Dryer Balls

I have been wanting to try out a pair of dryer balls for quite a while. A local store carries wool dryer balls, but they are a little bit pricey. At a garage sale this summer, I found a brand new pair of "As Seen On TV" plastic dryer balls for 75 cents, so I decided to give them a try (and hey, for 75 cents, it can't hurt to try it out!). I have been using them for a few months now, in place of a dryer sheet, and have found them to be quite successful at keeping away the static electricity.

Eventually, I would like to have some wool dryer balls. Because of the cost of the wool dryer balls, I will probably make some at some point in time. There is a good online tutorial about how to make your own at this web address: http://goodmama.typepad.com/goodmama/2008/05/make-your-own-wool-dryer-balls.html . It looks relatively simple, and much more affordable than buying them.

Homemade Liquid Fabric Softener

I have known for a long time that vinegar is a natural liquid fabric softener. The only reason I never made the switch was because I was in love with the fragrances of store bought. I have been wanting to switch, though, in the effort to continue to cut unneccesary chemical usage out of my home, as well as for the purposes of cutting costs. I finally found a pleasing solution to that problem.

It is really quite simple, and I can't believe I never thought of it before! Basically what I did was to take a large jug of vinegar, and add 1 to 2 teaspoons of a fragrant essential oil. Before each use, I shake the jug, just to make sure it is all mixed up well. And for ease of use, I use a Downy liquid fabric softener ball to dispense my homemade fabric softener during the wash cycle. It has been working quite well for us so far, and right now my fabric softener is lavender scented. I won't be buying any more of the store bought liquid fabric softeners, although I will be buying some new scents of essential oils to experiment with :) While essential oils can seem expensive, since a little bit goes a long ways, they really do last for quite a while. For saving money on my essential oils, I order them from www.vitacost.com .

Yet Another Reason To Make Your Own Cleaning Products

Recently, there have been reports that have come out stating that women who use commercial cleaning products more frequently have higher rates of breast cancer. Many of the chemical ingredients in these cleaning products are harmful and toxic to the human body. And, because of government regulations, manufacturers of these products are not required to disclose all the ingredients in the cleaners. I have tried to read the labels of these products before, and I have seen many that said, for example, "Ingredients: Surfactants", and that's all it will list.

I started making my own cleaners mainly because of my asthma, as the fumes in the commercial cleaners really bothered my lungs. However, I also realized that making my own was quite a bit cheaper than buying them, and you also get rid of the chemical exposure when using natural ingredients in your cleaning solutions. Another reason I love making my own is because my children can safely use them when I ask them to help me clean, and because it is non-toxic to them (and pets!) when used as the main household cleaning products.

Here are some links to previous posts with homemade cleaning recipes:
http://thethriftyhousewifeblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/add-some-oomph-to-your-vinegar-cleaning.html

http://thethriftyhousewifeblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/steam-cleaner-solution-alternative.html

http://thethriftyhousewifeblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/homemade-softscrub-recipe.html

http://thethriftyhousewifeblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/another-cleaning-cost-saver-recycling.html

http://thethriftyhousewifeblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/cutting-costs-on-laundry.html

http://thethriftyhousewifeblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/saving-money-on-household-cleaning.html

For further reading on the latest reports on this subject:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100719205630.htm


http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/green/detail?entry_id=68555


http://www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/Non-food/Environment/household_cleaning_products_linked_to_breast_cancer_2107100645.html


There are several experts who disagree with the findings of the study, and report that since household cleaning product use was self-reported (after the patient was already diagnosed), that the information is skewed and unreliable. However, in light of that, I don't agree that the information should just be ignored. I don't trust using these chemicals in my home, for my asthmatic health reasons, but also because I do tend to believe that they are poisonous and do have the potential to cause harm to human bodies.

Cutting Costs On Laundry

Laundry is one of those unavoidable chores. Since it is a regular household chore, finding ways to save money cleaning clothes will definitely contribute to cutting costs. There are ways to save on the cleaning products, as well as cutting costs on your energy usage. Here are my best money saving tips on laundry:

1. Wash most of your clothing in cold water, rather than using warm or hot water. After we started doing this, our monthly utility bill went down. If you use cold water, it costs less because the water heater will use that much less energy heating more water. The one thing I still use hot water for is when I wash cloth diapers. That is a sanitary issue, so I will not use exclusively cold water on those. Everything else gets washed in cold water.

