How to make your own powdered laundry detergent

While I've been stuck on the floor I've discovered Pinterest and StumbleUpon. You gotta try these, there is soooo much to learn out there. Anyway, there are a lot of stay-at-home moms posting tutorials for everything under the sun, and I thought I'd try my hand at a few of them. I've read about some DIY liquid detergents, but the heating and mixing process (not to mention the quantity) just seemed too involved for me right now. When I discovered that many of the same ingredients can be used to create powdered detergents, I decided to see if it was for me.

Q: Why do it myself?

A: Well, I'm bored, and have plenty of time on my hands right now.

A: Other bloggers promise I can save a lot of money with this method.

A: With sensitive skin and allergies, controlling irritants and additives really appeals to me.

How to make your own powdered laundry detergent

You will need:

1 Fels-Naptha or Zote laundry bar

1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax

1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda, or DIY

1/4 cup baking soda

food processor

canning funnel (optional)

26 oz airtight storage canisters

If you can't find washing soda at your store, or want to save a little money making it yourself, read my tutorial on how to turn baking soda into washing soda.

To my dismay, a lot of other bloggers have included smelly crystals and fragrances. Why would you add unnecessary skin and nose irritants? Laundry can actually be clean and fresh without smelling like a chemical plant!

Using the grater/shredder disc on your food processor, shred the laundry bar. Several bloggers have commented that Fels-Naptha is easier to work with if frozen for 48 hours and then smashed with a hammer before shredding. Impatient as I am, I put it in the freezer overnight, then whacked it once or twice with the hammer. It broke into a couple of pieces, but my food processor was strong enough to handle the job.You might have to put some resistant chunks through a couple of times. Zote is a lot softer and can be cut into smaller pieces before adding to the feed tube.

Switch to the chopper blade, and process until bar is finely chopped. Gradually add the remaining ingredients and continue blending. That's it! Transfer to an airtight container. This recipe fits perfectly into 26 oz peanut butter jars.

I'd recommend soaking and scrubbing your utensils and  processor parts before running them through the dishwasher. They may leave your dishes filmy.

It only takes a couple of tablespoons per load... really! It's hard to resist pouring in more, but I've restrained myself and been very pleased for two or three weeks now. I have an extra coffee spoon labeled 2TBS that somehow holds more than this cute little 1/8 cup scoop. Aren't there 4 tablespoons in 1/4 cup? Even if it's inaccurate, it's cute and small enough to store in the canister. I'll just use generously rounded spoonfuls.

Fels-Naptha and Zote formulas

The Fels-Naptha bar is mustard yellow and has a no-nonsense detergent scent that I do not detect after clothes come out of the dryer (I have a nose like a bloodhound). The Fels-Naptha bar did not chop as finely, so you may want to help it dissolve by adding it to the wash water prior to putting in your clothes.

The Zote bar is bubble-gum pink and has a slightly "fresher" scent. I smell a trace of the Zote scent on finished laundry, but most people wouldn't pick it up.

Several bloggers have claimed that this detergent is safe for HE machines because the soap bars don't get sudsy. I do not own one of these machines, so use at your own risk.

How to turn baking soda into washing soda

It's time for chemistry in the kitchen! 

Q: Why would I need washing soda?

A: So you can make your own laundry detergent! It's a natural water softener and stain remover.

Q: Can't I just buy washing soda at the store?

A: Probably, but I couldn't get to the store. Also, this method may be cheaper depending upon your energy costs.

Arm & Hammer Washing Soda wasn't available through Safeway.com, and Amazon.com carries it, but with a ridiculous price mark-up (no doubt to compensate for the free shipping). If it's difficult for you to find in your area, try this simple recipe:

How to turn baking soda into washing soda in your own kitchen

You will need:

baking soda

an oven

baking trays (not aluminum)

spatula/turner

airtight container

Set your oven to 400° F. The process will actually work at 270° or greater, but you don't want to wait around for that, do you?  Pour the baking soda into your trays. I used one tray for each pound, so the powder was shallower and had more surface area for the reaction.

Bake for an hour. I stirred it a couple of times to ensure even heating and exposure. I read that it doesn't hurt to over cook it, so I didn't keep a close watch on the clock. When a friend picked me up for dinner, I just turned off the oven and let it cool in the trays.

Here's a little science lesson while you wait for the magic to happen:

Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate (CHNaO₃), while washing soda or soda ash is sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃). When baking soda is heated, carbon dioxide and water are given off. 

If not stored in an airtight container, it will absorb moisture from the air, and lose its potency. Which makes me wonder, how effective is the stuff sitting in a cardboard box on the supermarket shelf?

