I Make Soap

Yep, I make soap.  Not bar soap, although I am planning on getting to that soon, but Laundry Soap.  It's really not hard, and I'm sure I've posted about it before, but I gotta tell you, if you don't make you're own, you're missing out.

Of course, I had to use up all my store bought laundry detergent before I started making my own, so it took me awhile to get there, but now, I hate it if I run out and have to use my backup bottle of store bought laundry detergent.  I try my best to make sure that doesn't happen, but, you know how it is when you're a busy mom, sometimes you forget or just don't have time.

So, because I love my laundry soap so much, I wanted to share the recipe I use, which I found on my friend Caitlin's blog.  She got it from someone else, and it's basically the same recipe all over the internet.  This is definitely not my original concoction, just something I love.

You will need:

Castile Soap (I use Kirk's Coco Castile)
Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
20 Mule Team Borax
Cheese Grater
Large Containers to store supplies in
1 cup measuring cup
Wide Mouth Funnel (only if you're messy like me)

This is how I do it.  I buy a bunch of castile soap all at once, usually 3-4 bars or so.  I grate all of it with the small grate side of a box grater and keep it in a glass jar with a sealed top.

I transfer the washing soda into a glass jar with a sealed top and I transfer the borax into a glass jar with a sealed top.  I do this because I find that these products tend to get hard and clumpy if I store them in their boxes, but if I put them in a sealed jar, they stay fresh and fluffy and they're easier to work with.

Once you've prepped all your stuff it becomes really easy to mix up a batch of soap.  All you do is use a 1:1:1 ratio.  This is how much I make at a time:

2 cups Grated Castile Soap
2 cups Washing Soda
2 cups Borax

You don't have to be perfectly exact, just close and don't worry about packing it down either.  This is elementary science not rocket science, it's meant to be a little inexact after all.

I keep my laundry soap in a sealed glass jar, but as long as you have a container that closes tightly, you're good to go.  A tightly closed container helps greatly with the next part, and it keeps your detergent fresh longer.

Seal your container and Shake It Up, Baby!  That's it, you've got the best laundry soap ever invented.  If you want a scented laundry soap, go for a scented Castile Soap like Dr. Bronner's instead of Kirk's which is unscented.

I am planning on learning how to make my own castile soap soon, and I'll make sure I post all about it when I've tested it out a few times.

Happy Creating!

Kristin

How To: Remove Crayon From Furniture

Okay, here's the deal.  My kids, being kids, have on ocassion, colored with crayon on their toy bins or something like that.  I mean, it happens right.  But, no matter how much muscle you've got, you can't get that darn crayon off without a little help.

This happened to me the other day and I was in no mood to run to the store for some sort of goo remover to clean it up with (since I'm out and all). 

That got me thinking of all the cleaning tips I'd heard watching BBC America's "How Clean Is Your House?"  I remembered once that they said that hairspray removes lipstick from wood doors rather well.  In my opinion, lipstick and crayon are rather similar, considering they're both rather waxy in nature, so I tried it, and I'm here to tell you that using hairspray to remove crayon from hard, nonporous surfaces works really well.

Supplies needed:

• hairspray
• paper towels
• elbow grease

You still need the elbow grease associated with any scrubbing task, but it works and my furniture is back to looking brand new, shiny and beautiful.

So next time your toddler gets a little artistic on your kitchen table, rest assured that you can have it looking beautiful again in no time.  All you need to do is raid your beauty supplies.

Good Luck!

How To: Scrub Your Stainless Steel Pots

I am cheap, and I'm always looking for a nice, natural way of cleaning, without all the nasty chemicals that burn my skin, my nosehairs, and clutter up my cleaning supply cabinet.

The other day I did a big oops!  I accidentally burned tomato soup to the bottom of my stainless steel pot.  I didn't think it would ever come off, until I remembered this really great concoction that I periodically use on tough rings around my bathtub.

Sprinkle a bunch of baking soda in the pot, then add some coarse salt (mine is kosher salt) in with it.  Add just enough water to make a paste and scrub it with the scrubby side of a sponge.  Not only does it remove whatever nasties are burned on, it also shines your stainless steel and deoderizes your drains as you rinse it down.

Next time you get distracted and oops while you're making dinner, whip out some baking supplies and your pots will be sparkling clean again, without a trip to the grocery store.

Good Luck!