Economical Laundry Detergent, The Powder Version!!!

So after I posted my last blog about Economical Laundry Detergent I had several mommies asking about a powdered version. Personally I do not use powdered laundry soap very often but was forced to make some when my husband told me he was going TDY (government/military terminology for going out of town for work..lol) for 2 weeks and needed to take laundry detergent. As we all know, taking liquids through the airport is one of the worst headaches you will ever get, so I decided that this was the perfect opportunity to try the powdered detergent! Below is the recipe I used. The powdered version does not save you as much money as the liquid version, but it is quicker to make. This recipe is for top load washing machines.

Ingredients:

1 Fels-Naptha Bar
1 Cup Borax
1 Cup Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda*
1 Food Processor (for powdering your Fels-Naptha Bar)

You will need a high powered Food Processor with the cheese grater attachment and the regular double blade processor attachment.

Take your Fels-Naptha bar and put it through your food processor using the cheese grater attachment.

Put you Fels-Naptha bar in a bowl and set aside. Place your double food processor blade into your food processor.

Add your Fels-Naptha bar (grated in the bowl you set aside earlier) and turn your food processor on for 30 seconds. this will turn the Fels-Naptha bar into powder.

Add the borax and the Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda to the food processor.

Turn your food processor on for another 30 seconds. This will combine all of the ingredients.

To store your powdered detergent, place it in an air tight Rubbermaid container. When using this detergent, add 1 Tablespoon for light loads and 2-4 Tablespoons for heavily soiled loads. I have used this detergent in a load of cloth diapers. I will admit that I like the liquid version better, but this would be great for traveling. It gets the job done, but when I am at home I prefer using a liquid detergent for the cloth diapers.

Happy Soap Making!!!

~Rachelle

Now Serving San Diego Including North County!!!

Hello everyone!!! I am so excited to be posting this right now! After months of planning and organizing, I can now say that our Weekly Cloth Diaper Delivery Service is now serving San Diego including North County!! If you have any friends or family in that area please refer them to us!!!

www.preciousbabybottoms.com
www.facebook.com/preciousbottoms

We give discounts for diaper service and our boutique when you refer someone to us!!! Please help us spread the word about our Weekly Cloth Diaper Delivery Service!!!

~Rachelle

Cold Weather Cookin'

With the cold winter weather that we have been experiencing I decided to bake something!!! My boys enjoyed it so much! It heated up the house and our tummies!!! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 2 cups sugar, divided 
• 1 tablespoon baking powder 
• Pinch of salt 
• 1 cup milk 
• 4 cups fresh peach slices
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice 
• Ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preparation

• Melt butter in a medium size bowl.
• Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in the medium bowl with the butter. Add milk. Your mixture will be the consistency of pancake batter. Set batter aside.
• Bring remaining 1 cup sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; pour into a large baking dish (deep pan like mine works best but you could also use a casserole dish, make sure you adjust the recipe because this one will create too much for a casserole dish). Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.
• Pour the batter onto of the peaches: DO NOT MIX. Gently make sure that all of the peaches are covered with the batter with out mixing the batter into the peaches.  
• Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm or cool. Watch closely as the bake time varies. I am in California and I had to add almost 15 minutes to my back time. 

I hope you give this recipe a chance! You can serve it with ice cream, whip topping or just the way it is!!! I let mine cool for about 10-15 minutes then cut into it, and I am surprised and happy to say that it held together nicely! Perfect recipe to heat up the house and serve to your holiday guests!!!

~Rachelle

Economical Laundry Detergent

With they way many things in our everyday life have changed, cost of gas, rising costs on food organic and non organic, clothing costs rising due to cotton prices rising and everyday household cleaners and detergents, my family has made many efforts in cutting back in every way that we can. One of those ways is making our own laundry detergent. I would like to share our detergent recipe with you and hopefully you will give it a try!!! 

Homemade Laundry Soap

Ingredients:
4  Cups - hot tap water
1  Fels-Naptha soap bar (you may also use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk's Hardwater Castile or any other stain removal bar. Don't use heavily perfumed soaps)
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax
1- 5 Gallon Bucket

 1.) Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

  

2.) Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken (will gel and you will have to mix before each use).

3.) After you have let the mixture set over night, stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
 

***Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
*Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
*Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
*Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)
**Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" -  Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

Personally I do not add the extra water into the used laundry soap dispenser because I like the added kick that my loads get with the more concentrated detergent. I also use this laundry soap for my son's cloth diapers. I know most sites tell you not to use a stain remover such as a stain bar because on the residue issue but we have not had any problems with it. As far as the ***optional part, I personally love the smell of the detergent without any extra add-ons but when I am washing a load of diapers I do add 2 full droppers of tea tree oil as it is a natural antiseptic/disinfectant. I really hope you try this detergent, I along with my entire family loves it and I will never go back to store bought detergent for my personal family use!!!

~Rachelle