31 Days of Handy Home Fixes, cleaning, DIY, Home & Auto Maintenance, laundry room, Make It May

How to Make DIY Laundry Detergent for Only $1.25 per year

Make Your Own Laundry Detergent for Only $1.25 per year

Today’s tip is one that is gentle on your washer (HE and regular), but most importantly it will save you money! If you’ve ever looked at the cost of laundry detergent, you may have choked at the cost. I have a wonderful recipe to make your own Liquid Laundry Detergent for only $1.25 per year! And the detergent is low suds and low residue which will keep your washer and clothes cleaner.

How to Make DIY Laundry Detergent

If you think this detergent couldn’t possibly work on dirty clothes, think again. I can tell you that in addition to our regular clothing, I’ve been using this recipe for 9 years on my boys’ clothes, on my own work clothes, and my husband’s karate clothing. And it really works. Whatever stains don’t come out in the wash are no match for my DIY Miracle Stain Remover.

The ingredients for the laundry detergent are simple and can be purchased at your grocery store. Just look on the high or low shelves in the laundry detergent aisle. If you can’t find them there, you can also look at your local hardware or home improvement store.

To make the detergent, you only need about 15 minutes and then let the detergent sit overnight. The next morning, you stir, add more water and you are done! Do you think that’s too much time to devote to making laundry detergent? What if I told you that this batch lasts our family of four (did I mention two of them are young boys) six months or more.

Click Here to Download the Printable Version of the Recipe

Laundry Detergent for $1.25 a Year

Several of you asked me to make a video showing how I make my own detergent. For your convenience you can watch the video, then scroll down to read the directions.

Ingredients:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Please note, you can purchase these items cheaper at your local grocery store or hardware store. The links are here to help you see what the box looks like or to order if you can’t get to the store.

1/4 bar of Fels Naptha soap
1/4 cup Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda)
2 Tablespoons Borax powder

Optional: Essential Oil for Scent (see below for scent ideas)

Instructions:

Cut Fels Naptha Bar in quarters. Grate one quarter of the Fels Naptha Bar using a fine cheese grater.
Boil 1 cup of water. Pour grated Fel Naptha into pan of boiling water. Stir continuously until the soap has dissolved. Meanwhile, pour 2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) of water into a large container or bucket. Pour dissolved Fels Naptha into the bucket of water. Stir.
Add 1/4 cup Super Washing Soda and 2 TBSP Borax to the bucket.
Add 2 1/2 quarts more water and stir.
Cover the mixture and let is sit overnight out of reach of pets or children. Uncover the bucket and stir the gelatinous mix.
Add 5 Quarts (20 cups) of water to the bucket. Stir.
Add 15-30 drops of essential oil of your choice.

Some essential oil scents you may like:

Citrus scents: lemon, lime, orange, bergamot, or grapefruit
Herbs scents: peppermint, spearmint, rosemary, basil
Other scents to try: Eucalyptus, chamomile, cypress, lemongrass
Want to fight mold & mildew? Use Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca)

Blends to try:

basil & lemon
lavendar & lemon
orange, bergamot, and lemon
chamomile, lavender, and orange
lemon & tea tree

Miracle Stain Remover Recipe:

If your clothing gets stained, try soaking in this miracle stain remover a day or two before laundering. You’ll be amazed how the stain lifts out effortlessly.

How did I figure out my cost per year?

I had to do a little guestimating to figure out my cost. In the nine years I’ve been making this recipe, I’m only on my second box of Borax and Arm & Hammer Washing Soda.

Each batch of DIY laundry detergent consists of at least 4o cups. If you use the required 1/4 cup per load (do not use more, as more detergent won’t get your clothing cleaner) you can easily get 160 loads from each batch.

All this to say, I came up with a very conservative estimate that I pay $1.25 for laundry detergent per year!

Storing Your Laundry Detergent:

When I first started making this recipe, I used my empty laundry detergent container. But, it was often too small for the batch size. Next, I used an empty 2.5 Gallon Water Jug. But, several years ago I bought a big glass drink dispenser and a smaller bottle with a flip top stopper. The smaller bottle is filled and used for dispensing detergent into the 1/4 cup measuring cup and then added to the washer. The large drink dispenser holds all the excess detergent. This is a prettier solution to storing all the detergent.

