Homemade Laundry Detergent

Last night, I made my own laundry detergent for the first time. I am very pleased with the results so far. My clothes had a pleasant soapy smell when I took them out of the washer and then had no scent coming out of the washer; they just smelled clean! They felt fairly soft, even without fabric softener, and had no residue or stiffness as was the case with my purchased detergent. Here is the recipe:

Homemade Laundry Detergent:

• 1 bar Fels-Naptha laundry soap (I have read you can use most any bar of soap except for "beauty bars" with lots of lotion and additives).
• 1 cup Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda
• 1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
• (Some recipes I have found suggest using 1/2 cup Oxyclean, especially for whites; I may try this if I feel the whites are not maintaining their brightness over time)

1. In a large bowl mix together the washing soda and Borax.

2. Place your shredder disk in your food processor. Shred the bar of soap in the processor. Remove shredding disk and place the metal blade in the bowl. You can also grate the soap with a hand grater.

3. Add about 1/2 cup of the dry mixture into the FP bowl with the shredded soap. Process until the texture of sand.

4. Dump the soap mixture into the remaining dry mixture and combine thoroughly.

5. Use 1 heaping tablespoon per full load, 2 for heavily soiled loads. (Some recipes say 2 tbsp. per full load, but I thought 1 worked fine for my full load of jeans and t-shirts). Store in a yogurt container or large butter tub.

*As this is a compilation of many things I have read, there may be some variation depending on your water hardness and preferences.

*Be aware that this does look strange because the soap doesn't completely blend in with the powders.

*Another useful tip I have discovered is that vinegar works great for a fabric softener and also keeps your washer clean and deodorized.

This recipe is an incredible savings per load. I haven't done any figuring but it is something like between 1 and 2 cents per load. The Simple Dollar Blog did a cost breakdown and found that commercial laundry detergent is 10 times more expensive. I'm actually surprised that more people don't do this; it's pretty easy!

My only question is this: IS IT SAFE TO USE MY FOOD PROCESSOR FOR LAUNDRY SOAP MAKING AND FOR FOOD AS LONG AS I THOROUGHLY CLEAN AND SOAK IT? I know Borax can be toxic. I would appreciate comments on this.

The Elusive Black Skirt

I have been looking for a plain, just-below-the-knee black skirt for about...6 months now? Maybe longer? I can't remember! I have now looked in every thrift shop in the nearest town at least once, and some (St. Vincent dePaul and Goodwill) multiple times. I even visited a Goodwill Store while visiting my parents up north. This store is in a very affluent neighboring town and is known for its fabulous finds. After all this, I have a very nice selection of skirts in all colors and patterns, but still no solid black one. I can't even find a new one I like that fits me well. This should be so simple to find, but it continues to elude me. I ought to be frustrated, but I'm starting to find this situation very funny. Sometimes I like to imagine my life as a comedy show, and I think that "The Elusive Black Skirt" might be a funny episode! There I stand, in front of an endless row of black skirts of all lengths and styles and materials...oh, the possibilities!

God's standard

As I read 2 Kings (and other portions of the Old Testament), I find the accounts of total annihilation difficult to digest. While I understand that God was SERIOUS about his people rejecting idolatry and embracing Him as their one and only deity, these stories can be difficult to digest when viewed through the lens of the New Testament.

In the note on 2 Kings 10:24 in my Life Application Study Bible, I read the following:

"Israel was supposed to be intolerant of any religion that did not worship the true God. The religions of surrounding nations were evil and corrupt. They were designed to destroy life, not uphold it. Israel was God's special nation, chosen to be an example of what was right. But Israel's kings, priests, and elders first tolerated, then incorporated surrounding pagan beliefs, and thus became apathetic to God's way. We are to be completely intolerant of sin and remove it from our lives. We should be tolerant of people who hold differing views, but we should not condone beliefs or practices that lead people away from God's standards of living."

This helped me to see that while I may never completely understand why God would condone the destruction of nations, He has something to teach me in these stories. Sin is serious business and should be treated as such. Through Christ and the New Covenant, God can eradicate sin from our hearts. We must allow Him to come in and make us clean.

Journaling through the Tightwad Gazette

I recently finished the Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn. As I turned to the last page, I was seriously bummed; I knew it was coming, but I didn't want to believe it was all over. I savored this book little by little (having started reading it in November). Not only is it useful, but I find it extremely entertaining. Perhaps most importantly, I came to regard the author as someone who was cheering me on toward my financial goals. One of the most valuable lessons learned from Amy is that tightwads fall along a spectrum of lifestyles. Some are "blackbelt" tightwads who go to almost any length to save their cents. Some are "borderline" tightwads who pick and choose what to cut and what to keep from their spendthrift past. Many, including myself, fall somewhere in the middle of those two. Wherever you fall, learning how to be a good steward of your resources and finding alternative (free) ways to acheive a fulfilling life WILL make a significant difference in your budget.

