Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Laundry Detergent

OKAY...so I have had a couple of folks express interest in how to make their own laundry detergent...here's how it works...but make sure you  have one of those GIGANTIC containers because it makes a ton.  Hopefully, Lindy, this will keep ya'll clean in Africa :-)

Here's what you'll need:
1 bar of soap
1 box of washing soda (look for it in the laundry detergent aisle at the store-it comes in an Arm & Hammer box and will have enough for six batches of detergent)
1 box of borax (this is defiantly NOT necessary but it is good for yuck-O stains)
1 5 gallon bucket
A big spoon, a measuring cup and a knife

STEP ONE:
Pour about four cups of water into a pan on your stove and turn the heat up to high until its almost boiling.  While you're waiting, get your knife and start shaving strips off the bar of soap into the water whittling it down.  Keep the head below a boil and keep shaving the soap.  Eventually, you'll shave up the whole bar, then stir the hot water until the soap is dissolved.  The water should be SUPER soapy at this point.

STEP TWO:
Put three gallon of hot water into a five gallon bucket.  Mix in the hot soapy water from step on and stir for a while.  Then add your cup of washing soda.  Keep stirring for a minute or two and then at the borax (if you're using it).  Stir for another couple of minutes and then let it sit overnight to cool.

STEP THREE:
When you wake up, the bucket should look like yucky slime...Now you are ready to do some laundry.  One measuring cup (ie-1 cup) of this will be roughly what you need to do a load of laundry.  So out of three gallons, you'll get about 48 loads of laundry.  

Enjoy :-)


6 comments:

Only Servants Ministries said...

where it be?

Lindsey Broere said...

its up...
happy sliming...

Only Servants Ministries said...

hey... that 5K at tu casa sounds good to me. I just have to do it before 10ish. we have a meeting at the brew at 1130. Its cheaper any how. (not to mention the gas!) I will get back with you about the mumbo jumbo... I will give you detailed instructions...

Only Servants Ministries said...

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Viola!

Of course IF you want to. I honestly don't know the purpose of those things. You might since you are prolly a little more comp. savy than I.

Michelle said...

then do you put it in an old tide container or something? or just leave it in the bucket?? i just started using 7th generation but this sounds cheaper... does it make your clothes age faster?

Lindsey Broere said...

Hey...sorry Michelle...just got on my blog for the first time in FOREVER...

It is certainly cheaper...but I'm not sure about aging your clothes. I would imagine if you add borax it would really speed up the aging...but that's just me. I've only just started doing it.