Simple, Homemade Laundry Softener

As you may know for the past year, I have been concocting my own household items with little more than what I have on hand or what I can find at the organic market. I am determined to rid my house of harmful toxins and chemicals by making my own homemade products.

(More of my DIY household recipes are at the bottom of this post.)

photo source unknown
But the products must meet or exceed three important expectations for this frugal gal:
1. It must be easy to replace-no beakers or science lab experiments. Thank you.
2. It must be just as good or better than the current product I’m using and,
3. It must cost the same or less than the current product I’m using.

I thought I hit a brick wall when it came to Laundry Softener and I would have to settle for store bought. My fluffy towels are very important to me.

I began to experiment when I remembered that vinegar is not only a wonderful cleansing agent, but a water softener as well. And baking soda is not only a whitener, but it regulates the pH level in the water, cutting through the mineral deposits (which makes your clothes feel stiff). So, why not combine the two?

Here’s all the you’ll need to make your own Laundry Softener:
Container
1 Cup of Baking Soda
6 Cups of White Vinegar
(8 drops of Essential Oil if you are worried about the vinegar smell in your house. There will not be a vinegar smell on your clothing.)

Pour the 1 Cup of Baking Soda into your container.

Slowly, I REPEAT-SLOWLY-add the vinegar a little at a time. It will fizz and bubble up. Allow it to recede and then add a little more.
Do not pour all at once, as I did, and watch your kitchen enjoy a nice vinegar shower. I am an idiot-was I not paying attention in science class?

Add the essential oils if desired. I’m cheap so I skip this step.

Allow the detergent to breathe for a little while (5 minutes or so) before capping it.

Add about 1/2 Cup of this mixture to your laundry’s rinse cycle (I set a timer as I start my load for about 20 minutes in to the washing cycle). Or, if you are impatient, it doesn’t hurt to add it at the same time you add your laundry soap. However, adding it to the rinse cycle will give you a little more fluff for you buck. I think that’s the saying….

This Laundry Softener leaves your clothes feeling soft and fluffy. It replaces the store bought laundry softeners that contain chemicals and perfumes, which only mask the odor. And, the best part is-it’s only about .01 per load.

Win-win-win, once again!

I hope you have enjoyed these recipes! It may seem overwhelming at first to rid your home of toxins and store-bought everything. And maybe you don’t want to make these products, but would like the benefits of non-toxic products in your home without going broke. I have found some simple solutions to replace the things that I cannot make/don’t want to make myself by purchasing them from a non-toxic green company online. Without directly endorsing them, if you are interested in knowing more,  Feel free to email me with questions.

Here are links to my other Homemade Household Cleansers and Beauty Products:

Easy Laundry Soap
Homemade Beauty Products
DIY Brass Cleaner
Organic Vegetable/Produce Cleaner
Homemade Household Cleaners

And here are a few Homemade Food Items to easily replace store-bought items:
Simple, Tasty Granola
Easy Crockpot Yogurt
Simple, Homemade Butter
Cooking and Freezing Beans, avoiding BPA
Homemade Hummus
Garden Fresh Salsa

If these parties are up, I link to them! (Here’s my complete Linky Party Page):
Monday: Crafts Keep Me Sane, The Better Baker, Skip to My Lou, DIY Showoff, Say Not, Sumo’s Sweet Stuff, Etcetorize, Sew Chatty, Brassy Apple, Flour Me With Love, Creating my Way, Mad in Crafts, Our Delightful Home, Sew Can Do, It’s So Very Cheri, Craft O Maniac, Polly Want a Crafter, Tuesday: Craft Edition, Inspiration Board , New Nostalgia , Lettered Life , Coastal Charm, Tip Junkie , Ladybug Blessings, Hope Studios , Todays Creative Blog, Wednesday: Someday Crafts , Day2DayJoys, Jillify It , Junk in the Trunk, We are that Family , Frugally Sustainable, Sew Much Ado, Fine Craft Guild , The Thrifty Home, My Girlish Whims , Quick, Easy, Cheap & Healthy, Trendy Treehouse, Thursday: Somewhat Simple, No Minimalist Here , A Glimpse Inside, The Mommy Club, The 36th Avenue, Cheap Chic Home, Beyond the Picket Fence, Fireflies and Jellybeans , House of Hepworths , The Shabby Chic Cottage, Friday: My Repurposed Life, It’s a HodgePodge Life, The Shabby Nest, Just Wingin’ It, One Artsy Momma, French Country Cottage, Finding Fabulous, Passionately Artistic, Petals and Picots, Simply Designing, Little Becky Homecky, My Romantic Home, Bacon Time, Simply Living, Saturday: Polkadot Pretties, Tatertots and Jello, Create and Inspire, Be Different, Act Normal, Craft Envy, Funky Junk Interiors, Petites Passion, Sunday: Under the Table, Natural Mothers, Mopping the Floor

New! Printable Recipe Card Feature!

