Homemade Laundry Detergent: Update

I have been making Homemade Laundry Detergent for quite some time now. It saves a ton of money. It is easy to make and I am happy with the cleaning results. I posted the recipe for it here: http://ourprovidentlife.blogspot.com/2012/01/homemade-laundry-detergent.html . Since that post I have made one change to my detergent that I really like and so I wanted to update everyone in case you wanted to try it out.

Fels-Naptha great for Homemade Detergents

Here is my original recipe:
1 Bar Grated Soap (Ivory or Zote)
1 Cup Borax
1 Cup Washing Soda


Instead of Ivory which is what I was using I decided to try out Fels-Naptha. Well I love it. I think it is far superior to Ivory (sorry Ivory, better for the shower I think). The Fels-Naptha grates up nicely (looks like cheddar cheese) and has a great scent to it.

Grating up my Fels-Naptha for Homemade Laundry Detergent

The great thing about the Fels-Naptha is you only have to use 1/3 bar to equal 1 bar of Ivory. So I always make a triple batch of detergent.  Here is the new recipe:

1 Bar Grated Fels-Naptha Soap
3 Cups Borax
3 Cups Washing Soda
Mix Thoroughly. Use 1 TB. per load.

I have not tried Zote out yet but I will give it a shot in the future and let you know where I think it ranks. As for now, I am loving the Fels-Naptha and the cost is pretty much the same. If you are interested in a break down of how much homemade detergents and cleaners can save you check out this post: http://ourprovidentlife.blogspot.com/2012/04/making-cents-of-cleaning.html.

You can find Fels-Naptha, Borax, and Washing Soda in the laundry isle at your grocery store.

Learning a New Skill

Learning to crochet trim onto baby burp clothes.

As a young missionary at 21 years of age I remember sitting in a church meeting where they asked some of the women in the church to volunteer their talents and crochet some items to be used in the Palmyra Temple which was just about finished and would soon be dedicated. I remember thinking back to the few times that I had attempted to learn this art under the tutelage of both of my grandmothers. Our lessons often ended with me in tears and I was never  able to master it. At that moment I really wished that I had stuck with it and learned this skill, because I wanted to offer my service at that time and have the opportunity to crochet an item that would be used in this beautiful, sacred building. I have continued to have the desire to learn this skill as I have watched my Mother and Mother-in-law over the years crochet beautiful blankets, dresses, shoes, etc. for my children. I knew that my extended visit to Utah this summer would be a great time to learn. So this week my Mom sat down and taught me and my little 6 year old to crochet. This time I was able to pick it up right away, with very few tears. I am sure all my experience with sewing helped me to better understand the concept. I am so happy and excited that I can finally crochet, because it is something I have always wanted to learn, and I also wanted to be able to pass this skill and knowledge onto my own children and grandchildren.

My little 6 year old learning to crochet from her Grandma.

I believe that a very important part of becoming Self Reliant and living Providently is learning new skills and always striving to learn new things. Now I am not suggesting that everyone needs to learn to crochet, but I think it is always good for us to stretch ourselves, to increase our knowledge, and expand our talents. I know that our Heavenly Father expects this of us and rejoices with us when we do learn new skills that can help us better provide for our family and increases our capacity to serve others.

Updating Our 72 Hour Kits

 I am embarrassed to admit that we have been in Texas for 2 years now and this is the first I have updated our 72 hour kits.  It was definitely time to take care of them.

The first thing that always needs updating is the food. For breakfast I use instant oatmeal and hot chocolate mix.  Our dinners consist of instant mashed potatoes and a can of meat (tuna, turkey, ham, etc.) For lunch I usually just include some protein bars. This time I got a box of peanut granola bars. Plus I have some additional snacks like beef jerky, pretzels, crackers for the kids, etc.

Whatever you decide to include, you should have enough food to last 72 hours for each member of your family.  When I updated this time I also included some other snacks with the intention of keeping the kit in my closet where we go to wait out a tornado. Three small children being confined to a closet for an extended period without snacks would be scarier than the tornado. You also need to remember to pack some water as well, as much as possible.

