|
|
10-21-2007, 05:35 AM
|
#21
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,072
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChemEng
I mentioned in another thread that one of the areas Im cheap in is laundry detergent. I make my own. Its amazing how much junk is in a box of detergent that does nothing for cleaning at all. After asking around, I found this recipe:
1/2 Cup Washing Soda (NOT baking soda.)
1/2 Cup Borax
1 Cup Fels Naptha Soap
Grind it down using a cheese shredder and mix. Simple as that.
Use 1 tablespoon for light loads. 2 tablespoons for heavier loads. (Tablespoon is the right size, its more potent and doesnt need cups of it to work.)
|
Interesting. I took a look and their are other recipes on the net that use regular bar soap like ivory. There are liquid recipes with the proportions of other ingredients.
How much was the cost and how much detergent did it yield?? Something like how many loads of laundry for a top loader?
Also, did it cause any problems for your clothing? Any odd stains or effects on the cloth?
The reason I ask... I wonder how this compares to something like Sam's Club 5 gallon bucket of powder Laundry detergent... Isn't it fairly cheap?
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
10-21-2007, 08:21 AM
|
#22
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 87
|
The difference is mainly in how much you have to use per load. Our detergents before was using about a cup to a cup and a half. This uses 1 or 2 tablespoons. Thats a huge difference.
What I did was buy a 8 or 10 pack of the Fel Naptha soap and then enough other ingredients to use it. That made about 3/4 of a 5 gallon container that we are still using. No problems with clothes at all.
As always, you can buy smaller quantities of the ingredients first to see if you like the mix before you jump to a bigger order.
|
|
|
10-21-2007, 08:52 AM
|
#23
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,880
|
Does it do well when washing in cold water?
__________________
Al
|
|
|
10-21-2007, 08:57 AM
|
#24
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 87
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by TromboneAl
Does it do well when washing in cold water?
|
We only wash in cold water and have had no problems.
|
|
|
10-21-2007, 09:03 AM
|
#25
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: minnesota
Posts: 13,228
|
When visiting my inlaws in Florida I learned that there is cold water and then their is COLD water. The cold water at my inlaws was about the same temp as our warm water for washing. I later read that the expectation for cold water washing is that the temp will be at least 65 degrees. Our water is so cold that it is painful to hold your hand under the faucet for any length of time.
Our new washer actually brings the cold water up to a higher temperature so I can finally wash in cold water.
__________________
.
No more lawyer stuff, no more political stuff, so no more CYA
|
|
|
10-21-2007, 09:35 AM
|
#26
|
Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Leesburg, VA
Posts: 904
|
This article in yesterday's Washington Post says that cold water washing leaves dirt on your clothes. We are going to try warm water for a while to see if it makes any difference.
In the Laundry Room, Luxury That's Worth It - washingtonpost.com
Mike D.
|
|
|
10-21-2007, 09:37 AM
|
#27
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Losing my whump
Posts: 22,708
|
Some of you guys are going to have the homeland security people knocking on your doors.
Here in Excramento, we get hot water out of BOTH faucets!
__________________
Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Just another form of "buy low, sell high" for those who have trouble with things. This rule is not universal. Do not buy a 1973 Pinto because everyone else is afraid of it.
|
|
|
10-21-2007, 09:48 AM
|
#28
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Lawn chair in Texas
Posts: 14,183
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Martha
Here is my recipe for cleaning very very dirty windows:
One pint rubbing grain alcohol
|
Done...
__________________
Have Funds, Will Retire
...not doing anything of true substance...
|
|
|
10-21-2007, 11:30 AM
|
#29
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 7,113
|
We have deer too and have learned that none of the applied stuff works. If you have a large area to work with construct two rings of fencing (tall and medium height). Deer can jump high, deer can jump wide, but they can't jump high and wide.
The other option is to use deer scare crows (motion sensors attached to a sprayer). Change their location from time to time as they are most effective when they startle. What we found is that it does scare the deer but the raccoons find them very amusing.
__________________
Duck bjorn.
|
|
|
10-21-2007, 01:32 PM
|
#30
|
Gone but not forgotten
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Sarasota,fl.
Posts: 11,447
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Martha
When visiting my inlaws in Florida I learned that there is cold water and then their is COLD water. The cold water at my inlaws was about the same temp as our warm water for washing. .
|
When I first moved to Florida,I thought something was wrong with my plumbing because the water was so warm .
|
|
|
10-21-2007, 01:33 PM
|
#31
|
Gone but not forgotten
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Sarasota,fl.
