(Finally) Making the Christmas Soaps

I've been a tad busy lately, and so the Christmas soaps have just been made, but not from my usual recipe, that takes six weeks to cure.

On Tuesday I had a couple of hours almost free and Thomas was home to help, so we brought out the pans and bowls, and the Christmas moulds, and made a couple of batches of melt-n-pour soap. They look so cute and smell so nice. Best of all they're ready to use immediately, no need to wait for curing time.

Along with the Christmas soaps, we made another double batch of Gardener's Soap, and a batch of Stain Removing Soap.

I was down to the last bar of Stain Removing Soap, and it is brilliant on the sports clothes and Wayne's work clothes (better than Sard, as good as Exit Soap). I also use it to clean the tea towels and dishcloths. I just wet them, give them a general rub over with the Stain Removing Soap and put them in the wash. They come out stain free and clean, and then only need to be soaked once a month or so.

The Gardener's Soap is on my yearly to-do list. I just love it because it's so gentle on my hands after gardening. I don't know about you, but even with gloves, and running my nails over a cake of soap before I put the gloves on, I still get my hands filthy! The Gardener's Soap is so gentle and soft to use, but it really gets the dirt off - and quickly too. Of course being coffee scented helps, you all know how much I love my coffee.

For years I've made fancy soaps just for Christmas. When the children were small, I'd put out Christmas soaps when we decorated the house, and then they'd each get a special Christmas soap, just for them, in their stocking. I don't do the soap in the stockings anymore, but I still love to put out fancy Christmas themed soaps in the bathroom.

A couple of years ago, when the card ladies did a soap making lesson with me, some of them made Christmas tree shapes, and that's what I've made for our Christmas soaps this year. I picked the mould up from an op shop for just a couple of dollars. It's a silicone cake mould, and works perfectly for individual soaps. Don't they look pretty?

Christmas tree soaps for our bathrooms

This batch is made from a coconut and glycerine base and I tinted it green by mixing blue and yellow soap colouring (don't be tempted to use food colours - they stain! you and the basin and the face washer and the hand towel) to give the green colour. Then I added some peppermint essential oil to scent it. Essential oils don't last long in soap, the fragrance evaporates quite quickly, but because these just have to last until 12th night, it will be fine.

And while the soap making was happening, I made a batch of goats milk and glycerine soap, coloured it pink and use my rose and snowflake moulds to make gift soaps. These are scented with crab apple rose fragrance and smell divine. There was a little base left, and I had a new mould to use, so it didn't go to waste.

Pink rose scented glycerine rose soaps

Goats milk pink, crab apple rose scented snowflake soaps

Lastly, these pretty little unicorns are gorgeous. I've packed them into sets of four as they are for gifts. 

The mould came from Kmart, grand cost of $1.50 and I just couldn't resist!

Where I buy my soap bases:

Little Green Workshops

Aussie Soap Supplies

*I have no affiliation with either of these companies, other than being a very happy customer. 

Happiness Homemade - MOO Fabric Softener

Vinegar is an amazing fabric softener, and it works to keep your washing machine clean too. But sometimes you want something more. Something with a little fragrance, that will remove all the detergent residue, keep the laundry soft and not damage your washing machine (and most commercial fabric softeners are not friendly towards your washing machine).

This fabric softener works a treat if you have sensitive skin, suffer from eczema, dermatitis or psoriasis or if you're sensitive to the ingredients in commercial products.

So here's a simple, frugal, effective and safe fabric softener you can whip up in under a minute.

You will need:
Epsom salts
Non-iodised rock salt
10 - 15 drops of your favourite pure essential oil

Simple put equal quantities of Epsom salts and sea salt in a jar, add your essential oils and shake like crazy to mix.

Then add 1 tablespoon into the washing machine (I add it in when I add the detergent) and let it do its job.

How easy is that?

You can buy Epsom salts from the supermarket and some pharmacies. It will cost you about $8.50 for a kilo box.
Rock salt is approximately $4/kilo.
Essential oils vary hugely in price, but I allow 10 drops costing 50 cents (most will be much less, this works for me and makes costing the fabric softener a little easier).

That equates to $6.50 per kilo, or 7.5 cents per tablespoon (working on 64 tablespoons per kilo average in an 8 kilo washing machine).

IT'S TIME TO WASH THE WASHING MACHINE FOR JULY

There is an easy, cheap and energy efficient way to keep your washing machine clean and in tip top shape, and it works. It's the method I've been using for 26 years.

First thing you need to do is find out if your washing machine actually has a lint filter. My HE machine didn't, my new machine does, so check your handbook to find out if your machine has a lint filter.

If your washing machine is a top loader it should have a lint filter in the agitator.  Pull out the top of the agitator and it should have some kind of little bag or basket attached to it.

Gently take it off and give it a good clean. You may need to empty the lint out of it first. Then rinse it under hot water. If you use fabric softener then you will also need to soak it for a few minutes in white vinegar. Fabric softeners leave a film over the mesh that actually stops the water from getting through. You need to get rid of this build up.

Front loaders have different lint filters - check your handbook to find out where it is and how to get to it.

If you empty and rinse the lint filter after every wash you'll stop those black flakes of gunk that sometimes appear on your washing - that's the old muck out of the lint filter flowing back up into the bowl. Yuk!

While the lint filter is soaking, get a cloth and a bucket of warm water and add a splash of vinegar (about 1 cup). Use this to wipe around the top of the bowl, under the lid, over the outside of the cabinet etc. Don't forget the inside of the agitator and the fabric softener dispenser. If it's particularly grungy, sprinkle with bi-carb and use this as a scouring powder. Just watch your fingers - the edges of all those ridges and rims can be sharp (guess how I know!).

