Laundry Soap Question

A reader asked:

"Myah - can you clarify your gel soap recipe? In the directions, you give various measurements for water. Are those the amounts for a single recipe, or the amounts you add when you've already doubled the other ingredients? I'm going to try some - but don't need to do a double recipe when it's just me.  Thanks." 

So, this one's for you, Girl!  :)  I always double the recipe, but you don't have to!  Just follow the recipe below for a single batch.  Hope it helps.  Let me know!


This recipe is for a single batch - in a 2 gallon bucket.

Liquid (gel) Laundry Detergent
1/4 bar Fels Naptha soap
1/2 bar Ivory soap
2/3 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
A 2 gallon bucket with a lid.
 
Very finely chop the soap and put it into a large pan over medium-high heat. Add 6 cups of water and, stirring often, heat until the soap melts. Stir in washing soda and borax. Pour 4 cups of hot water into the bucket. Carefully add the hot soap mixture and stir. Fill the bucket with water (about 22 cups more). Let the soap sit overnight to allow it to gel. Stir well. Keep in mind that the consistency of this detergent is different from what you buy at the store – it is a liquidy gel.

Use 1/2-3/4 cup per load (I use the top of an old detergent bottle). Remember that this is a low-sudsing formula, so don’t expect to see a lot of bubbles.

Another Natural "All Purpose Cleaner"

I just found this recipe on another blog.  I think I may give it a try since I have all of the ingredients on hand.  Well, I have regular baking soda rather than washing soda.  Will that make a difference?  I don't even know the difference.  I'll let you know how I like it.  Vinegar is a natural disinfectant, if you didn't know that.  I like to know that because I'm always thinking - How will this "disinfect"?

Fresh Smelling Multipurpose Cleaner

3 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 cup white or apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Borax
1 teaspoon washing soda
1 teaspoon liquid castile soap
1 32 oz. spray bottle

Natural Homemade Cleaners

 

I've touched on this before, but I recently came across some recipes I printed in the past from Simple Organic and they inspired me to share again - and inspired me to keep it up!

Basically, you can clean 95% of your home with VINEGAR, WATER and BAKING SODA.

While I am far from perfect and cannot say I clean "naturally" 100% of the time, I am passionate about this topic and have Natural Cleaning - free of toxins - on my Top 10 list of priorities as Home Manager.  Plus, my kids can help me!

Earlier in my journey - So often, the girls would ask to help me with cleaning, and I'd say, "No.  I don't want you to get chemicals on you."  Well, if I don't want chemicals on my kids, then why am I putting them on me?  And why am I putting them in the air of our home that we all breath?

Now, I've put them to work!  We play "Cinderella".

Today, I mopped our floors and while I was mopping, I thought - "How awesome that I'm putting dish soap, vinegar and water on me right now.  No worries."

Also, with little ones all over the floors, eating food off the floors (yes, there's often food on the floors at our house), bathing is tubs, dropping their toothbrushes in the sinks and then putting them back in their mouths - free of chemicals - brings peace to my mind.

Those ideas are why I have identified Natural Cleaning a priority in our home.

This is what I've been doing and it's so easy - and cheap!

1.  All Purpose Cleaner
For countertops, sinks, toilets, and for spot cleaning floors
Mix 1 part white vinegar and 1 part water in a spray bottle.  Spray and scrub.

2.  Bathtub/Sink Scrub
In a bowl, make a paste with baking soda, a squirt of your dish soap*, and a squeeze of lemon, to the consistency of frosting.  Dip cloth or sponge into paste and scrub.

3.  Mirror and Glass Cleaner
2 tsp vinegar
1 quart water
Mix in a spray bottle.  Spray on mirror or glass, and wipe clean with old newspaper.  Leaves no lint!

4.  Floor Cleaner
1/4 cup dish soap*
1/2 cup white vinegar or lemon juice
2 gallons warm water
Combine in sink or large bucket and use with mop or cloth.  A while back, I started mopping the old fashioned way - on my hands and knees with a microfiber cloth.  That way, I can get my base boards and cupboard doors while I'm at it.  I don't think I'll ever go back - to a mop that is.

I have a spray bottle of the "All Purpose Cleaner" sitting out most of the time.  That's pretty much my "go to" for all my cleaning.  I also have a few microfiber cloths that I use everywhere for everything.  I can wash and reuse them.  Again, cheap and easy.  You've heard me say before - I'm all about simple.  If it's too complicated - I'm done.

*Simple Organic suggests when you purchase dish soap at the store, look for words like biodegradable, septic-safe and non-toxic.  Avoid soap that contains "petroleum distillates or phosphates".  Some good brands to check out would be Seventh Generation and Earth Friendly Products.

Is this a passion/interest of yours?  
What other recipes and/or methods have worked for your family?

Natural All-Purpose Cleaner

As I've mentioned before, I've been on the journey of cleaning our home without chemicals. I still use "non-natural" products on occasion, but for the most part, I am doing great!

I read some where that the air is much safer to breath outside than inside our homes because of all the chemicals we use and then breath in our homes! That scared me.

So, I wanted to share this simple recipe with you. I've been using it, and I really like it! I got it from Simple Mom.

All-Purpose Cleaner
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 Tbsp. baking soda
1/4 gallon (1 liter) hot water
a few drops of essential oil (optional)

Combine the ingredients, stir, and let cool for a few minutes before pouring into a spray bottle. Tea tree essential oil has antiseptic properties, making it a winner for cleaners. But my favorite aromas come from orange, lemon, and lavender essential oils. Use and enjoy!