I'm becoming so natural from the neck down I can hardly recognize myself! I just made my first batch of homemade laundry detergent and am now clearly unstoppable. Just point me to the patch of land you want vegetated this Spring. I'm a true pioneer. I've made soap with these hands! Is there anything coming in between me and a complete organic vegetable garden now?!Oh yeah, all that wormy dirt touching work and such.
Ok. Coming down from my high now. Maybe my first batch of detergent doesn't make me entirely hearty and self sufficient but it was a super cool feeling while it lasted. And I do love my new detergent recipe! My gal pal Tab gave me a jar of this laundry soap at Christmastime and I just fell so in love with its crisp fresh scent and washing power, I had to find the goods to make it myself.
All that's needed is:
1/2 cup Borax
1 cup Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda(no picnic to find, btw.)
1 bar of Fels Naptha soap-grated (So awesome but equally hard to pin down in your everyday store.)
essential oil (optional ingredient: I used Lavender this time to see what happens.)
It is supposed to weigh in at just a fraction of the cost of store bought brands and you can sass it up anyway you like with essential oils (though while making it I found it to smell great as is.)
It is Michelle Duggar's(mother of 19 and local celeb.) recipe that Tab shared with me. I made four batches tonight which totals around 160 loads. I should be set for a while!
And now I've got plenty of time to sing this:
I'm easily impressed with myself it's true. This will no doubt keep my negative self talk at bay until well into next week!
Look out world! I'm every woman.
14 comments:
I am so excited to read this!! I am about to start this too. Plus, I am thinking about going No-poo on my hair...
I impressed with you, too. I remember making my own oatmeal soap once while I was preggers with my boy--the smell of lye and fat made me sick, sick, sick and I could not bear to use the soap ever-after because one whiff made me nauseous. Other people enjoyed my soap, though.
What's next, Laura? Are you going to whittle yourself some dandy bit o' furniture? :) You can do it!
Nice work there lassie, it looks good in the by-hand hewn and reconfigured kitchen too.
Now how cool is that? next we know you'll be tending sheep to spin your own wool to make your own clothes to wash with your handmade soap!
No I think it's awesome you did that. I would've never thought to such! Go you!
(I certainly dig the idea of choosing my own 'scent'!)
So awesome, Shan! (and I must say, I do love your post title, too!!)
So, share the secret, missy. Where'd you find those ingredients? I've been wanting to try this!
I looked ALL OVER for the A & H Super Washing Soda and Fels Naptha until I finally asked Tab if I needed to order it online. She said they had both at Price Cutter!! When I went they were out of the Fels N. but I later found a few bars at IGA. I bought all both stores had of each thing. Oink oink. ;)
We need to request that they keep them both in stock since several of us are interested now. :)
I'll fb you in case you forget to check back!
How am I blessed with so many friends who are so funny and interesting and good writers? I love it! I got a bottle, too, and it's pretty cool. Essential oils are luxurious and Lavender, oh just say it again, Laaaavenderrrr. I love it so much I want to take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant. Go Shans Hands!
joyful
Yay for home brew!
I used to make my own soap and shampoo back in my militant Green days. It was a lot of work but the results were always entertaining.
Keep up the good work, Shan!
If I send you my address could you post some down under? Hee hee. I LOVE THIS. Just the way I love home cooking because I know what's in the food. Not sure how easy it will be for me to find the ingredients but hey, I'm going to give it a whirl!
Well done. You rock (in the lingo of my daughters).
I would I would Mme B! Send it and I'll mail a batch to you for fun. :)
What a hoot! You get major kudos for pulling off this feat of home craft. It never would have occurred to me to make my own detergent. I can't wait to try this; I'm thinking grapefruit essence might be nice. FYI, you're too cool for (home) school.
I love grapefruit smell too Katie! That was one of my top three choices (with lemon and lavender). I picked lavender because that is the smell we've been using in store bought, so I thought I'd compare.
I tried a food processor on the soap first but then grated the other three bars by hand with a parmesan grater. I couldn't get the soap as small as Tabs with my fp.
Joy, Btw, I have plenty of lavender oil to spare if you want to make a soothing something with it! :)
You are every woman!! Love it!
It is true that making something by your own hands makes a path for lovely thoughts. The first time I made my own detergent I was so proud and just knew that Brett would be too. In my mind's eye, he would think that I was sooo fantastic and would instantly call his mother and relay my fantasticness on to her. She would share the news with the rest of the fam and all would sing for joy at the wife Brett had chosen, because she made her own soap...Well...That didn't happen, but it was a great thought and left me feeling super!
I'm excited for you!
we're definitely adding "i'm every woman" to your reportoire for the Shannon Review at Sager Creek someday!!! :)
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