I've had a go at making my own liquid soap for washing clothes this week. I noticed that Crystal had a go at it recently, and wasn't bowled over by the results.
I got my recipe from my friend Lucy, and she was most enthusiastic, so I gathered my little bundle of cheap ingredients (soda crystals for 54 pence? I'll be having some of that then...) set up my giant stock pots and empty 4 litre milk bottles and got to work.
Now, first benefit, as I added a few drops of peppermint essential oil, the house smelled wonderful. It was an easy enough recipe, and didn't make a mess. In the 4 washes I've done since, I've been quite content with the results. It hasn't left me slack-jawed with the results, but I haven't been cross with the results either.
I've concluded that it is certainly no worse than the expensive shop-bought detergents, and with a few old-fashioned pre-treatments, may perhaps be better on occasion. The swing factor is that it costs so much less. It's not tedious to make, and I filled 4 of my big plastic milk bottles with the stuff, so at one tiddly dosing-ball a wash, I'm confident it's going to last for ages.
It doesn't change the concrete rice-krispie episode, of course, but it's a start.
9/25/2007
My big household task this week.
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8 comments:
Hi - Er - It's me the nagger ....and...... well ..... thanks and all that - I do hope you didn't have a late night last night coming up with your comment policy:-)
I just thought I better leave a comment, I've never tried making my own washing soap but as for concrete breakfasts it has to be hardened Weetabix that does it in our house.
aaaaaahhhhhhh
lol - it wasn't just you, it's becoming a theme where-ever people have a chance to tell me :-)
Libbie - I used to make my own laundry soap ....kind of fallen by the wayside a bit with it now mind you, but another easy one is:
In a big tub grate (I use the normal cheese grater) 1 bar of soap - I always buy the cheapest Tescos or Sainsbury's pure vegetable soap bar (about 27p), pour on 4 litres of boiling water (you could heat it on the cooker - I just pour kettle water over it) stir in a qtr of a cup of soda crystals and whatever essential oils you fancy. Leave to cool and it goes lovely and gloopy (probably like yours!). So quick and easy - and cheap! Ali xxx
Libbie, please post your recipe (with the peppermint oil.) I'm a fantasy soap maker--never actually done it, but I intend to, I dream about it.
Ruthie
Sorry for the requestfor your recipe. Got it from your link. My brain--now where did I leave it?
Peppermint sounds much nicer than the chemically smelling stuff from the store. :)
We like Dr. Who too. Especially with Tom Baker.
I'm glad you tried it, Libbie. I am adding vinegar to some washes, as apparently it can build up over time - but then, isn't soap and soda what people used for centuries? That and a bit of urine? And the odd rock in a river...
Personally, I like it. I've noticed the washing is softer and I like the more natural slight aroma of soap and pepppermint so much more than the stench of the washing powder aisle. You do need a bit of extra laundry soap rubbed into stains, though don't you?
But, for the joy of making candy cane flavoured laundry detergent for our son at a cost of pennies, it's great fun isn't it? Is Ant impressed? My dh thinks I'm so amazing!
Ant was tremendously impressed. I am pre-rubbing stains, but I was doing that with the shop-bought stuff.
Besides all that, it's that brilliant feeling of being a bit less constrained by modern life. :-)
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