Soap Recipes Reviewed

So this week was the week for soap. I ran out of both laundry soap and dish soap at almost the same time. I'm always interested in trying new, cheaper options for such things, and I thought it high time I actually attempt the laundry and dish soap deal, since everybody seems to rave about it so much!

Sadly, I have no pictures of either soap being made. You'll just have to use your little imaginations this time!

Dish Soap
Pros and Cons?

Yes, the soap gets sudsy.

Yes, it smells fabulous (lemon & eucalyptus, people!).

No, it doesn't leave any streaky, sticky, or smelly residue like I've read so many people complain about with homemade dish soap.

No, it doesn't dry out my hands, which is important when you hand wash all of your dishes!

Sounds great, right? Well, so far so good but I do have a few issues with it.

First off I used most of a bar of castile soap, and the whole batch didn't even fill my little built in soap dispenser bottle. In fact, I think it was just below the halfway mark. So that was a little lame, considering I can get 25oz of natural dish soap by EarthFriendly for about $3. And I'm pretty sure I fill that little bottle twice with the 25oz? The worst part was how firmly it set up though. I knew it would gel, but this was ridiculous. It clogged my dispenser so badly I thought it was broken. Incidentally, the same amount of castile soap can be used to make 5 full gallons of laundry soap. So... wasteful? Big yes. I don't think dish soap needs to be that concentrated.

However, if you're in a pinch like I was and are out of dish soap, and would have to wait for days to have the kind you like shipped to you (because you live in a small town and nobody carries a good, natural dish soap), this is a life-saver. So here is the recipe I used, in case you need your life saved like I did. Maybe try adding more water than the original recipe called for and you'll partially ameliorate the problems I had with it (too thick, and didn't make enough for the quantity of soap used).

Homemade Dish Soap

1/2 cup lightly packed grated castile soap
1 1/4 cups water (I would try adding another 1/2-1 cup)
1 tbsp glycerine
1 tbsp washing soda
10-30 drops essential oils of choice, optional

Grate castile soap while you bring the water to a boil on the stove. Add soap to water and continue to lightly boil, stirring, until soap disolves. Remove from stove. Add washing soda, stir well. Add desired essential oils. Pour into repurposed containers and allow it to cool completely. Check consistency; if too thick add hot water and shake vigorously. If too thin, try reheating and adding some more washing soda.

Laundry Soap
My intent with the laundry soap was to make the 5 gallons of liquid soap I kept reading about. A friend from church even gave me the borax and washing soda I would need, so I wouldn't have to buy two full boxes for a measly little cupful! Sweetness! But when I went to make said soap, I discovered that I did not, in fact, have a 5 gallon bucket with a lid to store it in. PROBLEMATIC! Where else could I store 5 gallons of soap? Um...? Nowhere, really. So I decided to try powdered laundry soap this time round! It requires most of the same ingredients, and instead of using a cup per load like with the liquid, you use a tablespoon per load. So far I have to say I'm very pleased with the results. Our clothes are coming out fresh and clean and soft. I used Dr. Bronner's Lavender Castile soap bar, and I love the very mild scent it leaves on our clothes. It's so mild in fact, you really have to stick your face in the warm laundry to smell it.

As the laundry cools down, the scent fades -- this is a good thing as I doubt David would be excited to go around smelling very strongly of lavender all the time! So yes, mildly scented. So much better than a lot of store brands that smell so strong you're sure your brain is being deprived of oxygen just wearing the clothes washed in the junk! The recipe I used makes enough for 32-64 loads depending on how much you use each load, which for us will last us anywhere from 3-6 months. The liquid version would yield around 80 loads, so it is more cost effective and I will be trying it next time. But since I don't have the container/space to store 5 gallons of detergent right now, this seemed like a good alternative! I only wonder, if it contains the same quantity of all the same ingredients except for water, couldn't I probably use less than a tablespoon of the powder, and get the same results I would see with the liquid, without having to store 5 gallons? What do you think? 

The recipe I used follows:

Powdered Laundry Soap

1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
1 bar fels-naptha or castile soap, grated

Grate soap. Combine borax and washing soda. Mix all three ingredients together and store in a quart jar or other container.

Enjoy!

small changes for a healthier home

We've all been there. It's that moment when you've finally become convinced that for the sake of yourself, your family, and the environment, something's gotta give. If future generations are to enjoy even a smidgen of good health we must change the way we live, and change it quickly. Sometimes, and especially early on in the process of trying to educate ourselves on what some of the biggest dangers are we end up more overwhelmed than ever, wondering what on earth to start with. Here is a short list of some of my favorite changes that you can easily make in the quest for a healthier home:

1. Go "all-natural" with your laundry detergent. You may be surprised to see this on a "Top 5" list but think logically about it for a minute. Our freshly laundered clothes are something that stays in contact with our bodies nearly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Do we really want those clothes to be laundered in chemicals that may be harmful to us, our families, and the environment? No thank you! Choosing all-natural laundry detergent really isn't very expensive, but if cost is a concern there are plenty of recipes floating around the internet for making your own detergent some of which claim to cost only pennies per load! I have yet to try making my own laundry detergent, but plan on it in the future once my Earth Friendly detergent is gone.
2.  Make your own cleaners for wiping down counter-tops, cleaning toilets and showers, etc., Our culture is obsessed with cleanliness. Many common household cleaning products are far more dangerous to our health and the environment than the germs they were created to destroy. One of the simplest and most effective household cleaners can be made by taking a spray bottle, filling it with clean water, and adding a few drops of grapefruit seed extract (studies have shown that 10-15 drops per gallon of water is effective for killing many pathogens), along with a few drops of essential oils. GFSE has been shown in studies to be more effective than chlorine bleach at killing bacteria in hospital settings. And the neatest part? It keeps on killing! When researchers tested hospital bedsheets they found that when they were washed in a solution containing relatively minuscule amounts of GFSE, bacteria was essentially nonexistent on those sheets hours after a patient lay in them versus the sheets washed in the traditional cleaners. I like to add essential oils such as tea tree and clove which have their own antibacterial properties. These cleaners are so safe, I even use them on my produce to remove bacteria and pesticides.
3. Toss the plastic! Many plastics contain Bisphenol-A, or BPA, a dangerous toxin which has estrogenic effects on the body. BPA is linked to reproductive problems in men and women, and is linked to various cancers and other health problems. Consider eliminating use of plastic dishes (especially for infants), and water bottles, and also reducing the number of plastic toys your children play with, opting instead for glass, ceramic, or wood dishes, and cloth or wooden toys for your children. If you "must" keep using plastic for any reason, look for plastics marked "1", "2", and "4" on the recycling label. These still contain other potential toxins, but at least are free of BPA! Also avoid using plastic in the microwave, or washing them with harsh detergents as this can increase the leeching of chemicals into your food.
4. Buy a plant. Live houseplants can help to purify the air in your home, removing dangerous chemicals like formaldehyde, as well as being aesthetically pleasing, especially during the winter months when living green things are hard to find. Repurposing old containers can make this even more fun. Just don't forget to water from time to time!
5. Purify your water. You can find fairly inexpensive under-the-sink purifiers, or just get a pitcher that you can fill directly from your faucet. Our bodies are mostly water, so it only makes sense that the cleaner our water, the healthier we will be. A whole house purifying system is ideal, but if all you can manage is to purify your drinking water, it's a good move in the right direction!