Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Giving it a try....

Our family is going to go ahead and give the Duggar's homemade laundry detergent a try. We made this decision before reading their book (thanks again, Janet!) - we've just been waiting to use up some more of the storebought stuff (plus now, I have saved two of those HUGE laundry detergent containers to store the homemade liquid detergent in).

Anyways, the biggest drawback that I've read about (not all families experience this - I'm betting it has to do with what kind of water you have) is that after a while, their whites tend to look a bit "dingy". I like my bright whites, so I'm wondering if I can continue to use my Clorox Ultimate Care Bleach just for my white loads?

What do you think? Any experience with this liquid type of homemade detergent?? Did you continue to use bleach? How did you get your whites BRIGHT?! Or did you not have this particular problem?


And lastly, I need to find myself a better grinder. If you've watched the Duggar show where the girls are actually making the soap, they grind it up in this heavy-duty grinder that clamps onto their kitchen counter. My dh said it looked like an old meat-grinder. Maybe?! What do *you* use?? Any suggestions on where I can obtain a decent grinder?

Thanks y'all~




P.S. Oh, here's the recipe for the liquid laundry detergent directly from their recipe page. Go to the Duggar's site if you want to try a different version (such as a powder kind) or a cost-effective fabric softner of sorts.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap
4 Cups hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup Washing Soda
½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting. So what is the difference in cost as compared to a store brand bought detergent. Is is a big money saving option or is it a Hippie thing ( HA ). : ) You know us girls who lived in Colorado can tend to do those types of thing! Anyhow, just curious, let me know.

qchess said...

My wife (another Michigan Mommy) uses essential oils from DoTerra for cleaning laundry and other household chores. Sometimes I'll grab a bottle of cleaner, (admittedly not very often) and I'll notice it smells more like herbs or citrus than chemicals. Turns out, it's the variety of essential oils she uses for cleaning.

Anonymous said...

Ah, I've heard of this recipe before. We still prefer our brand soap. I heard Oxy clean is suppose work. But I'm a clorox girl. Bleach, need bleach, specially on dish towels!

I'm sure you can grate soap w/a box cheese grater.

I tried to watch their show, last night, but Michelle grated my nerves w/"be gentle, be gentle". Oh please, we live in the real world. I guess she never heard of the words, stop, or don't bang on the wall.

Unknown said...

Yeah, it's a cost-savings thing (not a CO hippie thing - ha!). I bought all the ingredients last night for maybe $6 and that will make a WHOLE LOT ~ not exactly sure how long it will last, but if it works for us, it would save us TONS!!

I have some left over essential oils so I'm gonna try some of that (you can mix it in after the liquid stuff cools). I am definitely an AROMATHERAPY type of gal, so I'm hoping it works.

Yup, I need to pick up a box grater - I don't even own one of those right now. I too need bleach on my whites, so I'm wondering how that will work with this homemade detergent?? We'll find out, I guess!

As to Michelle's "annoying" factor, I am impressed with her ability to remain calm (as I do struggle with this at times). If the cameras were on me, I bet I would be more of a "gentle" momma as well. At least she gives me something to strive towards....without freaking out about not being *perfect* ('cause that's just not gonna happen - and I doubt it happens at their house either).

Well, I'll give it a try after Christmas - as soon as I pick up a decent grater, I guess.....

Ok, time for Christmas Eve service sound checks....later, my friends, and Merry Christmas!!
~Lori

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas Lori, and to your family!

I'm a long time reader, but I don't have a blog, so there are no other choices for us non blog peeps lol.

I was the last anonymous to post. I do have to give Michelle kudos for being calm. I can't imagine having a grown married son, and then having a newborn.

So Merry Christmas!

Danielle

Unknown said...

Nice to "meet" you, Danielle ~ hope you and yours had a *great* Christmas!!

I can't even being to imagine having a new baby, plus a newly married adult child - Wow!! It's the potty training that really gets me.....ugh.....

~Lori

Anonymous said...

We did! Thanks. We are having a Christmas in Orlando! My mother lives about an 1 1/2 hrs away from Disney. So we are having a fun family Christmas! No white Christmas, but the children are having fun. Even if we stayed home, we wouldn't have had a white Christmas. So if we can't have a white Christmas, might as well have some warm sun!! We stayed at a wonderful resort, they even had a little Christmas tree in the room! All the suvenoirs we buy, we'll come back, and they are all arranged on beds (like the stuff animals) etc

The trip has been practically free, my mom paid for all our plane tickets etc, and we are staying w/her most of the time. So we could pay for a nice resort, and get some stuff for the kiddos. Gotta get mouse ears ya know!

I hope you guys had a wonderful Christmas too!

Danielle

Unknown said...

We still use bleach with our whites. :) You will love the homemade soap. Its so easy to use and fun too. :) Im testing a powder version right now. It was simpler to make but I think it costs a bit more. :)

Anonymous said...

Hey- I know you've got the stuff, have you tried it yet. I was at Target last night and they didn't have what was needed, so I think I'm going to look next time at Meijer and give it a go too. Let me know if it's worked out.

brooke

Unknown said...

I'm making it up tonight (I was using up the last of my store bought stuff) and I'll have to let it sit overnight. So I may (or may not) have a chance to use it tomorrow before you arrive.

Hey, we can always do laundry when you come over?! What are good friends for, eh??
;)
~Lori