Fabric Softener - More Experiments

Wow!  So, I was looking for a formula for homemade fabric softener...  I've been using some sheets leftover from a friend that recently moved, and I'm finding that I like the extra scent.  It just says "clean" to me.  Also helps with static cling.

As I was searching, I came across some GREAT ideas that I hadn't consider to do it on the cheap.

1) Take a misting bottle and pour fabric softener into it.  Then, when you're ready to put your wet clothes in, spray the mister 3-6 times into the dryer.  Apparently, even for a large family, this will make the fabric softener last for 3 or 4 MONTHS.

2) Cut dryer sheets into sections (2-4 depending on results).  And if you can get some at your local dollar store that works well for you, think of the savings!

3) For static clean, apparently, throwing a wet sock in helps?  Might have to experiment with that for curiosity's sake.

4) Homemade dryer "sheets" can be made by pouring a 1/4 cup of fabric softener into a jar, then fill the rest of the jar with water.  Place rags into the jar, using one for each load.  Repeat when rags have been used.

5) One suggestion for liquid fabric softener was taken from http://www.ehow.com/.

• 3 Cups White Vinegar
• 2 Cups Hair Conditioner
• 6 Cups Water

And a ball of aluminum foil for static cling

6) Another suggested diluting your softener.  She would take two liters of softener and split it by pouring it into two 2 Liter bottles, then filling up the rest of the bottle with water.

How well any of these suggestions will work is beyond me, but I'm going to experiment with a few of them, if only for curiosity's sake, and if they happen to work and save me money, all the better!

If you'd like to check out the spot I found these great suggestions, I found them at: http://www.thriftyfun.com/.

A Battle of the Seasons

According to the weather reports, Summer and Autumn are set to battle today.  Our mild temps are set to give way to another bout of warmer ones.  Summer has not fully released its hold on the North Country yet.  Autumn, however, will be making another appearance next weekend, I guess.

It is all right.  After all, I know that - as is the case with any season - it cannot last forever.  A fact, which I suddenly realized is true about the situations in our lives, as well.  But that is a musing for another time... *wink*

Things are going well on this end with regard to the transition of seasons, though.  I've already sewn the seeds for the red cabbage in the square foot garden...  Another experiment, as I've never grown it previously.  So, we shall see how that goes...

My tomatoes and sweet peppers had a less than stellar turn out this year.  They did yield some "fruit", but not much.  Will have to do more in the way of fertilizer next year, I'm thinking.  (My IMG says "duh!", but I remind her that it is all a learning experience, and it is better to do this now, than when my family is most dependent upon it, right?)

Another experiment that I took up this week was that of the homemade dishwasher detergent...

We already make our own laundry detergent.  (I'll share the recipe at another time for those who don't already know it *wink*)  So, I figured that it wouldn't be too difficult and very cost effective, given that we already have the makings for it on hand.

Now, admittedly, DH has tried it in the past, but I wasn't too impressed.  We have REALLY hard water here, so filmy residue was a problem.  So, we stopped using it.  I started using the Cascade gel packs recently, which worked REALLY well, but are SO costly.  There just HAD to be a homemade solution...

Using my powers of Google-Fu, I came across a recipe or two that I've been playing with and tweeking this week, and I think I have come up with the secret combination...

In the pre-wash cup, I place the following:

   - 1/2 TBSP Borax

   - 1/2 TBSP Washing Soda

   - 3 Vit C tablets - ground up  (Quite a few recipes call for citric acid or Lemon Kool-Aid packets, but after talking with DH, this was an adequate solution for us and something we already had on hand.)

I fill the main cup and the rinse agent reservoir with vinegar.  (I usually use white vinegar, but ran out of that the other day, and don't plan to resupply until payday.  So, I did use apple cider vinegar because I still had a couple of bottles on hand.  It did seem to work just as well, though.)

Maybe it'll work for you!  Just remember, though, that it might require a bit of tweaking on your part to get it to work for your particular machine and type of water.  Good luck to you!