The next thing that is important to update is clothing, especially if you have growing children. I include a change of clothing for each child. I usually just put in something that is a size bigger than what they are wearing now so that way I can just rotate them out as they grow and I don't have a pair of clothes that don't get worn. It is also a good idea to have a pair of shoes for everyone and you can do the same thing, throw in the next size up and just keep rotating them when you need to buy new shoes. You also want to pack toiletries and first aid items, as well as medications. I have sunscreen, bug spray, soap, shampoo, lotion, toothpaste, brushes, etc. Even if you don't have a baby, diapers and wet wipes are great items to have. Diapers are great first aid items (feminine napkins are also good) and wipes are great for sanitation. We also have flashlights and lightsticks. Other important items: matches, can opener, utensils, something to heat water in, copies of important documents, some money (I have a couple rolls of quarters in mine). A battery powered radio would also be very nice and I threw in some games for the kids. There are many things you could include and each time we update ours we add a few things that might come in handy.

I also updated my container this time because we have added a child to our family and there is no way I can carry four back packs.  So I put all of the kids stuff in a plastic tote, that I could easily carry if I needed to or my plan if I need to leave my house and can't take my vehicle is to load our stuff in the wheel barrow (just like the handcart pioneers). 

Jacob and I still have our stuff in backpacks. They are nothing fancy, just some that we had from before we got married.

I feel so much better now that this job is accomplished. It was way overdue and hopefully I can keep up on it better from here on out.

Another Amazing Use for White Vinegar

A gallon of White Vinegar costs $2.38.

 

 

 

 White vinegar is a natural deodorizer, absorbing odors instead of covering them up.

Get cleaner laundry! Add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar to the last rinse. The acid in white distilled vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, yet strong enough to dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents. Besides removing soap, white distilled vinegar prevents yellowing, acts as a fabric softener and static cling reducer, and attacks mold and mildew.

This works so well! When I started using the Homemade Laundry Detergent , Jacob and I noticed that a few things, namely his undershirts, still had the smell of sweat to them, especially around the collar area.  I am sure that in the past with other detergents we didn't notice this because of the perfumes found in the detergent were simply masking this odor rather than removing it.  We have been really happy with the cleaning abilities of the Homemade Laundry Detergent, but this smell was something we had to find a solution for. So I began using White Vinegar as a fabric softener and it has been working amazingly, absorbing the odor out of his undershirts, plus I really have noticed that it works well on some of the stains I haven't been able to get out.  I usually add about 1/2 cup for the load with the undershirts and 1/4 cup for other loads. I simply put it right into the fabric softener dispenser. Give it a try! I have been so happy with the results and it is LOADS cheaper than the commercial fabric softeners.

Click here for some cost comparisons for the Homemade Laundry Detergent and other Homemade Cleaners.

Putting my house plant on steroids . . .

Steaming Carrots

 It is not uncommon for us to steam our veggies. One night as I was dumping the leftover water out from the veggies we had steamed for dinner, Jacob said, "You should water the house plants with that, it is probably loaded with vitamins." I had actually never thought of that, but it sounded like a good idea to me. So from that point I began dumping our veggie water into my Dieffenbachia.

My Dieffenbachia after a few months of Vitamin Water

Since I began dumping this Vitamin Water into my plant about 4 months ago the main cane has probably grown at least a foot and a half.  In addition, the plant has added 4 new leaves. It has been amazing to watch it grow so fast and it seems so much healthier than it was before.  Maybe this is just a coincidence, but it doesn't seem likely. Give this water conservation tip a try and see if it doesn't give your house plants a boost.

Home Storage: Clothing and Bedding

Part of being self reliant is being prepared for Emergency situations whether these be personal or widespread emergencies.  As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints we have been counseled to consider making the storage of clothing and bedding or fabric to make these items part of our long term storage items.  The following excerpt is taken from a Relief Society Lesson Manual from the 1970's. This counsel still holds true today. 

"Storing clothing is essential for families with active, growing children, because their present clothes will not fit them later. All family members’ clothes may also wear out. Extra clothing should be stored where climate changes greatly from one season to another. Some families, especially those with growing children, may be wise to save the clothes that one child outgrows for the next child to wear. Outgrown clothing for both children and adults can be remade into clothing for younger family members. Storing extra fabric to make new clothing can also be useful. Needles, thread, and other sewing items should be part of every home storage so that torn clothing can be mended. 

We have been counseled to store food, clothing, fuel, and other necessary items, such as those needed for first aid and sewing, to take care of our families’ needs for a year. Even though we may feel it is impossible to obtain the needed items at once, we can begin a home storage program with a small goal, according to our families’ circumstances, of purchasing a few extra items each time we shop. When our families are prepared with a home storage program, we can expect to receive great temporal and spiritual blessings. The Lord has counseled, “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30)."