Posts: 11,447
|
Anybody have a homemade recipe for getting rid of fire ants ?
|
|
|
10-21-2007, 01:43 PM
|
#32
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: No. California
Posts: 1,858
|
I don't know where you live, but here is a document about Fire ants and some insecticides that they suggest. In California, they are a quarantined pest so the guidelines might be different where you live.
Red Imported Fire Ant Management Guidelines--UC IPM
|
|
|
10-21-2007, 08:35 PM
|
#33
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 87
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moemg
Anybody have a homemade recipe for getting rid of fire ants ?
|
Diesel fuel on the ant hill?
|
|
|
10-21-2007, 10:14 PM
|
#34
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Losing my whump
Posts: 22,708
|
Better still, put a bar of ivory soap in a couple of quarts of gas and after it dissolves, place the napalm-like gel in a generously applying metal sprayer. Then all you need is one of those long gas matches. That should resolve the fire ant problem.
Yep, being my neighbor is pretty interesting sometimes. I'll bet none of yours has ever made a napalm flamethrower
__________________
Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Just another form of "buy low, sell high" for those who have trouble with things. This rule is not universal. Do not buy a 1973 Pinto because everyone else is afraid of it.
|
|
|
10-22-2007, 06:51 AM
|
#35
|
Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Florida
Posts: 854
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moemg
Anybody have a homemade recipe for getting rid of fire ants ?
|
Pour lots of boiling water on the nest. Takes multiple efforts however.
Boric acid works but it leave a dead spot in the yard for quite some time (yea, extreme acid rain)
__________________
I would not have anyone adopt my mode of living...but I would have each one be very careful to find out and pursue his own way, and not his father's or his mother's or his neighbor's instead. Thoreau, Walden
|
|
|
10-22-2007, 11:15 AM
|
#36
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,558
|
CFB - so that's what you are up to in retirement and why I see the flames in the northeast from this pasttime from my house in Vacaville....too creative...too much time on your hands :-)
__________________
Deserat aka Bridget
“We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.”
|
|
|
10-22-2007, 11:48 AM
|
#37
|
Gone but not forgotten
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Sarasota,fl.
Posts: 11,447
|
Thanks CFB for the advice !
|
|
|
10-23-2007, 08:31 AM
|
#38
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Losing my whump
Posts: 22,708
|
Mmm, yeah the flamethrower also leaves a small bare spot on the lawn.
The guy that lives across the street also stopped parking in front of my house.
__________________
Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Just another form of "buy low, sell high" for those who have trouble with things. This rule is not universal. Do not buy a 1973 Pinto because everyone else is afraid of it.
|
|
|
10-23-2007, 11:40 PM
|
#39
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,395
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moemg
Anybody have a homemade recipe for getting rid of fire ants ?
|
Yeah, stab each of them through the heart with a very sharp straight pin
Well, years ago there was Orthene, don't think it is on the market anymore. The stuff stunk so bad that it had to be kept outside, the smell would go through any container. Used to put a teaspoonful on every mound, while holding breath.
Every "home" remedy I have heard of is a waste of time, or totally impractical if you have any land at all. Here in TX, if you were to treat mounds one by one that you saw, you would miss the up and coming mounds, or other stealth mounds. But the big mound-building here is usually only after enough rain to get the soil really wet, that they build the mound up to have a place to transfer the eggs to get up out of the soggy ground. Most of the year, we don't really see many built-up mounds. So a mound-by-mound approach doesn't work well.
I have had real good luck with Amdro. Have to keep it in the house, needs to be cool, as it is a bait. Apply it in the evening when the sun is off the area. Can spot-treat mounds, but better yet, can spread it very thinly (like 1 lb per acre) via a hand-cranked hand-held seed spreader on the lowest setting. I do it in strips that do not overlap. That is, a 15 foot wide or so strip, then a 15 foot strip of no spread, then another 15 foot wide strip of spread. The fire ants forage over a bigger distance than 15 feet, so they will find it. Amdro takes a while, it is not an immediate-death kind of poison. But it kills the multiple queens.
__________________
-- Telly, the D-I-Y guy --
Two fools dancing on the hands of time
|
|
|
10-24-2007, 09:13 AM
|
#40
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Telly
.............. Amdro takes a while, it is not an immediate-death kind of poison. ..........
|
I had this problem when I was using Saccharin to kill rats in my barn...
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Threads
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
» Quick Links
|
|
|