Save Your Veggies!

Many people throw out vegetables that, while they aren't rotten, just don't look appetizing.  Consider this:  So much food waste comes of doing that!  And it's money down the drain, along with nutrition.

Raw tomatoes:  Raw tomatoes that have wrinkled skin and which are a bit soft can either be turned into stewed tomatoes with a little water and a saucepan, or into tomato puree or sauce in a food processor.  Don't use them if they have black spots or mold, but otherwise, go for it!

Eggplant: Cook it down to puree and make baba ganoush, a dip for bread, tortilla chips or crackers.

Berries:  Make jam with them.  Even refrigerator jam.  All you need is a saucepan, some lemon juice, maybe pectin, and some sugar/sweetener and voila!  You have something to spread on your toast.  

You can freeze carrots, collards, spinach, celery and other items that will be cooked down anyway, even if they are slightly soft, as long as they don't display any slimy texture.  They can be used in soups and stews, curries or stir fries later on down the line.

Oranges and lemons/limes: can be juiced.  The juice can be frozen to extend life.  Also, you can make preserved lemon, either sugared (for a treat) or salted (as a condiment). 

Peppers:  can be placed in vinegar to extend life.  The flavored vinegar of a spicy pepper can be used to season dishes.  Just add more vinegar. 

Try some or all of these and let me know how they work out!~

Suggestions to Limit Meat & Dairy Prices

This one isn’t for the vegetarians among us.  So, if you're against eating meat and dairy, your view is duly noted but this blog post isn't a debate on whether people should or shouldn't do it.  It's about how those who choose to can save money on their expenses.

Often people ask me how they can save on everyday items like food, and I have thought about that over the years.  I do save on food, but realized after tracking expenses that I really don’t save as much on food.  I have some strategies to keep costs low in certain areas, like buying in bulk and going to the farmer’s market, but there are two areas I’ve only been moderately successful in saving and that’s meat and dairy products.

The reason for this is simple:  I like high quality products for the most part and meat and dairy are two areas where I won’t buy cheap because the quality of the product is so much more inferior.  But I do have some strategies for keeping meat and dairy costs low.

1.       Buy whole chickens, not parts, unless there’s a mega deal.  I buy Greenwise (Publix) chickens or Springer Mountain Farms.  I use coupons for Springer Mountain Farms chicken, either from the newspaper or by contacting the company directly.  Most are for $1.50.  I have written previous articles about how to get 3-4 meals out of one chicken, so for my $6 chicken (or thereabouts), I get 3-4 meals and broth.  That’s fairly economical for a humanely-raised chicken and the taste is incomparable between the two – we would never go back to cheap chicken.  We’d rather eat fewer high quality chickens.  And that brings me to tip #2 –

2.       Eat less meat, so you can eat better quality. We eat meat maybe 2-3 times a week.  The rest of the time, we eat vegetarian.  That way, we can be more selective.  We’re not dependent on it.  Some nights we eat frittatas made with eggs.  Some nights we eat pasta, and some vegetarian curries or stir fries.  But we don’t depend on having meat at every single meal.  Stepping back from meat means you don’t have to keep as much on hand.  And who wouldn’t love a three cheese lasagna?  Meatless meals don't have to be tasteless.

3.       Try different cuts of meat you’re not used to.  My husband made a beef stew recently because I found some grass fed beef ribs for a really cheap price.  It wouldn’t have been enough meat for us to eat ribs, but between the bones and the meat on those bones, we had a nice, tasty pot of stew once we threw in some spuds, carrots, onions and tomato sauce and seasoned it up.  I also like chicken thighs and they can be quite savory.

4.       Improve your everyday fare.  Either ask your grocery store meat department or butcher to grind something especially for you.  For example, I find that I prefer fresh ground meat very much.  So, I find a decent quality, reasonably priced steak and ask them to grind it for me, fresh.  It really makes a big difference and the bonus?  No pink slime! 

5.       Accept gifts.  One of the guys I work with hunts deer and he will give me venison if I want it.  The meat is fresh and very tasty and can be used very much like lean beef.  Another friend made wild boar sausage and brought us some.  That was good, too.

6.       Learn to get it yourself.  In my state, I have an advantage, but I do get to go fishing, scalloping, crabbing and there is a lot of sea life in abundance.  Raise chickens for fresh chicken and eggs, and yes this is even possible in urban areas, in many places.  That way you know the person who is originating it and where it came from and what it took to get it.  Plus, you learn a lot.