I definitely try to follow this counsel as I store both clothing and fabric. I never get rid of children's clothing until they are worn, and sometimes after they are worn I will even re-purpose them or re-size then for a smaller child.  For example, I have made skirts out of worn out jeans or cut jeans into blocks for quilts. Even small scraps of fabric are saved to make quilts and adult clothing can be made to fit a child. I have an attic full of children's clothing and shoes just waiting to pass on to the next child and I can often be found at my sewing machine making dresses, p.j.'s, shorts, etc. Doing this not only helps us to have these things stored for future use but also helps us to save money and keep our children clothed on a limited budget.

Yard sales are actually great places to buy used clothing, especially children's clothing. They can also be a good place to find fabric. I picked up this fabric at a yard sale last week. It was a great deal that I couldn't pass up. I got 25 yards plus of fabric for $10.  I was thrilled with my purchase.  Not only did I get 25 yards but there isn't one piece that is less than a yard.  In fact, one piece is over 6 yards and very heavy duty. It will work great for the back of a nice, heavy quilt. There is also several pieces that are 3 and 4 yards that will make cute dresses for my girls and a darling Pooh Bear piece that is over 4 yards that will make a great baby blanket.  Of course, you can also pick up inexpensive fabric from the fabric and craft store at times if you shop the sales, utilize the half off coupons, and be sure to check the clearance tables. 

I plan to post some tutorials on re-purposing clothing in the future so be sure and check back for those.

Making "Cents" of Cleaning

I have been making and using some homemade cleaners and detergents for quite some time now and I have been watching the savings add up. I am very pleased with them; their cleaning abilities, the ease of making them, and their cost.

Check Out How Much You Can Save:

Laundry Detergent 

Homemade Laundry Detergent  -  $0.03 per load

Generic  Detergent - $0.07 per load

Tide - $0.15 per load

Dishwasher Detergent

Homemade Detergent - $0.05 per load

Generic Detergent - $0.08 per load

Finish Tabs - $0.15 per load

Rinse Agent

Replace your commercial rinse agent with white vinegar. 

It is that simple and watch the savings add up.

16 oz. White Vinegar  -  $0.30

16 oz.   Generic Rinse Agent - $4.97

 I will never buy a commercial rinse agent again.

All- Purpose Cleaner

Homemade Cleaner (16 oz.)  - $0.15

Clorox Cleanup (16 oz.) - $1.04

Lysol Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner (16 oz.) - $1.43

Fabuloso Multipurpose (16oz.) - $0.82

Pinesol (16 oz.) - $0.99

It makes "Cents" to make your own cleaners and detergents. Give them a try.

Smart Couponing

My coupon binder.

You've heard of and seen those "Extreme Couponers" on TV.  It amazes me how much stuff they can get for free and how much time they devote to their extreme shopping trips. I understand the thrill they get from getting such a great deal. It really is an adrenaline rush to be able to get so much for so little.  As much as I would love to be able to replicate what those extreme couponers do, I simply don't have the time required to get those kind of results. I do, however, love coupons and I do use my own method of couponing that I like to call "Smart Couponing".
Here are a few simple tips you can use to become a Smart Coupon Shopper:

1. Clip and Save any coupons that you might come across. I find coupons at the grocery store and on the internet. I also receive them in the mail from different manufacturers by signing in to their websites. I only use free coupons and I don't spend hours scouring the internet for them.
2. Keep your coupons organized and easily accessible. I have a binder that has sheet protectors used to hold business cards in it. This way I can keep my coupons organized and visible. Clean out your binder regularly to remove expired coupons.
3. Always bring your coupon binder along when going to the store, even if you don't plan to use a coupon. You never know when you might find a great deal or something on clearance that you also have a coupon for. This is how you get free or nearly free items.
4. Don't buy something just because you have a coupon for it. I usually only use coupons for things that I normally buy and use, unless I can get something for free or for pennies by using the coupon.
5 . Use coupons to your benefit by combining them with other offers, sales, and promotions. Make sure to check the weekly ad for the grocery stores you frequent and see if there are any items on sale that you might have coupons for.

Here is an example of one of the ways I have been using Tip #5 to really maximize the value of my coupons.

