What’s your Laundry Schedule? and What do you use to clean your clothes?

How do you do your laundry?

Do you do it all at once? Do you take your time and a do a load once a day?  Leave me a comment with your thoughts.

I’ve had this problem for sometime now. Since I work full-time, I rush around the house in the morning to get the baby, husband and myself out the door. I sometimes throw in a load of laundry into the washer and take a load out of the dryer and put it into a basket for later folding or hanging.

Recently, I got into a routine to start a load in the morning and when I get home I put a load away and put the load in the dryer.  I feel it is a lot easier to put laundry in the washer in the morning then putting in the dryer.

Here are some links to read more about laundry schedules:

http://www.positivelyfeminine.org/domestic/ss/laundry.htm

http://overhall.com/laundry.htm

http://www.household-management-101.com/

What do you use to clean your clothes?

I’ve been a fan of Purex laundry detergent since I read about it from the Queen of Clean a couple years ago.  Since I started using coupons I’ve started to try different brands when I get a good deal.

I like using Fels-Naptha as a pre-treater.  It works great at baby blow outs.  Yucky!  It also works well on greasy stains.  As seen on TV the Duggar family has their recipe too, which I hope to try some day.  For my small family that will last us a couple years!

TIPS FOR LAUNDRY SOAP: We use Fels-Naptha  bar soap in the homemade soap recipes, but you can use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk’s Hardwater Castile or Zote bars. Don’t use heavily perfumed soaps. We buy Fels-Naptha by the case from our local grocer or online. Washing Soda and Borax can normally be found on the laundry or cleaning aisle. Recipe cost approx. $2.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4  Cups hot tap water
1  Fels-Naptha soap bar
1  Cup Washing Soda
½ Cup Borax

– Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let 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.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

Powdered Laundry Detergent- Top load machine

1   Fels-Naptha soap bar
1   Cup Washing Soda
½  Cup Borax

-Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients. For light load, use 1 Tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tablespoons. Yields: 3 Cups detergent. (Approx. 40 loads)

Inexpensive Fabric Softener Recipes

Recipe #1
1  Cup White Vinegar
Add vinegar to rinse cycle. Works great. Removes residue and odors. Also helps to keep washing machine and hoses fresh and clean too.

Recipe #2

1  Container of Name Brand Fabric Softener
4  Inexpensive sponges, cut in half

Pour entire container of softener into a 5 gallon bucket. Fill empty softener container with water twice. (2 parts water to 1 part softener) Add sponges to softener/water mixture. When ready to use wring out extra mixture from one sponge and add to the dryer as you would a dryer sheet.

Click HERE for the Duggar website.

Here are other uses for Fels-Naptha.