Chemistry class

I just got done watching a documentary called "Chemerical" on Netflix about a family who gives up store bought cleaners and toiletries for natural ingredients. The family was a little over the top and at the end it got pushy about "demand the principal of your children's school for non-toxic cleaners" and "have a make your own cleaner party" but it had a good message. I've been trying to cut back on my preservatives and additives in my food, but what about my apartment and clothes?

Earlier this year during my prepper craze I proudly went to my Wal-mart and bought a big box of washing soda, borax, and vinegar. I found recipes for chemical free laundry detergent and dishwasher powder. Made a huge bottle of liquid laundry detergent that lasted for about two months, and including buying the apple juice since I cleaned and reused the bottle, I estimate that it cost me about $5. FIVE BUCKS for TWO MONTHS. Granted, it's for two people. But our clothes were fine. They looked and smelled clean to me, and I'm pretty sure my friends would have told me if they weren't.  The only difference I could tell was I no longer had that fresh meadow scent, but I'm pretty sure people were catching on that I wasn't ACTUALLY rolling around in meadows. I don't even know where a meadow is, to be honest. But once that bottle ran out, I was working full time again and going to my last semester of school for my Associates degree, and time won out over money. A bag of laundry pods here and there at about $8 a bag quickly adds up. 

As for the dishwasher powder? Well, my first batch didn't go so well. I followed the recipe and made sure to add white vinegar to my liquid side, but my dishes never really got clean and there was a film that caked on. That quickly went to the wayside as well, unfortunately.

So after watching the documentary I went and looked at what I use to clean. 409 and Lysol wipes for the kitchen, scrubbing bubbles and windex for the bathroom. Tarn-x for our jewelry. Swiffer cleaner for our floors. Resolve for the carpet. Pods for the washer and dishwasher. Now, I'm not going to go out and swear off all my cleaners and never have chemicals again. But I'm pretty sure I have that recipe for the laundry detergent somewhere. I know I still have plenty of borax and washing soda. Maybe I can add some essential oils this time around. Who knows? Maybe the scrubbing bubbles will make a quiet and unheralded exit from my life, much like hot dogs.