Ok, so maybe homemade laundry soap doesn't work

'member when I made homemade laundry soap and I was skeptical at first, but then excited when it worked. Well...

I am not sure it works.

First, I made a batch and forgot to add Oxy Clean.  I started to notice that my clothes were looking dingy and then I remember that I read that that would happen if you didn't use Oxy Clean.

Now, Rand and I are noticing that our T-shirts are starting to smell really rank, even right after they are washed.  OK, yes, we live in Hawaii and stuff gets musty easily, but clearly the homemade stuff is not getting the stink out.  They seem to be getting worse and worse.  I think it is time to buy a big box of Tide!!!

*I just remembered that the first couple of batches I used washing soda, but then I ran out and it is really difficult to find in Hawaii, so I started using baking soda.  I just read that washing soda is stronger.  Hum, maybe I won't give up completely.

I also tried homemade dishwasher soap and all purpose cleaner.

Homemade Dishwasher Soap
This took a bit of experimenting.  The basic recipe is

1 cup of borax
1 cup of baking soda

use 1 teaspoon in each soap container

easy peasy, right?  Well, this got the dishes clean, but left a residue.  I tried adding salt.  I added a squirt of dish soap.  I tried vinegar in the jet dry spot (which kind of worked, but splashed everywhere).  I read that citric acid works well, but I didn't feel like running all over trying to find it and I couldn't get it on Amazon with free shipping. Finally, I just added a cup of Cascade to the recipe and it works great.  And let's be honest, I am doing this to save money more than to save the environment.  Sorry, Mother Earth, love ya, but a girl's gotta save a dime where she can. So really what I am doing is extending the life of the store bought stuff with cheaper stuff.

Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda or washing soda
• 2 teaspoons borax
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent
• 2 cups hot water

Combine all the ingredients and the water into a spray bottle. Shake well. The washing soda or baking soda makes this formula a great grease cutter.

So far no problems with this one and is really is great for cleaning up greasy messes.  But not greasy faces, as my daughter Arwen suggested when she was reading over my shoulder and I tried to explain to her what a grease cutter was.