Category Archives: Home: Cleaning

May 1 2012

Pinterest In Action: I made fabric softener!

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This has got to be the easiest thing to make. It only takes vinegar, water and some super-cheap (but great smelling) conditioner. I snagged some Suave coconut conditioner at Target for $1. I figured that even if it didn’t work well I’d only be out about $1.50 in materials!

Here are the ingredients:

6 cups water

3 cups white vinegar

2 cups suave coconut conditioner

And this is what I did:

I took a large mixing bowl and combined the three ingredients. I whisked them together, then poured the mix into a gallon jug. Now it’s time for testing it out! I noticed that the coconut scent is not very strong, so we’ll see how it does once the stuff comes out of the dryer. Update on efficacy to come soon…

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Apr 16 2012

Pinterest In Action: Make Your Own Laundry Soap

One of the first things I pinned on Pinterest was a recipe to make your own hand soap. That led to finding many pins on “make your own…” household products. I was particularly interested in the laundry detergents. With name brand jugs going for $18, and Costco brand around $14 the idea of making the same detergent for less than $4 got my attention.

I was originally going to make the liquid kind, but at the end of the instructions the writer offered a quick powder version – just about 5 minutes to make.  Now THAT I can do.

Here’s the deal. You need 2 bars of Fels-Naptha Laundry Bar Soap, a box of Twenty Mule Team Natural Laundry Booster
and a box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (found in the laundry aisle–not the same thing as baking soda).

The cost for these was minimal:

Fels Naptha soap was $1.59 per bar.

Washing soda was $4.19

Borax was around $6 (can’t find my receipt)

I can can make three more batches with the washing soda and borax I still have. Just will need to get more Fels Naptha.

Directions:

1. Grate the bar soap. I used my food processor with grater blade.

2. Switch to the steel chopper blade to turn it into a powder.

3. Mix with 2 cups borax and 2 cups washing soda.

To use, add 2 teaspoons (yes a tiny amount) to the washer as it is filling, then add clothes. At 2 teaspoons per load, I should be able to get 120 loads from this one batch.

That’s all there is to it. I put mine in an extra kitchen canister (like you would use for flour or sugar) with a 2 teaspoon scoop. I had an oddball 2 tsp measuring spoon that was perfect for this. I have a bunch of the borax and washing soda left over, so I can make several more batches when needed.

So far I’ve used it for two loads of laundry and I’m happy with the results. The clothes came out clean and fresh. The scent of the Fels Naptha bars is very mild.  I can’t wait to finish up my containers of store-bought detergent and fabric softener.

My next project is home made liquid fabric softener!

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Jun 7 2011

Dishwasher Cleaner is Great!

Do you use dishwasher cleaner?  I’m not talking about soap for washing the dishes in the machine, I mean the special cleaner for keeping your machine in good working order.

Finish is the brand I’m familiar with, although there may be others.  It’s very simple to use and always gives me good results.  So why use a dishwasher cleaner?  It removes hard water buildup on the heating element in the bottom of the machine.  We have very hard water where we live now, so I like to use a bottle of cleaner every three months to remove the hard water buildup.  Having a heating element that isn’t getting hot enough can leave your dishes less than clean!

I frequently find coupons for this product in the Sunday paper insert, so keep your eyes peeled and grab some when it goes on sale.

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Apr 5 2011

Take a break from spring cleaning…

I came across this poem a month ago while looking up home-preschooling.  I’m using it in the MOPS newsletter this month and also wanted to share it with you.  It’s a reminder that there is more to life than a clean house. The time we have while our children are young is so precious.  Now that it’s spring, it’s time to get out there and show your children the wonders of nature.   

I Took His Hand and Followed
Mrs. Roy L. Peifer

 

My dishes went unwashed today,

I didn’t make the bed,

I took his hand and followed

Where his eager footsteps led.

 

Oh yes, we went adventuring,

My little son and I…

Exploring all the great outdoors

Beneath the summer sky

 

We waded in a crystal stream,

We wandered through a wood…

My kitchen wasn’t swept today

But life was gay and good.

 

We found a cool, sun-dappled glade

And now my small son knows

How Mother Bunny hides her nest,

Where jack-in-the-pulpit grows.

 

We watched a robin feed her young,

We climbed a sunlit hill…

Saw cloud-sheep scamper through the sky,

We plucked a daffodil.

 

That my house was neglected,

That I didn’t brush the stairs,

In twenty years, no one on earth

Will know, or even care.

 

But that I’ve helped my little boy

To noble manhood grow,

In twenty years, the whole wide world

May look and see and know.

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Mar 11 2011

Spring Cleaning Begins!

I’m getting ready for Sean’s party on Saturday so I have been cleaning.  Not sure what got into me, maybe the two bottles of 5 Hour Energy I had today…but I got a lot done!  The kids both took naps this afternoon which allowed me to get some deep cleaning done.

I have to share my new favorite cleaning product: Soft Scrub w/Bleach Gel.  This stuff is awesome!  Along with my new tile and grout brush from Target, I tackled the kitchen.  The grout brush was great.  It’s amazing how much easier cleaning can be when you have the right tools!

In additon to the counters, I cleaned the stove and wiped down the cabinets and baseboards.  When I was down doing the baseboards with my sponge I starting cleaning the tile floor.  I just grabbed my Method floor cleaner and went to town!  My kitchen floor is small – only about 5 feet by 7 feet so it didn’t take long to scrub it all by hand.  I think there’s a reason people used to scrub the floor on their hands and knees–you can get it really clean that way.  I did the larger tile area of the family room with a mop.  It wasn’t as dirty, so it didn’t need the extra attention. 

What else did I do today?  I put away two baskets of clean laundry, changed the sheets on the kids beds, washed two more loads of laundry, cleaned the fish bowl, moved furniture and brought in folding tables for the party, mopped the downstairs bathroom, went to the pharmacy….yeah, I think that’s it.  Oh, and took care of the kids, of course. Don’t get me wrong – not all of my days are this productive, but they are always this busy – even when all I accomplish is taking care of the kids!

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