DIY home or self care stuff

I am getting really into making my own household or personal care things like, laundry soap, cleaners, shampoo etc. I thought I would make a thread where people like me could swap recipes, give advise and maybe answer questions for people who are interested. Here are some of my recipes
Laundry soap #1
1/2 cup washing side
1/2 cup borax
1/3 of a bar of soap , grated finely like fels naptha
1 gallon water
Heat water on the stove and add ingredients. Boil until all ingredients are melted. Pour into desired containers. The mixture will "gel" as it cools. Use 1/3 to 1/2 cup per load. I have an HE washer and to accommodate that I scoope out the amount (scant 1/3 cup) cut it up a bit and add 1/4 cup vinegar and mix a bit then add to washer

Laundry soap #2
1gallon hot water
3T washing soda
3T borax
3T dawn dish soap
Mix all together in a gallon milk jug using 1 cup per load. This is good as is for HE
For softeners I use vinegar in the softener cup and or I make my own dryer sheets by soaking a wash cloth in about 2 capfuls of liguid fabric softener. Ring out completely and dry completely. Usually lasts 30-40 washes and use it just like a dryer sheet


Shampoo #1
1-2 tablespoons baking soda
massage in and rinse completely. use only 1-2 Xs per week or it is too harsh on the hair
Conditioner
1/4 C. apple cider vinegar
1C. water
mix in old shampoo bottle and massage through hair and rinse
hair will smell like vinegar initially when wet, but when dry it doesn't. use 1-2 a week with soda and inbetween use just the vinegar mix if you want

The first month as your hair gets used to the all natural shampoo, it will be more oily, but as it levels out you will find that it is less oily then before and that you have to wash it less, Ideally only once a week
Shampoo #2
3 T. lemon juice
one med cucumber
blend in blender until smooth and massage into hair and completely rince

We love homemade stuff like this. I make my own facial scrubs, and use an egg white mask 3x a week. Super easy!

Egg white mask: Egg white (perhaps a small bit of yolk if you tend to have dry skin). Whisk for 45 seconds, apply, let sit 12-15 minutes, rinse!

Brown sugar scrub: 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup honey, 1 teaspoon olive oil. Mix together, store with secure lid. *sometimes I do this with white sugar, I find it doesn't harden up as much and can last longer.

Quoting the grace life:" We love homemade stuff like this. I make my own facial scrubs, and use an egg white mask 3x a week. Super ... [snip!] ... store with secure lid. *sometimes I do this with white sugar, I find it doesn't harden up as much and can last longer."

Oh I love this - gonna print it out. I'd love more of your recipes!

One of the girls on here gave me a great laundry soap recipe

http://www.howdoesshe.com/cheaper-and-better-diy-laundry-detergent/
I added more of the crystal fabric softner to mine

Quoting Misty Walls:" One of the girls on here gave me a great laundry soap recipe http://www.howdoesshe.com/cheaper-and-better-diy-laundry-detergent/ I added more of the crystal fabric softner to mine"

Oh I like that one and my daycare provider will love it - totally passing it on! thank you

Do you use stuff you can find at like WalMart or do you have to go somewhere special for stuff? (Like for the laundry soap for example)

Quoting Madi's*Mama:" Do you use stuff you can find at like WalMart or do you have to go somewhere special for stuff? (Like for the laundry soap for example)"

I find all mine at the local supermarket or walmart.

I found the stuff for mine at the local walmart or grocery store. The only think i couldnt find was borax so i substituted boraxo which is borax mixed with soap.

Also my recipe seems like a lot of ingredients but it has lasted us almost 2 months already (family of 6) so thats awesome. Another plus is it gets SOs work clothes really clean, hes a mechanic so his stuff gets pretty groudy

Does the natural shampoo/conditioner fade coloured hair? I can't live without my vibrant red!



Also, a handy thing to lift burned on food from your pots and pans after use:

Take a little cola, just enough to cover the base of the pot/pan, and then simmer for a few minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon as you go. When you rinse, the majority of charred food will be removed  


Vinegar and water mixed in a spray bottle also makes an excellent window cleaner!

Quoting Misty Walls:" I found the stuff for mine at the local walmart or grocery store. The only think i couldnt find was borax ... [snip!] ... of 6) so thats awesome. Another plus is it gets SOs work clothes really clean, hes a mechanic so his stuff gets pretty groudy"

I'm excited to try it!

I went to family dollar and got most of the ingredients (generic) i think i spent $20 for everything

Quoting Bettinas:" Does the natural shampoo/conditioner fade coloured hair? I can't live without my vibrant red! Also, ... [snip!] ... of charred food will be removed   Vinegar and water mixed in a spray bottle also makes an excellent window cleaner!"

I have "artificial" red hair   and thus far it hasn't fadded, but this is a pretty old dye job so it might be already fadded. I theory is the bottled stuff has a lot more harsh chemicals then baking soda and vinegar so I figured it wouldn't hurt to try.

Quoting nursemaya -mommy to 2:" I am getting really into making my own household or personal care things like, laundry soap, cleaners, ... [snip!] ... week Shampoo #2 3 T. lemon juice one med cucumber blend in blender until smooth and massage into hair and completely rince"

oooo i love threads like this.....

Quoting Beanie's Breeder:" oooo i love threads like this....."

Welcome!

Cinnamon Honey Exfoliating and Hydrating Mask

Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/3 cup honey
4 tablespoons cinnamon

mix all together and apply as a mask for 15 minutes. rinse and continue your face regime as normal