This post was published to My Life on the Wheel at 12:34:20 PM 1/26/2012
Some of the things I make
Liquid Laundry Detergent:
You will need:
1 bar Ivory, Castille, or Fels-Naptha soap
1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
1/2 - 1 cup Borax
Water
5 gallon bucket
1-10 gallon size container(s) with lids
Everything can be purchased at Walmart which also happens to have the lowest cost I have found on each of the ingredients. Walmart sell the Fels-Naptha soap for less than $1, and it is easily over $1 ON SALE elsewhere.
Directions:
1. Grate the bar of soap. This can be done by hand (ugh) or with a food processor (yipee).
2. Melt the grated soap on the stove over medit um heat until all pieces are dissolved.
3. Fill the 5 gallon bucket half full with water. This can be done while the soap is dissolving.
4. Add 1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda and 1/2 - 1 cup Borax to the bucket of water. Stir until dissolved. **I use1 cup because I found I had to pretreat more than I like with only 1/2 cup, but I really don't like to pretreat. Also, if you like to see suds, use 1 cup. However, remember it is the soap, not the suds that clean, so it is not necessary. Please adjust to your own likes and needs.
5. Add the dissolved soap to the bucket. Stir.
6. Fill the remainder of the bucket with water.
7. Let sit over night. It will gel. This is the concentrate.
8. The next day (or whatever day you get back to it)... OPTIONAL: add 15-30 drops of essential to smell. Stir well. I use a long paint stirring stick.
9. In your gallon size container, mix 1/2 water and 1/2 liquid detergent concentrate. I go ahead and separate out all of my detergent, but you can do this on an as-needed basis.
Use 1/4-1/2 cup for HE washers, and 1/2-1 cup for top load washers.
The last time I did the math on this, it was about $0.20 cents a gallon. At that time I was spending more on ingredients, but using less Borax. Still when is the last time you spent $1 on 10 GALLONS of detergent?!!! AND it only takes about 20 minutes to make the concentrate INCLUDING cleaning the mess.
Scented Fabric Softener
You will need:
1 gallon container
6 cups water
1 220z bottle Suag\ve Conditioner-any smell you want your clothes to smell like
1 1/2 cups White Vinegar
Directions:
1. In your gallon container (I use CLEAN milk containers) combine water, conditioner, and vinegar. ** If you don't put the conditioner in first, it works easier. It is EASY to get all the conditioner out of the bottle. It really doesn't stick.
2. Shake well.
Use 1/4 - 1/2 cup in your rinse cycle: can be put in the washing machine's dispenser.
**You can also just put a cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle. It will soften your clothes and remove smells, but not add a smell.
“Febreeze”
You will need:
Scented Home made fabric softener
Water
Spray bottle
1. In spray bottle, mix 1 part home made fabric softener to 3 parts water.
2. Shake
3. Spray
I have never had this stain anything I spray it on. J
No-Rinse All Purpose Cleaner
You will need:
½ cup White Vinegar
¼ cup Baking Soda
½ gallon water
Mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda (or 2 teaspoons borax) into 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water. Store and keep.
I keep a spray bottle close by and use weekly to clean the kitchen sink and counters. I also use to clean the bathroom counters, shower, and tub.
For extra tough jobs, mix equal parts baking soda and vinegar, about a cup each. It will “suds” up and do some of the work for you.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Baking Soda
1. Sprinkle in toilet
2. Scrub
I just keep a box of baking soda in each bathroom to tidy up as needed.
For extra tough jobs, mix equal parts baking soda and vinegar, about a cup each. It will “suds” up and do some of the work for you.
Window/Glass/Chrome Cleaner:
White Vinegar. Use on a no lint cloth. NOTHING shines like it.
You can also use straight vinegar to disinfect. Research it.
Body Wash
You will need:
½ cup shampoo
1 cup water
¼ cup Epsom salt
Mix all ingredients together, shake.
It is thinner than store bought. I am planning on trying to add a bit of corn starch to thicken it up.
I still use this as shampoo when I run out.
Don’t forget that you can use Epsom Salt as a body scrub or dissolve in the bath.