Put the lint filter back together and replace the top of the agitator. Then run your washing machine through a full cycle on the longest and hottest wash cycle (this is the only time I use a hot wash) and add a full 2 litre bottle of vinegar to it. Don't add any clothes or other detergents; let the vinegar work its magic. The vinegar will remove the scum and gunk and any hard-water build up in the bowl and hoses.

Wipe over the outside of the machine with a damp cloth and dry.

You washing machine will sparkle inside and out. Do this on a regular basis and you'll extend the life of your machine and save on costly maintenance calls.

My handbook suggests every 100 washes, for me that's about every two months because of the amount of washing I do. For my mother it's every six months or so as she only does two loads a week. If your family is larger you may need to do this more often. It may seem like a tedious chore but it is worth taking care of this most useful household appliance.

Think about what you'd do if you couldn't use your washing machine for a week - hand-washing, paying for the laundromat -and you'll see the benefit quickly.

IT'S TIME TO WASH THE WASHING MACHINE FOR JUNE

There is an easy, cheap and energy efficient way to keep your washing machine clean and in tip top shape, and it works. It's the method I've been using for 26 years.

First thing you need to do is find out if your washing machine actually has a lint filter. My HE machine didn't, my new machine does, so check your handbook to find out if your machine has a lint filter.

If your washing machine is a top loader it should have a lint filter in the agitator.  Pull out the top of the agitator and it should have some kind of little bag or basket attached to it.

Gently take it off and give it a good clean. You may need to empty the lint out of it first. Then rinse it under hot water. If you use fabric softener then you will also need to soak it for a few minutes in white vinegar. Fabric softeners leave a film over the mesh that actually stops the water from getting through. You need to get rid of this build up.

Front loaders have different lint filters - check your handbook to find out where it is and how to get to it.

If you empty and rinse the lint filter after every wash you'll stop those black flakes of gunk that sometimes appear on your washing - that's the old muck out of the lint filter flowing back up into the bowl. Yuk!

While the lint filter is soaking, get a cloth and a bucket of warm water and add a splash of vinegar (about 1 cup). Use this to wipe around the top of the bowl, under the lid, over the outside of the cabinet etc. Don't forget the inside of the agitator and the fabric softener dispenser. If it's particularly grungy, sprinkle with bi-carb and use this as a scouring powder. Just watch your fingers - the edges of all those ridges and rims can be sharp (guess how I know!).

Put the lint filter back together and replace the top of the agitator. Then run your washing machine through a full cycle on the longest and hottest wash cycle (this is the only time I use a hot wash) and add a full 2 litre bottle of vinegar to it. Don't add any clothes or other detergents; let the vinegar work its magic. The vinegar will remove the scum and gunk and any hard-water build up in the bowl and hoses.

Wipe over the outside of the machine with a damp cloth and dry.

You washing machine will sparkle inside and out. Do this on a regular basis and you'll extend the life of your machine and save on costly maintenance calls.

My handbook suggests every 100 washes, for me that's about every two months because of the amount of washing I do. For my mother it's every six months or so as she only does two loads a week. If your family is larger you may need to do this more often. It may seem like a tedious chore but it is worth taking care of this most useful household appliance.

Think about what you'd do if you couldn't use your washing machine for a week - hand-washing, paying for the laundromat -and you'll see the benefit quickly.

IT'S TIME TO WASH THE WASHING MACHINE FOR MAY

There is an easy, cheap and energy efficient way to keep your washing machine clean and in tip top shape, and it works. It's the method I've been using for 26 years.

First thing you need to do is find out if your washing machine actually has a lint filter. My HE machine didn't, my new machine does, so check your handbook to find out if your machine has a lint filter.

If your washing machine is a top loader it should have a lint filter in the agitator.  Pull out the top of the agitator and it should have some kind of little bag or basket attached to it.

Gently take it off and give it a good clean. You may need to empty the lint out of it first. Then rinse it under hot water. If you use fabric softener then you will also need to soak it for a few minutes in white vinegar. Fabric softeners leave a film over the mesh that actually stops the water from getting through. You need to get rid of this build up.

Front loaders have different lint filters - check your handbook to find out where it is and how to get to it.

If you empty and rinse the lint filter after every wash you'll stop those black flakes of gunk that sometimes appear on your washing - that's the old muck out of the lint filter flowing back up into the bowl. Yuk!

While the lint filter is soaking, get a cloth and a bucket of warm water and add a splash of vinegar (about 1 cup). Use this to wipe around the top of the bowl, under the lid, over the outside of the cabinet etc. Don't forget the inside of the agitator and the fabric softener dispenser. If it's particularly grungy, sprinkle with bi-carb and use this as a scouring powder. Just watch your fingers - the edges of all those ridges and rims can be sharp (guess how I know!).

Put the lint filter back together and replace the top of the agitator. Then run your washing machine through a full cycle on the longest and hottest wash cycle (this is the only time I use a hot wash) and add a full 2 litre bottle of vinegar to it. Don't add any clothes or other detergents; let the vinegar work its magic. The vinegar will remove the scum and gunk and any hard-water build up in the bowl and hoses.

Wipe over the outside of the machine with a damp cloth and dry.

You washing machine will sparkle inside and out. Do this on a regular basis and you'll extend the life of your machine and save on costly maintenance calls.

