UPDATE: Pinterest Project - Homemade Laundry Soap

So... I left off with a full bucket of homemade laundry soap - with plans to return here in May with an update as to how well it's done on cleaning my clothes....and how long it lasted.

 

 

This was taken this morning. I'm to the bottom of the bucket --- with maybe enough detergent for 10-12 more loads. I'm impressed.... and I'd say this is a money saving venture. I spent $28 in January....and haven't purchased laundry soap since. As far as cleaning my clothes --- I've not had any problems. They're clean, they smell nice....so I think in the next few weeks I'll be gathering the supplies to make another batch ----We'll see if the second batch will last me the remainder of the year! 

Pinterest Project - Homemade Laundry Soap

Homemade Laundry Soap

I've seen these recipes floating around pinterest for a while now.... and I recall several years ago that my sis made some laundry soap. From what I recall, it lasted her a while. She gave me some to sample during that time... and it was ok. But it was never anything I wanted to tackle on my own. Well, in my organizing and starting the new year with a different outlook, I decided I'd try it. My "word" is REDUCE... so maybe by doing this, I can reduce my spending... 'cuz we all know buying laundry detergent isn't cheap! So... below is the recipe I followed and the link to the blog I found it on.

Here is what you will need to make 2 gallons: 

• Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
• Arm And Hammer Baking Soda (the big 4lb box)
• 20 Mule Team Borax
• Oxi Clean (2 of the 1.3 lb containers, or 1 3lb container; generic is fine)
• 3 or 4 bars Fels Naptha Laundry Soap (people have had success with both - I used 3)
• 2 containers Downy UnStopables (I'm a Gain fan, so I did 2 containers of Gain Fireworks ) 
• garbage bag (or a garbage bag-lined 5 gallon bucket)
• food processor (to make your life much easier) or cheese grater (worked fine with a grater) 
• container to store your soap 
• measuring scoop

http://aprons-n-pearls.blogspot.com/2012/11/homemade-laundry-soap.html



So -- I spent a couple hours last weekend mixing all this together. The hardest part was probably shredding the Fels Naptha bars. They're a golden yellow color -- and I couldn't get over the fact that it looked like shredded cheddar cheese! Fun! And the Gain Fireworks looked like corn! Ha! Corn and Cheese Laundry Soap!

This batch filled my laundry bucket. I wasn't really impressed. Typically a full laundry bucket only lasts me a good month or two, maybe three. So -- how was this bucket of "corn and cheese" supposed to last me a while longer than the expensive stuff?? The total cost of all supplies was around $28. I managed to find coupons for the OxiClean and the Gain Fireworks - so that helped.  But, $28 seemed a bit expensive for a bucket of laundry soap. We figured it up -- and this bucket should last me until May...for it to be actually a money saving adventure. I have my calendar marked --- we'll see how long it lasts.

 

One thing my sis mentioned about the soap... and why she only ended up doing it once... is that it didn't really suds up/bubble up like they wanted it to.  Well... this is true. There is VERY minimal bubbling as it's running through a load. But several times throughout the cycle, I dipped a few fingers into the water, just to see how it felt. Each time the water felt - and smelled - soapy, so I think it's still doing it's job. I was worried that the detergent would clump on the clothes -- but I didn't experience that either.

I'm going to have to play around with it a bit and figure out my scoop size.  It's not supposed to take a full scoop like the expensive stuff does... so I'm still working on that - finding the perfect size scoop. BUT -- so far, I'm ok with the results. The clothes are clean... and smell nice... so, if this is an actual money saving thing, I will probably try it again. We'll see where we are in May!







Pinterest Project - Menu Board

While browsing on Pinterest, I came across this idea. Since I've been browsing recipes and one of my challenges this year is to try new recipes, then I've been trying to figure out how to do a "menu" for the week. I've tried doing a menu several times before --- but, it seems our schedule doesn't always allow for that... Maybe with the new year and the few things I'm doing with getting organized (with my recipes and freezer meals and such), then we can try the "menu" thing again. I think this way will be a little more...relaxed.... just jot down a general plan for the week.

This project was quick and easy --- mainly because I had all the materials on-hand.

1 8x10 frame, with glass
1 8x10 colored/designed paper - trimmed to fit the frame if it's larger
Stickers for the title and the days of the week --- or you can handwrite these.
Ribbon to hang... or some sort of way to hang. I chose ribbon tied to the frame hook and a Command Strip hanger -- jussst in case I want to move it from where I initially started.

You'll also need a dry erase marker. The one I have pictured is a wet erase...and will get a dry-erase when it dies.

I did my stickers for the titled and the days of the week on my paper. I drew lines with a black pen to give me the sections for each day. Once I got my page done, I just popped it in the frame. TaDa!

I tied the ribbon to the frame hook, allowing some to dangle behind for the marker and a loop up over the top to hang it.

Simple. And, well, I'm gonna tag this project to my "oneword365"
 challenge --- because VERVE, again, is "creative enthusiasm".  You can ask Em how silly  I was when this project was completed. I saw it on Pinterest, gathered the stuff and within 40 minutes the project was done! It was such a quick and easy project....and so far I'm pleased with the results.

Now.... the challenge will be to actually USE it on a regular basis!!