#3 Eliminating Toxins from Your Home- Dish Soap

As I've told you before, eliminating toxins is a step-by-step process. You can't possibly do it all in one day. I hope that by now you might have had time to make the laundry detergent and/or the dishwasher tabs. If you have not, that's ok, too. This is your journey and I am merely providing you some tools that I have found helpful. 

Today's post will revolve around dishes- again. I am sharing my dish soap recipe with you. Please note, this is for hand-washing your dishes, NOT for the dishwasher (see the post on dishwasher tabs for that). 

(Note: this detergent won't create suds like you're probably used to. It is fine for regular dishes, but may not cut it for super oily stuff)

What you need: 

An empty pump or squeeze bottle of some sort (20 oz capacity)

2 cups hot water

1 TBSP Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

1/2 cup liquid Castille Soap

1 TBSP white vinegar

optional: essential oil-  I use 8 drops Thieves and 8 drops Lemon (for more on essential oils, contact me via email: Finnyfarm1@gmail.com)

Dissolve washing soda in hot water, then add the other ingredients to your container. Please make sure the soda is completely dissolved before you add other ingredients, otherwise it will NOT work. 

# 2 Eliminating Toxins from your home- Dishwasher Detergent

It's time for another recipe from your's truly! 

A couple weeks ago, I shared my recipe for laundry detergent concentrate- let me know how it went and how you like it! Today I will share with you another very cost-effective hack for your home that is also a healthier option for you and your family. 

1 Cup Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (you should already have this in your cup board from making the laundry detergent, but if not, you can buy it here)

1 Cup Sea Salt (don't just use kosher salt, it won't work right...)

1/2 Cup Baking Soda

1/2 Cup Citric Acid ( I buy this kind)

Now, please DON'T STOP HERE!!! Keep reading!

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and then use an empty egg carton or an ice cube tray and spoon 1 TBS of the blend into each compartment. If you skip this step, you will end up with a huge clump of detergent in your container. There is a dry reaction that occurs between the ingredients that turns the powder into a solid clump. Just make sure the size of the tabs you're making will fit into the compartment in your dishwasher. 

I also use a 50/50 solution of white vinegar in the rinse aid compartment of my machine. Alternatively, you can place a cup with vinegar in the top rack. As the washing cycle happens, the vinegar will slowly flow out and distribute. 

A note: This is a Borax-free recipe. I have found that adding Borax makes my dishes more clean than without. Borax gets a bad rep for being "toxic." Here is a nice reference that explains it nicely: 

"Is Borax Toxic?

After thorough research, I have concluded borax is only as toxic as baking soda or table salt; if you ingest it in high quantities, it may make you sick. If you use it as described in our recipes, it poses no toxic threat.

Just make sure you don’t confuse borax with boric acid, the two are NOT the same. Use borax (I recommend 20 Mule Team brand), and steer clear of boric acid" (source provided).

So here is a second recipe that includes Borax:

1 Cup Borax, 1 Cup Washing Soda, 1/2 Cup Citric Acid, 1/2 Cup Kosher Salt. 

Either way, your cost-savings will be immense. Let me know what you think!

Until the next recipe...

~Yvonne

#1 Eliminating toxins from your home-Laundry Detergent

If you are on social media, or anywhere on the web, for that matter, chances are you have seen this image, or one like it at some point in the recent past:

http://www.drkarenslee.com/10-common-toxic-chemicals-to-avoid-part-1/

If you have read our website and know what we are about, then you know that toxin-free living is our passion and goal. It can be overwhelming, and the internet is a vortex that steals your time. Here is a simple rule to follow: 1 STEP AT A TIME!!!

That's right- don't try to do it all at once. It is utterly overwhelming! 

We started simple- many, many years ago- with laundry detergent. Not only is it a first step in eliminating unwanted chemicals from your home, it is also a very affordable option!

Chances are, you have found a liquid laundry detergent recipe online:

1/2 bar of Fels Naptha soap

1/2 cup washing soda (from the laundry aisle)

1/2 cup borax (also in the laundry aisle)

2 Gallons of water

grate your soap, melt it on the stove top, add washing soda and borax, add more water... let sit for 24 hours, stir... Sound familiar? yep- that's the one we used for years. For  full step by step instructions go to http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm

This detergent works very nicely, but I didn't like storing 2 gallons worth of detergent AND then there was also that other half bar of soap... If you double the batch, which is easily done, you now have to store 4 gallons... you get the point. 

I have modified this recipe slightly;

1 bar of Fels Naptha soap, grated in my food processor

1 cup of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda

1 cup of Mule Team Borax 

2 quarts of water

optional: 40 drops of Lemongrass essential oil (this is totally optional, but it does wonders for stinky athletic clothes!)

Step 1: grate your bar soap, either with a hand grater or in your food processor. The smaller the pieces, the easier it will melt. 

Step 2: Heat 2 cups of water in a large pot on your stove. Add soap and stir until dissolved. 

Step 3: Add 6 more cups of water, washing soda, and borax. Stir while bringing to a slow boil. 

Step 4: Let this concoction sit covered overnight (~24 hrs). you will find that the top is fairly thick and almost solid and most of the liquid will be separated underneath. 

Step 5: using an immersion blender, carefully mix until you get a nice, smooth and creamy result. It will almost be the consistency of lotion or mayonnaise. Now you can add your essential oils if wanted. 

Step 6: Store in 2 quart sized Mason Jars (or any other empty jar you can find) I use between 1-2 tsp (yes, teaspoon) per load. If you average 1.5 tsp per load, that's 242 loads!!! (and it costs less than $4 to make)

Try it out...let me know what you think!

~Yvonne

If you prefer a powdered laundry detergent option, try this one from diy natural:

http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-laundry-detergent-soap/