Jackie's Super Soak

I have no idea who Jackie is, but this is how I got the recipe and it is working great

Jackie's Super Soak

1 C generic dishwasher detergent

1 C Purex colorsafe bleach (this is so much cheaper than biz or clorox)

5 Gallon bucket

Put both powders in the bucket.

Add hot water from the tap to dissolve the detergent.

Allow to cool

Add clothes as they become spotted

On wash day pour into the washer

optional- add a little soap

wash as normal

Check for stains before drying you don't want to set in anything stubborn.

Linen Spray

From The Grocery Cart Challenge

Homemade Linen Spray

1 teaspoon of essential oil (a popular scent is lavender but we don't really care for it. A nice fresh scent is jasmine and I really like mango oil for a light fruity scent.)

1/4 cup of witch hazel (you can substitute this with vodka, cetyl alcohol or stearyl alcohol)

3 1/2 cups of water

I used an old hairspray bottle with a pump spray and just washed it out. Then I poured in all the ingredients and gave it a good shake. Just spray on your sheets every morning when you make the bed. You can use this on tablecloths or any linens. It dries quickly and leaves a wonderful scent that smells so good when you turn down your sheets at night.

The witch hazel or alcohol is used as an emulsifier to keep the oil and water from separating. You can make it without, but you'll need to shake it very well to get it to mix together without leaving oily spots. I recommend using the emulsifier.

Febreeze

Homemade Febreeze...

2-4 Tablespoons fabric softener ( I use my homemade stuff that can be used as a liquid or dryer sheet)

25 ounces of water

My old Febreeze bottle or another spray bottle

The Grocery Cart Challenge

Homemade Dryer Sheets

Again, from The Grocery Cart Challenge

Homemade Dryer Sheets

2 cups of water

1 cup of vinegar

2/3 cups of any hair conditioner

Mix in spray bottle and stir. Don’t shake, this will cause foaming. Soak a cloth rag and ring it out until slightly damp. Then throw it into the dryer with your load of clothes.

This can also be used as a liquid fabric softener in the rinse cycle.

I use dollar store conditioner so this mixture costs me just a bit over a dollar to make. I've been able to get almost 50 loads out of one batch. I keep this stored in a tupperware container by my dryer with the rag already in it so all I have to do is squeeze and add it to the load in the dryer.

Simple and cheap with none of the wax from the store bought sheets that wear your clothes out.

Oxy Clean

Again, Not to be taken internally but this works great!!

I modified it a little, I Spray the Hydrogen Peroxide on the offending garment, sprinkle with baking soda and allow to sit. The next morning or latter that day I throw the clothes in the washer and wash as normal. Most organic stains have been coming out with this mix. Thanks to The Grocery Cart Challenge for the recipe.

Homemade OxyClean

(as a pretreater)

1 cup water

1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide

1/2 cup baking soda

Mix together and soak laundry in it for 20 minutes to overnight and then wash as usual. Or you can just skip the water and pour the peroxide and baking soda directly into the wash with your laundry soap and wash as usual.

Powdered Laundry Soap

So this is not to be taken internally, but it is a recipe none the less and I didn't want to lose it and have to hunt it down again.

This is from one of the groups I am in and it is followed by the chemistry of why it works.

Powdered Laundry Soap

Here's the recipe:

1 55 oz. box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

1/2 cup Mule Team Borax

2 Cups Oxygen Cleaner-She recommends Sun ($5 @ Dollar General)

1/2 cup Simple Green--I USED HOLY COW MYSELF--later in the thread she said

the any multi purpose cleaner will do.

1/2 cup Calgon Water Softening Powder (or one capful liquid)

Empty all into a bucket and mix together with your hands. Use 1 heaping

scoop (like in the oxygen cleaner) for diapers, 2 scoops for regular

laundry.

The detergent must be dissolved in HOT water before adding to the

washer (it's too abrasive on fabrics if it isn't).....so I bought a

pitcher, I fill it half full with HOT water, add a scoop of detergent and

use a wisk to mix until dissolved, then pour it in the washer.

If you can't find Washing Soda - Call 1-800-524-1328. They can tell you

where to find it locally, or you can order directly from them.

If you can't find the powdered Calgon, use a capful of liquid, but you'll

have to add a box of baking soda to counter act the extra liquid.

So, how and why does it work.....the chemist had to explain.

Washing Soda (Sodium Carbonate)- Strong enough to actually change organic

compounds (food, grass, etc) and keeps them suspended in the water so they can

easily be washed away. It is a naturally occurring compound free from

enzymes, dyes, and perfumes, and is the main ingredient in most powdered

laundry detergents.

Calgon - Softens water and, therefore, prohibits buildup of minerals on fabrics that is common in hard water. If you have especially hard water, you may need to add some Calgon Water Softener to each load (1/3 of what it says on the package)

Borax - whitens and brightens without phosphates and enzymes. Borax is too

harsh, both to fabric and sensitive skin to be used in large amounts, and

tends to not rinse out well. Less is more with Borax in laundry. (makes and

excellent household cleaner, though)

Oxygen Cleaner - stain remover and whitener. Oxygen cleaners do not react

well with extremely hard water and will add to scum build up. If you have

extremely hard water, as noted above, add additional water softener.

Simple Green - Provides the necessary surfactants- to lessen the water

tension and allow the detergent to become a part of the water and actually

get into the clothes. I'm not sure if I understand that, but I'll take her

word for it.