Vintage Food Processor and Laundry Soap Recipe

My new 'food processor' and shredded soap

Naturally, making homemade soap gives me little odds and ends of soap bars that I can use for laundry detergent. Then, with just a little Borax and Arm & Hammer Washing Soda, I can make a great laundry detergent, for a much lower price than my favorite, Gain. We cut where we can, folks. I canceled Netflix...but still have to get my hair low-lighted now and then. Priorities, remember?

But, I needed something a little more aggressive than a hand-held grater for my soap ends. So after I picked up an inter-library loan book from the library, I stopped in at the local thrift store to see what they had on hand. I must say that these days, because of our sagging economy, the thrift stores are becoming mighty slim pickin's. Obviously, people are trying to stretch that dollar!

I asked the man at the checkout if I could open the box and see if the parts were there. I mean, after all, we're talkin' five whole dollars here. Not only were all the parts included, but I don't think the machine had ever been used. The parts were still wrapped in the original packing material. It obviously came from the late '60s or so (That would be the nineteen sixties.) :-), because the color on the base was 'Harvest Gold.' My mother-in-law had a Harvest Gold washer and dryer...a long time ago.

I was thrilled! That machine was one tough cookie! The metal cones were thick. Everything was so heavy and solidly built - you know, the kind of quality we could count on B.C. (Before China) when things used to be  manufactured in this country. The Rival Manufacturing Company, Kansas City, MO is where this clever and useful appliance was made.

It came with five interchangeable cones. And look at the original price! Do you think you could find something heavy duty like that now - for that price? Of course not...because our dollar has been so devalued over the years, through inflation. And now, I hear, they're talking about taking the nickel out of nickels and changing the composition of quarters and dimes, removing the copper.

They'll probably start punching circles out of pop cans and use those as currency.
Shhhh. I suppose we shouldn't give them any ideas!

Clover Blossom

...and more! Check out all my handcrafted soaps at

HomemadeSoapNSuch

Homemade Laundry Soap Recipe (just in case you haven't yet seen this one)

1 c. Borax

1 c. Washing Soda (not baking soda)

2 c. shredded bar soap

Divide this and pulse in food processor until all mixed and granular. I keep mine in a sealed container on top of the dryer - so it's handy.

Use 2T. per load of clothes.

I add about 2 T. Gain to our nicer things, in addition to this soap.

To our whites and to towels, I add 1/2 c. bleach, in addition to this soap.

So far, so good. No one has complained.

P.S. Confession time:  I reinstated my Netflix account since I first wrote this post. (They make it SO easy, you know.) After all, how could my visiting grandsons watch Kipper the Dog, Shaun the Sheep, and Sponge Bob if I didn't have Netflix???

This post is linked to some or all of the following:  Mop it Up Monday and Skip to My Lou and Bedazzle Me Monday and  What's in the Gunny Sack and  Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Made By You Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous and Get Your Craft On and Tip Me Tuesday and  Made from Scratch Tuesday and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday and  Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays  and Two Maids a Baking and Overflowing With Creativity and What's New Wednesday and Exodus 35 Creativity and  What's Cookin' Wednesday and Cast Party Wednesday and  We Did it Wednesday  and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Link it Up Thursday and Crafty Friday (Thursday) and Threading Your Way and Lisa's Gluten-Free Blog and Favorite Things Friday and I'm Lovin' it Friday and It's a Hodgepodge Friday  and Creative Bloggers and  Serenity Saturday and  Home and Family Friday