Rerunning the cleaning concoctions.

For some odd reason my three homemade cleaning products ran out at about the same time. 
Last fall I experimented with making laundry detergent, dish washing detergent and window cleaner. The experiment is over and I'm repeating all three because they work and they lasted for 10 months! It was wonderful to have a good supply of needed cleaning products in the house all those months.
Shows you how infrequently I wash windows.

Cost of the laundry detergent around $25. 
Cost of the dish detergent around $20 
Cost of the window cleaner around $10 (with lots of Dawn left over). 
This lasted 10 months but remember there are only two of us in the house.

Just the other day someone asked me for the laundry detergent concoction so I posted it on the right sidebar but I decided to put all three recipes here today just in case you are interested in whipping up some batches your home. Fall cleaning anyone?

Let's get started with the detergent for a dishwasher, how's that sound? This is what you'll need (yes that is lemonade Kool aid type drink mix with no sugar);

 

Dishwasher Detergent ingredients:
1 box Borax (4lbs 12 oz or 76 oz ) (2.15 kg) found in the detergent isle
1 box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (55 oz or 3 lbs 7 oz) found in the detergent isle
24 packages of unsweetened lemonade drink mix, like kool-aid. (**Note: lemonade will stain soap dispenser yellow, another option would be to use citric acid instead of lemonade. You can usually find citric acid in the canning isle )
3 cups Epsom Salt
Lemi Shine rinse aid (this recipe does not work very well without it) You can find Lemi Shine in the dishwasher detergent isle at just about any store. You can also use vinegar as a rinse aid. If your dishes are coming out with spots on them that means you do need a rinse aid.






OR use Lemi Shine as a rinse aid. Sprinkle about a tablespoon in the bottom of your dishwasher before running.

Link to original post. 
http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3441399887137747620#editor/target=post;postID=8487577473968641088

Now to the laundry room.. But first;

He loves brooms and mops.. give the boy a bucket!

This is what you'll need; 

1 - 4 lb box Borax

1 - 4 lb box Arm & Hammer Baking Soda

1 - 4lb box Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

3 bars of Fels Naptha soap

2 small containers of oxyclean or store brand oxyclean

This year I added a box of Rain Drops water softener to the mixture because we have a well and very hard water, even with a water conditioner for the house I wanted to add a little boost to the cleaning power of the mixture.

Start out by grating the Fels Naptha soap just like cheese. It doesn't take long to do this on a box grater, then mix everything together. (side note; I keep an extra bar of Fels Naptha around to treat stains)

Looks good doesn't it?

This makes a lot so find a big soup pot or bucket to hold everything, mix and transfer into air tight containers or a plastic bag.

The original post here;
http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3441399887137747620#editor/target=post;postID=1684272430978415331

Now to the windows. This is so easy and works great! (When you actually use it.)

One 12 - 16 oz bottle of rubbing alcohol 
One cup ammonia
2 tablespoons Dawn dish washing liquid (Dawn is a must)
One gallon water.. 

That's it folks. 
How about a cup of coffee before we start? 
Sideline Grandma.