speaking of dirt.... *edited with "recipes"*

The outside is coming along, more has been done since I last took photos. I do have to admit, that I got a little girly, when I was out there by myself cleaning up. If it has more than 6 legs, it's way to creepy for me. The more legs, the louder I scream. There were entire communities of spiders. I got the heebie-jeebies, but I dealt with that. I had on work gloves, as armor. It was the dead thing that put an end to it. It was a big pile of fur, couldn't even tell you what it used to be......ick.


So that's when I focused more on the inside. Scrubbing, painting, all that jazz. But really, rather boring. I have yet to give this place a little of my personality. Mostly because it still doesn't feel like home.


In the mean time, I have been making things. Things that save money, reduce plastic waste, and stuff that has less ingredients than fingers I have on one hand, AND I can pronounce ALL of them! BONUS!

these 4 things, and the Oxi Clean is optional, cost is considerably less without it.....

(this was the first batch I made with the Zote. It's working well, but I think I am still partial to the smell of it made with Fels Naptha, which seems to be found easier anyway, when shopping for the ingredients)

*I will not take full credit for this recipe, but here is how I make my laundry detergent.

2 cups Borax

2 cups Washing Soda (or baking soda)

1/2 cup Oxi Clean

1 (14 oz) bar of Zote or 2 bars Fels Naptha

 

I first shred my soap bar in the food processor, then I chop it, you want it in fine crumbs so it dissolves easily. Pour it in a large bowl, add the Borax, washing soda, and the optional Oxi Clean, mix together, and then scoop it into several mason jars.*

.....and you have home-made laundry detergent. It makes a LOT more than this pint sized jar. I gave the neighbor well over 2 cups, and I have 4-5 cups of it left myself. With using just 2 tablespoons a load, this stuff lasts forever!

 

 

I could never figure out how to do a cost per load comparison, so thankful I have a friend that makes this as well, and CAN figure it all out! With her numbers, she states that commercial laundry detergents cost about 20 cents per load. This homemade stuff, TWO CENTS PER LOAD! And it takes 5-10 minutes to make. Do not tell me you can't spare 10 minutes a month!!


I began to think....if I can make laundry soap/detergent.....why not dish soap?! I looked online and "holy smokes" there are many recipes for that too!

I am still working on the recipe for this one. I like to take ideas for others, and change them a bit, to make them my own. My first batch was way to thick and got chunky. I added more water to the pan, boiled it, and threw the thick soap mixture back in. Loving that through this trial and error, I don't have to throw it away!

 

*Once I get the quantities of this down I will post the recipe. It contains Ivory bar soap (fun part is putting it in the microwave to make soap "snow" before you measure it out. Also has a little Borax and water in it. You boil the water, add the soaps, stir until it's all melted and dissolved. Then you pour it in a glass bowl, or jar to let it cool. As it cools, whisk it around once in a while, because it seems to separate until it's fully cooled. *

 

sometimes we TRY to make fun things too, like this sidewalk chalk. Looks really pretty, took 457 years to dry. Ask my 5 year old, it took at LEAST that long. And then, to top it all off, it just crumbled. Total fail. I've not gotten over the disappointment of that one to try again. Someday....

*This fail was made from corn starch, water, and food coloring. I forgot how hard it was to mix the corn starch and water, haha. You all remember Oobleck?!!*

 

 

I have some essential oils coming in the mail. With those I am going to attempt a "greener" way to make my household addiction. Those super nifty, easy, convenient, disinfecting wipes! I'll keep you posted. (pun intended. It's late, what can I say?!!)