My handbook suggests every 100 washes, for me that's about every two months because of the amount of washing I do. For my mother it's every six months or so as she only does two loads a week. If your family is larger you may need to do this more often. It may seem like a tedious chore but it is worth taking care of this most useful household appliance.

Think about what you'd do if you couldn't use your washing machine for a week - hand-washing, paying for the laundromat -and you'll see the benefit quickly.

IT'S TIME TO WASH THE WASHING MACHINE FOR APRIL

There is an easy, cheap and energy efficient way to keep your washing machine clean and in tip top shape, and it works. It's the method I've been using for 26 years.

First thing you need to do is find out if your washing machine actually has a lint filter. My HE machine didn't, my new machine does, so check your handbook to find out if your machine has a lint filter.

If your washing machine is a top loader it should have a lint filter in the agitator.  Pull out the top of the agitator and it should have some kind of little bag or basket attached to it.

Gently take it off and give it a good clean. You may need to empty the lint out of it first. Then rinse it under hot water. If you use fabric softener then you will also need to soak it for a few minutes in white vinegar. Fabric softeners leave a film over the mesh that actually stops the water from getting through. You need to get rid of this build up.

Front loaders have different lint filters - check your handbook to find out where it is and how to get to it.

If you empty and rinse the lint filter after every wash you'll stop those black flakes of gunk that sometimes appear on your washing - that's the old muck out of the lint filter flowing back up into the bowl. Yuk!

While the lint filter is soaking, get a cloth and a bucket of warm water and add a splash of vinegar (about 1 cup). Use this to wipe around the top of the bowl, under the lid, over the outside of the cabinet etc. Don't forget the inside of the agitator and the fabric softener dispenser. If it's particularly grungy, sprinkle with bi-carb and use this as a scouring powder. Just watch your fingers - the edges of all those ridges and rims can be sharp (guess how I know!).

Put the lint filter back together and replace the top of the agitator. Then run your washing machine through a full cycle on the longest and hottest wash cycle (this is the only time I use a hot wash) and add a full 2 litre bottle of vinegar to it. Don't add any clothes or other detergents; let the vinegar work its magic. The vinegar will remove the scum and gunk and any hard-water build up in the bowl and hoses.

Wipe over the outside of the machine with a damp cloth and dry.

You washing machine will sparkle inside and out. Do this on a regular basis and you'll extend the life of your machine and save on costly maintenance calls.

My handbook suggests every 100 washes, for me that's about every two months because of the amount of washing I do. For my mother it's every six months or so as she only does two loads a week. If your family is larger you may need to do this more often. It may seem like a tedious chore but it is worth taking care of this most useful household appliance.

Think about what you'd do if you couldn't use your washing machine for a week - hand-washing, paying for the laundromat -and you'll see the benefit quickly.

IT'S TIME TO WASH THE WASHING MACHINE FOR MARCH

There is an easy, cheap and energy efficient way to keep your washing machine clean and in tip top shape, and it works. It's the method I've been using for 29 years.

First thing you need to do is find out if your washing machine actually has a lint filter. My HE machine didn't, my new machine does, so check your handbook to find out if your machine has a lint filter.

If your washing machine is a top loader it should have a lint filter in the agitator.  Pull out the top of the agitator and it should have some kind of little bag or basket attached to it.

Gently take it off and give it a good clean. You may need to empty the lint out of it first. Then rinse it under hot water. If you use fabric softener then you will also need to soak it for a few minutes in white vinegar. Fabric softeners leave a film over the mesh that actually stops the water from getting through. You need to get rid of this build up.

Front loaders have different lint filters - check your handbook to find out where it is and how to get to it.

If you empty and rinse the lint filter after every wash you'll stop those black flakes of gunk that sometimes appear on your washing - that's the old muck out of the lint filter flowing back up into the bowl. Yuk!

While the lint filter is soaking, get a cloth and a bucket of warm water and add a splash of vinegar (about 1 cup). Use this to wipe around the top of the bowl, under the lid, over the outside of the cabinet etc. Don't forget the inside of the agitator and the fabric softener dispenser. If it's particularly grungy, sprinkle with bi-carb and use this as a scouring powder. Just watch your fingers - the edges of all those ridges and rims can be sharp (guess how I know!).

Put the lint filter back together and replace the top of the agitator. Then run your washing machine through a full cycle on the longest and hottest wash cycle (this is the only time I use a hot wash) and add a full 2 litre bottle of vinegar to it. Don't add any clothes or other detergents; let the vinegar work its magic. The vinegar will remove the scum and gunk and any hard-water build up in the bowl and hoses.

Wipe over the outside of the machine with a damp cloth and dry.

You washing machine will sparkle inside and out. Do this on a regular basis and you'll extend the life of your machine and save on costly maintenance calls.

My handbook suggests every 100 washes, for me that's about every two months because of the amount of washing I do. For my mother it's every six months or so as she only does two loads a week. If your family is larger you may need to do this more often. It may seem like a tedious chore but it is worth taking care of this most useful household appliance.

Think about what you'd do if you couldn't use your washing machine for a week - hand-washing, paying for the laundromat -and you'll see the benefit quickly.

Happiness Homemade 1st Feb

January is over! School has gone back (I noticed the increase in traffic this week). Our summer holiday season is over, and life is getting back to the regular routines.

This week I made plum jam from some lovely plums Hannah was given by a client. I sent some to Wayne's father and put some in the pantry. Jam is so easy to make, Hannah has been helping with the jam making since she could hold a knife to chop the fruit, but did you know that it's not covered in Home Ec at school until Year 12? No wonder most people think the only way to get jam is to buy it or that it's far too hard to make jam at home!