2. Make your own laundry detergent. I have been making my own for quite a while now. It contains less chemicals than store bought laundry detergent, and it is also quite a bit less expensive. I posted my laundry detergent recipe when I first started this blog, it can be found at http://thethriftyhousewifeblog.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html . There is also a website that has a variety of laundry detergent recipes, it is www.tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/ .

3. Vinegar can be used as a natural fabric softener. It can be easily done if you put it in a Downy ball. I personally still like to use my regular fabric softener. If you prefer to do that, stock up when there are good sales and clip coupons. You can also buy the store brand of fabric softener as well, it is usually priced substantially cheaper than the name brands.

4. Homemade stain remover costs less than buying it. I have a recipe posted, you can find it at www.thethriftyhousewifeblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/homemade-laundry-stain-remover.html . Or you could buy stain remover in bulk from a place like Sam's Club.

5. Line dry your clothing. It costs less because it uses no energy from the dryer. We have cold winters where I am from, and I have allergies (I don't want pollen sticking to my clothes), so I personally don't line dry, but I would if I could.

The best thing you can do to cut costs is to find ways to reduce your energy usage. Switching to homemade detergent, or finding a detergent that costs less is the next best way to save.

Homemade Laundry Stain Remover

One of my daughters has been checking cookbooks out from the library. She was looking through them and saw this recipe and showed it to me. I don't know how well it works, when my current stain remover runs out I will probably try it out. This recipe comes from the cookbook "Recipes Kids Vote For." Why kids voted for a stain remover, I have no clue! LOL!

Homemade Stain Remover

1/2 cup ammonia

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup baking soda

2 Tbsp liquid dish soap

2 quarts water

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a spray bottle. Shake solution before each use. Spray on stain and let it soak for a few minutes before washing as usual.

As a side note, for your safety, do not use this spray with a load you are using bleach on. Bleach mixed with ammonia or vinegar can create toxic gases and fumes. If you decide to use this, please come back and leave a comment to let us know how it works!

Saving Money on Household Cleaning Products

Let's face it, cleaning products can be expensive! Over the last couple of years, I have come to realize that I do NOT need to purchase all of these products to have a clean home. I have asthma and allergies, so in addition to being expensive, many of the chemicals in the products bothered and irritated me. Plus, I wanted something safe for my kids to be around. I certainly do not want them being around chemically laden products when I clean! I discovered that I could make my own cleaning products at home that were safe, effective, and cheap. Now, this process can be as simple, or as complex, as you want to make it. Me? With my busy life, I tend to go for the simpler option. Here are a few of the simple recipes I use, if you have any others feel free to post them in the comments section.

Basic Household cleaner
1 part vinegar to 3 parts water
Mix it up in a clean spray bottle. Use this anywhere in the house, it kills germs and deodorizes.

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
1 part baking soda to 1 part Borax
I use this recipe as is, I mix my batch up in an old ice cream container and add 2 teaspoons
to every load. Some people also like to put a little bit of vinegar in the rinse compartment.

Homemade Laundry Detergent
1 cup washing soda, 1 cup borax, 1 bar of soap finely grated
I also mix this up in an old ice cream container, add 2 tablespoons per load, more for larger
or more soiled loads. I still personally use liquid fabric softener, but some people will use
vinegar as a natural fabric softener. If you opt for this, a really easy way to do it is to put it
in a Downy fabric softener ball. This detergent recipe can also be made with baking soda
instead of washing soda, but you may need to use more of the detergent in the wash if you
make it that way. Washing soda can be hard to find, if your local store doesn't carry it, you
can always request that they do. Another option is to order it online, or go to your local
pool supply store and buy soda ash (it is the same thing as washing soda).

Natural Scouring Powder/Toilet bowl cleaner
Baking soda, as much as you need to do the job
Just sprinkle baking soda on the area you are cleaning, the same as you would store bought
scouring powder. Use a damp sponge, scrub, and rinse. I also use plain old baking soda to
clean my toilets. I sprinkle some in the bowl, then use my toilet brush to scrub, then flush.
I have also heard of people pouring in some baking soda, then some vineger; let it set for a
few minutes. Scrub, then flush.

Carpet Deodorizer
Baking soda, as much as you need
Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet the same way you would with the commercial carpet
deodorizers. Vacuum it up.

As you can see, baking soda can be used for lots of things! Not only are these cleaners better on your budget, but they are better for the environment too. Using homemade cleaners reuses containers, you are not buying new packaging either, thus recycling and reducing waste. Plus, using natural products is less harmful to the environment in general, and reduces (if not eliminates) the amount of hazardous chemicals in your household. I don't know about you, but with little ones in my home, I prefer it that way!

thethriftyhousewife