Being Better

I suppose it matters what you tune into these days, I seem to be sniffing out sources of information that leave me wanting to be better;  do better, eat better, live better, raise my children better, keep home better.  It's stressful to say the least and I've been getting a little wigged out by all the better I want to be doing. 

Yesterday I took on one of many things on my long list of bettering-to-dos.  It was easy, more than easy, it was quick and the children even engaged and got involved.  I could have cried.

We made our own laundry detergent.  Why did we make our own laundry detergent?  Here's the short list: store bought laundry detergent is expensive, store bought laundry detergent comes in a ridiculous amount of packaging, store bought laundry detergent and it's components have been shipped (globally and coast to coast) no less than 5 times before it reaches my home.  I have to get in my car and go to a store, again and again to get store bought laundry detergent.  This is the short list.

It was easy to find many sites with recipes for home made laundry soap and after clicking through many of them I realize most are strikingly similar.  I decided to make this one.

The ingredients are simple:

yes, I did have to go to the store and buy these ingredients, however what you see here (and more bars of fels-naptha bar soap) together I am guessing will make more than 15 batches (4 gallons each) of homemade laundry detergent.  I spent $9 on the ingredients.  I'd have to guess that it is enough for a years worth of laundry detergent for $9.  That blows doors on extreme coupon-ing.  I rock.

The process took all of about 15 minutes and surprise, surprise the boys did the whole thing.  They never help me cook, but couldn't resist this project.  It went off like this:

 

grate the soap

measure

pour

more pouring

mix, stir and melt

add the rest

stir some more, pour some more and you are done!

 The detergent needed to sit a spell so it can turn to gel. 

Package it up (vintage mason jars, while preferable, are optional)

Call me crazy but I think that is a whole lot of laundry soap (less than 1/2 is shown), cheap and easy.  Maybe, just maybe, being better actually is better (just hope it works at least as well, if not better than the store kind....).

Comments

[Barefoot Liz]

Let me know how you like it. I've thought about making my own but would rather try someone else's home made stuff before I tackle another project. heh heh.

[Laurie]

Hi Liz - I'll be sure to let you know how it goes! First load is chugging away!

[Carie]

so, were the clothes clean?!

Here's another one for you.... one of my kids' favorite activities is washing the kitchen floor. They don their bathing suits and race for the sponges. Vinegar and water in a bowl in the middle of the floor and away they go. I give it a quick once over to mop up the puddles and we're done.

[melissa]

Is it safe for HE machines?