Laundry!

If you're a crafter, you may walk through the aisles of decorations and think, "I could make that." I have a few family members that are great at woodworking so when they see a table at Pottery Barn, they think the same thing: I could make that.

Part of homesteading is defined by self-sufficiency.  We are attempting to rely less and less on pre-made, factory processed items and figure out how to make things ourselves.  Truly, all progress is not in a forward direction in my opinion.  In the name of "progress" we have introduced more chemicals into our homes.

Last year we started making our own laundry soap.  I am thrilled with the results.  Here is a recipe that has worked great for us!

1 4 lb 12 oz box Borax (2.15 kg or 76 oz) found in the detergent isle

1 4 lb box Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (1.81 kg) found in the cooking isle

1  box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 55 oz (3 lb 7 oz) found in the detergent isle

3 bars of Fels-Naptha soap, found in the detergent isle (if you use Zote bars use 2 bars instead, Zote can be found at Home Depot)

2 small containers of Oxy Clean or store brand Oxy Clean (try to get about 3.5 lbs total (1.58 kg)) found in the detergent aisle.

(this is optional. I did not add it but if you notice your clothes getting a little dingy, you can add it).
You should be able to find all of these items at your grocery store or walmart.

Grate the bars of soap and mix all ingredients together in a large bucket.  This makes approximately 2 gallons of detergent.  

**Use 1-2 Tablespoons per load. I know that does not seem like enough but this recipe does not have fillers like the store bought detergent so you only need 1-2 Tablespoons.**

This detergent is fairly mild smelling, it is not over powering. If you love a strong scent you may have to add a fabric softener or laundry crystals to each load. You can find laundry crystals in the detergent aisle.

We got our recipe from this site: http://beingcreativetokeepmysanity.blogspot.com/2010/11/homemade-laundry-soap.html?m=1

As for fabric softener, we have discovered that nothing works better than just plain old white vinegar! Your clothes are soft and dont smell like vinegar.

Enjoy!

photo credit: littlegreenbow.com