This is my recipe for plum jam - very simple and basic.

I also made Six Minute Lemon Butter using lemons given to us, so the only cost was the butter and the eggs (bought at Pellegrino's for $2.50/dozen). With the price of butter I'm thinking lemon butter will become a real treat, rather than the standard spread we've been used to having in the fridge. Even with free lemons and cheap(er) eggs, the cost of the butter makes it more expensive than our usual spreads. I usually include a jar of lemon butter in the Christmas hampers, I may need to rethink that this year.

Last week when I went to pick Hannah up from work, I noticed a lovely, big, picnic basket in the window of the op shop next door. Just as I noticed the basket, the lovely older man who works there came out and locked the door. I took it as a sign I wasn't meant to have that basket, that I didn't really need it and probably wouldn't want it tomorrow (my wonky version of the $100/24 Hour Rule).  So you can imagine how excited I was when I dropped her off last Friday and it was still in the window! I took it as a sign that perhaps I was supposed to have this picnic basket (another wonky version of mine based on the $100/24 Hour Rule). Off she went to see the price, if was $8, and she asked if I wanted it - does the moon come out at night? YES!

It's a beautiful basket, lined in red gingham and in perfect condition. And it's just the right size to store my knitting and crochet projects on the go in, to keep them and the loungeroom tidy. I just love it, I'm a bit of a basket fan, and there are baskets of all shapes, sizes and uses all over the house. This one fits in the corner perfectly, solves a storage problem, looks good and makes me smile.

The hot weather knocked me flat. I think it was a combination of the extreme heat and the extremely high humidity - I was as limp as a day old lettuce leaf. It took everything I could muster just to get the basics done (thank goodness for routines), let alone work on anything else.

One thing I did get done was laundering our bedding, including the quilt, mattress topper, pillow protectors and blankets. It was so hot, perfect for drying bedding. There's nothing quite as cosy as the smell of fresh bedding as you slide between the sheets and get comfy.

When we were shopping for a new washing machine I made sure the one we chose was big enough to take blankets and doonas - dry cleaning costs a fortune and I don't like the residual smell from the chemicals used. I use my regular Cheapskates Washing Powder, and add lavender oil to the final rinse, then line dry in the sunshine and everything is soft and fluffy and smells wonderful.

So, heat and limpness aside, here's what helped make our home a happy one this week:

• Watered and fed the garden early, before it was too hot. Pulled weeds as I saw them (they're much easier to control this way).
• Planted some petunias for colour. They make me smile when I see them in pots and bordering the veggie beds and under the fruit trees.
• Picked more apples from the tree, stewed and froze for winter. Sent some to Sydney.
• Made some cards and sent them to Sydney to the nursing home.
• Used cards from my stash for birthdays.
• Washed all our bedding on the hot days - it's fresh and ready for autumn now.
• Made plum jam and lemon butter. 
• Only bought the few things on the shopping list.
• Cooked all our meals from scratch, using ingredients on hand.
• Prepared a huge coleslaw, potato salad and pasta salad for the hot days.
• Kept the windows and blinds closed and fans on during the heat of the day, and opened the house wide overnight so it could cool down. We haven't used the air con at all this summer - the fans and keeping the house shut tight has kept the inside temp between 9 -11 degrees cooler than outside.
• Downloaded free ebooks for my Kindle.

How did you find homemade happiness this week?

How and Why I Started Making Washing Powder

How I stared making Cheapskates washing powder for clean clothes that don't itch

Almost 27 years ago we were blessed with a beautiful baby boy. He was just gorgeous (and still is!), but after a few days he developed a rash, that turned into blisters. His little arms and legs were red, scaly and sore. He cried when we put him in the bath, and he squirmed and wriggled when he had clothes on.

Thankfully he was a summer baby and a singlet and nappy at home was plenty, but dressing him to go out was awful and I'd be crying with him. Our doctor diagnosed eczema and recommended changing our laundry detergent. Unfortunately the detergent he suggested cost almost a week's grocery money - just not viable for us.

And so began my search for a laundry detergent that would clean clothes without irritating.

It took a while, but finally I stumbled upon a recipe for a laundry goop (in the meantime AJ's clothes were washed separately, in just hot water, no detergents or soaps at all). It was a bit of a process to make, but it was cheap and it didn't irritate our skin. I was so happy.

By this time we had two mischievous little boys who loved to play outside. At the time the laundry was outside too, we hadn't renovated yet.

One day I could hear giggles and laughing and the sounds of fun - lots and lots of fun - so you can imagine my joy (not) when I found those two little boys covered from head to toe in laundry goop, as was the washing machine, the laundry door and walls, the floor - even the back verandah had a layer of goop on it. I cleaned it up and made another batch.

And, like they were on a cycle, it was rinse and repeat - they loved the goop so much they played happily in the new bucketful a few days later.

This is why I started making my own washing powder. Cleaning up two large nappy buckets full of goop took ages, although the laundry had never been so clean.

I looked at the recipe, read the ingredients and decided it could be made in powder form. Easy!

Small, experimental batches were made to research effectiveness, cost, ease of making and using until I finally stumbled upon the one I am, along with thousands of other Cheapskates, still making and using in every wash load today.

I still use just 3 level teaspoons to a full load of washing and we are still itch and irritation free and the clothes are clean too.

If you haven't tried it, do. It takes less than 5 minutes to make a batch and costs just 3c a load to use.