Once the powder cools, store in a clearly labeled airtight plastic canister.

baking soda --> washing soda

Lessons learned: I found out later that washing soda is not recommended for cleaning aluminum, which explains why one pan was left filmy. The coated cookie sheet came out of the dishwasher just fine.

Also, I know the number one rule in chemistry lab is to not use the taste test, but I couldn't resist. How could I know that it really was no longer baking soda? So I stuck a finger in and touched it to my tongue. Ewww! It was soapy and not at all zesty and tangy like baking soda. I rinsed my mouth out right away. It's not toxic, but very caustic and can irritate the skin and eyes. I didn't notice a big hole in my tongue, and I haven't died from it yet, but I'd recommend you take my word for it. And if that's not enough to convince you, read About.com's chemistry column.

How to make filters for pet drinking fountains

I've had the Cat Mate Pet Fountain for almost a year now and I love it. My cat won't drink from anything else. It is much easier to keep clean than the PetMate Fresh Flow model it replaced. One of my favorite features is that the water goes through the filter before it goes through the pump. Ya think?

My least favorite feature is the filter itself. It's a blue plastic cartridge filled with carbon gravel and layers of polyester-type filter. It works great, but needs cleaned about once a week to keep the slime away. The main problem with the filter is that when you need a new one, you have to replace the entire plastic assembly! What an unnecessarily wasteful expense. 

I tried squeezing my leftover PetMate filters into the plastic case until I ran out of them. Then I Googled in vain for a filter hack. I found a few discontinued products people had tried, but that wasn't going to help me. 

At some point in my search I came across aquarium and pond filter supplies. It was worth a risk. These seemed to be the same basic materials, designed to keep water clean enough to keep fish alive: It ought to be good enough for my cat.

Amazingly, I hit the jackpot on my first trial! I ordered cut-to-fit polyester and carbon filter pads from Amazon.com, thinking I'd find a way to squeeze them into the leftover blue cartridge. The carbon sheet is actually much thicker and more rigid than I expected, and can be used without the plastic case! Because it's cut-to-fit, this should work for a wide variety of pet fountains.

How to make filters for pet drinking fountains

You will need: 

empty Cat Mate filter cartridge

Acurel Carbon Infused Pollutant Reducing Media Pad 

Coralife 05134 Pure-Flo Polyester Filter Pad

rotary cutter and self-healing mat

straight edge

scissors 

Fold the polyester pad in half lengthwise, or as we teachers say, "hot dog" style. Use the empty cartridge to measure and mark a strip the width of the filter. Cut through both layers with your rotary cutter. Measure and mark the lengths, and cut.

Use a couple of the polyester pieces to measure a strip of the carbon fiber. This material is much thicker than the rotary cutter blade, so it didn't cut all the way through. I finished the job with my scissors. 

Layer one white pad on top of the black filter and place in the cartridge slot. It fits perfectly and holds itself in place. During my first weekly cleaning, I noticed the polyester pad was sagging a bit and there was a lot of black sand in the water. I decided to sandwich the charcoal with another layer of polyester and bind all three together with a rubber band.

The 18x30" polyester pad is much larger than the 10x18 carbon filter, so you'll end up with a lot more of the white pads. As the first layer of filter, this pad will pick up most of the gunk and need to be cleaned and replaced more frequently. 

The polyester pad is machine washable and can even be bleached if you then treat it with a dechlorinator. Most manufacturers recommend using vinegar to clean pet fountains and cycle through your pump. 

And there we have yet another amazing use for vinegar! Can I buy stock in the stuff?

Update: I noticed the filter was working so well, by the time it needed cleaning, the pump was actually struggling to find water. I think I'll take out the second layer of polyester after all. It'd be better to let a little gunk go through the pump than burn it up completely.

Customized magnetic makeup palettes

Z Palette Pro

I first read about the Z Palette in a magazine at a doctor's office. I love the idea of consolidating all my loose shadows and compacts into organized, uniformly sized, space saving palettes! Unfortunately, I was unable to find any local retailers in the Portland area and the clerks at Sephora and Ulta had never heard of it. If any locals know of anyplace that carries it, I'd love to know. I just couldn't spend $20-28 a piece (or more, with shipping) on something sight unseen.

My Contour & Blush Palette

One of the first things I learned during my medical leave was how to watch youtube videos. With a short attention span and laptop on the floor, I was finally a captive audience. So I watched every tutorial I could about DIY palettes and depotting shadows (I will not reinvent the wheel here with depotting instructions). I decided against using plastic CD or DVD cases, but had a hard time finding the right fit for me.