Gift Idea:

Once you try this DIY laundry detergent, I know you’ll love it. And then you’ll want to share this recipe with everyone you know! I like to share the recipe with a small sample amount in a laundry themed basket.

If you want more uses for that big box of Borax, check out my 2 Ingredient Ant Killer!

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May 1, 2020/36 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

cleaning, de-clutter, organizational tips

Declutter Challenge for 2020

I hope everyone had a lovely Holiday and a thought-provoking New Years. Thought-provoking? Well, I always find myself thinking more than usual around New Years. How about you? I think about the past year and the year to come. And, like most people around this time, I think about any goals I want to achieve in the New Year. I’m sure you can relate to wanting to declutter. Welcome to the Declutter Challenge for 2020.

Declutter Challenge for 2020

I know a lot of us strive to be tidier. To clean our house, clear the clutter, and get more organized overall. I think the New Year is a great time to do this. In fact, it’s one of the first things I do every new year. I start purging with the Christmas decorations, as I’m taking them down to be put away. Any decorations that didn’t get used, and are not precious to me, get donated. I do this every year and my Christmas decor stash has stayed very manageable this way.

But that’s just one example. Today, I want to share with you a little declutter challenge that we can do together.

In this free printable pdf, you will find a list of areas to clean out each day. Feeling more motivated? Feel free to tackle two or three areas a day! Don’t forget to check the box when you have completed cleaning and organizing an area. And make sure to pat yourself on the back!

I also wanted to share a few tips to help you along the way in this decluttering challenge.

How to Declutter Your Home

Before you start on any area, collect three things:

a trash bag,
a box for donations
an empty laundry basket

Any items to throw away will go into the trash bag. Any items that should be donated, can go into the box. Lastly, any items not where they belong get put in that empty laundry basket to be put away later.

If you need an extra push, check out my list of 59 things you can get rid of right now.

Paperwork

The best way I found to tackle all that paperwork is to digitize it. You don’t have to create any elaborate systems. Simply switching to online bill pay and paperless billing will help a lot. Reduce mail by getting yourself off those junk mail and catalog lists! You can easily remove yourself using this free service on the Catalog Choice website.

Keep one small area designated for paper mail, and make it a point to go through this pile weekly. Keep a paper shredder handy so you can securely dispose of papers as they come in. It’s usually not necessary to keep product manuals and menus, most of these can be found online these days. Just recycle them and use the space for something else.

What about kids artwork? My philosophy has always been to keep the favorites and display them proudly (but recycle the rest.) You can display them as a lovely gallery wall of framed prints that your children created. There are also services like ArtKive that create a memory book or collage print of all their artwork for you.

Junk Drawer

Things are much easier to keep organized when we don’t have a lot of things. When you go through your junk drawer, keep only the bare minimum of items needed. Few of us really need twenty five pens and three staplers in one drawer. Use drawer organizers to keep items corralled in their own spaces.

I also love using those magnetic parts tray. They’re perfect for keeping those loose screws, paperclips, binder clips, and the like together and not rolling around in your drawer.

Closets

Closets tend to take up the bulk of our decluttering time. For most closets, I find it best to take everything out of the closet to see what you have. This is where you really need to be honest with yourself. Only keep those items that you really love. I don’t recommend saving clothing for the “ifs or maybes in the future.” Only keep what you wear now, the exception being formal wear and business attire. Shoes are another biggie here! It’s amazing how many pairs of shoes we can accumulate over time.

Where to Donate

We are probably all familiar with Salvation Army and Goodwill. Here are some additional ideas for donating your things to those in need:

Your local library will sometimes accept book donations.
Veterinarian offices are usually in need of old towels and sheets for pet beds.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore accepts used appliances, household goods, building materials, and furniture.
Local Shelters, Food Banks, and Churches
Hospitals, Police, Fire Departments, and Daycare Centers will accept used toys.
Local Schools will sometimes have seasonal clothing drives aka Coat Collections.

