Penny For Your Thoughts
By: Nancy Whitaker
I have never claimed to be a so called Arts and Crafts person, but I do like to cook and create various recipes and try household tips to save time and money. Everyone likes to save a dollar or two, at least I do, because as Ben Franklin said, “A penny saved is a penny earned.”
The Internet and social media has made it easy to look up almost anything we might want to know. Of course our grandparents and forefathers had just their hands, perhaps a book and made due with what they had.
I have never been able to sew or knit or even crochet. My grandma used to sit for hours and crochet beautiful lace around handkerchiefs and tablecloths. Me, I always liked to play around in the kitchen.
Of course, one day I begged Mom to let me make custard. I had found a recipe in an old cookbook and basically, I just wanted to do something. I was a proud little girl that evening when it came time for dessert and my homemade custard was served. Well, it sure looked good and I could not wait to taste it.
All at once Grandpa let out a choking sound and pulled my little chain bracelet from down his throat and out of his mouth. My little bracelet had escaped from my wrist and had made its way into my pudding. Oh no! I was so embarrassed that I cried. However, I recovered, became a fairly good cook, but never forgot that incident in which Grandpa almost died at the hands of my custard.
Like I said we all like to save money in our homes and I remember my Grandma and Mama making soap. It was the dreadful lye soap, but they used it for laundry, cleaning, mopping, and hand washing. Of course soap making day and laundry day was a big deal. We heated up big tubs of hot water which we poured into our May Tag Washer with the wringer. There was a rinse tub, a starch tub, and another rinse tub which all played a part of washing our dirty clothes.
After I got married and had my children, it seemed as if there was always a load of laundry in the washer or dryer. I remember buying the soap detergent called Breeze,
which had washcloths, hand towels or bath towels in the box for us to keep. Sadly they do not offer those anymore and I am not sure if Breeze is still even on the market.
Things change, products change, peoples lifestyles change. While good old garden canned vegetables is great from the garden, now Mama and Dad usually both work and there is not a lot of time to do things like we used to. While I love modern, better and improved products, I still miss the smell of that lye laundry soap, the blue thick starch and the agitator of that May Tag clunking around.
Personally, I think I dirty more clothing than a whole family. It seems as if I always have a couple loads of laundry to catch up on. Now they make these pods which you can just throw in your washing machine and they are so handy.
However, about 4 years ago, I found a recipe to make your own laundry soap and you may be able to save a penny. I make this laundry detergent about twice a year and really like it.
In case you want to try making the soap here is how you make it:
2 bars of Fels Naptha Soap;
2 cups of washing soda
2 cups of Borax.
5 gallon bucket
Directions: Shred up the bars of Fels Naptha or you can use Zotes
Shredding up the Fels Naptha is probably the hardest part. I bought an old fashioned shredder especially to make soap.
Once the Fels Naptha is shredded finely, add the shredded soap to about 2 quarts of very hot water leaving it on the stove to melt. Stir and stir as you watch the soap pieces melt.
Next Fill your 5 gallon bucket 1/2 full of warm water. Add your melted soap mixture; a cup of washing soda , a cup of Oxide and a cup of borax. (20 Mule Team)
Now it is time to stir and stir. There will be chucks to break down so your soap will be smooth. An immersion blender works good to stir the soap. Get a family member to help stir too. This will keep kids busy also.
Let soap rest for 24 hours; then stir some more.
When soap is smooth, add some freshner beads if you want a scented soap.
Put into bottles and enjoy your homemade soap.
I really enjoy making and using it
Have you ever made your own soap? Do you remember the old wringer washing machines? Is a Penny earned a Penny saved? Let me know and I’ll give you a Penny for Your Thoughts.
