Some easy homemade frugality!

After playing with Lux flakes (slime) earlier in the week here it reminded me that i needed to make more laundry liquid up.

I’ve noticed that there are now many laundry liquid recipes floating around the blogosphere which is interesting and heartening to see as it means many people are giving it a try and doing away with the expense of buying laundry powder and liquids!

I prefer to use Rhonda’s basic formula from her wonderful Down to Earth blog visit here for recipe and i have tweaked it a little for my own family’s use. We have really rich red dirt here that stains clothes easily so i like to also grate a bar of Sard wonder soap and add a little more water…usually taking it to 12 litres (what a bargain!)

It is such a simple process and Rhonda explains it so well that there really is nothing more i could add except that i grate the extra bar of soap and add to first step with a little more water. Sometimes i use lux flakes if i have them handy but other times i grate a bar of sunlight soap as i always have a stash of those in the cupboard! This is all you need (forgot to take a pic of sard soap before i grated but it’s just a stain remover soap)

Stirring the soap and water until melted before adding borax and washing soda….the smell is just gorgeous!

Over 12 litres of laundry liquid ready to go for 20 mins effort! I think these milk bottles have just about had their day though! Don’t forget to leave space at top of bottles to shake before using as it thickens upon sitting.

Sometimes i add a few drops of lavender essential oil before putting into bottles but i really do just love the smell of the pure soap…so clean and fresh. It has been working well on cloth nappies too…no urine or musty smells!

While i was in the kitchen and the toddler twosome were still asleep i decided to make up some fruit jelly since it has been so hot recently. It is so easy and i know that there isn’t bucket loads of sugar and nasties in each mouthful…..

TODDLER/BABY FRUIT JELLY

1/4 cup boiling water

3 teaspoons gelatine

3/4 cup unsweetened fruit juice or nectar

1/3 cup pureed fruit (optional)

Place gelatine in a bowl and pour boiling water over, mix until gelatine has dissolved. Add juice or nectar and mix well to combine. Cool in fridge until it thickens a little.

For this batch i used apple and blackcurrant juice

If you want to add some pureed fruit (we like pear or apple) or yoghurt do so after the jelly has thickened but before it sets…mix in well and then put into jelly moulds/bowl or recycled jars as i did and put back into fridge to set well.

Some recipes call for more or less juice, this works for us but sometimes it is trial and error depending on the sort of juice you use. The girls only drink water and milk so a fruit juice jelly is a real treat and different taste and texture experience. It is also lovely served with microwave egg custard .

I just love the feeling that making things from scratch for the family gives me…especially when they are so easy but save so much money……have you experienced this feeling? Sometimes i feel like i have travelled back in time a little as snippets of how ‘Mum did things’ come back to me…..I’m so glad to be able to pass these basic skills and tips onto Miss Teen and her younger sisters (when the time comes….perhaps let them get past toddlerhood first!) as who knows what the future is going to look like and what we will have forgotten to do ourselves!

Thanks for stopping by…..

Jode x

Comments

ecoMILF says
13/01/2012 at 12:37 am
Great work! It looks like a lot, but with two little ones I am sure you’ll be making more detergent before you know it! : ) xo m.
- Jode says
  13/01/2012 at 9:18 pm
  Yes, i seem to have a few loads of washing everyday and we do get through it pretty quickly which is why it is such a money saver! Thanks so much for stopping by.
rebekah @ justfordaisy says
07/07/2012 at 11:42 am
I have also tweaked Rhonda’s fabulous recipe and use it for all our washing needs! Love it! And especially the savings for our family!
Marissa says
07/08/2012 at 7:43 pm
Any ideas on whether this recipe is suitable for front loaders? They seem to be a bit more temperamental then top loaders.. Thanks…
- Jode says
  08/08/2012 at 12:10 pm
  I know quite a few people that have used it for front loaders and they have no problem with it Marissa! You may just have to fiddle with the quantity you put in i guess…i have never owned a front loader so not sure sorry!
Marissa says
08/08/2012 at 7:50 pm
Thanks

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