Last night, I finished my 3rd load of laundry using soap nuts. I buy them from here. The results? They are great! No, the clothes don't smell, at all, but they are very clean, very soft, and may I mention, washed very cheaply....! Now that's my kind of 'detergent!' They are about half the price of Tide HE, and I can use about 5 nuts for about 5 fairly heavy loads! As a plus, there is no need for fabric softener! They are soft as can be, in fact softer than if I had used fabric softener, but without that chemical-y residue. Conclusion: I am extremely pleased and I can't wait to use my 10% off coupon I received with my order, on my next order!
Next: Dishwasher detergent. I found a way to make my own concoction of this as well, with an added bonus: a Jet Dry substitute! So I mixed a cup of washing soda (I found mine at Ace), a cup of Borax, and a half cup of salt and shook it together in a Mason jar. Ok, it was a Ball jar. Anyway, I made this Wednesday night, and I finally used it last night (Thursday). I was anxious to see how my dishes came out, since I had been buying the cheap, Eco-Friendly Palmolive for my dishwasher. It left white residue everywhere!!! So, I inspected my dishes after they ran a cycle, the Normal cycle as always with heated dry, and wow! They looked even better than when I used the good detergent! They were clean, no spots on the silverware, which is a common occurrence for us.... And, no water spots thanks to the 'rinse aid!' So I bet you are dying to know the secret rinse aid, huh? Well, just put plain, white distilled vinegar in the compartment you normally put the rinse aid. It lasts forever, so you rarely have to fill it back up, so of course you have really saved some $$! I of course never bother to buy jet dry, I don't care about some water spots, and that stuff is expensive for what it is, especially now that I know it can be cheaply replaced! My conclusion on the homemade dishwasher detergent: Excellent substitute! Only this: when I run out, I am going to try to simplify it by using Borax and baking soda and salt, to make it cheaper, and we'll see how it goes!!
To update on the last post, my facial cleansing routine is going great-- I will not go back to my old facewashes and lotions! They feel sticky, heavy, and thick to me now! I have had to use my old facewash once, and my lotion once as well, under dire circumstances, and I wasn't pleased at all. The only con is that it occasionally makes my bangs oily at the end of the day, or if I am not careful, they get oil on them before I even get dressed :( but I have been able to work around it, and hey, it is worth it to me if I can have clear skin! As for the homemade shampoo and conditioners, I have only used them on our guinea pig, Caylen, but they do great on her! I am just waiting to run out of our commercial ones first!
Oh, and one last thing. I am not sure if I mentioned this in the last post, but I have been using Virgin Coconut Oil as a body lotion for a few weeks now, and I LOVE it! It is so rich and moisturizing, and Bath and Body Works ain't got nuthin' on that scent! AAAHHH! It smells so delicious and luscious! You have gotta try it!
One more thing, I promise, I am looking for a cheap, eco-alternative to my dish soap. I tried Dr. Bronners, but it is a little too watery and harsh for me. Smells good though (I got the Hemp Almond kind). So, if you have any suggestions, ppppplllllleeeeaaasssee let me know!!
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