 I have a 1 year old baby girl, so diapers are on my list of things that I have to buy at the grocery store.  Pampers diapers usually offers coupons for their diapers that can be obtained in various ways.  These coupons usually range from $1.00 to $2.00 off. The 4 coupons at the left are for $1.50 and $2.00 off any Pampers diapers Jumbo Pack or Larger. Most often you can maximize the value of a coupon by buying the smallest sized package allowed. In this case I bought the Jumbo pack. Always check the price per ounce or the price per diaper in this case to make sure you are getting the best deal possible.  For example:  A jumbo pack of diapers contains 36 diapers for the price of $9.47, which makes the cost of each diaper $0.263.  The 96 count package of diapers, is $24.97, which makes the cost of each diaper $0.26. There is really not that much difference between the two, but if you use the $2.00 coupon on the smallest package the price per diaper becomes, $0.207.  Using the coupon for the larger package makes the price $0.239. I know you are only saving three cents per diaper but once you've bought a thousand diapers this way, you have saved $30. And if you are going to the trouble of  using a coupon you might as well maximize your savings.

 Now here is where tip #5 comes in to play. In addition to getting my diapers for $0.207 each, I also use this system to get some free items from the manufacturer, Proctor and Gamble.  My local grocery store always has a display of offers from P&G at the customer service desk. These offers usually involve you purchasing $30 worth of P&G products in a single transaction and then mailing in your receipt to receive free gifts. I usually use 4 coupons to buy 4 jumbo packages of diapers, which in this case put me at spending $30.88 on P&G products. Just enough to get my freebie, yeah! So far from P&G I have gotten a really nice Bakeware set, a Duracell USB Charger, a $10 Visa gift card, and my latest freebie will be a pair of BOBS (from Skechers) shoes. What a deal!  Now if all of this wasn't enough there is one more benefit from buying Pampers diapers. They have their own rewards program called, gifts to grow rewards. You simply collect the points and enter them online to redeem for more free gifts. I am saving my points for a free photo book from Shutterfly, which is one of the products that I already use and love.
I have also signed up to receive coupons from Proctor and Gamble in the mail, because they make tons of products that we use on a regular basis (in addition to Pampers diapers). I often try to buy these products in one shopping trip with coupons, so I can cash in on the free products they offer and save money on something I would be buying anyway. 

So as you can see, I may not be an Extreme Couponer, but I definitely try to be a Smart Couponer, and I always try to get the most bang for my buck! Follow my tips and you can be a Smart Couponer too! Also if you have any couponing tips please pass them along to me, I would love to hear about the ways you save money at the grocery store.

All Purpose Cleaner

For a Great All-Purpose Cleaner

Combine equal parts White Vinegar and Water.

White Vinegar kills most mold, bacteria and germs due to its level of acidity.

It is also non-toxic and environmentally friendly. It works great on glass, leaving no streaks. The only thing you can’t use it on is marble and most of us won’t have that problem.

Now some of you are thinking, "Do I really want my house smelling like a bunch of pickles?" Don't worry the vinegar scent quickly fades. In fact, white vinegar is a very good deodorizer. It neutralizes those odors that you really don't want lurking around your home.

Still not wanting the vinegar smell? Try this:

Heat 1 Cup of White Vinegar in the microwave. 

Steep 1 lemon scented teabag in the hot vinegar, leave it overnight. For 32 oz. of cleaner, add 1 more cup vinegar and 2 cups water to the vinegar tea. I tried this with a peppermint teabag because that is all I had. I couldn't smell the peppermint very strongly, but the vinegar smell was not nearly as strong as before. In fact, you can hardly smell it at all. You could also scent this cleaner with your favorite essential oils or try infusing the vinegar with pine needles, lavender, etc. I keep a spray bottle of this all-purpose cleaner below my kitchen sink. It also makes a great fruit wash. Whenever I wash apples I just give them a spritz of this. The vinegar helps to remove any unwanted chemicals.

To find out more great uses for white vinegar go to www.vinegartips.com .

Pantry Reveal

Several weeks ago my mother in law sent me an e-mail letting me know about a blog she had discovered that shows how to make a rotating can rack from a cardboard box. You can check it out here. I was totally inspired, Thanks Mom! I have always wanted some rotating can racks but can't afford them. I was so excited to see that I could make them myself and I will admit I was a bit skeptical too. But I wanted to give it a shot and I knew it would do wonders for my chaotic mess of a pantry if it was successful. I doubted the strength of the cardboard and I knew that my success would depend somewhat on the type of glue that I chose. Being the cheap skate that I am I didn't want to buy any glue, just use what I had, so my choices were, Elmer's, Tacky glue, or hot glue. I opted for the hot glue, because it is quick drying and I didn't want to stand there all day waiting for the glue to dry. It was a good choice, super strong, fast drying and bonds the cardboard fabulously. I made a million of these, at least it felt like it, and it took me several days. I am very pleased with the results and my much more organized pantry.