This has to be the cheapest and best value laundry detergent around.

Cheapskates Washing Powder

Ingredients:
1 bar soap, grated
1 cup washing soda (Lectric Soda is the most common brand in the laundry aisle, or sodium carbonate if you want to buy in bulk)
1/2 cup borax

Mix together and store in a sealed container.

Use 3 scant teaspoons per load for a top-loader and 1 scant teaspoon per load for a front loader.

You can use up the small slivers of toilet soap you collect if you like, ordinary bath soap or laundry soap. This recipe is ideal for using up all the leftovers you collect in the family bathroom.

This detergent won’t produce masses of suds, but it will get your clothes clean.

Costings (as at 19/09/2017):
1 bar laundry soap - 50 cents
1 cup washing soda $1
1/2 cup borax 60 cents
Total $2.10 for up to 90 washes (3 cents a load - actually a little under, I round up, the fraction is too hard for my addled head).

These prices are based on what I found at Coles, using generic laundry soap, Lectric Soda and Bare Essentials borax. You can get the cost down by using soap slivers and buying the washing soda in bulk. I buy washing soda in 5 kilo buckets from Aurora Cleaning Supplies in Dandenong South

Optional:
Give the washing powder an extra boost if you wash really dirty or greasy clothes by adding one small box of bi-carb soda to the mix.

​An Easy Way to Sort and Treat Stained Laundry

With a tradie husband and kids who play sport and me being a very messy cook and gardener, stains are inevitable. Unfortunately they always seem to happen on good clothes so I'm always looking for ways to treat them. I use Miracle Spray on most stains and fabrics (test it first if you're not sure) and Stain Removing Soap for those stubborn, older stains and the yellow underarm area on t-shirts.

A big help in getting rid of stains is finding them early. Jena's advice works - I've been doing this for years. I even have a stain bucket in the laundry and everyone knows to drop any stained laundry straight into it.

​An Easy Way to Sort and Treat Stained Laundry

Approximate $ Savings: $2.00 per week

​ Stains on clothes are much easier to remove if you find them before you wash, so hang a bag in the laundry for clothes with stains. The stain can be treated at once and not found after washing and drying. Even small children can recognise a stain and put their dirty items in the special bag. This saves double washing and allows stain treatment before it sets. Ordinary dish detergent is great for removing grease stains and some diluted in a spray bottle will make pre-treating easier.
Contributed by Jena

Space Saving Drying Tips

It's winter and that means wet weather here in southern Australia. It also means fogs and frosts and cold, damp winds. Not at all conducive to line-drying the washing outside.

So what's a Cheapskate to do? Think outside the line of course and find space and tools to get the washing dry indoors.

Well if you have ducted heating you're set. I have 5 clotheshorses, one for each of the kids, one for Wayne and I and one for towels, sheets, dishcloths and so on.

There is a clotheshorse over the heater vent in each of the kids' rooms and in our room and the washing goes onto them. Most things dry overnight and can be put straight into the wardrobe or drawers before the next load goes on. The spare clotheshorse sits over the vent in the kitchen when there are towels or sheets to dry. It's against the window and out of the way.

When we light the fire I surround it with the clotheshorses and there are times when the fire is roaring that the washing is dry in just a couple of hours. If you have a fire or combustion heater they are great for drying washing, just make sure the laundry can't reach any flames or hot surfaces.

If the idea of clotheshorses all over the place doesn't appeal, how about a rod in the laundry doorway? You can get extending tension rods from hardware shops. These don't require any fitting other than extending to fit the space and tensioning off, making them great for temporary jobs. Hang shirts, trousers, dresses, skirts and socks on clothes hangers and hang them over the rod.

The bathroom is full of opportunities to dry washing. Over the towel rail, over the shower screen, on a clotheshorse over the heater vent.

Lipstick on Your Collar?

I love the new lipsticks that stay on for just about forever, when they are on my lips.

I'm not so fond of them when they're on my clothes or hankies - they are hard to shift.

Here are three tried and true methods for getting lipstick stains out of clothing:

1.Rub the spot with white bread, from the edge in towards the centre, until it has disappeared. Launder as usual.

2.Smear petroleum jelly (good old Vaseline) over the stain, then dab with dry cleaning solution, swapping to a clean spot on the cloth, until the stain has disappeared. Launder as usual.

3.Pat a few drops of vegetable oil onto the stain, gently massage in, from the outer edge towards the centre, leave for 5 minutes then launder as usual.

31 Days of MOO No. 22 MOO Wool Mix

I use this wool wash for washing our blankets, jumpers, doonas, sleeping bags, winter coats, gloves, beanies - anything that contains wool or is put into long-term storage. The eucalyptus and pure soap in the mixture help to deter silverfish and moths from woollies perfect for jumpers or woollen blankets going into storage for the summer.

MOO Wool Mix

Ingredients:
4 cups Lux flakes*
4 cups boiling water
1 cup methylated spirits
2 tbsp eucalyptus oil

Method:
Mix together and bottle. To use dissolve 2 tablespoons mixture in hot water, cool before gently kneading woollens to wash. Rinse well and dry carefully in the shade, preferably flat to retain shape.

*Lux flakes - you can use any pure soap flakes or grate cakes of pure soap to get the flakes. Depending on the size of the cakes of soap you'll need 2 or 3. If you use the zester side of your grater the soap will dissolve easily and quickly.

Where to Buy Lectric Soda and Borax

Every time I mention Cheapskates Washing Powder I am inundated with requests asking where you can buy Lectric Soda and borax.

