I need help getting motivated today. I am so tired from lack of sleep last night! I need to take a shower, go to the store, make dinner for a friend's family, do the dishes and a load of Ethan's laundry. Man, that's depressing. I just want a nap and have someone else to do the dishes and laundry for a day! So, here I sit on the couch, doing nothing because the amount of labor I have seems insurmountable and paralyzes my brain. Do you ever feel that way? I know the only thing to do is just get going, but I am sooooo tired and my eyes are burning and heavy and my throat is sore, which happens when I don't get enough rest. One. Of. Those. Days.
You know what I really WANT to do? I want to finish my framed art, go to JoAnn's and get fabric for the living room curtains, whip up a really cute skirt that I found online for Hannah and fix two of her long-sleeved shirts so they are short-sleeved. If only I weren't always trying to do the responsible thing. I feel like I've been really on top of things so how is it that today I woke up and realized there are no more clean bowls or plates or cups or baby spoons or baby clothes or my shirts?! One step forward 27 steps back. That's how I feel. And, I really would rather do that sewing stuff. Also, I want to sew the kitchen curtains because those red plaid things look hideous with the art I put up yesterday. Also, I want to spray paint the kitchen stools a bright teal. That or yellow. But, you know my love affair with teal. So many ideas and not enough time. Better get to work on that manual labor for which I guess I am unfortunately responsible. I do have to admit, it's worth the sacrifice to stay home with the babes. Dang it! I was trying to have pity party! I crashed my own party. Here I come, shower.
Tues, August 9, 2011
So, if you have soft water, please know that homemade detergent works wonderfully! I used it successfully for over a year, until I moved into a home with the hardest water on earth. Don't get me wrong - I appreciate all that hard water does offer. It tastes better and has lots of healthy minerals. But, I'd honestly rather have remarkably clean clothes AND save some money...and be old-fashioned. I tell Logan all the time that I wish I could just wear (without the expense of my own personal style) a button-up, collared, floral-print, shin-length dress all day, complete with an apron and lace-up Keds. (Could this picture be any more perfect?!?) There's just something perfect about the idea of wearing a dress & shoes all day. It's probably harder to curl up on the couch with a blanket than when you're wearing pajamas all day. And, then your cute shirts don't get smeared as often with kid goo - just your aprons, which are many & easily washed! You can leave the house at any time, since you're dressed & always ready to go. Why can't that fashion be in style?!? Will someone send American Eagle the memo? I am an old soul, always wanting to do so many things how they were done in simpler times. The irony is that doing things that way is not simpler - just usually cheaper. So, what's worth more? Time or money? That's not the argument for me. The real question is what teaches character & hard work? A little bit of elbow grease - that's the answer.
The good news is that now I have an excuse to feel justified in purchasing my FAVORITE commercial detergent from Melaleuca. Can't wait until it gets here! I'm gonna have a little laundry-moon with it after the first few loads, sniffing & cuddling my delicious-smelling, pristinely-clean clothes....mmmmm.
Tues, July 19, 2011
Why me?! Why are my whites turning grey and smelling musty? My sheets smell musty, too! Why?! Could it be the homemade laundry detergent I've been using for over a year with no problems until recently? When I lived in my last apartment, my laundry was ALWAYS fresh-smelling right out of the wash. I've added more and more vinegar to each load, soaked overnight, tried both chlorine and non-chlorine bleach, and nothing has resolved the issue.
I finally broke the news to my mom-in-law, since she is the maker of the detergent. "I don't think the homemade detergent is working anymore. It must be building up in my clothes," I said. "My laundry feels strange - like there's a film on it - and it's smelling musty." "Do You have hard water," she asks? "Yes," I reply.
Turns out, my water is VERY hard! The laundry issues didn't begin until about a month after we moved into our new place. So, last night I sent Logan on an emergency run to Walmart to purchase Calgon, a laundry additive that is supposed to soften water in the washer. I added it immediately to my load of whites. Even during the rinse cycle, the water was murky and dirty! It must be working, I thought. It's cleaning out all the build-up in my clothes!
Well, they still smelled musty after the cycle was complete. So, I did some googling and found nothing new. I already knew Borax & vinegar were great at removing smells, but had no luck up to this point - but that's because my water was hard.
So, I re-started the wash with a capful of Calgon, 1/2 C Borax, and twice the homemade laundry soap that I normally add (since apparently you need more to clean with hard water). Then, in the first rinse cycle, I added 1 C white distilled vinegar. I also set the machine for a second rinse.
The verdict? Clean, fresh laundry just like old times...mmm. It's a blissful romance, my cotton and I. Hopefully I don't have to add ALL of those ingredients every time. It'd be nice if, now that they're fresh, the Calgon and detergent alone could keep the laundry clean. Either way, I'll never give up!
