Homemade Washing Machine Cleaner

So you just washed your clothes and the still stink and so does the washer. Chances are it is not the detergent you are using rather it is the washer itself. So how do you clean the behemoth of an appliance? That is more simple than most people think and should be done at least monthly to keep the machine performing at its best. Here is a recipe I have found that works really well for getting the stinky smells and soap scum out of the washer.

Materials

Measuring cup

Bowl

Ingredients

1cups Washing soda

1/2 cup Borax

2 cups Vinegar

to make and use

First, mix the washing soda and borax in a bowl till evenly mixed. Then pour the mixture into the detergent slot. If you do not have a detergent slot, that is okay. Then pour the vinegar into the softener slot. If your washer does not have either the detergent or softener slots, that is okay. Just pour the washing soda and borax into the drum and pour the vinegar into the bleach slot.

If your washer has a self-clean setting, set it to that and run the washer.

If your washer does not have a self-clean feature, set the unit to the longest, hottest and deepest water setting. So say for mine I would set it to hot water, heavy soil and large load. Now run the washer.

Once the cycle has ended make sure to check the drum for powder that did not dissolve (should not be any). If there is run a rinse cycle. After that you are done.

Liquid Laundry detergent

I have told you all that I make my cleaners to save money. Well, this one came about not to save money, but because I have an allergy to most store detergents including powders. I have found that this recipe alleviated that annoying, bumpy, itchy rash I perticularly got on my chest and thighs. It works well in my hard water combinded with my HE washer. It takes a bit of slaving over a hot stove, but the recipe is very simple. The recipe also is in bulk (yields 5 gal) and will last some time.

Materials
1 Ten Gallon Bucket with a lid
1 Large Pot
1 Cheese Grater (I used a food processor)
1 Large Mixing Utensil
2 - 3 Empty Laundry Detergent Containers (optional)

Ingrediants

1 cup of Borax
1 cup of  Washing Soda (NOT baking soda!)
1 Bar of Fels Naptha soap (or 5.5 oz of Zote soap)
Water (enough to fill half the bucket)
1 tbsp of Essential Oil for scent (optional it smells good without it too)

Instructions
Heat 1 quart of water in the pot on the medium high till it is steaming. While doing that, grate the Fels-Naptha soap. Add the grated soap to the hot water. Stir until completely melted - about 10 minutes. There should be no clumps in the water. Be careful with the foamy bubbles.

Fill up  the 10 gallon bucket halfway with hot tap water. Pour in the melted soap mixture & give it a quick stir. Stir in the borax & washing soda till it is disolved. If you're using essential oil, now is the time to add it. You add in ½oz to 1oz, depending on how scented you want. Stir the contents again.

Snap on the lid, & let it sit for 24 hours to gel up. It will have the consistency of egg noodle soup - watery with glops of gel. If you would like a smoother consistency like the store-bought brands, you can use an immersion blender at this point to smooth it out.

AFTER 24 HOURS HAVE PASSED you can divide it up between the empty containers.

Carpet refresher.

Ever have those times where your carpet is more dirty than usual but too clean to waste effort on using a shampooer? I definitely had that feeling this week since my roomba had not been scheduled to go off very regularly lately. I do not own a stick or upright vacuum right now because a decent one is very expensive. I got lucky I found my roomba brand new at an estate sale for $40. It does pretty well for its size and my one bedroom apartment. Anyway this post is not about my vacuum. I decided to try a carpet refresher a year ago, but the ones at the store are expensive for what I need. I found this recipe which is super easy and cheap to make. This usually helps repel bugs from the house especially if you use the oils or rosemary. I use this weekly and it leaves my house smelling awesome and clean when its all said and done, even if all I did was this to clean my apartment that week.

Materials

• 16 oz mason jar with lid
• large phillips screw driver
• hammer
• mixer
• mixing bowl
• measuring cup

ingredients

• washing soda
• baking soda
• borax
• essential oils (optional or can substitute for ground rosemary leaves)

to make

First  take the mason jar and lid and tightly close it onto the jar. Then take the screw driver and the hammer and punch holes into the lid. I made five of them in the top. Next pour  one cup of washing soda, baking soda, and borax into the mixer with one teaspoon of essential oils or one sprig of ground rosemary. mix till the powder looks consistent and the oils are evenly spread.If you can add the oils slowly after you have started the mixer. Open the mason jar and pour the mixture into it then close the lid.

To use

Vacuum your entire carpet first to get any large and loose debris out of the way. Aiming the jar at a downward angle lightly shake it back and forth covering entire carpeted area with the powder.  Let it site for anywhere between 30 minutes to eight hours (I did thirty minutes today but I usually do eight hours) depending on how bad your situation is. While waiting you may want to dust your house as this does make a sort of  powdery dust on some things at times. Vacuum it all up and you're done.