Homemade cleaning solutions

[Micah68]

Laundry Soap

1 bar fels naptha grated
1 c washing soda
1 c borax
2 gallons hot water

Put 2 gallons hot water in bucket. Grate soap into a pan, cover with water and heat, while stirring, until soap melts. Add to the bucket and stir well. Add soda and borax. It takes at least 24 hours to gel. Use 1 c per laundry load (I use less).

Homemade Comet

1 c baking soda
1 c 20 Mule team borax
1 c salt

Homemade Stain remover

1/2 c ammonia
1/2 c white vinegar
1/4 c baking soda
2 T liquid soap (I use dawn dish soap)
2 quarts water

Mix in spray bottle

Homeamde glass cleaner

1 pint rubbing alcohol
1 T ammonia
1 T dish soap
1 gallon water

(blue food coloring if desired)

Dishwasher soap (if for some reason you have electricity but can't buy soap????)
2 C 20 mule team borax
2 c washing soda

use 2 T per load (you can also use white vinegar in place of jet dry)

All purpose cleaner

1 t borax
1/2 t washing soda
2 T lemon juice
1 C hot water

[twister]

I will have to try this one for sure


Dishwasher soap (if for some reason you have electricity but can't buy soap????)
2 C 20 mule team borax
2 c washing soda

use 2 T per load (you can also use white vinegar in place of jet dry)


Thanks for all the recipes

[AngelDance]

... (if for some reason you have electricity but can't buy soap????)

I laughed out loud at this, Micah. Thanks for the laugh, I needed it!

Angel

[PatrioticMe]

these are great! Thanks!

A question: Sometime back I saw a recipe for home made dishwasher cleaner, you know to clean your dishwasher with instead of that expensive stuff you have to buy.

Do you happen to know what is might be and how to make it?

[GermanAxeman]

what is washing soda ? and, where do you buy it ??

[Nancyapple]

Dear Axeman,

Washing soda is sodium carbonate - not the same as baking soda. I buy it at my local Publix (grocery store in my area). They also carry fels naptha and borax. Here is a link to purchase it online. I think even if you have to pay shipping, it will end up being cheaper than buying laundry detergent.

http://www.soapsgonebuy.com/category_s/15.htm

I use the same recipe as Micah but I don't add the water.


Laundry Soap

1 bar fels naptha grated
1 c washing soda
1 c borax



It makes it much easier to store. I just keep it in a tupperware container with a tablespoon in it. I mix it up quickly whenever I use it and add 2 tbsp to each load. I've never had a problem with it not dissolving and I love the clean smell it gives the clothes.

[carol b]

What do you mean "you mix it up quickly." Do you mean you stir it dry or are you adding water? How much? I like this idea of storing dry. When I made some with water, I had a lot of settling. Anybody try this with the new front loading washers?

[MaureenO]

Dear Axeman,

Washing soda is sodium carbonate - not the same as baking soda. I buy it at my local Publix (grocery store in my area). They also carry fels naptha and borax. Here is a link to purchase it online. I think even if you have to pay shipping, it will end up being cheaper than buying laundry detergent.

http://www.soapsgonebuy.com/category_s/15.htm

I use the same recipe as Micah but I don't add the water.


Laundry Soap

1 bar fels naptha grated
1 c washing soda
1 c borax



It makes it much easier to store. I just keep it in a tupperware container with a tablespoon in it. I mix it up quickly whenever I use it and add 2 tbsp to each load. I've never had a problem with it not dissolving and I love the clean smell it gives the clothes.

I use 1 bar of Fels Naptha, 1 box of Washing Soda, 1 box of Borax and 1 box of Ivory Snow.

It smells terrific, cleans great, and the scent is even fresher when you hang your laundry on the line.

I use 1/2 - 1 cup per large load.

For the rinse, I use some Lavender essential oil in the final rinse water, about 20 or so drops.


Maureen

[Lady Liberty]

what is washing soda ? and, where do you buy it ??

I was pleased to find the washing soda, borax, and fels naptha at the local Walmart.

I also recently tried using tsp (trisodium phosphate, the good cleaner that was banned in laundry detergents but is still sold for other uses). I read that adding one teaspoon of tsp to your dishwashing detergent would give it extra cleaning power. I tried it, and the dishes came out really shiny.

I also heard it boosts the cleaning power of laundry detergent, but I didn't notice any difference. I couldn't find out how much to use, though, so it was an experiment, and maybe I didn't use enough.

[Powder]

Homeamde glass cleaner

1 pint rubbing alcohol
1 T ammonia
1 T dish soap
1 gallon water

(blue food coloring if desired)

I've found that straight 70% rubbing alcohol works really well. Streak free, just spray on and wipe.