Scrub A Dub Dub

For the new year my goal is to be greener. I am going to start small.

Some of my first changes will be:

• No more plastic bags. (that should be pretty easy since they are now banned on the island starting this year) Yay for reusable bags!
  
• No more harsh chemicals. I've been doing some research and have found that most household cleaners are terrible for you! No duh, right. They may make the work a little easier, but being healthy and keeping things safe for Norah is worth the extra minute or two of scrubbing. Now I will be making all of my own cleaners. Hello baking soda and vinegar!
• Use as little electricity as possible. Yay for my new Sun Oven!
  

So to kick things off, I made some liquid laundry detergent. (Thanks to Nanette for the recipe!!) Woo hoo! It is natural and safe for my little monkey. Here is the recipe I used:

Yeild: 10 gallons

• 1 bar of soap (I used dove sensitive skin. It's not organic, but you can use something organic to make it truly all natural)
• 1 Cup Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda. (Sodium Carbonate. I found it at Ace Hardware. Baking soda will NOT work)
• 1/2 Cup Borax

-Grate up your bar of soap. Throw it in a saucepan with a few cups of water. Stir continually over medium low heat until the soap is dissolved.


-Fill 1/2 of your 5 gallon bucket with hot water. Add your Soda, Borax and melted soap. Stir until everything is dissolved. Top off your bucket with some more water and then let it sit overnight to thicken.


-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil, peppermint.

-Top Load Machine- 1/2 Cup per load

-Front Load HE Machines- 1/4 Cup per load

Wish me luck in my green-ness!