And of course, just to placate the vegetarians among us, you could give up meat and dairy altogether and then you wouldn't have any expense to them at all.  Not that you should, but you certainly could. 

Building a Wardrobe Both Eco-Friendly and Functional

The basics of building an eco-friendly wardrobe are pretty simple.  I practice these principles myself when buying clothes.  In order to build a wardrobe, try the following principles:

1.       Buy whatever items you can second hand.  This cuts down on the need to have more, cheap and industrialized ‘disposable’ clothing manufactured.  It also keeps use of resources to a minimum.

2.       Buy clothes that tend to be durable and sturdy.  Cotton is the best fabric for most daily uses and it is breathable.  Personally, I stick to ‘natural’ fibers, like cotton, silk and linen.

3.       Clothing items should preferably mix and match with other items in your wardrobe.  Try to avoid items that only go with one thing you own.

4.       Take the minimalist approach – figure out how many items you might need of a particular garment and only keep that many on hand.

5.       If you must buy new, try to buy from manufacturers that have good labor practices and who use organic materials and energy saving processes.  Many of these clothes can be quite expensive, but then paying people what they should be paid for work and taking in the true costs of what it takes to manufacture clothing is expensive.  Inexpensive, cheaply made disposable fashion is an illusion that is damaging people and our environment.

6.       Stick to tailored items.

7.       Begin with neutral colors and build from there.

8.       Take stock of your life and decide what clothes you need and why so you can design a functional wardrobe.

9.       Learn to layer clothes to maximize their use.

For an example of what I mean by a functional wardrobe, let me talk about my own wardrobe.  I work a fairly active job in my industry and mostly I need to wear jeans, khakis, button-up blouses and sturdy shoes.  When I am at home, my clothes are similar, but I can change footwear to sandals or boots, depending on weather.  I add some cardigans and light jackets, long sleeve tops in the winter and a raincoat and boots.  This gets me through most things.  I keep a couple of skirts and two dresses, in case I need something dressy to wear.  I have a couple of handbags and some scarves, a hat and gloves for Winter.  My other items are personal wear, like lingerie, a couple of pairs of pajamas, and then my workout wear (I play sports and jog now, so I do have a couple of sets of these types of clothes).  I don’t keep clothes I don’t need or won’t use, or that don’t fit.  When something needs mending, I mend it if it can be repaired.  If not, I replace it.  I try to accessorize to bring more color, with earrings or scarves.  I picked tops that had my favorite colors to keep things brighter and to give some pattern.

In the Winter, I might wear a long sleeve t-shirt beneath a long sleeve top and layer a jacket over for warmth, that way I don’t have to buy separate seasonal clothes and have less to pay to maintain and care for – I find using these rules liberating in many ways.  Besides washing and hanging clothes, and the occasional pressing or mending, my wardrobe is essentially worry-free and has minimal impact on the environment.

How Make Your Own Organic Cleaning Products

Many people want know how to make their own organic cleaning products.  The process, like that for Laundry Detergent, is quite simple.  You'll need a few simple, common ingredients to make your own household cleaning products, plus a few extras. 


Common ingredients include: Vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda, washing soda (aka sodium carbonate), Borax (sodium borate), table salt or kosher salt, olive or vegetable oil, beeswax and a liquid vegetable or castile soap.


Extras are essential oils, like tea tree, sweet orange, lavender, rose, eucalyptus and sandalwood, for scent.


To create simple homemade, organic cleaning products, some recipes have been provided below:

All Purpose Spray Cleaner: ½ tsp Washing Soda (sodium  carbonate), ½ tsp Borax (sodium borate), ½ tsp vegetable based soap, 2 T vinegar and  2 C hot water.  Shake until well-blended and all small bits have been dissolved.  You can add essential oil to give it a pleasing odor, like sweet orange, lavender or tea tree.


Second All Purpose Spray Cleaner:  In a straight spray bottle, combine three tablespoons Dawn dish detergent, 1/2 cup white vinegar and fill the rest with straight water.  Cuts grease on appliances and countertops.

Drain Cleaner: ½ c baking soda and 1 c white vinegar.  Pour the ½ c baking soda in and slowly add the vinegar a bit at time until the fizzing stops.  Rinse drain with hottest tap water from faucet.

