GraceandGravy with a side of life! -

Update: I use homemade soap in place of store bought when possible.

Laundry…..Does it ever end?

Do you ever feel like a laundry fairy comes at night and reproduces all your dirty clothes? I can FINALLY be caught up and then the next morning we have a huge pile again… URGGGG!!!!

I see two things that are going to have to happen…1) We are going to have to not change so many times during the day. (Why do you need to change so many times unless you are taking a shower and putting on clean clothes) or 2) Start going naked!

I’m really down to those 2 choices.

One thing I love to do is make homemade laundry soap. I love the fact that I can determine which ingredients to add, I also love the low cost and how long the detergent lasts my family. I almost feel like a June Cleaver! Oh wait, June probably never made her own laundry soap did she? But really, it’s super easy and I wanted to share my variation.

First, I start with my Ingredients:

Borax

Washing Soda (such as Arm and Hammer)

Bar Soap (I use Ivory, it’s so natural and so cheap)

Epson Salt

Essential oils (or in my case I try to buy epson salt already scented with lavender).

Second, I grate my bar soap on smallest grate possible.

Third, I get all my ingredients measured.

2 Cups Borax
1 Cup Washing Soda
1/2 grated bar of soap
1 Cup Epson Salt
and if you prefer scented
10 drops of essential oil

Finally, mix in a container and seal.

I use appx 2-3 tablespoons per load of laundry, depending on the load size
With 1 box of Borax, 1 box of Washing Soda, 2 bars of soap, and 32 oz of scented Epson Salt, I can make 4 batches of Laundry Detergent. Enough to last my family 3-4 months. (please keep in mind, I do a lot of laundry)

No judgement on the Ice Cream Bucket turned into Laundry Soap Bucket, needed! Hey it works and that’s all that matters!

I also love Line-Dried Clothes. I must confess though, I do put them in the dryer for about 10 minutes first to fluff and get any excess lent off of the clothes. (Can’t stand the stiff feeling or maybe it’s just I would have to iron if I didn’t fluff them first loI) I can remember when I was little, we had a washing machine but no dryer. All Spring, Summer and Fall, my momma would hang out our laundry to dry. When Winter came, we would have to take Saturday Morning trips to the Laundry Mat. I can remember after my momma passed away, my daddy finally went and tore down that old clothes line that was no saggy and worn from years of weather and use.

Maybe it’s from the line-dried clothes as a child, I’m not for sure, but there is just something so tranquil about hanging out my laundry and watching them blow dry in the wind. I can see my clothes line from my bedroom window, and some days I go sit on my bed just to watch it blow back and forth. Simplicity maybe? Or contentment? All I know is a peaceful feeling that settles over me.