Clean It Out

We had the chimney cleaned.  We've been in our house for more than just a couple years and hadn't had the chimney cleaned, yet.  Ahem.  While the guy was here, he asked about cleaning out the dryer vent.  I told him we couldn't afford it.

Which is true.

He dropped the price by $60.  Ha.  I consented.

The dryer vents got cleaned out and evidently, they were packed.  It's shocking how much faster laundry gets cleaned around here.  What usually takes all day took half a day.  I'm so excited to have extra time on my hands, I almost don't even know what to do with myself.

I'll figure it out - have no worries.

~ G

Ewwww... That Can't Possibly Still Be On My Cup!

Wake up.  Let out the dog to do her business.  Who's idea was it to get this beast, anyhow?  Mine.  Drat.  Stumble into the kitchen.  Reach into the dishwasher.  Grab my coffee mug and its lid.  Pour in an inch or so of milk.  Squeeze in a couple second's worth of chocolate syrup.  Stir.  I now like my own coffee more than I like Starbuck's.  Their's always tastes burned to me. Me, the chick who doesn't like coffee, now requires coffee to stave off a ripping, pounding, skull-vise of a headache  Oh, and it tastes good.  And it helps my eyes stay open.  Top off the mug with some cinnamon coffee.  Stir. Turn the lid to seal.  Lift to take a first, eye-flickering sip and ...EWWWWWWWWW... my lip gloss from yesterday is still on the lid!  Ewwwww... that can't possibly still be on my cup!  

It's not even lipstick.  This is lip gloss.  Gloss.  Gloss - as in, "I-don't-want-any-color-on-my-lips-too- permanently-because-I-don't-like-how-it-looks-so-I-go-with-the-wimpy-lip-gloss" lip gloss.  Lip gloss. Still on my cup after going through an entire washing cycle. Lip. Gloss. Snort.

Thus concludes my experiment with dishwasher detergents.  I grew up with Cascade powder, but those days ended after I tried dishwasher tabs.  Last night's freebie sample of Cascade Extra Action failed me for the last time.  I'm done.  From now on it's Finish Powerball Tabs because I can put anything - anything - in my dishwasher and the dishes come out clean.  $12 for 90 tabs might seem a little steep, but when it saves me money on rewashing lip gloss mugs, it is worth it.  I'm just sayin.'

...If anyone from Finish is reading, I sure would appreciate some samples.  Or coupons.  Or a case of Finish.  Heck, I'll wear a t-shirt for ya for free detergent.  

~ G

Lip gloss I say.  ewwwwwww

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Homemade laundry detergent? Yep. It's possible.
Let your frugal heart go wild.

Recipe:
1 bar of soap
1 C washing soda
1/2 C Borax
HOT water (4 C + 4 gallons)

large bucket with a lid (I use a clean Tidy Cat kitty litter bucket)

Tips:

• Bar soap - Use any you like, but facial bars that don't have glycerin won't give you as good a product. You need the glycerin. The batch in the pics is made with Dial.
• Washing Soda - is not baking soda. Washing soda is sodium carbonate. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. They are not the same thing.
• Both washing soda and Borax can be found in the laundry aisle. I spent $7, including a 3-pack of soap, soda, and Borax. I have made six batches so far and still have enough soda and Borax for another two batches. That's over a year's worth of laundry detergent for $7.
  

Instructions:

1. Using a paring knife or a vegetable peeler, shave soap.
2. Add 4 gallons of very hot water to the bucket. Close the lid to keep the heat while you work on the soap.
3. Bring 4 cups of water to a simmer in a 2 qt sauce pan, stir constantly to dissolve soap.
4. When the soap is completely dissolved, add it to the hot water in the bucket. Stir for about 2 minutes, until it's completely mixed.
   
5. Then, add 1 C washing soda and 1/2 C Borax to the soapy water.
6. Stir for 4 minutes. You want everything well mixed.
7. Cover. Set aside for 24 hours.
8. When you open the lid the next day, it will either be the consistency of egg drop soup or like a watery jello. (Sorry for the food examples, but now you know what's "normal!")
9. To use: Scoop out 1 C for a large load of laundry. (Tip: Put the detergent in the washing machine before you add your laundry, especially if your detergent is more "jello-like" in consistency.)

These are the ingredients you'll need:
Borax, washing soda, shaved soap.

Dissolve the shaved soap in a saucepan.

The mixture will be cloudy and murky. Stir deeply and thoroughly.

My Tidy Cat bucket filled with new detergent,
nestled between the washer and dryer,
waiting to be used.

The consistency of this batch is thick, like jello.
No matter. It still works.
This batch cost less than $1 to make.
For our family of five, this batch will last ~3 months.


Try it out and let me know how it works for you!