENER

½ cup white vinegar in final rinse

Happy Soap Making!!!!

Red Gingham ......

It is Rednesday at  

It's A Very Cherry World!

This is my first time joining in on the fun....

and I LOVE RED!

So,I couldn't pass it up. 

 Let's take a visit to my laundry room where you will find a little ironing going on.
Yup, I iron.
I have recently switched to using cloth napkins.
Red Gingham ones to be exact.
I have decided it is cheaper and very friendly on the environment.

They are also a lot more durable for those messy faces!
I picked them up at the dollar store.
( 2 for a buck!)
Oh and don't you just LOVE my daughters little red toy iron?
I hope you enjoyed this little snippet of REDNESS!!!
Please do come again!

Who Said....

Laundry is not fun?
Well, it all depends on how you look at it.
Laundry is life.
I know, I know....
I don't always like doing it myself.
But, why get bothered about it.
You too can have fun!!

I know I did a similar post about laundry last August...
But us ladies need to be inspired more often than none....

A good place to start is, trying to make it a happy, cheery place.
Decorate a bit.
I have collected some fun vintage pieces,
folk art, as well as Black Americana.

These girls are my little helpers.
I just take one little look at them and smile.
I know I am not alone.

Have little containers on hand that hold smelly yummies...
you know, detergent, fabric softeners and such.
Take a whiff of lavender and it will surely put you under a happy spell.

Lastly don't forget to.....

It takes more muscles to frown.
Have a happy laundry day from my home to yours!