March 2011
I'm a bit obsessive about a few things.
1. Locking doors.
2. Unplugging toasters
3. Folding shirts (Gap-style, of course)
4. Washing my hands
And my very favorite...
5. Laundry
So, let's talk about laundry. It all began in high school when my Mom (sorry to divulge this, Mom!) washed my favorite white undershirt and it came out pink! Fortunately, the stains were only on the edging of the shirt, leaving it cuter than before the wash. Around that time, I also had long, gangly thoroughbred legs. Since "long" jeans weren't in mainstream stores yet, I had to make due with regular 34" inseams, stretching them when wet & leaving them out to dry. With these things in mind, I decided I'd better start doing my own laundry.
Over the years, and especially since I had my first baby, I've become a FREAK about removing stains. Add to that my mother-&-sister-in-laws teaching me about the many uses of vinegar & homemade laundry detergent. I've become a laundryopath!
Stain removers - blah. Most of them don't work. One of those includes "Spray & Wash Max with Resolve Power." It sounds so powerful - like it's gonna ZAP those poo stains right out of those onesies. Wrong. Waste of money. So, here's a regimen that DOES work: Melaleuca's PreSpot. That stuff has removed dried stains of all kinds, including strawberry & ketchup. I use it for everything. And for the stains it can't remove completely (like mildew, infant poo, blood), I soak in Oxy Clean powder - amazing stuff. I try to avoid bleach for several reasons - I don't like the baby's clothes/burp cloths/bibs to smell like bleach AND because the fumes are really strong and give me a headache (can't imagine what they must do to the kids). But, every once in a while, if the stains are on white stuff, I'll just use a little because it works so quickly. Then, I rinse well & add it to the regular wash to get the bleach smell out.
Baby stuff. I wash a load of Hoss's sleepers, onesies, blankets, bibs, & burp cloths a few times each week as needed. Just before bed, I set the washer to the smallest load size & fill with hot water & 1/2 C Borax. I use the smallest load size so the Borax doesn't dilute as much & is more powerful. I add all the baby stuff & let it agitate for a few minutes to mix it all up. Then, I pull the knob to turn off the washer, leave the lid down & let it all soak over night. In the morning, I add more hot water to the machine, detergent, the rest of the clothes I want in the load & let it run. Viola - clean baby stuff. No buckets, no waiting, no wasted water or Borax.
Vinegar. My love for vinegar began when I was pregnant with my first. Fumes from harsh cleaning products made me feel sick. I went to help clean the Rexburg temple during that time & realized they clean with vinegar. I spoke to my sis-in-law who verified that it can be used for EVERYTHING. After some internet research, I found this website with 1001 uses for vinegar: Vinegar Tips Website. It claims, "Besides removing soap, white distilled vinegar prevents yellowing, acts as a fabric softener and static cling reducer, and attacks mold and mildew." So, in every load of laundry, I always add 1/4 C vinegar to the rinse cycle. If towels get stinky, a major problem in our Rexburg apartment, I wash them in hot water with 1 C vinegar to remove the odor & mildew. Then, I launder as usual with detergent. I used to use bleach for this, but then my towels always smelled like bleach - gross. Now, they smell like nothing - just cloth.
I also use vinegar for general cleaning. When I was preggo with Hoss, I started cleaning tubs, toilets, everything with vinegar because I couldn't stand the smell of anything else. Under my kitchen sink is always a spray bottle containing vinegar diluted with water. It's great for cleaning counters & wiping out the refrigerator. The best part is, once it dries, you cannot smell the vinegar. Love the stuff. Wait, no, the best part is that it's really cheap and lasts much longer than a $4 bottle of fancy all-natural eco-friendly cleaner.
Detergent - Homemade, for real. So, my mum-in-law decided to try making her own laundry detergent. What began as a small trial batch has turned into countless 5-gallon buckets that everyone in the family uses! The ingredients include Borax, Fels Naptha (old fashioned soap purchased online) & washing soda (not baking soda - also purchased online). Yes, ladies & gents, just three basic ingredients, add water & voila! You have several gallons of liquid detergent. It has a nice lemony scent and leaves clothes smelling fresh, which is really no type of scent at all.
I told you - LAUNDRYOPATH! I love laundering (hate folding). It's a passion of mine. And when people flatter me by asking for stain-removing help, my heart flutters & leaps a bit as I devise my first string of attacks. And when I conquer, as I nearly always do, I beam with pride and always call my husband at work. I can tell he's excited, too, by the drone in his voice as he congratulates, "Good for you, sweetie." Oh the joy! Oh and if anyone actually reads this far, you're either as bad as I am or not far off. ;)
