Household recipes - cleaners etc

[TamBabs]

I'm renovating a lifestyle and thought I'd post here.

How to save some money and change the way you buy.

First, Liquid Fabric softener.
Vinegar is the easiest solution, adding drops of essential oil for fragrance is optional.

Using essential oil means your clothes can smell as you want them to! If your family only has a bath before bed, then adding soothing Lavender for your towels, makes sense. If your family is the get up and go type, perhaps mint is more refreshing. Maybe its the smell of Lemon that makes you feel clean. Bergamot for men, or perhaps Vanilla is your fave.

I've seen a recipe that uses both Baking soda and vinegar. after they're carefully mixed (they will bubble, of course), add your essential oil for scent, then mix before using, as the baking soda will settle on the bottom. We have hard water, so I like this idea.

The last recipes I saw used Hair conditioner with the vinegar and baking soda, but I think that's too many chemicals for my comfort. Most hair conditioners, use oils that I wouldn't want staining my clothes.

I've never been huge on liquid fabric softener, myself. I prefer a dryer sheet. So I looked up those recipes too.

The absolute easiest, is to take a hand towel, or pieces of cotton, soak it in your liquid fabric softener recipe, wring and dry before using.

I don't know why it needs to be dry when its going in with wet laundry anyways. Maybe using a few drops on a washcloth before tossing it in the load would work too. I need to try this. I know a spray bottle won't work as the vinegar will stop the mechanisms from working.

If you just want to scent your clothing, you can simply add a few drops of essential oil to a cloth and toss in the dryer.

[Natja]

Thanks Tam, I have a really good book called Green Clean, it might give you all some ideas of how to live a life with many less chemicals.  I find most of them (like soda crystals for example) clean better than any chemical scrubber I can get from the supermarkets and I save a lot more money also.

[Admin]

That's a neat idea.  I don't use liquid fabric softener but we use dryer sheets.  Making a reusable one from a wash cloth might save a lot of money.  I wonder what the cost difference is?  Any ideas?

[TamBabs]

That's a neat idea.  I don't use liquid fabric softener but we use dryer sheets.  Making a reusable one from a wash cloth might save a lot of money.  I wonder what the cost difference is?  Any ideas?

It will depend on how expensive it is to buy the essential oils where you live. I need to drive an hour to the closest store that sells them, and they range in price from about $3 to $30 (Depends on scent and the difficulty in extracting it).

The other products are generally much less expensive than the store-bought Fabric softener. Here, you can buy a box of baking soda and a large jug of Vinegar, for less than half the cost of the least expensive Fabric softener.

[TamBabs]

Thanks Tam, I have a really good book called Green Clean, it might give you all some ideas of how to live a life with many less chemicals.  I find most of them (like soda crystals for example) clean better than any chemical scrubber I can get from the supermarkets and I save a lot more money also.

I'm thinking Soda Crystals are the same thing or very similar as our Baking Soda. More ideas are always welcome! 

[Natja]

No, Baking Soda is bicarbonate, soda crystals are sodium carbonate, the extra carbon molecule makes a big difference with regards to whether it is toxic or not. You wouldn't brush your teeth with soda crystals!   In fact, you should wear gloves when using it.  It really is great stuff though and cheaper than baking soda.

[Deorccwen]

Thanks for the fabric softener idea, Tam!

It's definitely best not to use baking soda on your hair: it makes it feel very soft, but damages the hair shaft.  A weak solution of cider vinegar is a good rinse for hair, especially in hard-water areas, because it counteracts the lime in the water.