Not-So-Dirty Laundry

I am not airing my dirty laundry for all the world to see.

However, I did make laundry detergent this morning, and--given the price increase of just about everything under the sun due to the current drought--I thought I would share the info for anyone who wants to save a bit of money.

Needed materials:

Kitchen scale
Measuring cup
Sifter
Rotary cheese grater*

* A rotary cheese grater--just like the one your granny had.  A regular cheese grater will work if you don't have the rotary type. Or if you have one, use a food processor.  I don't own a food processor.

Ingredients:

2 cups of Borax
2 cups of Washing Soda**

5 ounces of good quality soap***

** Washing Soda (sodium carbonate) is not the same thing as Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate). Washing soda is found in the laundry aisle of the market, and can be used as a cleanser in kitchens and bathrooms. It is nonsudsing, so it rinses easily.

*** Castile Soap is gentle, and good for sensitive skin (babies) or for those with allergies.
And mea culpa, when I go to Tuesday Morning, I buy soaps; I usually use them as sachets in my linens or undergarment drawers.  Today, I used a combination of Castile and the Italian-made violet scented bar. I have also used the French milled Lavender (upper right) and the Italian Pear-Apple (lower left).  I've also used Ivory soap. (Has anyone ever microwaved a portion of a bar? That's another blog).

Putting It Together:

Grate 5 ounces of your chosen soap. To make a finer product, sift the grated soap through the sifter. Large, ungrated fragments should be dumped in a bowl. (If you use a food processor, you may not have the larger fragments. I wouldn't know).

In a large container (I use a lock-top plastic container), mix your 2 cups of washing soda, 2 cups of borax, and 5 ounces of grated soap.  If the borax is lumpy, put it through the sifter also. Shake well to combine.

Usage:

1 tablespoon of mix in a top loading washing machine.
1/2 tablespoon for a high efficiency front-loading washing machine.

What To Do With The Bar Soap Fragments:

Well, don't throw them out.  Put the soap scrap fragments in an unbleached muslin bag, and use it as a scrubby in the shower. Or use an old washcloth: stitch it up on 3 sides, fill it with soap scraps, seal it with Velcro, and Voila!

Waste nought, want nought, as the saying goes.