Recipes

Here is what I have been using to make laundry soap. This is what my sister also uses for an HE machine without any issue. She has been making and using for a long time.

1 Bar Fels Naptha Soap, which has to be grated and placed in a pan with just enough water to cover. Heat and stir often until it has completely melted. After this has melted pour into a 5 gallon bucket.

Add 1 Cup 20 Mule Team Borax
Add 1 Cup Arm and Hammer Washing Soda

Fill 5 gallon bucket with hot water. Let sit and stir often as it cools. Let it cool completely. After it has cooled you can transfer it into empty laundry detergent containers, or I even use Sunny D containers to hold it and then pour into laundry containers. I add a cap full with each load.

I make mine in a giant stock pot. That way I use the same container to melt the soap and add the dry ingredients. I can fill 7 containers of various sizes when I am done making.

This is really cheap to make, will make a ton and cleans really well. The great part is not having to run out to the store to buy detergent. Last time I bought two bars of soap so when I ran out the first time I had another ready to go. Using only a Cup at a time of the two dry ingredients makes them last a very long time.

Also, if you prefer a powdered detergent, just grate the soap and add the dry ingredients, I think you only have to use a Tablespoon each time, or even just a small scoop. I prefer the liquid. I find it can be chunky at times, just shake the container. I do not have trouble with residue. In fact the clothes feel and smell very clean.

Stain Remover and Fabric Softener recipes I got from a friend and they work good.

Stain Remover
1/2 cup ammonia

1/2 cup liquid laundry soap

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup water

Add to a spray bottle.

Fabric softener

3 cups water

2 1/2 cups vinegar

1 cup hair conditioner

Mix in an old container. Or I doubled it and added to an empty Sunny D bottle and refill my empty container. Shake really good. I have been using cheap Suave conditioner, and using in the Downey ball, it works really well. The clothes are really soft, not a heavy smell either.

Did some research on homemade cleaners this weekend and here is what I decided to mix up in an empty spray bottle.

For glass I went with:
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Witch Hazel
1 T Ammonia
I doubled this to fill the container.

I used witch hazel because I had it here. Otherwise if I had rubbing alcohol, I may have used that.

For general cleaning I went with:
1 Cup water
1 Cup vinegar
1/2 T tea tree oil.
Again, I doubled to fill the bottle.

The general cleaner really should work well for killing germs too with the vinegar as well as tea tree oil.