Leave-in Detangling Spray
You will need:
Conditioner
Water
Spray bottle
Mix ¼ conditioner to ¾ water in spray bottle. Shake.
I just use whatever condition I am using and make this for my sweet Kalli Anne. She never even noticed a difference, except Mommy makes it, which she loves.
Bath-time Body Paints
You will need:
1/3 cup Baby shampoo
1 Tbsp Corn Starch
Food Coloring
Containers
1. Mix 1/3 cup baby shampoo with 1 tbsp corn starch in a mixing bowl. The mixture will be white. **You can use non-baby shampoo, but it will sting if it gets in the kids eyes.
2. Add food coloring to reach desired color
3. Put in containers
4. PLAY ;)
Kalli LOVES these especially since she gets to help make them and gets them more frequently than the store bought kind. It does cost more than I can give to use every day, but it costs about $0.50 to the stores $3-5. Now, I always buy generic, so if you buy name brand it will cost more.
Baby Wipes
I have to say that this is a HUGE money saver for me, and I have been known to give them as presents. They have NEVER been snubbed.
It is a bit difficult to explain, and I will add pictures later to help, so bear with me. It is WELL worth it at a third of the cost (or less) than store bought, name brand or generic.
You will need:
1 roll Viva or Bounty Select paper towels. **I have never used Bounty, but cloth-like is what is important
1-1 ½ cup water
1 tbsp baby/mineral/vegetable based oil
2 tbsp baby shampoo
Lavender essential oil
Tea tree oil**optional
Container to put wipes in (an empty store bought container will work for the small case directions, or I have purchased Sterilite locking containers for mine)
For baby wipes to fit in a case small enough to fit in a diaper bag:
1. Unroll the entire roll of paper towels
2. Refold the paper towels in one long roll foling each paper towel in half parallel to the perforations. See picture.
3. Cut the folded towels in half making to square shaped stacks.
For baby wipes that can stay at home
**I do not make the wipes this way due because I never could find a good way to take them with us. If you find a way to do that, PLEASE let me know as this way takes less time.
1. Lay the paper towel roll on it side
2. Cut in half
3. Pull cardboard center out
Mixture:
1. In pourable measuring cup, mix 1-1 ½ cup water (depending on how wet you like your wipes), 1 tbsp oil (put this in first to keep the shampoo from sticking to the measuring spoon), 2 tbsp baby shampoo, 3 drops lavender oil, tea tree oil if desired).
2. Stir
Wipes:
1. Put the wipes in the container of your choice
2. in sections (to allow the water to get to all the paper towels in a consistent way), pour the mixture over the towels. I pull mine up in about 5 sections.
3. Let sit for at least 4 hours to allow the towels to soak up the mixture.
PLEASE GIVE FEED BACK ON THESE DIRECTIONS. I HAVE NEVER FOUND AN EASY WAY TO EXPLAIN IT. I CAN SHOW IT A LOT EASIER. If you have any questions, feel free to email me, brandio1@live.com, or comment here.
Basic Frugal Living Underlying Thought:
I try to use everything I buy in as many ways as possible. I try not to buy things I don’t need.
I buy blocked cheese and shred it, slice it, or cube it myself. I take in fewer preservatives, spend less money, enjoy the taste better, and my family feels more taken care of by me, all for about 20 seconds of my time.
I buy baking soda and vinegar because I clean and cook with it.
I buy Suave Shampoo because I can use it as a shampoo, make body wash out of it and I could also use it to make bath paints out of in a pinch. Suave conditioner makes fabric softener, febreeze, and detangling spray.
I make cookies, waffles and pancakes in batches to freeze. I spend less money on the product, more time with my family in the kitchen (away from the tv), and they taste better than anything bought in the store.
I really try to be as good a steward with my money as I can be and pray God shows me more and better ways to stretch every dollar He gives me. It is a balancing act, though, with the time it will cost you. I am a working mom, so my time with my family is precious. That said, I spend more time with my family by making things because they are where I am, and they want to help . Also, handmade things always seem to add a special touch of thankfulness to the receiver.