The answer is simple, and Australia wide: Coles. In the cleaning aisle,

Now you will have to look for them, they're not popular products so they don't hold prime spot on the shelves but they are both there.

At my local Coles supermarket in Vermont South here in Melbourne you'll find them both on the top shelf. Washing soda is at the very end of the aisle on one side and the borax is on the top shelf about half way along on the opposite side.

I asked the manager of the store if they were available at all Coles stores and the answer was "yes".

I'm also often told that it is illegal for supermarkets to sell borax, that's why it's not stocked. It is not. As far as I can tell that is a story told as an excuse for not keeping it on the shelves.

The same goes for washing soda, or Lectric Soda (which is just a brand name). You can still get Lectric Soda powder, which is what we use for the laundry powder, although the crystals are no longer made.

So there you have it. If you can't find these two washing powder ingredients anywhere else, you'll definitely find them at Coles.

Washing the Washing Machine

Monday I explained how to clean and maintain your dishwasher. Today I'm going to go over how to clean my next favourite household appliance - the washing machine.

I wash every day except Saturday. Some days I do two loads a day to get bedding and towels clean, or those extra stinky sports clothes or like yesterday Wayne's super filthy, mud stained clothes from our day out on Sunday (he was on his back under a friend's four wheel drive a couple of times - and in a good shirt too!).

My washing machine gets a good workout, but it is a newer HE machine and frankly I really do long for my old Hoover. It didn't need to be babied and coddled like this one does. A once-a-month clean kept it going for almost 30 years.

My new machine needs to be cleaned regularly, it tells me when it needs to be done, and the process takes three hours and uses three loads of hot water.

There is an easier, cheaper and much more energy efficient way to keep your washing machine clean and in tip top shape, and it works. It's the method I've been using for 26 years.

First thing you need to do is find out if your washing machine actually has a lint filter. My HE machine doesn't, check your handbook to find out if your machine has a lint filter.

If your washing machine is a top loader it should have a lint filter in the agitator.  Pull out the top of the agitator and it should have some kind of little bag or basket attached to it.

Gently take it off and give it a good clean. You may need to empty the lint out of it first. Then rinse it under hot water. If you use fabric softener then you will also need to soak it for a few minutes in white vinegar. Fabric softeners leave a film over the mesh that actually stops the water from getting through. You need to get rid of this build up.

Front loaders have different lint filters - check your handbook to find out where it is and how to get to it.

If you empty and rinse the lint filter after every wash you'll stop those black flakes of gunk that sometimes appear on your washing - that's the old muck out of the lint filter flowing back up into the bowl. Yuk!

While the lint filter is soaking, get a cloth and a bucket of warm water and add a splash of vinegar (about 1 cup). Use this to wipe around the top of the bowl, under the lid, over the outside of the cabinet etc. Don't forget the inside of the agitator and the fabric softener dispenser. If it's particularly grungy, sprinkle with bi-carb and use this as a scouring powder. Just watch your fingers - the edges of all those ridges and rims can be sharp (guess how I know!).

Put the lint filter back together and replace the top of the agitator. Then run your washing machine through a full cycle on the longest and hottest wash cycle (this is the only time I use a hot wash) and add a full 2 litre bottle of vinegar to it. Don't add any clothes or other detergents; let the vinegar work its magic. The vinegar will remove the scum and gunk and any hard-water build up in the bowl and hoses.

Wipe over the outside of the machine with a damp cloth and dry.

You washing machine will sparkle inside and out. Do this on a regular basis and you'll extend the life of your machine and save on costly maintenance calls.

My handbook suggests every 100 washes, for me that's about every two months because of the amount of washing I do. For my mother it's every six months or so as she only does two loads a week. If your family is larger you may need to do this more often. It may seem like a tedious chore but it is worth taking care of this most useful household appliance.

Think about what you'd do if you couldn't use your washing machine for a week - hand-washing, paying for the laundromat -and you'll see the benefit quickly.

MOO Greasy Stain Lifter

I don't know how it happens but I always seem to have a grease stain or two on something that goes through the wash, and we all know that usually sets the stain.

I try to get them before anything gets tossed into the machine but sometimes I'm just not quick (or observant) enough.

The latest disaster was a brand new top of mine, worn once and stained. Not a huge stain, I think it is was probably from the barbecue because I usually wear an apron when I'm in the kitchen.

Anyway I wanted to rescue this top, I like it, it's new and far too good to relegate to a garden shirt.

I tried my usual stand-by of dishwashing liquid and it faded it a little but it was still there. Not having any stain removing soap made (that'll teach me to procrastinate) I thought and thought until I realised the answer was probably right in front of me: eucalyptus oil.

I was a little wary of putting any more oil on the top but I really didn't have anything to lose. If the stain didn't shift the top was ruined anyway.

Here's how I treated the stain:
1. Took my bottle of pure eucalyptus oil and poured five drops onto the stain.
2. Turned the top inside out.
3. Gently rubbed the stain by folding the mark over on itself and very, very gently massaging the oil into the stain.
4. Let it sit for five minutes then tossed it into the whites load.
5. Hung it on the clothesline to dry in the sun.

Why did I turn the top inside out to rub in the eucalyptus oil? Because I was taught years ago that rubbing the stain on the face of the fabric would make it penetrate right through the fabric, making it almost impossible to remove. So I turn things inside out and rub from the back, forcing the stain out of the fabric.

And the good news is it worked! The stain is gone, the top is saved and wearable again, I'm happy and determined to never forget to put on an apron again!