Window Cleaner: ½ tsp vegetable based soap, 3 T vinegar, 2 cups water.  Put inside a spray bottle and shake well to blend.  Use old newspaper for a streak-free shine.

Disinfectant:  2 C water, 3 T vegetable based soap, 20-30 drops tea tree oil.

Stainless Steel Sink, Oven and Countertop Cleaner:  Make a paste of baking soda and water and apply to surface areas.  Let set for 15 mins and then scrub off.

Silver Cleaning: Line sink with aluminum foil, put your tarnished silver in the sink.  Pour boiling water over, a cup of baking soda and a dash of salt.  Let sit for a few minutes and the tarnish will transfer from silver to the aluminum foil, which can be recycled.

Creamy Soft Scrubber:  Pour ½ c baking soda into a bowl and add enough vegetable soap to make a texture similar to a glaze.  To keep it moist for future use, add 1 t olive oil to the recipe, or just make as much as you need for any particular occatsion.

Furniture Polish:  ½ c oil, like olive or vegetable, 1t lemon juice.  Mix ingredients in a glass jar.  Use a soft rag to wipe onto wood surfaces.

Dishwasher Liquid:  ½ c castile soap, ½ c water, 1 t lemon juice, 3 drops tea tree extract, ¼ c white vinegar.  Mix ingredients and store in a squeeze bottle, use 2 T per load.

So, there you have it.  Some easy, simple and very green recipes for organic cleaning products that anyone can make for pennies and using common household items that anyone can easily obtain.  Many of these homemade cleaning product recipes can be made and stored in bulk, with a minimum of planning. All of them work as good, if not better than their non-organic, store-bought counterparts.  Good luck with the organic cleaning product recipes and happy cleaning!

Living Green: How to Have a Greener Kitchen

1.    Cookware:  

      No Teflon.

Teflon pans are coated with a polymer that release toxins at high temperatures, both into food and into the air. 

      No Aluminum.

Exposure to excess aluminum can contribute to Alzheimer’s disease.  Aluminum leaches into food from the cookware when heated, so it’s best to avoid if possible.

      Stainless Steel, Iron or Enamelware.

High quality stainless steel, or copper-based stainless steel pots and pans with durability are the best for cooking and safety.  Cast iron pans are also beneficial and give added iron for people who experience anemia.  Enamelware is a good option, but make sure it is cast iron that is being coated and not aluminum.  If you choose enamelware, do not buy it second hand.  Old enamelware had high levels of cadmium and lead, but modern versions do not.

      Clay, Glass and Pyrex.

Clay bake ware is excellent for baking and cooks very evenly.  It is not dishwasher safe because it is made of natural material and the clay will absorb the soap.  The clay should be cured and carefully wiped and rinsed, and dried.  Glass is very versatile,

      Baking Sheets and Muffin Pans. . 

Iron or stainless steel.

I would suggest, for convenience, that cookware be purchased with glass lids, for convenience when cooking.  Even if you purchase cookware second hand from places like Goodwill, buy with an eye towards long term use.  If you are uncomfortable doing so, buy from discounters or ask for the item as a gift. 

2.    Utensils:

      Stainless Steel

A silicon handle is helpful.  These are durable and recyclable if damaged.

      Bamboo Wood

Sustainable and durable, for things like wooden spoons or wooden spatulas.

      Knives

Good stainless steel or carbon steel, with decent handles (not plastic).  These are essential kitchen tools, especially if you do a lot of cooking.  Try not to skimp on these.

Avoid Plastic and Aluminum

Not only are they virtually disposable, but many of them will leach chemicals into food when used on hot items (just like with plastic containers).  Use of aluminum is shown to affect incidents of Alzheimer’s disease.

Be sure to evaluate your need for certain items.  If you use garlic a lot and would benefit from a garlic press then get one.  You’ll also want a decent can opener but an electric one is not necessary.  Only get the utensils you will actually need and use, and which won’t sit in a drawer gathering dust.

3.    Dishtowels & Dishcloths:

      Re-usable

Dishcloths are reusable and inexpensive. They resist harboring bacteria and have multiple uses in the kitchen.

      Can be washed and hung to dry, bleached.

They can be sterilized in a solution of non-chlorine bleach and water, or vinegar and water.  Can be washed and hung to dry, and rarely need replacing.  They also can be used as rags when too dirty for kitchen use.

      Paper towels of recycled material.

