Laundry The Old Fashioned Way

Did you all read last weeks Luggable Loo post? It is something that we will all wish we had prepared for in advance if our toilets are not usable. Although not fun, necessary. After gathering the supplies for a portable potty I realized that we will need a way to wash our clothing. This is a chore I am not looking forward to doing without electricity, but it has been done in days past and can be done now. This post contains information on how to make a "washing machine" and also some "recipes" for homemade laundry soap. (information was found at off-grid.net, pgward.org, and prepardnessnibblesandbits.blogspot.com)


This month has quite a bit of information that you may need in an emergency and I urge you all to print out the information that you think you may need and keep it all in a binder. There won't be any electricity to run your computer and printer when an emergency happens. So, start an emergency binder for your family and keep all your information in one spot.


Homemade Washing Machine:


Supplies Needed:

• 5-gallon bucket with lid (cut hole in middle of lid for plunger handle to fit through)
• Toilet plunger (brand-new, clean, with holes to eliminate splashing and suds)
• Store in bucket:
• Liquid laundry detergent
• Stain remover/stain stick
• Vinegar (add 1/2 cup to rinse water) helps remove soap
• Rope (for clothes line)
• Clothes pins

To Use:

1. Empty contents of bucket.
2. Place water, small amount of detergent, and clothes in bucket.
3. Move plunger up and down for a few minutes or until clothes are clean.
4. Remove soapy clothes and ring them out.
5. Dump out soapy water (on your garden or lawn.)
6. Place soapy clothes in bucket and fill with clear, clean water.
7. Add 1/2 cup vinegar to rinse water.
8. Move plunger up and down to rinse clothing.
9. Wring out clothes and hang to dry.

Conserve water - use rinse water for next load of laundry.
NOTE: You could store two 5-gallon buckets, stack one inside of the other. Use one bucket for the soapy water and the other for the rinse water. You may be able to wash and rinse a couple of batches of clothes without changing the soapy water depending on how dirty the clothes are.
As found on prepardnessnibblesandbits.blogspot.com



Homemade Laundry Soap

"Making your own laundry detergent is so easy and cost-effective that it's a wonder we ever started buying the brand name stuff at all. The recipes for liquid and powder laundry detergents are simple, natural and cost as little as 2 cents per load!

All you need are three basic ingredients:
1. SOAP (bar, powdered, or liquid)
2. BORAX
3. WASHING SODA
all of which you can buy at your local grocery or health food store.

For soap, I recommend going au naturel with either Boraxo powdered hand soap or Castile soap, which comes in liquid and bar form.

The next ingredient, borax, is a mineral compound that works as a multi-purpose cleaner and bleach, so it's a green solution to keeping your whites bright.

Washing soda, which is similar to baking soda but more alkaline, cuts grease and neutralizes odors.

Here are two basic recipes for liquid and powdered laundry detergents. If you miss the floral fragrance of commercial brands, you can use naturally scented bar soap--or vamp it up even more by adding a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the liquid detergent recipe--lavender is always divine.

Please note that even though the ingredients are from natural sources, they can irritate the skin, so it's a good idea to wear gloves while mixing."

LIQUID LAUNDRY DETERGENT
-2 cups finely grated natural or artisan bar soap, such as Fels Naptha OR 1 cup liquid Castile soap
-2 cups borax (20 Mule Team Borax Natural Laundry Booster suggested)
-2 cups washing soda (Arm and Hammer suggested)

Mix soap, borax and washing soda in a pan with 1 qt. water.
Heat to just shy of boiling, stirring, until water thickens and suds form. Pour into a clean 5-gallon bucket. Pour another 2-1/2 gallons of boiling water into bucket: stir well. Let sit 24 hours. You can leave it in the bucket and cover it, but I like to store mine in vintage 1/2 gallon milk bottles.

Use 1/4 cup per regular load. If the mixture separates over time, either stir or gently tilt back and forth in its container to remix. MAKES 2-1/2 GALLONS
(Note: Grating the soap may seem tedious, but you can do it in a food processor with a grater attachment, and it makes a ton of detergent--more than a month's supply.)

Borax will kill your plants, don't pour laundry water onto plants.

POWDERED LAUNDRY DETERGENT
2 cups powdered hand soap (Boraxo suggested)
1 cup washing soda (Arm and Hammer suggested)
1 cup borax (20 Mule Team Borax Natural Laundry Booster suggested)
Mix all ingredients well and store in an airtight plastic container.
Use 1/4 cup per load of laundry. MAKES 4 CUPS

(Source: Mary Jane Butters)

NOTE: You can go to this link for more information regarding the above-mentioned newspaper article.

Washing items shopping list and prices:

• 20 Mule Team Borax - (2.98/Walmart Superstore, 3.97/Reams,Smiths, not found at Harmons)
  

• Arm & Hammer Washing Soda - (2.69/Harmons, 2.79/Reams,Smiths, Walmart)

• Boraxo Powdered Hand Soap (12 oz. - this measures 2 cups) (1.99/Reams, not found at Walmart, Smiths does carry Borax)

Did you know you can make your own dryer sheets as well? This is something you can use now and save yourself a lot of money.

Homemade Dryer Sheets

• 2 C water
• 1 C white vinegar
• 2/3 C any hair conditioner (Dollar Store brands work great, find a smell that you like)

Mix, not shake all ingredients in a tupperware. Keep rags in the mixture and ring out until slightly damp when needed. Keep the lid on the tupperware when not in use. Washcloths cut into fourths work great for dryer sheets.

APRIL'S GOALS

• CASE LOT ITEMS THAT ARE PART OF YOUR 3-MONTH MENUS
• CLEANING SUPPLIES (3 MONTHS WORTH)
• SEEDS AND SPROUTING SUPPLIES (START PLANNING YOUR GARDEN TODAY)

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO SHUT OFF THE UTILITIES TO YOUR HOUSE? CLICK HERE TO READ A GREAT ARTICLE WITH ILLUSTRATIONS.

Enjoy the journey!
Enjoy the blessings!
Feel the peace!