Don’t forget your donation receipt when you drop off your goods. These receipts help you save money on your taxes the next year.

So it’s official! Consider this challenge your excuse to declutter! Even if you end up crossing off just a few of the areas on your declutter challenge printable, that’s still a great start.

Don’t forget to download and print your Declutter Challenge Printable Right Here!

For more organization tips and tricks, check out Love your Home, Not the Stuff – Taming the Clutter.

Here’s to a more organized 2020!

~ See More of Karen’s Tutorials ~

Hello! I’m Karen, the creator of the Home Decor and DIY Blog: Decor Hint. I’m a Native of the East Coast, but I currently live in beautiful Seattle with my hubby, our two wonderful children, and our spunky wheaten terrier.

You can usually find me with some sort of craft in one hand and a coffee in the other. And I’m always rearranging furniture or moving lamps from room to room. I have a passion (read: obsession) for decorating, DIY, and gardening. In short, I love making my house into a home.

Like many, I’m inspired by what I see in home decor magazines, but I’m not so inspired by the price tags. Consequently, I love finding and creating beautiful budget-friendly home decor items. In a head to head competition, I bet you’d never know the difference between the designer items and my DIY creations! Many of my DIY projects focus on sewing, crafting, upcycling and organizing. Some of my favorite projects have been making pretty wreaths, sewing my own tassel hand towels, and crafting these trendy wood bead garlands. I can’t wait to inspire you and spark your creativity through my DIY projects.

You can always connect with me on Pinterest, Twitter or Instagram.

January 15, 2020/2 Comments/by Karen Decor Hint

cleaning, Home Maintenance, Tutorial, Window

How to Clean Your Windows like a Pro

Window Cleaning Solution - Water and Dish Soap

How to Clean Your Windows like a Pro

Hi, Pretty Handy Girl Readers!! What’s one way to improve both the interior look and exterior curb appeal of your home? Clean your windows! Not only do sparkling clean windows look amazing from the outside, but they also let more light in and create a brighter home on the inside. This post will teach you how to clean your windows like a pro.

Unfortunately, cleaning your windows is not a fun task. While you can always shell out hundreds of dollars for a professional window cleaning, this one simple and cheap tool will get the job done as good as the pros and leave that money in your pocket.

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

When to Clean Windows:

Spring Cleaning is the perfect time to get this done. Although, if you have a lot of pollen you may want to wait for pollen season to end, then clean the pollen and debris off them.

The only tools you need is this Ettore 65000 Professional Window Cleaning Kit for less than $20. The kit comes with a handy squeegee and a microfiber mop head. (Bonus: the microfiber mop head is washable too!)

How to Clean your Windows:

Follow these steps for sparkling clean windows that your neighbors will envy! 🙂

Step 1 – Prepare your Cleaning Solution

First, fill a bucket with water and add a few squirts of dish soap.

Step 2 – Wet your Mop Head

Take your microfiber mop head and dip it in your soapy bucket a few times. Wring it out a bit with your hand. You don’t need it to be dripping wet.

Step 3 – Scrub your Windows

Run the wet microfiber mop head over your dirty windows a few times to clean them. Some spots may take a bit of elbow grease.

Step 4 – Squeegee!

Starting from the top middle of the window, take your squeegee and run it over the window in a fluid, top to bottom motion. Continue all the way to the bottom of the window. By using your squeegee in this pattern, you avoid leaving streaks from where you stopped and started. Don’t worry – you can always start over again if you find you left too many streaks.

Step 5 – Wipe up Excess Water

Finally, use a clean, microfiber cloth or paper towel to wipe up the excess water from the squeegee at the base of the window frame.

You can clean your windows both inside and outside using this same method. This tool gives you such clean windows – you will never go back to your old method of cleaning windows again. I dare say you may even find window cleaning is somewhat enjoyable. Put on your headphones and your favorite tunes and get lost in the zen of cleaning windows!

Trust me, it’s an oddly addicting activity.

Windows Too High?