Not only is my pantry more organized, but I was able to fit a whole bunch more into it. I had a bunch of food stored in my laundry room and under the bed. I was able to clear out a bunch of space so I have room under my bed now for more food storage.




I also made several larger cupboard like boxes that have different cubbies in them, so I could utilize my upward space better. These worked great, especially for my top shelf.  I was able to put a lot of extra stuff up there and items that I only use occasionally.

I made a bin with cubbies for my bottom shelf to fit No. 10 cans. Most of mine had been cluttering the floor of my pantry for some time. Now all of them are tucked nicely away and I can actually step into the pantry. Plus I don't have to dig around to find the one I want.

I just love organization and I also love things that are free! This project brought my love for both together.

The last thing I did was have Jacob make me a shelf to place in
one section so I could organize my odds and ends. This is were I put everything that I usually only have one or two cans of. It works great and I really love it.

 

The finished product. I am so happy with how it turned out.

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent & Rinse Agent

You can make a Homemade Dishwasher Detergent using some of the same ingredients you purchased to make your Laundry Detergent. In addition to Washing Soda and Borax you will also need Kosher Salt and Citric Acid.

 

Here is the Recipe that I use:
1 Cup Borax
1 Cup Washing Soda
1/2 Cup Kosher salt
1/2 Cup Citric Acid

There are several options you can use for the citric acid. It can be purchased in bulk online or you may try and find it in or around the pharmacy area of your grocery store. You could also ask your pharmacy to order it for you. Unless you are buying a lot though it can be kind of pricey.  There are  also a couple of other options you can use for the citric acid that are very easy to find in your local grocery store.

1 - 15 packets of unsweetened Lemon Kool-Aid
2 - Lemi Shine
3 - Fruit-Fresh

Before I made the investment to buy a large bottle of citric acid I thought I would try out this recipe using some of these other items that I could buy in smaller quantities. The first batch of detergent I made I used 15 packets of unsweetened kool aid and it seemed to work okay, but I had a lot of caking occur so I ended up having to break it up with a butter knife. If I used this method again I might try to pack it into ice cube trays, allow it to cake together and then remove them so they are in individual squares.  My 2nd batch of detergent I decided to try Lemi-shine.  I used this product a lot when I lived in Utah to help remove the hard water spots from the glassware. It really works well and I had a bit left over so I decided to give it a try.  So far I like the results I have gotten with the Lemi-shine much better. I have had very little caking and I also think the dishes are cleaner, I especially notice with the silverware. They were clean with the kool aid batch but a little filmy and I have noticed with the lemi-shine batch they are much shinier. I like the results of my efforts so I think the next step for me is to invest in a large bottle of citric acid or continue with the lemi-shine, whichever is the cheaper route.

As I was researching this and trying to find a recipe that I wanted to try I read a lot of stuff saying that homemade detergents aren't recommended for dishwashers because commercial detergents have chemicals added to keep your plumbing clear.  This could be remedied however, by using a regular detergent every month or so to clean out build up and you can also make sure to use a good dishwasher cleaner every month or so as well. So far I have had good results from my homemade detergent. It seems to work well and it saves a ton of money!!!!

Rinse Agent

Rinse agents for the dishwasher are very expensive! I have learned that you can simply use white vinegar in place of your rinse agent. It works well and is so much cheaper.  White vinegar also works great as a dishwasher cleaner. Just fill a glass measuring cup up with 1 Cup white vinegar place it upright in the bottom rack of your dishwasher and let your dishwasher run it's regular cycle. This really helps remove the hard water from your dishwasher.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

One of the big expenses we always have at the store is cleaners and detergents.  So we went on a quest to find out how to make our own. We have been using homemade laundry detergent for awhile now. It is easy to make, works well, and saves a ton of money! Here is the recipe we use:

Shopping List
1 - "Arm & Hammer" Super Washing Soda 55 Oz.
1 - 76 oz. Box Borax
1- 10 pk of 4.5 oz. Ivory Bar Soap or Zote

Recipe
1 Bar Grated Soap
1 Cup Borax
1 Cup Washing Soda

I use a large cottage cheese container to mix and store my detergent in. I start by adding the borax and washing soda and then I grate the soap in.  I like to grate the soap small so it gets more evenly distributed throughout the detergent.  There is plenty of room left in my container so I can just snap the lid on and shake it up, but you can also combine all of your ingredients in a large bowl and mix it up with a spoon if you like.

The best part about it is you only need to use 1 TB. per washload so it lasts a long time.  This detergent also produces very few suds so you can use it in your HE washer. I have an HE washer and I use it all the time with no problem.