Time to Make the Laundry Soap

I wish I knew the last time I made my detergent...I can't say how long it lasted.  Yes, I could do some research and let you know exactly, but I really need to do other things.  ( I will make tags/labels so I can let you know next time.)

 This was just enough to get one more bottle out of it.  I am really glad this batch is finally done.  It was actually a fail.  I did not let my soap melt well enough and it made very clumpy soap.
I don't scent the whole bucket though because I am a bit fickle, only the bottles.   My new favorite flavor is peppermint, tea tree and sweet orange. I love the way that essential oil combination makes my clothes faintly smell.  I also will add eucalyptus in a bottle every now and again.  I am sorry, but I am tired of all things lavender smelling. I have always been a citrusy girl anyway.

 All the empty buckets, dippers, bottles and things need a good scrubbing to get rid of the soap buildup.  Not a hard chore at all.

I know I have showed this before and probably have better pictures.  I grated one laundry soap bar (the smaller the grate the better and faster) and melted in about 4 cups of water on the stove.  Once that was melted (about 30-45 minutes),  I add 1 cup of washing soda, a little over 1/2 a cup of borax and 8 cups of hot tap water to my bucket and start stirring.  I slowly add the melted soap into the bucket, trying to avoid making too many bubbles that will turn to a top layer of foam.  I get that all thick and pasty and then begin adding hot water (8 cups at a time and stirring) until the bucket is full.  Right now this is sitting and melding and gelling.  Tomorrow morning I will open the lid of the bucket and get my hands in there to break it up and get it as smooth and combined as possible and let it sit until I am ready for it.  It will actually be another week since I just made a fresh bottle this morning.  No more worries for months! Yay!!

Laundry Lessons #1

Day 2 was not as fun as Day 1, but it never is.

The last load did fine except my dish rags did not smell as clean as I would like-not bad, but not good.  So, I am thinking of how to fix that; more time plunging probably, possibly pre-soak, splash of vinegar in the rinse.  Any suggestions?

I let Daughter sleep in since she worked late last night.  I decided to go ahead and do the laundry after feeding and watering the animals.  I had pre-soaked Son's work shirts (he works at a metal fabrication shop-the metallic smell is always in his clothes) overnight in a bucket of soapy water.

I refilled my buckets, basins and totes and added soap and went in to pick out another load to wash.  I chose colors and the new undies I bought for Hubby this weekend and out I went. I also switched my wash basin and my rinse basin #1 because the shape seemed easier for the washing.

I am not going to lie.  I am a little fatigued in my arms from my shoulders to my fingertips.  A wringer is definitely on my list.  I'm not sore by any means, but I feel...well worked out.  So my vigor was not as good as yesterday.  My mother suggested that I go barefoot and enjoy nature in all it's glory.  That sounded wonderful, so I slipped out of my flip-flops too.

Here we go.  I grabbed a shirt out of the drained pre-soak bucket.  Wait!  That's a dirty one.   I shouldn't start with that!  Well, too late, so I washed that one.  I wrung it out and threw it in the rinse basin.  Wait!  That water isn't very clear!  I didn't think about rinsing the basins after using them yesterday AND it was the wash tub from yesterday.  Errr!  So my plan to save water failed this time.  I rinsed and threw in rinse #2.  Also a bit cloudy from lack of properly cleaning after use.  I started to put in Hubby's new undies.  Wait!  That new cloth will surely put dye in the wash and I don't want to wash my tank tops in that! Whew!  Disaster averted.  So in with the less dirty clothes and plunge away.  Tra-la-la-la-la.  Ouch!!  What?!  Fire ants too close to bare feet, and on flip-flops next to said bare feet!  Errr!  I blasted my feet with the hose and even on jet setting, one ant stayed attached to my ankle.  Mean boogers!  As am I.  I blasted the biggest pile of ants where it looked like they were trying to build their mound.  I sprinkled some of my laundry detergent on there too.  I don't think they really cared, but I felt better.  I ran in and got my heavy cleaner I use in the bathroom ( diluted rubbing alcohol and ammonia), took it back out and sprayed my feet to alleviate the pain; and for fun I sprayed the ants too. 