What if you have a window that’s really high and hard to reach? Fortunately, this upgraded tool has an extension pole that easily snaps on both the squeegee and microfiber mop head. It takes a bit more finesse to use this with the extension pole attached, but after a few times you will get the hang of it.

When you are finished cleaning, the extension pole collapses for easy storage. I keep the squeegee and microfiber mop head conveniently stored under my sink and pull it out whenever I see dirty windows and kids fingerprints.

It’s amazing what clean windows will do for your home! (PS: This tool works for your glass shower doors as well! Give it a try.) If you want more cleaning tips – check out how to clean your oven racks on Decor Hint. And find out why you should never throw away your old toothbrushes (hint: it’s not for your teeth!)

I hope this helps you on your way to cleaner windows! I’ll be back here next month with another tutorial for you!

~ See More of Karen’s Tutorials ~

Hello! I’m Karen, the creator of the Home Decor and DIY Blog: Decor Hint. I’m a Native of the East Coast, but I currently live in beautiful Seattle with my hubby, our two wonderful children, and our spunky wheaten terrier.

You can usually find me with some sort of craft in one hand and a coffee in the other. And I’m always rearranging furniture or moving lamps from room to room. I have a passion (read: obsession) for decorating, DIY, and gardening. In short, I love making my house into a home.

Like many, I’m inspired by what I see in home decor magazines, but I’m not so inspired by the price tags. Consequently, I love finding and creating beautiful budget-friendly home decor items. In a head to head competition, I bet you’d never know the difference between the designer items and my DIY creations! Many of my DIY projects focus on sewing, crafting, upcycling and organizing. Some of my favorite projects have been making pretty wreaths, sewing my own tassel hand towels, and crafting these trendy wood bead garlands. I can’t wait to inspire you and spark your creativity through my DIY projects.

You can always connect with me on Pinterest, Twitter or Instagram.

June 26, 2019/2 Comments/by Karen Decor Hint

cleaning, Home & Auto Maintenance, Video

How to Remove Scratches from a Cast Iron Sink or Tub

To keep our cast iron fixtures looking new, I have a never-fail formula to clean and remove all those scuffs and scratches! Here’s how I clean our cast iron sinks and bathtubs.

How to Clean Cast Iron Sinks and Bathtubs

While I was helping my client get her house ready to sell she said they were committed to replacing the cast iron bathtub in their boys’ bathroom because it was scratched and stained. I told her to hold off because I knew How to Clean Cast Iron Sinks and Bathtubs to look new again.

I use this same technique on our own cast iron sink every few weeks when the scuffs and scratches get noticeable. And if we get any scratches in our bathtub I clean it the exact same way.

Let’s get started and turn back time on your dirty, dingy, scratched cast iron sink or tub. It will look new when we are done. Promise!

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Dish soap or your favorite cleanser
Baking soda
Vinegar
Scrub sponge
Kohler Cast Iron Sink Cleaner
Paper towels or Rags

How to Clean a Cast Iron Sink or Tub Instructions:

For your convenience, I made a video to show you exactly how I clean our sink. Feel free to watch the video or keep reading.

Rinse any food debris out of the sink. Next, sprinkle baking soda liberally in the sink and on a scrubber sponge. (If your sink is really dirty you can add a drop of dish detergent onto the sponge.)

Scrub the sink using a little muscle. Pour vinegar onto your sponge and in the sink. Use the sponge to wipe and clean the baking soda out of the sink. Rinse the sink with water.

Your cast iron sink (or tub) should be clean now, but you might still have some scratches and marks on the surface. That’s okay, because it’s time to break out the Kohler Cast Iron Sink Cleaner. This is a miracle in a bottle!

This is the cleaner recommended by our kitchen designer. Honestly, if I didn’t know about this cleaner, I would have been disappointed with our farmhouse sink a long time ago because it does get a fair amount of scratches from cast iron pots and pans. (Want to know if I’d buy a farmhouse sink again? I’ll answer that and tell you what no one tells you about owning a farmhouse sink in this post.)

