So Fresh, So Clean (so green)

Well, you know I am hanging my clothes out to dry (I blogged about it last summer here), as the weather permits. Which is quite often here in the Keys. I believe we get an average of only 40” of rain a year, which isn't very much, and we have very fair weather, no ice or snow ever. I began making my own laundry detergent again, and rather than rinsing with fabric softener, I put a little plain white vinegar in the rinse cycle. I have been doing the vinegar rinse for a couple of years now. I find it especially effective with my husband's dirty clothes when he does construction work. Our clothes are sun and wind dried, clean an fragrance free(except when I use a little Doc Bronner’s lavender castille soap rather than my own concoction).

Nobody in my home is hyper-allergic, and I actually like the smell of some detergents and fabric softeners. It’s just that I also like things to be natural, simple and clean whenever possible, and think it’s important to cut down on strong or harsh chemicals.

This lack of fragrance really hit home last week when we were preparing for the church rummage sale. A lady generously gave us all of the items she didn’t sell at her own yard sale, and there was an abundance of good stuff. Since the Lord takes such good care of us, wouldn’t you just know there were some nice, gently used clothes in our daughter’s size, and right when we need them! The clothes and other items from this kind lady were so clean and in such good condition they didn’t even need to be washed before we used them. However, because we are not used to all of the fragrances that commercial laundry products have anymore - the scent was so powerful! I dare say it bothered me a little bit!

So my lesson in this:
Once you get used to going a little greener, you don't even miss the old way you did things, and even get to preferring your new habits.
Here are the detergent recipes, if you're interested. I use recipe #6 with Fels-Naptha soap.