Pinterest fever has struck the nation and I have a bad case of it! It is a DIYer's dreamland. I mainly started with recipes because it was around the holidays. I made amazing homemade Almond Joys and an awesome Butterfinger pie. Breakfast casseroles, salads, you name it - there is a recipe for it.
Then, I moved over to the DIY/crafts page - and hit the jackpot! First, I made my own Febreze. With the real stuff costing around $5 a bottle, I was ready and willing for a cheaper alternative.
You need 4 things:
1. a big spray bottle (I used my latest empty Febreze bottle)
2. 1/8 cup of liquid fabric softener
3. 2 tbsp of baking soda
4. hot water
Just add the fabric softener and baking soda then fill the rest of the bottle with hot water and shake. I have used this on my curtains, furniture and clothes. No residue, no damage - only freshness! Besides how cheap this stuff is to make - I love that you can decide what scent you want - you get to pick out the fabric softener.
Okay - now my current obsession - Homemade Laundry Detergent!! Now, this one takes a bit more effort than Febreze. You will need the following:
Required: 1 box of Borax, I box of Washing Soda, 4 lbs of Baking Soda, 25-30 oz of Fels Naptha bar soap
Optional: 3 lbs of Oxy clean or the like, 1-2 bottles of dry fabric softener (Purex Crystals)
Tools and et cetera: Grader, huge bucket - preferably with a lid
Attention all shoppers - I could only find all of these ingredients at the grocery store - I could not find the soap or washing soda at Target. That being said, if you are going to add Purex and the Oxy Clean - unless they are on sale, it is usually a dollar or two cheaper to get these at Target or Walmart. And as you see from the photo - I don't care about brands - so I often use the generic if possible.
Once you have everything - grade yourcheese soap - it definitely looks like cheese, but is more of a pain to grade. Use the fine grader to keep the soap pieces small. It took me about an hour to grade all of the soaps. This is the hardest part.
Next (and finally) mix everything together. 2 notes about this - I would mix it outside if possible - there will be dust and I can't imagine that it is good to inhale that stuff. Next - I would layer - pouring parts of everything in so that mixing is easier. Once everything is in - mix it up. I found having a lid and just shaking the bucket was easier than trying to mix it by spoon.
You are done. Start washing your clothes - they are going to smell wonderful and be just as clean as the stuff you pay an arm and a leg for.
It only takes about 2 tbsp of this stuff to wash a load of clothes. I have washed it with all blacks in cold/cold and it left no residue. Now, I will start the water and add the detergent then add the clothes - but I have always started laundry this way.
You will see that this recipe makes several pounds of detergent. Cost-wise, I spent less than $20 on everything to make it. At 2 tbsp a load and 1-3 loads a week - this stuff could last me nearly a year (if I wasn't giving out samples to all of my friends to try).
So, if you are interested but want to try it out first - let me know - I will give you a "sample"!
I am Suzy Homemaker - keepin' it clean!
Then, I moved over to the DIY/crafts page - and hit the jackpot! First, I made my own Febreze. With the real stuff costing around $5 a bottle, I was ready and willing for a cheaper alternative.
You need 4 things:
1. a big spray bottle (I used my latest empty Febreze bottle)
2. 1/8 cup of liquid fabric softener
3. 2 tbsp of baking soda
4. hot water
Just add the fabric softener and baking soda then fill the rest of the bottle with hot water and shake. I have used this on my curtains, furniture and clothes. No residue, no damage - only freshness! Besides how cheap this stuff is to make - I love that you can decide what scent you want - you get to pick out the fabric softener.
Okay - now my current obsession - Homemade Laundry Detergent!! Now, this one takes a bit more effort than Febreze. You will need the following:
Optional: 3 lbs of Oxy clean or the like, 1-2 bottles of dry fabric softener (Purex Crystals)
Tools and et cetera: Grader, huge bucket - preferably with a lid
Attention all shoppers - I could only find all of these ingredients at the grocery store - I could not find the soap or washing soda at Target. That being said, if you are going to add Purex and the Oxy Clean - unless they are on sale, it is usually a dollar or two cheaper to get these at Target or Walmart. And as you see from the photo - I don't care about brands - so I often use the generic if possible.
Once you have everything - grade your
Next (and finally) mix everything together. 2 notes about this - I would mix it outside if possible - there will be dust and I can't imagine that it is good to inhale that stuff. Next - I would layer - pouring parts of everything in so that mixing is easier. Once everything is in - mix it up. I found having a lid and just shaking the bucket was easier than trying to mix it by spoon.
You are done. Start washing your clothes - they are going to smell wonderful and be just as clean as the stuff you pay an arm and a leg for.
It only takes about 2 tbsp of this stuff to wash a load of clothes. I have washed it with all blacks in cold/cold and it left no residue. Now, I will start the water and add the detergent then add the clothes - but I have always started laundry this way.
You will see that this recipe makes several pounds of detergent. Cost-wise, I spent less than $20 on everything to make it. At 2 tbsp a load and 1-3 loads a week - this stuff could last me nearly a year (if I wasn't giving out samples to all of my friends to try).
So, if you are interested but want to try it out first - let me know - I will give you a "sample"!
I am Suzy Homemaker - keepin' it clean!
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