I have received several questions about the homemade laundry detergent and household cleaners, so I thought I would post some answers to those questions.
Q: Where did you find your ingredients?
A: I found everything (Zote soap bar, baking soda, distilled vinegar, Borax, Hydrogen Peroxide, Ammonia) at Wal-Mart with the exception of Arm & Hammer's Super Washing Soda. I had to go to Harris Teeter to purchase the Washing Soda. Zote is on the laundry aisle (next to the stain treatment) in our store, and Washing Soda is in a large yellow box (almost looks like baking soda) on the laundry aisle in grocery stores as well. My 5 Gallon bucket and lid came from Lowe's. You can get them at Wal-Mart, but ours was out of lids. As I stated in my original post, I re-used spray bottles and laundry detergent jugs, and I even store extra cleaner in milk jugs, etc.
Q: Did you use your 5 Gallons of laundry detergent yet?
A: NO!!!! This is 5 gallons of concentrate. When you scoop it out into the laundry detergent dispenser and add water to fill, you wind up with a normal amount of liquid laundry detergent in the bottle ( in my case 2 qt or 1/2 gallon) this results in 10 gallons of liquid laundry detergent. It will be months before I go through it (and it only totaled about $2.00 to make).
Q: Does it work?
A: Yes, this is how they used to do it. I have found our clothes feel cleaner. I also am enjoying my household cleaners. When you purchase the manufactured cleaners, not only are you paying for packaging and scents, but basically the same thing-- with a few added harmful chemicals.
Q: What do you use for liquid fabric softener?
A: There are a few options, I have been doing the easiest thing, which is adding 1/2 C of distilled vinegar to my rinse cycle (you can use your fabric softener dispenser or downey ball). This has made the clothes nice and soft, and it cleans your washer and cleans out the lines/hoses.
Q: Do you really save money?
A: Yes! Like all ventures, there is some upfront cost. I think I spent about $5.oo on my 5 Gallon bucket and lid, and of course purchased the Zote bar, washing soda, vinegar, Borax, Ammonia, etc. (each item between $0.99 - $3.00), but use a very small amount of each ingredient, so you have them for future batches, stain treatment, and household cleaners. From what I have figured and read, it cost me about $2.00 to make my 5 gallons of laundry detergent concentrate. I would spend $4.oo- $6.oo a month on liquid laundry detergent (and that was generic), $2.00-$4.00 on stain remover, $4.00-$6.00 on color safe bleach-- we are already up to over $10.00 just on laundering alone-- that doesn't account for household cleaners. So, even though I had to purchase some items up front, I will definitely be saving money-- lots of money!!!
Q: Where can I read more?
A: GOOGLE IT!!!! I am a googleholic! Here are a just a few of the sites I have referenced:
- Duggars laundry soap recipe I use this recipe.
- Homemade Household cleaners: The Family Homestead
- Natural Cleaning Products You Have In Your Pantry
- Homemade stain removers
- Homemade Household cleaners; Green Guide
- Homemade Floor Cleaner; Creative Homemaking
5 comments:
Are you the same person who used to be a teenager in my house? Just kidding...you were always great at helping in the kitchen and around the house and now you've become a Proverbs 31/pioneer spirit/greenish homemaking guru! Now...consolidate all your info, gather other unique tips from family and friends and publish a "frugal homemaker" book:) Hey...with the economy the way it is right now, books like that should sell well! Love~Mom
Thanks Lori. All this information is very helpful!!!
Have you thought about going into the same line of work as me? I shake my head in wonder....I'm forever trying to simplify my life and thinking, "Oh, if I were in America I could just go buy that instead of having to do it from scratch..." This is interesting--I've never heard of making your own laundry soap. In Kaz, they used to use just a bar of soap and scrub, scrub, scrub by hand. I'm so grateful those days are over! Hope you all are doing well!
I noticed the Duggars website included in your list. Can we start praying for 17 cousins?! I really think you could do it, Lori (and I mean the childrearing not just the childbearing!).
If it costs you about $2.00 to make it, can I pay you $3.00 to make me some? I could get a deal and you could make money...we're all happy!!! Ha Ha! Maybe we should talk privately. Just don't tell Brian, since he sells cleaning supplies for a living!
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