Money Saving Ideas for laundry detergent
Question: I like clean clothes, but laundry detergents are full of all kinds of funny stuff. Also, I hate the idea of tossing plastic bottles into the landfill. Do you have any money saving ideas?
Mimi: I feel the same as you do. On line you can look up Home Made Soap recipes. I am not yet into making my own soap. However, I use ¼ of the amount of laundry detergent as is recommended on the bottle. Then I add a little washing soda (not baking soda) which is available at Gerrards, a little water softener, and a little Borax. They are straight forward laundry additives that our grandmothers used. They lift out stains, soften water, prevent graying film, cut grease, eliminate odors, and decrease water tension so water is actually “wetter” and can penetrate fabrics more easily. They do not contain colorants, perfume, enzymes, or bleach—substances that could irritate the skin. They come in cardboard boxes, which can be recycled.
Fabric softeners are wax with fragrance added. I don’t want to coat my clothes with wax. The wax in dryer sheets coats the lint filter and needs to be washed off. I use vinegar in the final rinse. It removes the last traces of alkaline soap; it adds a natural acid to the clothes to prevent rashes and odor (skin is acid); and it leaves the clothes fluffy. Also, it prevents the gray film on dark clothes. The vinegar smell goes away when the clothes are dry.
Then I hang my clothes out on the clothesline. I hang out dark colors inside-out at dusk and bring them in early in the morning so they don’t fade. I leave the white sheets hanging out for over a day. They get crispy as if they were ironed and they smell wonderful. The sun bleaches them. Yes, it’s possible that the sun weakens the fibers. But since I buy my 100% cotton sheets at yard sales, I can easily replace them inexpensively. I will sleep only on pure cotton sheets and pillowcases at home.
100% cotton wicks moisture away from the body better than polyester. 100% cotton is gentler on your skin than poly. HOWEVER, muslin is coarse and can irritate your skin. So don’t use muslin pillowcases. The longer the cotton fiber, the smoother and more luxurious the “hand” and thus the more gentle it is on the skin. Egyptian cotton is silky smooth because of the long fibers. When you want to splurge, buy yourself one Egyptian cotton pillowcase. Your face will thank you.
Any polyester in towels is a joke. Polyester doesn’t absorb water. Putting fabric softener on towels or on baby diapers inhibits absorption. Diapers should be double rinsed.
There is a movement called No Plastic. Look it up on line. People are trying to live without plastic. The canvas totes that we take to the grocery store are a good start. Cutting back on detergent from plastic bottles is a good idea. Also, when your plastic detergent, dish soap, shampoo, or fabric softener bottle is empty, swish water in it. You will have enough product left in the bottle for several more uses. Dry, granulated detergent is also available in recyclable cardboard boxes.
