Photo: Great grandparents at their farm in Blandinsville, IL, with five of their six children .. my grandpa was yet a twinkle in grandma's eye. Stable boy and governess also pictured. Hodges farm, circa 1903-4

Saturday, January 07, 2012

Laundry and Cleaning

...revisited. 

My mom and dad were here for the holidays.  They needed to wash their laundry at least twice while visiting.  I'm not sure .. or maybe don't want to know ... what they think about my washing methods .. i.e.  homemade laundry soap (at least assembled at home), vinegar added to the rinse, and no fancy smelly fragrant dryer sheets (I only had an old box of leftover dryer sheets from 2007 that didn't smell too fresh to offer).  Seems she compares me with my late grandma and I could tell it was not mom's cup of tea ;)

  Not even the frugal $26 cost for all of my household cleaning/laundry supplies for 2011 made her bat an eyelash.  I think she's gotten use to sprinkling baking soda and a few drops of dish soap in the sink, toilet and bathtub to clean them when visiting.. and she seemed a little impressed that I add green food color to my window/counter spray .. but it still smells like vinegar.  What's a daughter to do? 

10 comments:

Lynda said...

You might be surprised. I was sure my husband thought I was a nut making my own laundry soap...then I overheard him bragging to a buddy about it. His buddy was telling him Tide had gone up to $19 at Sam's Club...Bill said: I wouldn't know, Lynda makes her own laundry soap and it does a damn good job.

The Professor's Wife said...

I understand! I take more after my Grandma, who grew up with us, than my mom

Diane said...

I so much admire your resourcefulness and thrift; not to mention it's all just plain better....for you, for your family, for your budget and for our planet. I wanna be just like you when I grow up! ;-)


Many hugs.........


Di

Anonymous said...

Dearest Daughter, Read your post with much pondering. I think your laundry ethics are great and I'm very proud of you for coming up with that idea. I guess I'm just a little "too long in the tooth" or of another generation to change now, but I do applaud your resourcefulness, plus you know what a nut I am regarding things and their aromas. Guess I got that from my mom and her Jean Nate' cologne which she always wore. Maybe I'll break down one of these days and try the vinegar thing, if I can find one that smells like cinnamon/apple or some such fragrance....lol :)
Mom

Anonymous said...

How do you make your own laundry soap??? I wonder if I can get the ingredients here....

Morgan said...

Mrs Mac - come on over and leave me your name and address so I can send you a parcel - you have won the giveaway!!

Hugs xx

Thrifty Household said...

I've just stumbled across your blog & not only do we have similar blog names but v similar outlooks too! I'm off to read more of your posts now...

Wendy said...

that's interesting that you add green food color to the vinegar for the windows. It seems like there was a generation that just doesn't get it - kind of reminds me of my mom's generation - the baby formula generation - she just didn't understand why I would want to nurse my kids.

Ruth Trowbridge said...

i too have repelled old family and now the new girlfriend with my natural frugality which i will not back down from - i see your mom's lovely comment, you guys really must have fun times together - thinking of you today when i watch my favorite song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jr3uKOzNaw
(cut and paste right?!)
peace

Margie said...

I love your resourcefulness!!!! LOVE IT! And aspire to be like you when I grow up! except maybe the shoes ;)

I make my own laundry soap too! though I buy the cleaner stuff that is 'green'!

I should do all the other stuff... small steps!