While I don’t advocate regular use of paper towels, and openly advocate avoiding use of paper plates, cups and napkins, sometimes paper towels become necessary.  If you must use them, buy them made of mostly or all recycled material.

      Coffee filters of non-bleached paper.

A French press, or cafetiere is probably the most frugal and green way to make your cup of joe, but if you do elect to use an electric coffee maker, make sure to unplug it after use and use coffee filters that have non-bleached paper (brown).  Recycle the brown paper filters and grounds into your composter.

4.    Dishes:

      Eco-friendly dish soap

Low-phosphate, natural, gentle ingredients.  Some good brands are Greenworks or Seventh Generation, both of which are at most regular grocery stores.

      Scrubbers made of plant fiber. 

Loofahs, sisal or other natural sponge fiber-based scrubbers should be used, which can be composted when no longer effective.  Avoid metal or plastic scrubbers and those with soap inside.

      Use a dish drainer and a wash bin.

Turn off water while washing. Use cold water on dishes that aren’t heavily stained. Rinse all dishes at the end of washing, instead of continually throughout the process.

      Using a dishwasher

If you do use a dishwasher, make sure the dishwasher is complete full before running and use an eco-friendly dishwasher product.

      Low-flow faucet heads.

Faucets should have aerators or low-flow faucet heads to preserve water and minimize usage.

5.    Wraps and Containers, Transporting and Storing Food

·         Recycled Aluminum Foil

·         Compostable Garbage Bags

·         Reusable Grocery Bags

·         Reusable Lunch Bags and Water Bottles

·         Parchment Paper

·         Wash and re-use plastic zip bags

·         Glass or metal containers with lids, avoid plastic containers.  If you must use, do not microwave or put hot food in them.  They can leach chemicals from the plastic into food when heat is applied.

6.    Table Top Compost Collector

·         Stainless steel, with lid for odor control.

·         Removable inner sleeve for disposal.

7.    Appliances

·         Only what is essential for cooking; this will vary per individual

·         Energy Star certified

Keep clean & in good repair for low energy use

8.    Plumbing

·         Make sure in good repair, no leaks and flush pipes periodically.

·         Faucet-mount water purifier, or pitcher system

·         Aerators or low-flow faucet heads.

How To Make Your Own Cleaning Products

This article is on how to make your own cleaning products, using everyday household items that have minimal impact on the environment.  The additional benefit of these products is that they are dual use and rather inexpensive to buy.  It is extremely easy to make your own green cleaning products using my cleaning products recipes below.

Each of the cleaning products recipes shows the various uses for baking soda, uses for Borax, uses for castile soap, uses for lemon juice, uses for white vinegar and uses for salt.  Many of the green cleaning recipes will combine these simple ingredients to make your own home made green cleaning products which have minimal package and provide loads of convenience.  All you need to do is scour your kitchen and laundry room and grab some clean, dry spray bottles and rags and you’re ready to go!

Baking Soda

Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a common kitchen staple used for baking.  However baking soda has a variety of uses throughout the home, due to its mild abrasive properties.  It scours, deodorizes, and mildly scrubs surfaces.

To clean counter tops, sprinkle with baking soda and wipe with a damp cloth.  Rinse with clean water.  To deodorize a carpet, garbage can or counter top composter, sprinkle baking soda and let sit for 15-30 mins, then rinse with clean water.  For a carpet, leave on 30 mins then vacuum.  Add baking soda to laundry to remove perspiration and bad smells.

Mix baking soda and white vinegar in hot water to pour down a clogged drain.  It will eat away the hair and unclog the drain.  This treatment may have to be done 2 times before effective.

Borax

Borax, or sodium borate, is a common laundry additive, disinfectant and mild abrasive.  It also serves as an eco-friendly pest control measure, and will repel and kill fleas, ants, roaches and mice.

It is a common ingredient in home  made cleaning products.  It is also an effective pot scrubber.  A mixture of lemon juice and Borax will remove rust and a past eof lemon juice and Borax will remove stains from stainless steel and porcelain.

Mix ½ c of Borax with 1 gallon of hot water, add essential oil like sweet orange or grapefruit, and put in a spray bottle for a disinfectant cleaner.

Castile Soap

100% pure castile soap is a good household cleanser.  It can be scented, or plain, whichever is preferred.  It is a mild surfactant that will remove oil from clothes, counter tops and dishes.

