Laundry Detergent

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Makes approx. 4 gallons

1 Fels Naptha laundry bar (Laundry Aisle)
1 Cup Borax
1 Cup Laundry/Washing Soda
(This looks like reg. baking soda but in a big box in the laundry aisle)

Grate soap into pan and add 3 cups water. Stir occasionally until dissolved.
In a five gallon bucket mix borax and soda with 1 gallon of hot water until dissolved. Add soap. Mix well. Add three more gallons of water and mix. Place lid on bucket and let it sit over night. Mix one more time. Use 1/4 - 1/3 cup each load. You may need to stir it occasionally because it can separate.

You will still need to use a stain remover or bleach when needed, but this is a very inexpensive basic laundry detergent.

Just to make life easier – get an old grater and an old pan. Use these only for making detergent. Otherwise you will be scrubbing them a few times to get all the soap off.

With a box of soda and borax and a few bars of Fels Naptha, you can have a year supply of detergent sitting on a shelf AND it doesn’t take up a lot of room!

Scotch-A-Roos

2 c. corn syrup

2 c. white sugar

2 c. peanut butter

10 c. Rice Krispies cereal

1 pkg. chocolate chips

1 pkg. butterscotch chips

Over medium heat, combine corn syrup and sugar. Heat until sugar is dissolved. (Be careful to not over cook-it makes the treat really hard!) Add peanut butter and immediately remove from heat. Pour over rice cereal. Stir. Spread into greased cookie sheet. Microwave chocolate and butterscotch chips in 30 second increments with stirring , until melted together. Spread over cooled rice crispy mix. Let chocolate harden, then serve.

This is one of my absolute favorites. If I don't give it away to friends or family, I find myself eating the whole pan! Enjoy.

Bisquick

8 Cups Flour
1 1/4 Cups Nonfat Dry Milk Powder
1/4 Cup Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon Salt
2 Cups Shortening
Combine flour, milk, baking powder, and salt in a very large bowl.
Cut in shortening until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Store in tightly
closed covered container in a cool place. Makes about 10 cups.

Low Fat substitutions

Instead of /Use
1 cup butter in baking/ 1 cup applesauce
8 oz cream cheese/ 8 oz of yogurt cheese
1 cup sour cream /1 cup lowfat cottage cheese + 2 Tb skim
milk + 1 Tb lemon juice
1 cup fat for sauteeing /4 cups low fat stock, fruit juice, and saute until
liquid evaporates
1 egg /2 egg whites
1 cup oil or fat for basting /1 cup fruit juice or low fat stock

Miscellaneous

Orange drink crystals (like Kool Aid or Tang) get rid of dishwater stains; start the cycle and add crystals when the water has filled. Complete the wash cycle

Drop vanilla, orange, or lemon extract onto cotton for a quick air freshener for room and refrigerator deodorizers.

Clean your bathroom mirror with shaving cream and it won't fog from the shower.

Use half a lemon and 1/2 cup borax to as a heavy-duty scrub. Dip lemon into borax and scrub surface; rinse. (not safe for marble or granite.)