Going Green: With 4 Simple Ingredients

Today, I'm here to talk to you about a little thing some folks in my family call "consumer anarchy." That is, removing yourself from the system that says you have to have this new product to be happy, clean, important, or stylish. One of the little ways that John and I "stick it to the man" is through detergents. When I hoist a detergent cup above my head and pour homemade laundry soap into it, it has the same emotional effect on me as, say, hoisting a Molotov cocktail above my head, ready burn down a corrupt institution. It just feels good.

If you want to be a part of my group club gang independent gathering of like-minded individuals, you'll need 4 things:

Borax- $2.98
Arm & Hammer Washing Soda- $2.99
1 Gallon Distilled Vinegar- $2.50
Fels Naptha- $1.98

So far I have found 3 ways to use the above four ingredients to save a little time, a lot of money, and an environmental hassle....

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent: 
1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
Vinegar (to prevent residue)  

Mix the powders together well and place in plastic container. Use 2 tbsp per load and a little vinegar in the rinse to cut the residue. You just saved $6.00!


Homemade Swiffer Wet-Jet Cleaner:
1 cup white distilled vinegar
7-8 drops essential oils (if you want a scent)
Water

In an empty (and clean) old gallon jug pour 1 cup vinegar and the essential oil. Fill to the top with water. Close with lid and shake well. Open the old Swiffer Wet-Jet  and rinse out. Fill with new vinegar cleaner and pop into the Swiffer.  Keep the gallon in the cabinet to refill whenever it runs out again. Be sure to shake the Swiffer well before cleaning (to mix the the ingredients that tend to separate as they sit.) You just saved yourself $5.00! 



Homemade Laundry Detergent: 

Out of respect for the author's wishes I will not reproduce the recipe here, but you can find it here. You will need only the ingredients I listed above. We made 2 gallons of it this past weekend and it works great! The cost of making it at home is less than $1.00, and it took me all of 15 minutes to make. If you don't go home and make this you just lack sense. Next time your store-bought detergent runs out, keep the old container, make this, and then fill up the old Tide wash with the hand-made stuff! You saved upwards of $15.00!