Homemaking | Saved By Grace

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap Concentrate

One of my most popular posts here on Saved By Grace has been my tutorial on how to make powdered laundry detergent. I promised a while back that I would follow up with a liquid laundry soap version and I finally was able to do it.

This recipe is for the concentrated version of liquid laundry soap. There are many recipes out there for liquid laundry soap, but most of them are not concentrates. I made this one because I don’t have room for a large tub in my home as I do not even have a washer and dryer set and must utilize the laundry mat. Besides, who wants to haul a huge tub with them every time they need to do laundry at the Mat?

I love the concentrate because you use less of it. Only 1/4 of a cup per load.

The savings? Just like with the powdered version, its just pennies per load. I made this for less than $1.00 and it will give me about 40 loads.

You will need the following to make liquid laundry soap concentrate:

1/2 cup Washing soda
1/2 cup Borax
10 cups of Water
1/4 bar Zote soap

All of these, besides the water obviously can be found in the laundry department. A word about Zote: I prefer it over Fels Naptha for this recipe because it melts better and faster and does not separate after it cools.

1. Start by simmering 6 cups of water in a pot.

2. Using a grater, grate a 1/4 of a bar of Zote soap.

3. Add the Zote to the simmering water and give it a stir until it melts.

4. Add the washing soda and borax and mix until dissolved. Remove from heat.

5. Add 4 cups hot water to your container. I use a 2.5 quart bottle from a bulk container of hand soap. It works great because this recipe fits perfectly and it has a pour spout.

6. Pour the Zote mixture into the container with water.

7. Allow to sit overnight, until cool. Use 1/4 cup per load.

Please note, you may not get a lot of sudsing with this and that is fine. It is still doing it’s job! Also, don’t worry if it looks strange the next day, just give it a shake or stir and it will be fine. Since this is a concentrate, I recommend adding it to the water before you put the clothes in so it can “melt”.

Do you plan on making this or the powdered version and giving it a try?

Design on a Shoestring

I spent a good year collecting items for my ultimate design I wanted in my home. It was hugely refreshing when I finally had enough to do it and went through my home and de-cluttered a the beginning of the spring season this year.

The reason it took me so long was I do not have a great budget to work with and since I rent, my limitations on the wall coloring and flooring is something I am stuck with. However, that doesn’t mean that I can’t have a beautiful home on a shoestring budget!

Eiffel Tower Picture from The local Goodwill. It was $5.00

Here are some of my tips to creating a beautiful space:

First, decide on a color scheme you want to have. It is vital to making sure you have a beautiful design. Pick 2-3 colors/shades you want to stick to and stay with them. In my case, I went with warm autumn inspired colors such as olive green, brown and orange. Deciding this first will help you know how to find the right items.
Go for simplicity. If you look at home decorating magazines and showrooms, you see one theme: simplicity. There is no clutter, and the colors all go well together. This does not mean there is no place for knicknacks in a well designed home, it just means that the ones you have should fit the theme and be the ones you really like.

All pillows from the Goodwill, Down comforter for $7.00, Sign on wall at Ross outlet stores was $5.99

To find items to decorate with:

For faux floral arrangements, something I love, I hit up my local Michael’s craft store. Often at the end of the season, they will heavily discount their arrangements that were made by employees during classes. I got this one for a mere $2!

Don’t forget your local thrift stores. The right pieces may just be there, hiding among the knicknacks. You can also re-purpose what you find. I bought a calendar and placed a favorite picture in it in a thrift store frame.

Don’t put your nose up at dumpster “diving”. While I have never actually climbed in a dumpster for items, I have found some great pieces of furniture in them.
Outlet store like Marshall’s, Ross and T.J. Maxx have amazing deals on indoor decor.

The best tip to remember is you don’t have to pay a lot to have beautiful indoor design. You just need a little creativity and a willingness to do it!