Self-sufficient households; help!

[crazychickengirl]

Alright...I'm reporting on the laundry soap! It works really well! The only difference I noticed between it and store bought detergants is the scent. There is no scent with the homemade detergant. Honestly it's not a big deal to me, although I do prefer a clean scent to my laundry. I just recently became hooked on Gain's Fabric Softener in Apple Tango Mango, so on my second load with the handmade detergant, I did put approx 1-2 Tbsp (I used about half of the smallest amount recommended in the cap) of the Gain in and I really liked the results. My blankets felt extra fluffy and smelly mangoey. For me, I think I'll continue to use the Gain...but that's just a matter of preference. I figure if I'm using such a small amount, $4 every so often won't kill me...especially when I'll be saving over $100 by using the handmade stuff! And who knows...maybe I'll just use the Gain on sheets and blankets and such for the smell-factor and not use it on the rest of my loads. I would like to look into some essential oils and maybe I'll find one that smells similar to the Gain.

Sorry to ramble, but I wanted to report on the outcome of my first encounter with using homemade laundry detergant!

 

[crazychickengirl]

It's a 5 oz bar of soap in a white and green package. It's in the laundry aisle...right beside the borax and washing soda. I found mine at the IGA for $1.19/bar, but I think you can buy 7 bars on ebay for $10 + $4.80 shipping and that would last you FOREVER!

 

[momma's chickens]

We do have an IGA so I will look there tomorrow! Thank you for your help!

 

[okiemommy]

I found my Washing Soda and Fels Naptha!!!! I am pretty sure that you guys don't have any of these stores, b/c I think that they are only local to Oklahoma, but I found them at Crest Foods, which is a big local grocery store chain here. I also found castille soap..I don't remember what someone said about it, but I remember it was positive so I got one!

soooooo check your local family owned grocery stores. (if any of you have any left in your areas) They are far few and in between here, but they are here.


Hmm now to try and find the time to make some....We're out of era, have to build a chicken coop ultra quickly, and tomorrow is the fourth of July

I will post when I get a chance to make it. Especially interested to see how this does with my husbands sensitive skin.

oh and we used to have IGA's here and it wouldnt suprise me at all if they had it. Also I actually found mine with the regular body soap lol go figure

aah well Happy fourth of July everyone!!!

 

[lilshadow]

I made my laundry soap this week. I was so excited about making it, and it smelled good as I was making it too. As I was putting my supplies my bubble deflated. I looked at my box of washing soda, and realized it was baking soda. I smacked myself on the head because I couldn't believe what I had done. I ran out and got some washing soda, and added that too it. Is this going to affect the detergent at all. Do I need to start over? I have been using it, but I just want to know if it is getting my clothes clean or should I just start again.

 

[ninjapoodles]

If it helps, "washing soda" should be defined as "sodium carbonate." Baking soda is "sodium bicarbonate." You actually can use the baking soda in a laundry formula. The reason that washing soda works in a soap formula is because it's caustic--in laundry powder, it's kind of (but not exactly) the equivalent of what lye is to a cold-process soap formula.

The lovely and delightful Heather Sanders, blogger extraordinaire of Oh My Stinkin' Heck! and urban chicken-keeper, has written a REALLY good explanation of it all for The Diaper Pin:

http://www.diaperpin.com/clothdiapers/article_bakingsoda.asp

 

[okiemommy]

WOW In light of that article and the information in it about how well baking soda and washing soda works on actually cleaning soiled cloth diapers, I might have considered cloth diapering.



I grated my soap by hand, not really fond of that, especially towards the end of the bar lol. Definitely will be looking into garage sales. I talked to my BFF last night b/c I knew that she would be able to help me find the soap if I couldn't find it. (And she did) And it turns out that her ex mother in law makes this soap for her! And she's been using it for a long time! I remember remarking on how some of her kids clothes would get stained with Oklahoma red mud one day, and the next time that I see those clothes, it's like they were brand new. Oklahoma red mud is virtually impossible to get out!

 

[BearSwampChick]

We came home yesterday from seeing the new grandbaby and I accidentally threw down my snow white sweater on top of a used rooiboos tea bag (red) and didn't see it for about an hour! There was a big stain on one sleeve. I immediately rinsed it with cold water and mild soap, but there was still a faint stain, so I put it in a bowl to soak and just poured a pile of baking soda on top. This morning the stain is completely gone! Yay! That is my favorite light cardigan and I wear it with everything. I'm usually not so careless with my things and usually don't leave used tea bags lying around, but we got in a big hurry yesterday. Then when we got home, we brought an unplanned visitor with us--Lauren, our 2-year-old granddaughter and the baby's big sister. She was hungry and cranky from being at the hospital all afternoon w/o a nap. Anyway, this rambling post was meant to uphold the power of baking soda! lol

 

[LoneCowboy]

Going to go do some laundry. I'm going to try the 2-3 tbls instead of teaspoons. Hope to have great success to report.

 

[Redfeathers]

We are going to make our first batch today!!

Thank you for sharing the recipe.