Mix 3 T castile soap with 2 L water and add 20-30 drops of tea tree oil to make a disinfecting counter top cleaner.

It is a good soap to use on hand washing items that are hung on a line or rack to dry.  It is also a good dish soap.

Club Soda

Excellent for stain removal from carpets and upholstery.  Can be used with lemon juice on items that are not affected by fading or contact with the sun.

Hydrogen Peroxide

It is an anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-mold and anti-bacterial, so it is a good addition to any cleaning kit.

Hydrogen peroxide is a good replacement for bleach to whiten whites in laundry.  It can be used to disinfect cutting boards and counter top compost bins.

½ c of hydrogen peroxide mixed with hot water is an excellent solution for cleaning kitchen floors.

Add a ¼ to dish water to sanitize dirty dishes.

Fill a spray bottle with one part hydrogen peroxide to the remainder of water and use as a spray to sanitize fruits and vegetables before eating.

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is an all purpose astringent and will brighten whites and degrease, neutralize hard water deposits and tarnish on silver.  One of the major benefits of lemon juice is the pleasant smell.  Another of the uses for lemon juice is as an anti-bacterial.

A combination of lemon juice and salt is good for scrubbing down a cutting board.  It is also a good mixture for cleaning a coffee pot.  A paste of lemon juice and salt is an excellent brass cleaner.

To make furniture polish, mix 1 cup lemon juice with 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp water, and apply sparingly to furniture using a soft cloth.  After it sits for a little while, buff. 

Place straight lemon juice on hard water stains to soften them enough wipe away.  Let sit for 10 minutes before wiping.

Kosher or Table Salt

Salt is a good scourer and deodorizer.  It can be easily mixed with other household ingredients to make an effective cleaner.

To clean the refrigerator, sprinkle and even amount of salt and baking soda and wipe down shelves with a wet cloth.  Rinse with clear water.  This will scrub and deodorize in one easy step.

Spills in the oven and on the stove will wipe up easier if sprinkled with salt. 

Rubbing glasses or a coffee pot with salt will help remove hard water stains.  Clean with soap and dry as usual after scrubbing.  It will not scratch glass.

White Vinegar

White vinegar cuts grease, kills mildew and mold, stains and wax build up.  It is an acid, so use sparingly. 

For a good all purpose cleaner mix ½ c vinegar with ¼ cup baking soda into ½ gallon.  Store in a large container and add to spray bottle as needed.

White vinegar can be added to laundry rinse water instead of fabric softener.  

Use a mixture of white vinegar and water to clean windows.  Wipe with newspaper for a streak-free shine.  This works on any glass surface.  Don’t forget to recycle your newspapers afterwards!

The smell of white vinegar dissipates when it dries.

So there you have it – the basics of making your own natural cleaning products using these easy green cleaning recipes and ingredients.

Basic Sewing Kit, Hand Sew, Easy Hand Sewing Projects, Hemming, Buttons

Today, we’ll address hand sewing basics.  One of the most frugal and green things a person can do is to repair or alter his or her own clothes when necessary.    I also find hand it very soothing to hand sew, and it keeps my hands busy during cooler months when I am listening to music or watching a program on TV  While hand sewing has its devotees, for most people living in the modern world hand sewing is a lost art.  I can’t tell you how often I have been able to employ hand sewing basics to make or repair clothes, or make or repair items to improve my home.

The first thing I recommend is to assemble a basic sewing kit.  A basic sewing box to hold your sewing kit will also be helpful, but even a small zipper or canvas bag will dol.  Often sewing boxes or old plastic storage boxes can be found at second hand stores very inexpensively.  A variety of thread can be obtained by purchasing a small sample kit of miniature spools, often contained in a plastic storage box themselves.  In your kit, there should be the following:

1. Needles
2. Needle Threader
3. Magnifying Glass
4. Seam Ripper
5. Thread
6. Snips, or Scissors
7. Thimble
8. Tape Measure
9. Fasteners, like hooks and eyes or buttons
10. Straight pins and baby pins, and a pin cushion.
11. Tailor’s chalk

Sewing kits can also be purchased online, or in stores.  Prices may vary, and quality of the items in the kit may vary, as well.  Buttons can be had from flea markets, fabric stores and also off of garments purchased.  Buttons are also often found, and can be removed from shirts and other clothes that are being recycled or repurposed.  I recommend 100% cotton thread for cotton items, 100% polyester thread or blends for polyester items.  Silk and linen can be repaired with cotton, or silk, thread which is more expensive, so I tend to use a brushed, shiny cotton thread on those.

