When we were in NZ I made our bench spray, laundry liquid and dishwasher powder but here in Aus last year I dropped the ball. In our new place we don't have a dishwasher so I don't need to think about that but I have been meaning to get back into making laundry liquid.
If you haven't done it before or considered it here are my top reasons:
1. Cheap - it is so economical to make your own I would say less than $2-3 for 56 washes
2. Quick and Easy - I know that sometimes these 'make your own' routes or cloth nappies or whatever can seem very time consuming for output but this is literally a 10 minute make and for me it means more than 10 weeks worth of washing. I can manage 10 minutes 5 times in a year.
3. Easy to get the stuff - sometimes I want to make some cleaning products/soaps etc but they have ingredients that are hard to find. All the things you need for this will be at your local supermarket (unless it's completely rubbish!).
4. Environmentally better - the ingredients in this are very simple and few which means less impact on the environment. I'm pretty sure (but you should check) that all are fine for grey water systems too.
So there it is :o) Are you convinced?
The recipe I use is Wendyl Nissen's one and she has a heap of wonderful recipes on her site if you want to make more of your own products or buy her ready made ones in NZ.
Here it is:
- ½ bar Sunlight soap, grated
- 1.5 litres of water
- ½ cup washing soda
- 50 g borax (a scant 1/4 c)
- 6 litres hot water - hot from the tap is fine
- Place grated soap in a saucepan with the first quantity of water and heat on low until soap is dissolved. I stir while I'm doing this but it doesn't take long at all. Stir in washing soda and borax.
- Stir for a few minutes until thickened and remove from heat.
- Add 1 litre of hot water to a bucket. Add soap mixture and mix well.
- Fill bucket with another 5 litres of hot water and mix well. I use a large lidded bucket and leave it in this but you can also transfer it to empty milk bottles or the like.
- Add about 20 drops of essential oil like lavender or eucalyptus. Use 1/2c per wash
This makes enough for about 56 washes so it goes for ages. It is kind of gluggy but it leaves no powdery marks on your clothes and should be fine if you just give it a stir now and again.
* Sunlight soap comes in a box of 5 for a few dollars and is in the laundry section - as is washing soda. You can also use sunlight soap on laundry stains.
Do you make any of your own cleaners? Would you?
love you more than feeling virtuous! xxx
