Homemade Fabric Softener

Since, we have recently discovered that I am pregnant I have been trying to steer away from harsh and toxic household cleaners. I have also been looking for ways to save as much money as I possibly can and where I can. Babies aren't cheap you know. (lol) But the "natural" "non-toxic" cleaners that are readily available in the stores are very expensive.










So, instead of buying the expensive cleaners from the store, I decided to make them myself! By making your household cleaners yourself, you're not only making a healthier "in home" environment with out the toxic fumes, but your saving a TON of money as well.







I searched online for some recipes for homemade fabric softeners that I could make with ease (I'm all about simplicity ladies) and for pennies on the dollar. I used to use just plain old white distilled vinegar in the rinse cycle and it worked well, but I came across this recipe that only calls for 3 ingredients...... and here it goes!

HOMEMADE FABRIC SOFTENER

What you will need:

• 
  
  
  A very large plastic bowl (one that will hold approximately 1 gallon)





• 
  
  
  A wooden or plastic spoon





• 
  
  
  A measuring cup





• 
  
  
  1 Cup of Baking Soda





• 
  
  
  6 Cups of White Distilled Vinegar





• 
  
  
  8 Cups of Water

***You may use any scented essential oil. I chose not to for simplicity's sake***

1. 
   
   
   Put Baking Soda in bowl





2. 
   
   
   Add 1 Cup of water and stir well (saving the remainder of water for later)





3. 
   
   
   SLOWLY add the Vinegar stirring in 1 Cup at a time (There will be a lot of fizzing. This is normal.)





4. 
   
   
   Stir in the remainder of the Water (TADA! You have fabric softener!)





5. 
   
   
   Pour Homemade Fabric Softener into a gallon size container. (I used a gallon sized iced tea pitcher for ease of pouring.)

How to use your new HomeMade Fabric Softener

You can either add 1 Cup to the rinse cycle or you can do like I do and use a fabric softener ball, because I always manage to miss the rinse cycle.

How well does it work?

Well, it did make my clothes soft, very fluffy, and had that "line dried" freshness to them. As far as static control? Not so much, but it does what it's name says and as a bonus, cuts and cleans soap build-up from the inside of the washer and hoses.

If you decide to make this Homemade Fabric Softener, come back and share your thoughts!

Modestly speaking (My journey into modesty)Part Two...

Implementing Modesty

In my last post, I had discussed about how I had come to the decision to dress modestly and scriptures backing my decision. In this post, I will discuss how I started the transformation from immodest to modest.

My husband and I had decided that our family's journey into modesty should be in full force come the New Year. I had only one issue. I work outside the home (for now until God opens the door for me to stay at home) at a doctor's office. I have to wear scrubs. How am I to follow through when I go to my work place? My husband and i decided on scrub skirts! Come to find out, after researching on the internet, scrubs skirts are quite the commodity. :( After a few days of looking on site after site, I finally found one I liked and for dirt cheap! Yesterday, I ordered 4 scrub skirts! I am so excited! I can't wait until they come in.

But what about at home? I didn't want to bust the bank account buying our new modest wardrobe, so I went digging around at local thrift stores. What a bargain! They had so many long modest skirts to choose from and at less than $5.00 each who could go wrong??

Finding my 9 year old and 6 (soon to be 7) year old daughters, modest skirts was a different story. Almost all the skirts in their size hit them well above the knee (mini skirt length). I hit all 3 thrift stores every week until I had acquired a nice amount of skirts for the girls. It wasn't until today that I found the majority of long skirts for them. (well below the knee) I think it was because everyone was clearing out their closets to make room for their new clothes they had received for Christmas.

What about all the jeans we have??

I don't like to waste and we all had an enormous amount of jeans. So rather than give them away or pitch them, I have decided to upcycle them into nice long modest skirts. After all any skirt hitting mid calf length or longer seems to be hard to find, so why not make them for free?? I have finished one skirt for my oldest daughter and I must say, it turned out rather nice. I am currently working on one for myself, but it seems to be taking forever since I'm hand sewing it.

~please read Modestly speaking (My journey into modesty) Part Three...What about the guys?~

Modestly speaking (My journey into modesty)Part One...

The Beginning

Years ago I stumbled upon a few sites about dressing modestly. As I read through the many sites and blogs something within me stirred and throughout the years the modesty topic would tug at my heart. This year the conviction was so strong regarding what I was wearing and what my girls were wearing.

God had opened my eyes. I started to take notice at what other women, teenagers, and young girls were wearing and what was becoming available for them in the stores. I was disgusted! They were donning jeans so tight they were like second skin and left very little to the imagination. Skirts and shorts so short I often wondered how they bent over without showing themselves. Shirts...that you literally could see everything and dresses that were just as short as the shirts.

I often thought about the parents. Why are young women and little girls aloud to wear such things? Better yet, why are the mother's wearing such things??

I started reading about modesty once again a few months back. I prayed on it for several nights about what my daughters and I had hung up in our closets and stuffed in our dresser drawers. I wanted to talk to my husband about it, but I didn't know what his reaction would be. Would he still find me attractive if I gave up my jeans and shorts and started to dress more modestly? Or would he think I was crazy?

A few weeks later, my husband asked if we could talk. He wanted to talk about me and the girls dressing more modestly. He thought it more appropriate that we no longer wear jeans, pants, or shorts. That we should dress more modestly according to God's word. That also meant no revealing shirts or clingy attire that would draw attention to any areas of the body that was inappropriate for anyone that was not our husband to see. Inside I was stunned and excited all at the same time. What a confirmation!!

What does the bible say about modesty and how a woman should dress?

1 Corinthians 12:23 says, "And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty"(I think we all understand what our "unpresentable parts" are)

Also, 1 Timothy 2:9-10 says, " In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works." Modest apparel means a loose flowing gown. Are you "a woman professing godliness" if your wearing a mini skirt or a low cut shirt or how about jeans that are so tight you can see your panty line?

Why not just wear looser fitting jeans? Because in Deuteronomy 22:5 says, "A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the LORD your God detests anyone who does this."
I think this verse was clearly written. Men wear pants. Women ought not to. If it were the other way around, our public restroom signs would show a person in pants for both the women's and men's restroom.

But perhaps the most important reason to dress modestly is shown here in Matthew 5:27-28 "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." We should not cause one of our brothers to fall in sin and that's exactly what will happen if you or I walk around scantily clothed.

So, how long should a skirt or dress be in order to be considered modest? Well, the bible says nakedness is uncovered loins (waist and thigh areas Exodus 28:42).


Now that I knew the "why" of modesty, it was time to implement it.....

~See modestly speaking (My journey into modesty) Part Two~