Some additional items maybe be needed or acquired over time.  These may include fabric, patches, patterns and iron/ironing board for pressing.  A good sewing book for beginners is:  Sew With Confidence: A Beginner’s Guild to Basic Sewing by Nancy Zieman, published 2004.  It is available online in used or new condition.

Basic sewing stitiches to practice include a running (basting) stitch, which may either be tight or loose, and the back stitch – which is the strongest, and most commonly used, hand stitch.  The other common hand stitch is called over handing, and it is used to make a flat hem or seem that is virtually invisible at first glance.  It is important to practice even, straight stitching on a piece of scrap fabric until you get the hang of doing it, and then work on a small project.

The most common clothing repair is to replace a button that has come off.  It is also one of the simplest repairs, able to be completed by even novice hand sewers.  Thread your needle with a long length of thread that matches the fabric of the item to be repaired.  The length should be long enough to be doubled.  Knot the end.  With tailor’s chalk, mark the correct spot where the button should go.  Holding the button to the fabric with your non-sewing hand, put the thread through the fabric and once through put the need button holes back through the fabric in an opposing hole.  Repeat 6-8 times, running the thread through all available holes.  Tie off the thread and snip it, leaving a tiny tail to ensure no damage to your sewing work.
To make a hand sewn button hole, snip a small cut in the location you would like your button hole.  Ensure you have aligned this location with the location of the button to avoid gaping in the fabric closure.  Snip a small slit in the fabric.  Thread your needed with a long length of thread that matches the color of the item you are working with.  Double the thread and knot off the end.  Using a whip stitch, carefully sew around the edges of the slit, to keep the fabric from unraveling.  The stitches should be very close together, and even in length to appear neat and tidy.

The second most common repair is a ripped seam.  It is so easy to hand sew a ripped seam in few simple steps.  Turn the garment inside out.  Locate the ripped seam.  Using straight pins, pin the hole closed.  Thread your needle with a long length of thread that can be doubled and knot off.  Start just beyond the edge of the ripped seam and using a back stitch, sew in a direction moving towards the opposite end of the ripped seam.  Sew just beyond the other end, knot off your thread and snip it, leaving a small tail behind.  Be sure to use a thread that very closely matches the color of the fabric, or your repair will be obvious to the casual viewer.  If desired, press the seam down. 

Lastly, hemming pants or altering pant legs to a custom length is also something many people need or want to do.  This technique will also turn pants into shorts, if for some reason the knees of the pants cannot be patched.  This is also the only repair where you will probably need to use a measuring tape and get some assistance.  Put the pants on turned inside out.  Have someone help you fold the fabric up to the desired length, forming large cuffs.  With a bit of chalk, make a small mark on the leg  in a couple of places to show where the hem should be. (If making shorts, where you would like them to be on the thigh).  Using a  tape measure, draw an even line all the way around.  Extra fabric is fine as long as it isn’t too much.  It’s always easier to cut something down then expand it, so if you find you need to let the pants leg down later on, it will be nice to have the extra fabric.  Pin the pants and use a over hand stitch to secure it.  Press the pants leg for a nice final effect.

I have used hand sewing to make clothes, make cushions for a house, to repair clothes and alter them, too.  It is much more economical and green to fix something you all ready own than to toss it or buy a replacement.  Hand sewing basics c are easy to master with practice.  Once you have hand sewing down, look into purchasing a basic, economical sewing machine.  Your first sewing machine will probably only do basic stitching like zig zag, straight stitch, button holing and backstitching.  Many of them can be purchased second hand online or in shops.  It will enable you to make basic clothing items quickly, and to fix large household items like sheets, curtains, or to make toss cushions and slipcovers for furniture. 

How To Make Homemade Laundry Soap and Homemade Fabric Softener

One of the things that I enjoy is to know how things are made so that if I am in a pinch, I can make them up if I have the ingredients on hand.  I do this in cooking and I do this in the home.  Sometimes, I like to make my own laundry soap and I find it often less expensive than the commercial laundry detergents on the market.  It is super easy to make your own laundry detergent with just a few simple, easily obtained ingredients.  I can show you how to make homemade laundry soap in just a handful of easy steps.

