10th ave. soapworks

Here is a post for all of you who have asked me for a recipe to make your own laundry "detergent."  There are many versions of this recipe, but this is the one I use. Keep in mind that this homemade soap is different from commercial detergents, which contain optical brighteners to make clothes appear whiter and brighter as well as surfactants that provides lots of bubbles and suds.  On the other hand, this is soap, pure and simple, and doesn't contain any scents, colors or common skin irritants.  For me, the choice for homemade is a no-brainer.    The three ingredients: washing soda (not baking soda), borax, and a bar of laundry soap . I grate 1/2 the bar of soap with a cheese grater.  Some people use a food processor, but either way, it doesn't take long. Pour one quart of water into a pot and add the soap shavings.  Heat the water and stir until the soap dissolves. Add 1/2 c. of borax and 1/2...

So...have you been waiting impatiently to hear about my farmer's market experience this week?  What predicaments could possibly top last week's? Well, it was all rather anticlimatic.  The repaired tent didn't budge a bit, the temperature didn't climb higher than 95 and I had my largest sales of the entire summer.  So sorry to disappoint you all.  There was one incident, however, that made the day memorable.  A woman carrying a gorgeous iced latte topped with whipped cream had a sad accident while trying to juggle it, her wallet, and some lotion. The puddle of latte missed all my soaps and products, but still made a substantial mess.  Had I been any decent sort of salesman, I would have snatched up a bar of laundry soap and started a sales pitch for them as the handiest, dandiest stain sticks ever.  But since I'm not and didn't even think of it until hours later, I just assured her...

Ages ago, I ran across an idea that intrigued me--making soap specifically designed for removing clothing stains. After doing some research on what would make the best recipe, I tried them out for myself awhile ago. For my oils, I used tallow, a traditional ingredient, as well as coconut oil, which is a good cleansing oil. I also added borax for an extra boost and then something you might not expect—kerosene. I did a little research and discovered that some long-used name brand laundry bars contain a similar ingredient. And just a few days ago I happened to be looking through an old cookbook and read a tip that suggested rubbing a stain with straight kerosene. So it's not such a crazy idea after all. I used a couple of ice cube trays to make the sticks and had just enough left over for a small bar. Here is how they looked after I unmolded them. They are so white--I love how they look! There is a definite odor about them, however, but it does fade somewhat, I just realized. I used ...