There, peeping above the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for awhile. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up and out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing; there was light and high beauty forever beyond its reach. J.R.R. Tolkien

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Laundry Detergent

I did it! I made laundry detergent! I've been thinking about it for a year now, but have been too intimidated to try it. Finally, with the encouragement of a new friend and a new food processor, I did it. The hardest part was finding the washing soda. I had to order it from amazon.com. (Don't you just love amazon? It has everything. I was able to combine orders with someone else and get the free Super Saver Shipping.) Anyway, I started using the detergent this week and am very pleased. Here's the recipe:

1 bar soap (I used what my friend recommended--Dr. Bronner's, I have also heard Ivory or Fels Naptha soaps work well)
1 C. washing soda (not baking soda)
1 C. borax

Grate soap in food processor. Then grind it to a powder in the food processor. Mix all 3 ingredients together and keep in a closed container. Use 1-2 T. per load. Works fine in cold water. Leaves the fabric soft with no residue. That's it. Whoo-hoo! This costs less, creates less waste, and will be beneficial for my kids who react to perfumes in their soap and laundry detergent.

1 comment:

It's always fun to get comments, but if you post anonymously, I don't know who you are! It would be super if you would leave your name.