Homemade Laundry Soap Recipe

When you make laundry soap, the basic recipe remains the same.  You will need:

·         1 bar soap  (Fels-Naptha, Ivory, Kirk’s Coco-Castile)

·         1 cup sodium carbonate  (Arm & Hammer Washing Soda)

·         ½ cup sodium borate  (20 Mule Team Borax)

·         4 cups hot tap water

·         2 five gallon buckets with a secure lids for storage

·         Essential oil for fragrance (10-15 drops per 2 gallons)

·         Saucepan

·         Used laundry soap bottle/dispenser

Recipe yields 10 gallons at approximately $.01 per load.

Grate the bar of soap into the saucepan and add water to cover.  Melt the soap over medium heat, stirring until completely dissolved.

Fill the five gallon bucket half-full of hot tap water.  Add the melted soap, the sodium carbonate, the sodium borate and mix.  Cover and let sit overnight to thicken.    This is the resulting laundry soap concentrate.  To use, mix half laundry soap concentrate and half water in the laundry soap bottle.  Shake to blend.  You will need to shake each time you use to mix up the ingredients.  Also, this is a low-foam laundry detergent.  If you are looking for a lot of bubbles, they won’t be here.  Bubbles don’t clean clothes, detergent cleans clothes and this is pure laundry detergent.  If you want to add essential oils, go ahead.  Some favorites are lavender, orange, lemon and peppermint.  Otherwise, your clothes may smell more like soap, which is also okay.

Homemade Laundry Soap (Liquid Castile Based)

If you prefer liquid castile soap, such as Dr. Bronner’s, here is a homemade laundry soap recipe for that type of soap:

·         1 cup Dr Bronner’s liquid castile soap (any variety)

·         1 cup baking soda

·         2 cups warm tap water

·         1/3 cup of sea or other coarse grained salt

·         1 gallon container (any clean jug or milk bottle works)

In the warmed water, stir in the baking soda and salt until completely dissolved.

Add the Dr Bronner’s and pour into your gallon container.  Fill to the top with water and shake to mix.  Use ¼ cup of laundry soap per load.

Recipe yields 1 gallon or 64 loads worth of laundry detergent, price will vary depending on the cost of the Dr Bronner’s – which I find price-y. 

Homemade laundry soap is very cost effective and it gives you the choice, as a consumer, which ingredients and scents or dyes (if any) that go into your laundry soap.   Its impact on the environment is much smaller than commercial equivalents. Each recipe for laundry soap is simple and the ingredients are readily obtainable from your grocery or natural foods store.

For fabric softening, I tend to use just straight white vinegar in the rinse load, and for many things I don’t use fabric softener at all.  For items made of silk or other delicate material, I hang them to dry and allow the iron to soften them when I iron.  On the clothes like jeans that I do soften, I have not experienced clothes smelling like vinegar, regardless of being dried in a dryer or on a clothes rack (or line).  Some people don’t like using vinegar and claim they can smell a faint trace of it on clothes.  So, here’s a frugal recipe that is greener than commercial softeners, but which still uses traditional scents and existing materials:

Homemade Fabric Softener Recipe

·         6 cups hot tap water

·         3 cups white vinegar

·         2 cups inexpensive hair conditioner like White Rain or Suave*

·         1 gallon container (any clean jug or milk bottle works)

·         Clean rags or old washcloths to turn into dryer sheets (if desired) & a storage box

Mix hair conditioner and hot tap water in a bowl or deep pot until all the conditioner is dissolved.  Stir in the white vinegar.  Put into the gallon container and shake to mix again.  Use approximately 2 tablespoons of fabric softener either in a dispenser ball or the softener unit on the machine.  To make dryer sheets, put the rag over the mouth of the jug and tip some out onto the rag.  Squeeze to spread the fabric softener over the rag and toss it the dryer with the load to dry.  (I tend to line dry 50% or more of my clothes, but for some areas doing so is difficult, so dryer sheets might be helpful to make).

*If you use coupons and combine them with sales, often these inexpensive conditioners can be next to or absolutely free!

So, there you have it!  It’s so simple and easy to make homemade laundry detergent and it gives you a sense of control over what chemicals, dyes and fragrances you allow on your body.  I always recommend experimenting with the recipe until you find one that works best for you.  When you make your own laundry soap, it can feel quite satisfying and fulfilling!  It is definitely one of the more fun parts of ‘going green’.