Bread, Detergent, Fabric Softener and More!

Busy day on the homestead! But I guess that's everyday, heehee :)

I came across this mouth-watering recipe for Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread yesterday and had to try it for breakfast this morning. We love banana muffins around here, so I thought this would be a great way to mix it up. The only changes I made to the recipe are pretty standard for me, the addition of some ground flax seed and using a mixture of all-purpose & whole wheat flour. It is even more delicious than it looks!

Find the recipe here.

 

Next it was off to try out some of the things I learned in an all-natural cleaning class last night. So many great recipes for homemade all-natural cleaners out there!!! They are much cheaper and definitely better for your health. We even made a glass cleaner out of water, vinegar, borax and all-natural dish soap during class. I tried it out today on some adorable smudgy fingerprints (because I was skeptical) and I LOVED it! The past month or so, I have also been making an all-purpose cleaner with orange peels and vinegar. It is awesome! Send me a message if you want the recipe, super easy and cheap. We always have orange peels around here.

 

This morning, I set out to try three things, more to come in the future I'm sure. First, I made dishwasher detergent pods. I found the recipe at Louises Country Closet.

Here's the link to the recipe.

 

They are currently drying out, so I haven't tried them yet, but I will update the page when I try them. They were very easy and cheap to make, so I'm hoping they work great! Dishwasher detergent is expensive! 

****UPDATE 5/2/2013: After using this for a few weeks, and trying different rinse agents and such, I have come to realize that it is not cleaning my dishes the way I would like it to. The first few times it seemed to work great, but after awhile it is just not working like it should. Not sure why, maybe I'm doing something wrong, but it is not working for us. :(

 

 Next up was homemade laundry detergent. I have wanted to do this for several years, and I'm not really sure why I've put it off for so long. I have many friends who use this recipe and love it, so I am confident that I will, too. I would make sure that you like the scent of the bar of soap you use. Here's a picture of it steaming away.

 

The recipe I used can be found here.

 

And last but not least, I really wanted to try a recipe I was given last night for homemade fabric softener. Again, very easy and cheap. After making all three, this is the one I am most excited about because it looks just like store-bought fabric softener and smells so good. Store-bought softener is outrageous, so I am excited to try this affordable alternative.

 

Simply mix together 6 cups of water, 3 cups of white vinegar and 2 cups of conditioner. *Time-out for a proud Mommy moment. My kids helped me out today and my oldest was able to read "1 cup" on the measuring cup, so he was also able to fully grasp the idea that 2 cups was 1 cup filled up twice. Oh, the fun of homeschooling!*

 

I used a creamy Suave that I thought smelled great. You will need to use a whisk to get the conditioner combined well with the other ingredients. When fully combined, use a funnel and pour into a gallon jug for storage. In the wash, use the same amount that you would use if it was store-bought softener.

 

Again, I haven't tried this yet, so I will update you when I do, but it looks and smells great!

 

 

And now for some quiet time catching up on Bible reading, prayer and The Revolution for Women.

 

 

***UPDATE: Today, 4/11/13,  I tried the dishwasher tabs and I loved them! I did not use any rinse aid, just to see how it went, and my dishes cam out sparkly clean. I sat the tab on the bottom of the dishwasher and started the cycle. At this point, I'm well pleased and plan to discontinue buying store-bought dishwasher detergent. ***

 

***UPDATE 4/16/13: Upon looking further, I've discoverd that I would like some rinse aid, in addition to the homemade dishwasher detergent. It cleans well, but some dishes are left a little spotty. I will be trying some of the suggestions on the blog linked above and I'll let you know. Also, I have been using the laundry detergent and the fabric softener with great success! I LOVE the way my clothes smell!