My only choice to continue was to move to the other side of the palate, my back to the sun (booo!) and I would have to stand on the palate to reach the basins.  That was not a comfortable height.  I was not going to dump all the water, move them, and start over; it was bad enough I refilled the two rinse buckets.

So, this day of laundry was not as pleasurable as yesterday- satisfying yes, but enjoyable, not so much.  Kind of glad I washed the jeans in the washer...I did not just say that!  Yes, I did because seriously I would not be able to wring those or the large towels properly, so automatic washer for them-but still hang out to dry to keep energy consumption down. 

What did we learn today that common sense would tell most people:
Lesson 1-wash least dirty to most dirty, least dyed to most dyed
Lesson 2-rinse your basins well before and after using
Lesson 3-spray a perimeter for fire ant protection-the only poison I have to use on the farm
Lesson 4-buy a wringer when can afford
Lesson 5-make sure plunging height is right for a healthy back

Think I will take the day off tomorrow and cook instead.

ADDENDUM:  I got all of the laundry off the line and I have to say with the extra effort in time and less in speed, as well as less articles of clothing in the basin, the clothes were wonderfully clean and had a soft, elastic texture even after hanging on the line for four hours.  It was stiffer than the dryer, but softer than normal.  I like it.  I guess it could be my hands are getting chaffed too and everything feels softer.  And there were barely any wrinkles, nothing that required ironing, even my bandanas and cotton cowgirl shirt.  YES!!

Outside Laundry Room

In the mailbox Saturday afternoon was the little post office card letting me know that I had a package I could pick up Monday.  They don't deliver to my home because of the long winding dirt road, so we have to pick all of our over sized packages.  I couldn't decipher the sender, but I figured it was either my mobile washer or my scrub board...please be the washer, please be the washer...

 

Monday morning, the sun was just over the horizon and I shot outside to put together my laundry room.  I carried the palate to the flat area between the greenhouse and the clothes line and placed it gently down.  Okay, not really, it was heavy; I let it fall to the ground hoping it wouldn't tear up.  I found my two black totes that I was keeping for my wash and rinse basins.  I grabbed the 5-gallon bucket I kept in the garden as a rainwater catcher.  I could always get another one-this was important! and we haven't had that much rain.  I filled the black wash basin with a little bit of water so it could warm up in the sun just in case it was my washer at the post office. 

 

I went in and did some cleaning and watched the clock.  It was 8:50.  I sat down to make a small batch of laundry soap while I waited.  It might come in handy.  I grated soap and added the other ingredients and took it to my laundry soap bucket already waiting on the palate. 

 

9:00!!!  To the truck with post office card in hand!  Daughter came with me so she could go in.  I don't like to be in public with a tank top on and I was not changing even though this was a momentous occasion.  We hopped in the truck and drove up the driveway in 1st gear.  Gas light!  Love the movie, hate the light in the truck.  So, I had to be in public and get gas anyway.  Who cares, I am on a mission. 

 

After stopping at my least favorite gas station but closest to the post office, daughter went in and FINALLY came out with a huge box...oh no, it must be the scrub board.  My shoulder probably drooped a bit.  Wait.  It was light!  She was carrying it with one hand.  Maybe.  YES!!  The plunger!!

 

And the rest is history...well, actually, it is the future, but...

Basket of dirty clothes and my plunger

First load of dish rags ready for soaking

 

Washed, in first rinse, ready for second rinse

All done

 It took about 40 minutes of sun and fun but we got about what would be two "automatic" washer loads done- a load of towels and a load of darks.   Although that seems like a long time, daughter and I got a workout (particularly the arms, but even some ab work and a little legs with bending, wringing and such).  We got our vitamin D and probably a little tan.  We stayed cool enough with all the water splashing.  And we had a good time, mother and daughter just enjoying a woman's work. 



Drying in the sun

 

Next, is the scrub board.  The fels naptha is waiting, as am I.