The Start of a Homesteader Mom

Homemade Laundry Soap Question - Can anyone help me fix my lumpy thick soap?

Ok, I have made 4 batches so far. I get 2 bottles a batch so this is good. Each time I think it is going better. I just am not sure if I am doing something wrong. I am making the liquid that calls for

1 bar of felsnapha soap

1 cup of borax

1 cup of washing soda

8 cups of water

heat until disolved

let cool 1 hour

Then pour  into two milk jugs and top off with hot water. Let sit a day. Then shake.

Mine is SOOOOOOOOOOOO thick. I get soap clumps that I have to break up and I SWEAR except for froth on the top it is disolved. And it is very thick. What am I doing wrong? It works fine but is a pain in the butt to pour into my old ALL bottles. It is clumpy when using but it cleans fine. I am just wanting that perfect soap. Want to make it great. Can anyone help me?

Blankies in the Wash

Most pictures and story books I see where the kids cry at the washing machine for their blankie are of little security blankets.

Yesterday I did the kids sheets and blankets. Today I am washing their BIG dry clean only blankets from my brother and sil. They LOVE these things and honestely - I wish I had one too!

Anyways  I had them at the washer putting in the detergant (reminds me today is make laundry soap day) and Tristan came and saw I had his blue blanket! Oh no. He cried - "Mommys!" and grabed it and cuddled it down the hall to the living room.

He had spilled juice on it for breakfast this morning so I HAVE to wash it.

I just lol because here he is dragging a BIG blanket away from my washing machine. So not the normal kid and his blankie picture in my mind!

Long time no blog... and where do you store your liquid homemade laundry soap?

If it seems like a long time since I posted an entry... get used to it for a month or two! Boohoo. Kinda. The good news is a week and a half from now I will be a SAHM! YEAH! the bad news is BIL and SILs closing was pushed back so they have not closed yet. That means we too have not moved. And I am internetless at home. That is ok. I need an adjustment period. But man will I miss being online. I can check in at my moms but that is about once a week! So pray for a fast transistion till I am back online after our big move. I will keep updating my blogs about once a week to let you know where I stand. For now I am still here until March 31st...

I am so excited. I have been saving pots for my container garden. I have not ordered seeds yet though. Eeks. I am pushing it huh? Oh well. Worst comes to worse I have to get them from the local stores around here.

I have ordered fels napha on ebay. 6 bars so that should do me for a good while on laundry soap. I normally make dry soap but I hear people like the liquid. So I might take a stab at that this time. Can I just keep old laundry soap containers to refill with it? I am thinking about adding some of my essential oils to the soap too. The only smell I got that I love though is orange. I think that would do nicely as a laundry soap.

Other than that my mind is numb this morning. :) So I will blog later.

Got my Oils - Need Advice on what to put them in.

Ok so I got my oils. Wowzas... I need to go to a store to smell them first! lol

I love the Orange but the rest are... not my type.

My friend at work told me where I can go to buy some around here so I am going to go look for some peppermint as all the bottles have suggestions to add peppermint to them. We shall see what I can do with these.

But now that I am an Oil junkie - so I got 4 but plan to buy more... :)

What kinds of things do you DO with your oils? I know you can use them in different things. Anyone have things to make with them?

I am going to try out deoderant. What else do you make. I know I have heard people used tea tree for cleaning things? Am I wrong?

I think I am going to make laundry soap and put in the orange. Just need some Fels Napha soap when I go to the store.

Please post to me what you put yours in and how if you can share :)

I got a lamp ring but I don't think any that I got will be used that way. When  I was a teen I had one I adored. I cannot for the life of me tell you what kind it was. So I guess I am going to go on a smelling trip soon.

Essential Oil Questions.

Well I was random blogging away and came upon a blog talking about natural deoderant. Which brought me to needing to get some essential oil if I want to try. I know NOTHING about Essential oils. I need some Lavendar. I want to buy online because I do not know of a store around me with it. And the chances of me taking my kids to a store for that one reason is not good.

Can anyone give me a run down on essential oils? If I am going to order some, might as well get more than one kind with the shipping costs. What others do you recommend and why?

I have heard of tea tree being common but not sure for what.

And anyone educate a clueless girl? Also, any takers on my last post question on the bar soap needed in laundry soap making?

Does anyone make their own Laundry Soap?

Powdered Laundry Detergent


1 Cup Grated Fels Naptha Soap
1/2 Cup Washing Soda
1/2 Cup Borax

For light load, use 1 tablespoon.
For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 tablespoons.

I have made this before using Ivory soap. But mine was less than good because I accidentally got baking soda. Never saw washing soda in the stores. Well I have found it! I bought it! I am ready to make another batch. Although I have a question....

WHY do you have to use Ivory soap. Or Fels Naptha? Is there a reason? Because I HATE HATE HATE the smell of Ivory soap. Would I get the same results if I use my Dial Spring Rain Bar Soap? Anyone?