The top I treated is 100% cotton knit and while it has a very light stripe it didn't fade or run. If your garment is coloured or patterned do a test patch first, just in case the eucalyptus reacts with the dyes and causes  fading or running.

MOOing Washing Powder

This must be the week for questions about washing powder, I seem to have answered quite a few. It must be time to talk about MOOing washing powder, why I do it, how I do it and how great it really is.

I've been making our own washing powder for years and years and years - at least 18 - I can't really remember when I started but I think Hannah was either a newborn or very, very young.

I used to make this gloopy stuff that worked really well and was really cheap - when you don't have an income really cheap is really good and in those days our income was unreliable (and that's being generous!). The only problems I had with the gloopy stuff were that it made heaps (I kept it in a nappy bucket with a lid), our laundry was outside and I had two very curious, very active, very mischievous little boys. Those three things together were a recipe for disaster. After losing an almost full bucket of gloop to those mischievous monkeys I decided I either had to find a better way to store it, build a nice new laundry (that wasn't going to happen any time soon) or give up and go back to powder.

Or make my own powder! Doh! It really was a lightbulb moment when realised I didn't have to mix the soap, washing soda and borax into water and cook it up to make gloop, I could just mix the dry ingredients together and use it as a powder.

I think that lightbulb moment has been my all-time favourite. I know it has saved us thousands of dollars over the years, not just on washing powder but on clothes that may otherwise have been relegated to the rag bag because they were stained. This stuff is great for getting stains out of clothes. I should know I'm the messiest cook ever and even with an apron I can get my clothes stained. And Wayne! Oh my, but he works with grease and gunk all day. He also works with graphite and I swear nothing is harder to shift from clothes than graphite. Not even a tomato stain is as hard to shift.

But my MOOed washing powder removes graphite stains from his work clothes completely.

It is a very simple recipe, three main ingredients that you can get at any supermarket, in the laundry/cleaning aisle: laundry soap, washing soda and borax.

I know some of you will email to say you can't find washing soda or borax - trust me when I say they are there, you just need to look for them. And if they really aren't in stock at your supermarket ask if they can be ordered for you.

This has to be the cheapest and best value laundry detergent around.

Cheapskates Washing Powder

Ingredients:
1 bar soap, grated
1 cup washing soda (Lectric Soda)
1/2 cup borax

Mix together and store in a sealed container. Use 3 scant teaspoons per load  for a top-loader and 1 scant teaspoon per load for a front loader.

I use the zester side of my grater to do the soap. It makes it a very fine powder so it dissolves completely even in cold water. If you have a food processor break the soap up with a hammer or rolling pin and whizz it. Or use the grater attachment to grate it then whizz it to a powder. And yes it is safe to use your food grater or processor to do this as long as you wash it  properly when you've finished, after all you would wash it in the dishwasher or with dishwashing detergent if you'd used it for food wouldn't you.

It really is that easy. If you don't believe me watch this video of me making a batch.

You can use up the small slivers of toilet soap you collect if you like, ordinary bath soap or laundry soap. This recipe is ideal for using up all the leftovers you collect in the family bathroom.

This detergent won’t produce masses of suds, but it will get your clothes clean.

Now if you don't believe it will get your clothes clean you can give the washing powder an extra boost if you wash really dirty or greasy clothes by adding one small 250g box of bi-carb soda to the mix. But it isn't necessary, I don't do it.

The benefits, other than the cost saving, are that your washing machine doesn't get a build-up of gunk around the top of the drum or in the hoses. Cheapskates washing powder helps to keep them clean and clear.

When I make a batch I quadruple the recipe so four bars of soap, 4 cups washing soda and 2 cups borax. This is enough to last me almost a year doing 8 loads of washing a week. I keep it in a tin in the laundry with an old teaspoon on the top for measuring. And yes, I measure the three teaspoons for each load. Using more won't get the clothes any cleaner it will just cost more.

With five of us in the house, four lots of bed linen and five lots of towels I feel like I am always doing laundry but I'm happy to know it isn't costing me a fortune.

Oh, another thing: this washing powder doesn't make us itchy, it doesn't cause any of us to break out in eczema, it doesn't irritate at all, unlike some commercial powders and detergents, something AJ,Hannah and I are very grateful for.

Have I sold you on MOOing washing powder? If you've never tried it give it a go. It takes less than 5 minutes to make and will save you a fortune.

Changing Doona Covers

This is exactly the way I change our doona covers. As I slip them off the doona before washing I make sure they come off inside out. They are then washed and hung out to dry inside out (helps with fading too). When they come off the line they are ready to be put back on the doona, or folded and put into the linen cupboard ready to use.

"1.Lay Doona insert out flat.

2. Turn fresh doona cover inside out.

3. Slide hands inside opening of doona cover right up to the very end.

4. With hands still at the end of the doona cover grab the DOONA insert (left corner in left hand right corner in right hand) and pull the doona insert into the cover letting it slide off your arms as you do so.

5. Give doona a flick to straighten it out and secure ends. I hope these instructions are easy to understand."
Contributed by Lynette Henderson

Good Old Fashioned Laundry Tidbits

Laundry. We all have to do it, at least every now and then, although if you have a family you probably spend more time than you'd like in the laundry.
While there are many products on the market for getting your laundry in tip-top shape, there are also many old fashioned ideas that still work just as well.

As with any laundry advice, it is also important to check the label and the colorfastness of the garment itself, perhaps in an indiscreet area before trying anything new or even anything old.