Instead of returning this book to my shelf, I decided to read it over again. This time I am keeping a journal where I record facts and recipes to remember and ideas to inspire. The centerpiece of my journal will be my experiences in trying out Amy's (and her newsletter subscribers') cost-cutting and life-enriching tips. Watch for excerpts from my journal on this blog!

Excerpt from the book:
"When I learned that walking a mile burned up the same amount of calories as in an apple I wondered how many miles I would have to run to burn the calories in a candy bar. It made more sense to give up the candy bar. Most Americans are running to burn up candy bars. They are running out of the house, rnning to the daycare center, running on the job...so they can afford candy bars and Nintendo games, meals at McDonald's, and designer sneakers."

Why Buy?

Here is a list of things I no longer buy:

• Fabric Softener--I have found that vinegar works fine.
• Plastic dish scrubbers--instead, I use the mesh bags that oranges come in, which are made of the same stuff.
• Boxed mixes--mixing my own ingredients for things like pancakes and hamburger helper doesn't take me very long, I like the taste better, and I know exactly what is in the item.
• Extra facial concoctions--I have to come to believe that a basic cleanser and moisturizer are all I need. Exfoliation and toning are nice once in a while, but not really a necessity, especially if you use good basic products (I use Mary Kay and make it last FOREVER).
• Haircuts--We cut each other's hair and are happy with the results. Seth also colors my hair.

Here is a list of things I would am hoping not to buy in the future:

• Laundry detergent--I will be making my own as soon as my box of Gain is gone.
• Floor Cleaner--I have heard vinegar and water work fine. Thoughts?
• All-Purpose Cleaner--I would like to make my own.
• Scouring Powder--I will make my own and keep it in a Parmesan Cheese container.
• Cooking Spray--I have heard that vegetable oil in a spray bottle works fine, but I haven't tried this yet. Does anyone do this?
• Swiffer Wipes--I need to buckle down and just use my mop and bucket. It really wouldn't take that much longer and would be so much cheaper!
• Disinfectant Wipes--As much as I love these to quick-clean the bathroom vanity, I could just use a cloth and some all-purpose cleaner. This could be a toughie to give up.
• Dishwasher rinse aid--I will use vinegar.

"Extreme" things I am considering trying not just to save money, but also for health and the "sport" of frugality:

• Deodorant Substitute--I have heard that some women use a baking soda mixture applied with a cotton ball under the arms. The chemicals in deodorants and antiperspirants can be harmful to your health.
• No-poo method of cleaning hair--I read about this on a blog. It gets rave reviews by lots of women.
• The Keeper--a substitute for tampons. I know this sounds weird, but I really think I'm going to try it. If you want more info, you can look up the company on the internet. In the interest of modesty, I won't elaborate here. Imagine never buying tampons again!
• Cloth Napkins--Especially while it's just my husband and I, this would not be a big deal and I could just throw them in the wash.

That's all I can think of for now. What do you have to add?

Food Processor Pizza Dough

I found a recipe for food processor pizza dough in Amy Dacyczyn's The Complete Tightwad Gazette. Seth and I have fixed pizza using this dough several times and have been impressed each time with the great consistency and taste of it. Even if you are busy, you have time to make this recipe! It's so easy! Let me know what you think.

Ingredients:
1/2 to 3/4 c. warm water (105-115 degrees F)
1 pkg. (I Tbsp.) dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:
Combine 1/4 c. of the water with the yeast and sugar. Stir to dissolve the yeast, and let stand until bubbly, about 5 minutes. Put the flour, oil and salt into the bowl and process about 5 seconds with a steel blade. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture, and process about 10 seconds, or until blended. Turn on the processor and drizzle just enough of the remaining water through the feed tube so the dough forms a ball that cleans the sides of the bowl. Process so the ball turns around about 25 times. Put the dough ball onto a 14-inch greased pizza pan or lg. cookie sheet (we use a pizza stone, so we just put the dough ball in a greased mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap). Let stand 10 minutes. Pat dough out so that it covers the pan, leaving a ridge on the edges. Spread with sauce and add toppings.

Something for the House

As a school teacher, I find it difficult to keep up on my chores during the week. By the time I fix dinner and do my "homework" (planning, grading, projects), it's time for bed. Before I know it, the weekend arrives--and my house is a mess! During the months of January and February, this problem compounded and I became overwhelmed. Even when I got a couple of snow days, I found myself avoiding our cluttered office because I didn't know where to start. I know this is sad because I don't even have kids yet, but I think I make enough messes for several people. My mother always said I leave a trail wherever I go, and my husband now heartily agrees :)

I've been reminded this week of something that worked pretty well for me last Spring. After trying (and failing) numerous chore charts, I began to make myself simply do something "for the house" each evening, no matter how small. For instance, tonight I cleaned the bathroom sink, picked up clutter around the living room, and am doing a load of laundry. My husband cleaned up the supper dishes. Some nights, I may do as little as go through the mail basket. The point is, even if I don't accomplish much, I will feel better because I did something!