I had no idea how popular my recipe section would become when I first started blogging. My intention was to have a blog focused on touring with stinky rock bands, remodeling our houses and making weird crafts. I soon realized that recipes were so easy for everyone to relate to (what-not everyone tours with stinky rock bands?), recreate (we all can shop at a grocery store) and understand (if I don’t forget a step!) that they are becoming more and more of a focus for me, too.

I think with a few simple instructions anyone can cook, even if the thought of using a garlic mincer is intimidating. Biceps’ even references my site to find recipes when he’s in charge of date night. How cute is that?!

I love to share my recipes with you so much that it grieved me when I knew you couldn’t just print it off for your later viewing pleasure. I finally found a plug-in that I trusted and installed it. It’s that cute little chef hat right next to the rainbow looking thing.

I know, welcome to the 2000’s of blogging-land. So, I’m a little behind.

From now on, starting with my recipe on Sundried Roma Tomatoes, there will be a printable recipe at the bottom of the post, perfect for your personal cookbook!

It will look like this at the bottom of each recipe post.

And, it will look like this when you click on the “print” icon. Print away!

I hope you enjoy this new feature.

Healthy, Homemade Beauty Products

This morning, I will be LIVE on Fox23’s “Great Day, Green Country“, trying to look somewhat composed and unsweaty. I was invited back to share my Homemade Beauty Product Recipes.

Little did they know what weirdness they were once again inviting into their normal world….

Here is the live video. I know, I’m awkward. Just don’t judge the recipes for the weirdness of the presenter.

Apparently, I didn’t stink it up too much during the first go around when I shared my Homemade Household Cleaning Recipes.

And today, with just 7 simple ingredients, I’ll show you the Healthy, Homemade Beauty Product recipes that I highlighted this morning on Fox23. These recipes use organic ingredients that are centuries old and proven to be healthy for the inside and the outisde of your body. This is nothing new under the sun, just a modern twist on how to do it yourself, easily.

Say good-bye to the over-priced, chemical-laden products from the beauty aisle. It’s time to take back control of what you are putting on the largest organ of your body and make your very own simple Beauty Products.

(If you click on the recipe title-all but the Toner-the link will take you to the step-by-step tutorial for each recipe. I also have a few links at the bottom of this post with more Homemade Household Cleansers and Yummy Food Recipes.)

Face Wash
2 Cups or More of plain (Old Fashioned) organic rolled oats

Use a blender and grind up the oats until it is the consistency of a fine powder. Store in airtight container.
With a fistful of oats, add a little water to make it into a mush. Massage over face with circular motions (avoiding eye area) and let sit for 0 to 5 minutes. Wash off with warm water. Use morning and night.

Oatmeal is a natural exfoliant. It cleans, soothes and nourishes the skin. Oatmeal brightens dark spots, lightens freckles and tones down inflammations.

Toner
1 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar

Squeeze a little Apple Cider Vinegar on a cottonball and spread over face, neck and chest. It may be powerful smelling at first, but the scent dissipates and the facial moisturizer will snuff out any remaining scent.

Vinegar clears up acne, heals dry skin and is a great antibacterial. It will remove any leftover make-up, while leaving the skin feeling refreshed and soft.

Facial Moisturizer
makes 2.5 oz
4 TBS Pure Aloe Vera (drinkable kind)
1 tsp Vegetable Glycerin
6 Drops Jojoba Oil
1/4 tsp Sweet Almond Oil

Place all ingredients in a container. Shake before each use. After washing your face and following with the toner, squeeze a small amount in your hand and apply with your fingers. It will feel wet at first, but as it dries and absorbs, you will be left with silky soft skin.

Aloe Vera is amazing. Here are some things that it can do topically for your skin (this doesn’t include all of the amazing things it does for the inside of your body):
Halts the growth of cancer tumors.
Eases inflammation and soothes arthritis pain.
Protects the body from oxidative stress.
Nourishes the body with minerals, vitamins, enzymes and glyconutrients.
Accelerates healing from physical burns and radiation burns.
Replaces dozens of first aid products, makes bandages and antibacterial sprays obsolete.
Hydrates the skin, accelerates skin repair.

