diy recipes

I have recently came across several DIY recipes for laundry soap, dishwasher soap etc.   I long ago knew about ammonia and water for a window cleaner but I'm guilty as charged...I don't do windows very often.

There are a myriad of laundry soap recipes but most have the same 3 ingredients  bar soap such as "fels naphtha"  borax and washing soda.  The question, do you want liquid or do you want powder?  I have preferred liquid for years due to not having any clumps of undissolved powder lingering anywhere.  I have tried 2 recipes. The first recipe you were to dilute out to 10 gallon of liquid.  I didn't care for that so I diluted to 5 gallon and used half the amount of liquid.  You do have to shake before use, not a problem but would be nice if you didn't have to.

The second recipe found here is a highly concentrated liquid soap, mayonnaise consistency, one source stated to use 2-3 teaspoons the other source states 1 tablespoon (3-teaspoons) per wash load. With the cost of supplies and using the 1 tablespoon that works out to 1 penny a wash load. I will go ahead and use the 1 tablespoon.  I used a microwave safe glass mixing bowl and melted the grated bar soap in the microwave. I first heated the 4 cups of water on high while I grated the soap into the glass bowl. After mixing the hot water with it I then cooked it for 3minutes on high, stirred it and 2minutes on high and finished stirring until dissolved. The blog using the tablespoon also recommended doing the final mixing right in the quart jar with your blender.  I was using pint jars due to my giving away my quart jars, I also figured it would work better scooping out the soap when you are near the bottom of the jar.  The first two pint jars worked perfect on my blender just as the blog had said. The 3rd pint jar apparently was not that good of a match for the blender bottom. Determined after 3 rubber grommets were chewed up. So the last 2 pint jars I used the alternative method of using a hand mixer.  I will do the hand mixer from now on due to not being sure which jar was not a good fit. I don't want to buy anymore grommets.  Even counting in the cost of the rubber grommets I'm still cheaper than the cost of the large jug of laundry soap that I usually purchase.

I will choose to do the mayonnaise consistency laundry soap due to storage, I don't have to figure out where to store 5-10 gallons of liquid.

I have plans on trying to make my own dishwasher liquid but still have plenty of store bought on hand at this time.  Will let you know how that works out when the time comes.