Wash Day Blues....

Do you ever get frustrated at the soaring prices of everything under the sun? First..let's bemoan the rising gas prices...ugh. I am so glad that I hardly ever leave the Bayou. I deem it is better to stay at home than to curse the gas pump! That said..everything else is on the rise, too. Food prices..got that covered since I grow and preserve my own fruit and veggies..I definitely could become a vegetarian if the need arises. I recycle or upcycle almost everything from glass to paper..with metals thrown in for good measure..so that saves a bit. Just reuse everything instead of buying new. Now, I have found another way of cutting household costs. Make detergent instead of spending masses of hard-earned dollars! I have always used detergents from the store even though most are filled with so many things that are not particularly healthy for human bodies or the environment so this was a new one for me. Still..I sent Hubby to the store to buy the three items necessary to create homemade detergent..laundry soap (under $2), washing soda (around $2.50) and Borax (around $3.50). The supplies came to about $7 total but this makes a bunch of detergent. Also, consider the fact that you only need a cup of each of the washing soda and Borax. Hang on to the rest and for the next umpteen batches you will only need to buy the laundry soap. Hubby is always game when he hears the words "save money" attached to one of my harebrained ideas..and this might have been the craziest idea yet. I was a tad uneasy about attempting what might possibly be an ordeal..but I assured myself that I could do this. Just how hard could it be to make detergent?? When he returned, I had already pulled out all of the utensils needed. This included a very large pot, a long-handled spoon, measuring cup, cheese grater and a bucket..this did not seem to be too bad. He handed me the bags..Ok...let's see..Borax (20 Mule Team) check...ummm..that is where it stopped...Ivory Bath Soap and Arm and Hammer Baking Soda rounded out the order. Ok..I can make this work..I hope. The recipe called for 1/3 of the 5 ounce bar of soap to be grated..I had three 1 ounce bars of bath soap..I grated them all. (I figured if I was going to mess this stuff up, I might as well go whole hog and really mess it up good!) I dumped this in the pot with water and let it start to melt. Next I measured the Borax and Washing Soda (aka Baking Soda in my case!) Plop..it all went in the pot to cook. I stirred and stirred and stirred..until I got tired. All of it went into the bucket with about three gallons of water. There was supposed to be some scientific method to all of this but as with any recipe, I can not leave well enough alone..I have to change things. Hubby looked a bit skeptical.."Are you sure this is going to work?" he asked. "Sure!" I said smiling all the while wondering the same thing. The recipe said to leave the goop sit in the bucket overnight so it will "gel". I am good at leaving things sit..no problem there! I snapped the lid on the bucket and started cleaning up the mess. I thought to myself.."This is strange..I am cleaning up soap!" The recipe said that when using the detergent, there would be no suds. Cleaning the pot and utensils..I had suds..lots of suds. Perhaps this was from using bath soap? Oh well, suds are good I guess. The recipe also said that the detergent would be odor free..mine had a scent..it smelled like Ivory Bath Soap! Scent is good..

The "not so gelled" homemade detergent!

The detergent sat in the bucket overnight doing its thing..creating a gel. Or it was supposed to be gelling. Instead, my detergent looked more like buttermilk! My mom would occasionally make homemade "Cottage Cheese" and this stuff looked a lot like the stuff I remember in that jug. It sort of separated into gunky layers..white and fluffy on top and something that I did not want to stick my hand in on the bottom. Where was my GEL! I took my long-handled spoon and gingerly poked the fluff. It felt a lot like styrofoam only goopy. I gathered my courage and poked the spoon deep into the bucket. Ok..so this did not gel..that much was evident. I stirred the whole mess into a frenzy. The frothy goop on top was now in little globlets in a sea of watery soap. I was not thrilled. I went back and reread the recipe. Ahh, so it is not a complete gel..the recipe described it as more of lumps of gel in a liquid..well, that sounds more like mine. I did not care what it looked like as long as it cleaned the clothes. I dumped a scant cup of it in the washer, piled the dirty clothes in and started the machine. One of the old washcloths was extremely dirty (Hubby had used it to clean his shoes of all things! arrgh!) so I took a picture of it to use as a reference of the cleaning power of my detergent. Swish, swish went the machine..I peeked inside..no suds! Hey..something was right! The recipe said that there would be no suds! After the machine cut off, I checked for my washcloth..and there it was..frown..it was still dingy. Hmmm..time for test two! I tossed the washcloth back into the machine with another load of clothes and this time used store-bought, brand-named detergent..one that guaranteed to get the dirt out of the clothes. Swish, swish went the machine..and when it was finished..I checked for the washcloth..big smile!..the washcloth was still dingy! Not that a dingy washcloth is anything to smile about normally but at least the store-bought detergent had not worked any better than the homemade! When the clothes were dried, I did the "smell" test and the first load (homemade detergent) smelled clean while the second load (store-bought detergent) just smelled "flowery". Hehe..the first load was towels...the second load was Hubby's work clothes! I think I will try to find the "right" ingredients for the next batch of detergent. (Of all things, I made a double batch so I have five gallons to use up before making more.) I am just glad to know it works and for about 1 cent per load!

Hubby used this to scrub his shoes..can I clean it??

First washing with homemade detergent..hmmm..does it work?

Second washing with purchased detergent..still grungy!

Homemade Detergent

Utensils..large pot, long-handled spoon, cheese grater, measuring cup and a five gallon bucket with lid.

2/3s of a large bar of laundry soap........(although I might stick with the Ivory! It smells nice!)

1 cup Washing Soda.........(I do recommend not using Baking Soda..teehee)

1 cup Borax........ (20 Mule Team is great!)

Water

In a large pot, place about a half gallon of water. Grate 2/3s (about 4 ounces) of the Laundry Soap and put into the pot. Heat the water to melt the soap..stirring occasionally. Once the soap is melted, add the Washing Soda and Borax. Stir this until all is dissolved. Pour two gallons of water into the bucket. Add the soap mixture from the pot and stir well. Let this all sit overnight until it gels (or somewhat gels!)