Pour a small amount directly onto marks and discolorations. Use a clean dry paper towel to buff the cleanser into the scratches.

Rinse the sink with water and look…the marks disappeared! If you look closely you can see that the scratches are still in the sink, but they visually disappear.

Remember those marks before:

And after:

Hope this cleaning method helps prevent you from ripping out a perfectly good cast iron sink or tub! Keeping them looking great is as simple as knowing How to Clean Cast Iron Sinks and Bathtubs to look new again. Be sure to share this post with a friend. 😉

You might also want to read this post on What No One Will Tell You about Farmhouse Sinks.

March 26, 2019/23 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

cleaning, Home & Auto Maintenance, laundry room

How I Kept my High Efficiency Washer Mold Free for 10+ Years

It’s been a decade since we bought our front-loading HE washer and I’ve managed to keep it smelling clean for 10 years! With just three simple steps, you too can banish the funky, mildew, and moldy smelling clothes washer. Here’s How to Keep Your HE Clothes Washer and Laundry Smelling Clean!

How to Keep Your HE Clothes Washer Mold Free for 10+ Years

We all know the HE (High Efficiency) washer uses a lot less water than the old top load clothes washers. And, they cut down on drying times with a super spin cycle that leaves clothes damp not wet. With all those positives, you’d think everyone would be clamoring for an HE washer. Unfortunately, HE washers can start to stink if they grow mold or mildew inside. What would you say if I told you that after 10 years I’ve cleaned the inside of my clothes washer twice? It’s true, the only times I had to clean it was once when the washer sat in our garage for over a month closed up during renovations. And the second time is when we had a house guest who didn’t know to do three things to keep the washer clean and smelling fresh.

Do These 3 Things After Every Load of Laundry:

Wipe out the gasket
Leave door open to dry
Open detergent drawer (or remove to let it drip dry.)

Here’s how to keep your HE front loading washer clean and fresh like the day you bought it:

1. ALWAYS wipe the door off after each load.

2. ALWAYS wipe out the gasket (top to bottom) to remove any water and moisture. This is the main area that will get mildewy first. Gently pull the gasket toward you to wipe inside and behind the gasket. Wipe especially well around the drain holes at the bottom.

3. Leave the door open after your wash is done to thoroughly air out your washer. Obviously if you have a closet instead of a laundry room, this can be a problem. Your best bet will be to invest in a top load HE washer when it comes time to replace your washer. Until then, try your best to keep the washer open about 30 minutes after you’ve washed a load.

4. Open or remove the detergent drawer to allow it to air out.

If you still have odors or smelly laundry, try some of these remedies:

Visible mildew

Inspect inside and around the gasket for signs of mildew (usually black spots.)

Mix a small amount of bleach and water in a container. Dip an old scrub brush or old toothbrush into the mixture. Scrub mildew spots with the brush. Wipe clean with a clean rag dipped in water to remove the bleach mixture. Repeat as necessary. When the mildew has been removed, wipe dry with a clean rag.

Smelly Washer:

Does your washer smell like a locker room. To eliminate smells, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda inside the drum. Add a cup of white vinegar into the detergent dispenser. Press start to run the washer empty on the hot water setting.

If this doesn’t eliminate all the odors, you can run the washer empty again but this time put 1/2 cup of bleach in the detergent dispenser.

Remember to open the washer immediately, wipe out any moisture, and leave the door open to air dry. (I can’t stress how crucial it is to do this after EVERY LOAD.)

Smelly Clothes:

Do your clothes, or more likely your towels, come out of the washer smelling like a locker room? Believe it or not, you could be using too much detergent. Liquid detergent is often the culprit. Particles from the soap don’t wash out of your clothes completely and bacteria from sweat and more end up sticking to the fabric. Try switching to a powdered detergent or use this DIY laundry detergent which is low sudsing (and also costs pennies). You can also try this Smelly Towel Cleaner (affiliate link) additive to your laundry, that I use when our towels start to get a little funky (especially the dog towels.) It helps get the odor out.

Remember: Never use more detergent than is called for (even if the item you are laundering looks like this jacket.)