Homemade things!

I enjoy finding inexpensive, easy solutions to many home cleaning products.  A few years ago, I began making homemade laundry soap (inspired by the Duggar Family!) and have since grown to making my own dishwasher soap, glycerin soaps, candles, body scrubs, and homemade remedies.  Today, I thought I would share recipes of my favorites with you!!

Drain Clog Remover:

Recently, we had a slow draining, clogged bathtub drain.  I'm not one to keep a lot of chemical cleaners around, mostly out of habit from having eight little ones running around.  So I did what every frazzled woman does when she needs answers and needs them NOW:  I searched Google for homemade ways to attack the clog!  I found that pouring baking soda followed by vinegar easily and quickly "eats away" whatever is clogging the drain!


  
Dishwasher Soap:
1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (NOT baking soda!)
1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
Mix well!  
This makes a powder solution, but you can add the mixture to 2-4 quarts of hot water to make a liquid soap, too.
Store in an air-tight container.

Homemade laundry soap (from www.duggarfamily.com):
4  Cups - hot tap water
1  Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super 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.




Easy Salt Scrub:
1 cup of finely ground sea salt
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8-10 drops of essential oil (Such as peppermint, tea tree, grapefruit, or bergamot) 

For more information about body scrubs, visit:  http://www.homemade-gifts-made-easy.com/homemade-body-scrub.html