It's not easy being green, or is it?

Sometimes it's about paying attention to our actions, sometimes it's just about saving money. It's even better when it's both.


I live in a big house. Not exactly a suburban McMansion because it's much better planned out than that but it's still a lot of square footage. So we do lots of little things to keep costs down. Thermal drapes, efficient light bulbs, and keeping unused rooms doors closed are just a few things that keep our electric, heating and cooling under control. There is radiant heat and a whole house fan the former not quite as efficient as it was when we first started building as propane costs rose. Still for a 4 thousand square foot house, our electric bill is rarely over $150 and thats with seven people living here and a water pump that also uses electricity.

It irks me that I pay sewer and water taxes when there is no such thing in my area. I have a well and septic. You can then imagine that we are very conscientious about what goes down the drain. This is partly what led me to using natural dyes on my yarn. I don't want harsh things in my water table. This has also led me to making my own laundry soap and household cleaner. It's amazing what vinegar and borax can accomplish and with a little essential oil it smells lot nicer too.

So I want to pass on the laundry soap recipe website and tell you that not only is it a nice clean but it costs a lot less too. Living 30 minutes from a market also means that if you're out there is no quick trip to the store. Making your own means that when you're out you just whip up some more. I will add that I use a liquid Castile soap. My kids have very sensitive skin and Castile is nicer than soap. I remember when C was just a baby and getting a bath in the kitchen sink, a bar of Dove slipped off the edge and into his bath water. His whole body broke out in red itchy blotches. I am not a fan of the Lever company.

http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm

From the same site here is a multiple purpose spray cleaner. The author lists another recipe but I am uncomfortable using ammonia both for it's potential volatile nature and the smell is awful.

All-Purpose Cleaner 

2T vinegar

1 t Borax

Hot water

a few drops of a mild dish detergent

10 drops of essential oil, optional 

In a 16 spray bottle put vinegar, borax and  hot water.  Swish around until borax has dissolved.  Add the drops of dish detergent and fill the rest of the bottle with water.  Add the essential oil (I like using orange or lavender). 

I use baking soda for scrubbing.

I wanted to pass this on. I want to add my voice to all the others out there that are saying no to harsh chemicals, no to spending big money on brand names, and no to adding more crap into our water table. I just need to get the dirt off my farm clothes and I don't need fancy labels, I don't need it to be colored or smell like the great outdoors. It just needs to clean the red dirt out of my clothes.

And one last thing: anything bleach can do peroxide can do. One will kill you if you ingest it and one will not. One is toxic and in some countries is a controlled substance the other turns to water in the sun.