Eventually, I decided to purchase some 6x9" shadow and blush palettes from Coastal Scents and BH Cosmetics (they're identical and bigger than the empty palettes from Coastal Scents). Even if the powders are of questionable content from China, it seemed like a better bargain than buying empty palettes. It appeared possible to remove the shadows and plastic tray and replace them with a magnetic sticker, but the two helpful tutorials I found still left many questions unanswered, so I decided to write my very first tutorial:

How to magnetize and customize a Coastal Scents or BH Cosmetics palette

You will need:

pre-filled palette(s)

adhesive magnetic sheet(s)

knife

scissors

rubbing alcohol (the highest percent you can find)

heat embossing tool or hair dryer

baby wipes for clean-up

towels to protect your work surface

 

Additional optional supplies:

26mm metal tins and press pack from TKB Trading

3/4" adhesive craft magnets from Craft Supplies for Less

duck tape sheets for decorating available at Target, Jo-Ann's, etc.

The first thing you're going to do is poke through the flimsy plastic tray the tins are glued to. Use the knife to cut all around the perimeter of the palette and separate each shadow. Be careful not to nick or break your pressed powders, but if you do, you can re-press them later with the rubbing alcohol and a baby wipe. You can then use your scissors to trim around the shadows. This will give you openings to pour the rubbing alcohol into.

The tins are glued in two places, first into the plastic tray and then under each shadow to the palette below. The glue is strong, and if you try to just pry them out, you will break all your powders. Instead, pour rubbing alcohol into one of your openings and let it sit while you repeat the first step on your next palette. You may need to keep adding alcohol as it evaporates and tilt the tray to get to each spot of glue. If you're impatient for the glue to turn to goo, use a quick shot from your heat tool. Be careful not to warp the bottom of the palette!

After you've let it soak, use your knife or sturdy prying tool (I switched to a letter opener) to begin gently poking under the edges of the shadows. Some of them come out easily, and others become a yucky mess. It just depends on how much glue there is. Don't force it. Add more alcohol and keep prodding until you can pull out the shadow, the plastic tray, or bits of both. I will confess that the palettes I used for this tutorial took a lot longer to clean out than any of the palettes I had previously done. This is a great opportunity to listen to an audio book or podcast (I listened to one on C.S. Lewis).

broken shadows can be fixed!

When you have finally liberated the tins from the palette and as much as the plastic tray that comes with them, use your knife to scrape off all remaining plastic bits. It doesn't matter how scratched up the palette gets, but you don't want anything left in there that will cause bumps under your adhesive magnet. Use baby wipes and copious amounts of rubbing alcohol to clean all traces of glue from the palette and the bottoms of the shadows.

Next (or while you are waiting for the glue to dissolve) use the clear plastic protector that came in the palette to trace out the shape of your magnet. I cut mine just a little bit smaller, and angled off the corners for a better fit. I purchased 9x12 sheets from Craft Supplies for Less. Each sheet will magnetize two palettes, with a bit left to stick to tins. I'm going to try another magnet from Jo-Ann's, I'll let you know how they compare.

When you are certain that the palette is clean and ready, it's time to stick in the magnet, smoothing as you go to avoid air bubbles.

Voila! You now have a custom magnetic palette. Steel tins will stick without any further preparation. You can super-glue thin magnets to the bottom of aluminum tins, or cut a thin piece of metal (I had some leftover from magnetizing e.l.f. palettes). Use a sharpie to label shadows you want to remember the name/brand of.

I did the math and found that although this method takes a lot of time, I spent $14 in materials per palette. That's half the price of the Z Palette Pro, and I got a ton of new shadows and blushes!

That's it! Happy organizing!

Using white vinegar as a fabric softener

After reading a lot of blogs about DIY fabric softener, I decided to try just straight white vinegar. I don't need more scents and irritants, but it seems a lot of people add perfumes to the wash just because it makes the clothes smell "clean." 

you have to trust me on this one

So, I just filled my Downy ball with vinegar and threw it in with the wash. The clothes came out of the dryer soft and unscented. They do not smell like vinegar. This just elevated the joy of fresh, clean sheets to a new level of dreamy softness! And a bonus: the dryer ball is clean! 

I won't be buying fabric softener ever again!

Additional bonus: the vinegar worked beautifully to wipe off all the lint and detergent drippings to make my washer portrait-ready. 

Update: I'd recommend filling the Downy ball completely full, especially for a full load of towels and sheets. That's about one cup for those of you with other types of dispensers. For this load I experimented with only filling it to the line, and I wasn't as impressed as in previous trials.