Some good old-fashioned laundry tidbits have been around for quite some time and some individuals swear by these remedies. Here are a few:

Blood Stains

One of the toughest and most annoying stains is the bloodstain; however just as tough is the old-fashioned remedy of hydrogen peroxide to remove that stain. It is important to get the stain as soon as possible after it happens. Removing the stain when it is fresh will help remove it more thoroughly.

Grab a clean sponge or clean cloth and place the hydrogen peroxide on the cloth and then immediately onto the bloodstain. This will loosen the original stain from the fibers. Then, you can apply the hydrogen peroxide directly to the stain and let the foam do the work. Follow the directions on the garment and wash in the appropriate cycle using the appropriate bleach product. You can get a small bottle of peroxide from the chemist, I keep one on the windowsill in the laundry (between sport, working on cars and power tools I seem to have a lot of bloodstains to shift).

Underarm Stains

You can either spot treat the stains directly with white vinegar on a cloth or you can soak the underarm area for a longer period in the vinegar. You can add bicarb soda for an extra added scrubbing bonus as well as some dishwashing detergent. Follow label directions for washing.

Or you can reach for the hydrogen peroxide again. Soak the stain with a mixture of one part peroxide, two parts full strength dishwashing liquid and rub in. Let it sit for 30 minutes and then wash it as usual.

Gum on Clothing

One of the worst laundry disasters is gum on clothing. If you spot the gum before washing, that is great as it makes it easier to remove. One method is to try to freeze the garment, if possible, thereby freezing the gum. If not, you can rub the gum with an ice cube in an effort to harden the gum, which makes it easier to remove. Then using a butter knife, you can scrape the gum off.

Another method that has been around forever is that of using peanut butter. Rub peanut butter onto the gum softens it, making it easier to remove. Using an old toothbrush or a butter knife after makes gum removal faster and easier.

Or better still, ban chewing and bubble gum completely!

Ink Pen Stains

Rubbing alcohol placed on a cotton ball and then placed directly on the ink stain works magic on the stain as does hairspray. Soak the stain, let it sit a few minutes then into a normal wash.

While these stains are certainly nuisances, these old-fashioned tidbits should do the trick in alleviating them quickly and efficiently and save you buying any expensive stain treatments.

Banish Stains the Easy Way

We are a messy, mucky lot in our household. Wayne works with grease and dirt and saw dust and graphite all day. I cook and bake and clean and dig in the garden. The boys play sports and help around the yard. Hannah likes to bake and cook. Every day one of us will manage to spill something on our clothes or wipe their hands down  their pants (I'd never do that!) or run out to the letterbox in socks because it just takes too long to put shoes on (I'd never do that either!).

That means there is always something in my laundry that needs a heavy-duty stain treatment.

Soakers are expensive. Even the generic equivalents are pricey, especially when you're a stain freak like me. Nothing upsets me more than doing the washing only to find a stain on an otherwise spotlessly clean garment. I've been known to howl in frustration at the clothesline, much to my neighbour's surprise.

These days stains and spots get treated with Stain Removing Soap. It is the best stain remover I've ever used. It lifts graphite off Wayne's work shirts with just a rub. Grease (of the engine type) comes off jeans and shirts without scrubbing. I love it. It is one of my favourite MOOs.

I can't remember where I first found the original recipe, but many, many heartfelt thanks to the inventor. This soap is brilliant, easy and cheap.  Even on Wayne's work clothes (do you have any idea how hard graphite is to get out of shirts and trousers?) and the boys' sports clothes I just damp the stain, rub it with the soap and put the garment in the wash.  And I haven't howled at the clothesline in ages.

To make your stain removing soap you will need:
4 bars of soap*
4 tbsp (60ml) Eucalyptus oil
1 cup methylated spirits
1 cup boiling water
A stainless steel or enamel bowl
A saucepan big enough to sit the bowl over, like a double boiler
An old metal whisk
Soap moulds - I use empty egg cartons, silicone cake moulds work well

1.  To get started, fill the saucepan with water and bring to the boil. While you are waiting for the water to boil grate the soap, using the zester side of your grater. You do this so the soap will dissolve faster. You can just cut it into chunks, but you'll be standing stirring forever, waiting for it to dissolve.

2.  When all the soap is grated into a fine powder, add everything to the bowl and whisk together. The mixture will be cloudy.

3.  Turn the exhaust fan on and place the bowl over the pot of boiling water and start stirring with the whisk. I prefer to use the whisk because it helps the soap to dissolve completely.  The smell will be very strong, which is why I like to have the exhaust fan on.

4.  Stir until the mixture becomes transparent and thickens. It will look like a thick custard or sauce. Remove from the heat and pour into the moulds.

I use an egg carton because the little half egg shaped bars of soap are just the right size and shape to fit into the palm of my hand when I'm using it.

5.  Set aside to set and cure. It will need to dry for at least four weeks to harden enough to last when you use it. The longer you let it cure the harder it will be and the longer it will last. When you want to use a bar of your stain-removing soap just tear off a segment of egg carton and pop the soap out.

*You can use any type of soap. It's a great way to use up all those scraps of bathroom soap no-one will use. If you use scraps you'll need approximately 5 cups of scraps. Laundry soap is cheap and perfect for re-making into this stain-removing soap if you prefer to use cakes of soap.

I've used this amazing soap for years - since the boys were in primary school, so at least 18 years and it has never let me down.

To use it I simply wet the stain, rub the soap over it a couple of times and toss the garment into the wash. That's it. Easy. Effective. Cheap.