Vegetable Glycerin
Improves the health of skin
Earth-friendly
Softens the skin
Natural source of moisture
Helps retain moisture
May have a positive affect on skin conditions like skin cancers (non-melanoma) and psoriasis

Jojoba Oil is just as amazing. Here are some of the reasons to use it topically:
Wound treatment
Skin healing
Beneficial as a moisturizer, hydrates the skin, hair and nails while it provides nutrients
Provides a protective coating on the skin to keep bacteria and grime out and moisture in
Reduces and prevents wrinkles and stretch marks
Antibacterial
Anti-inflammatory
Useful treatment for acne, skin wounds and to soothe mild infections
Hypo-allergenic, so it will not cause reactions on the skin and will not clog pores

Sweet Almond Oil
Help retain moisture
Reduces wrinkles
Adds a natural glow
Used on nearly any skin type, dry to oily
PS-Rub a dime sized amount into your scalp for healthier, thicker hair

Eye Make-up Remover
makes 3.5 oz
4 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
3 TBS Sweet Almond Oil

Mix in squeezable small container. Dab on cotton ball. Wipe eye makeup off gently.

The Benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil for the skin:
Penetrates deep into the skin, providing needed moisture
Protects the skin while keeping it smooth
Powerful Antioxidants, vitamins A and E, can help repair skin damage from sun exposure, cigarette smoke and pollutants.

(See Above Recipe for the Benefits of Sweet Almond Oil)

•   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •

YEAH! You now have all you need to keep your skin clean, fresh and feeling younger than before. And, you are spending pennies on the dollar in order to do so.

I hope you have enjoyed these recipes! It may seem overwhelming at first to rid your home of toxins and store-bought everything. And maybe you don’t want to make these products, but would like the benefits of non-toxic products in your home without going broke. I have found some simple solutions to replace the things that I cannot make/don’t want to make myself by purchasing them from a non-toxic green company online. Without directly endorsing them, if you are interested in knowing more,  Feel free to email me with questions.

Here are links to my other Homemade Household Cleansers and Beauty Products:

Easy Laundry Soap
DIY Brass Cleaner
Organic Vegetable/Produce Cleaner
Homemade Household Cleaners

And here are a few Homemade Food Items to easily replace store-bought items:
Simple, Tasty Granola
Easy Crockpot Yogurt
Simple, Homemade Butter
Cooking and Freezing Beans, avoiding BPA
Homemade Hummus
Garden Fresh Salsa

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending time with such a weirdo. Make sure you become a Facebook Fan or a Linky Follower to keep up to date with what this weirdo comes up with next. Have a great day!

If these parties are up, I link to them! (Here’s my complete Linky Party Page):
Monday: Crafts Keep Me Sane, The Better Baker, Skip to My Lou, DIY Showoff, Say Not, Sumo’s Sweet Stuff, Etcetorize, Sew Chatty, Brassy Apple, Flour Me With Love, Creating my Way, Mad in Crafts, Our Delightful Home, Sew Can Do, It’s So Very Cheri, Craft O Maniac, Polly Want a Crafter, Tuesday: Craft Edition, Inspiration Board , New Nostalgia , Lettered Life , Coastal Charm, Tip Junkie , Ladybug Blessings, Hope Studios , Todays Creative Blog, Wednesday: Someday Crafts , Day2DayJoys, Jillify It , Junk in the Trunk, We are that Family , Frugally Sustainable, Sew Much Ado, Fine Craft Guild , The Thrifty Home, My Girlish Whims , Quick, Easy, Cheap & Healthy, Trendy Treehouse, Thursday: Somewhat Simple, No Minimalist Here , A Glimpse Inside, The Mommy Club, The 36th Avenue, Cheap Chic Home, Beyond the Picket Fence, Fireflies and Jellybeans , House of Hepworths , The Shabby Chic Cottage, Friday: My Repurposed Life, It’s a HodgePodge Life, The Shabby Nest, Just Wingin’ It, One Artsy Momma, French Country Cottage, Finding Fabulous, Passionately Artistic, Petals and Picots, Simply Designing, Little Becky Homecky, My Romantic Home, Bacon Time, Simply Living, Saturday: Polkadot Pretties, Tatertots and Jello, Create and Inspire, Be Different, Act Normal, Craft Envy, Funky Junk Interiors, Petites Passion, Sunday: Under the Table, Natural Mothers, Mopping the Floor

Back on TV Again! Open the Sweaty Floodgates.

I have no idea why they would do this, but they did. I’m going back on Fox23’s LIVE television morning program tomorrow-sweaty pits and all.

Oklahoma’s Fox23 has a lovely morning show called, “Great Day, Green Country” and they’ve invited me to come back to share my Homemade Beauty Product Recipes.

I guess I didn’t act like a complete moron the first go around-(you can watch the video and see my recipes by clicking here) when I shared my Homemade Household Cleaning Recipes.

Photo Source
Although, there were plenty of these types of looks on my behalf throughout the live taping.

Just know that Wednesday through mid-morning Thursday, I will not have been able to sleep, compose intelligible sentences, walk straight or generally act like a normal human, if you happen to come into contact with me.

And again, please pray that I will not embarrass my mother and father. Amen.