mrs. jones soapbox's Profile

"can't" beat the price. I think I do this every time I post! :)

I've tried this recipe so I wanted to post a couple of comments that might be helpful.

Baking Soda- Use Washing Soda instead. When you use baking soda in this recipe your dishes will come out with a white film on them and it's very hard to get rid of.

Citrus Oil- The oil will cause it to clump so throw a couple of those silica gel packs in there to hold the moisture. Otherwise you'll literally have to scrape the powder out when you want to use it.

If you have hard water, this mix won't work very well for you. Using vinegar in your rinse dispenser will help but you'll still have lots of water spots.

It's really, really hard to make a dishwashing detergent that will match up to commercial detergents. I've been working on recipes for a while now and I haven't found anything that knocks my socks off yet. I'll let everyone know if I do though! Happy washing.

If you mix a little water with your baking soda first, enough to make a sort of runny paste, that will help it slide down the drain and get into all the nooks and crannies. Adding salt helps because sodium is volatile and will help break up whatever is clogging the drain. If it's a tough clog, pour some boiling water down first, then add the baking soda/salt paste and let it sit overnight. (Of course you'll want to wait until the water drains to pour in the paste so it doesn't dissolve.) In the morning pour down the vinegar and once it stops fizzing follow it up with another pot of boiling water. This should take care of it! If not, try washing soda before you move on to more caustic solutions. Washing Soda is stronger than baking soda, is great at cutting through grease and you can find it in your laundry aisle at the grocery store. This is totally gross to mention but washing soda is what taxidermists use to clean flesh from bones. EEW!

A really good natural dishwashing detergent is a tough thing to come by. Ever notice how the natural brands tend to leave a slight residue on your dishes, especially if you have hard water? It's because they use phosphates and petroleum products which both rinse quickly and are exceptional at getting rid of water spots. Water spots are just mineral deposits left over from your water though and they can be combated by adding vinegar to your rinse dispenser. Sprinkling your dishes with baking soda before you put them in the dishwasher helps, too. It will loosen up any leftover food and kill odors.

How funny! That's my same engagement ring in the picture! Guess it's not so unique after all. ;) But yes, vodka will clean jewelry but in my opinion, toothpaste works just as well. You can also use vodka to clean windows and mirrors. It cuts through soap scum and fights mildew so I use it to clean my shower. It's also one of the best natural disinfectants available so instead of spraying things with Lysol, whose active ingredient is a pesticide, you can use it to wipe down door knobs, faucet handles, toilets, etc. If you want to use it for cleaning, buy the cheapest bottle you can find. Germs can't tell the difference between Belvedere and Popov!

Very timely post for me! I tried to make some dish soap out of Dr. Bronner's last week. I mixed it with water in a foam pump bottle. I thought it did a great job cleaning but left hands feeling a little film-y. I also tried a mix of vinegar, water and washing soda but that was a no-go. Has anyone else had success with other ingredients?

Fourthing vinegar & baking soda. I had a clogged sink last night so I poured a mixture of salt and baking soda into the drain, followed it up with a dose of vinegar and then once my little volcano finished erupting, followed that with a pot of boiling water. It's good as new now!

I use Swheat Scoop with a layer of baking soda on the bottom and we all love it!

I made my first batch of this detergent a couple of weeks ago and I'm addicted. It works well and the clothes smell great when they come out. I checked online and read that it's perfect for HE machines because it doesn't suds at all. I would also advise against substituting the washing soda for baking soda though.

Also for the garbage disposal- I cut the lemon into bits, drop them in an ice cube tray, fill the tray with vinegar and then freeze them. Whenever the garbage disposal gets a little stinky I just throw a few in and grind them up. The ice sharpens the blades and the vinegar and lemon take care of the odor!