Traditional Folk Recipes for the Laundry Room
by Maggie May Barry on May 25, 2008 with 0 Comments
Our ancestors spent many hours keeping their homes and belongings as clean as possible; since new items were rare, they worked hard to keep old items looking fresh and clean. Here are some tips and wisdom from those days when laundry was an all day affair…
Saliva will remove small blood stains in a flash… this really works! If you’re a seamstress and prick your finger on the needle, just rub the blood stain with some spittle and it will disappear immediately.
An effective and natural process for whitening delicates is to use potato water. Boil several large white potatoes until they disintegrate in the water. Strain out the potato fibers, and use the distilled potato water to gently rub your white delicates. Will whiten them gently and naturally, without weakening them by harsh chemicals.
Laying items out in the sun, or drying them on a clothesline in the sun is also an effective way to whiten, as well as kill germs. The sun-bleaching is the most natural and harmless method of whitening and sanitizing.
If you want to make your own washing agents, and customize your scents, here are a couple of gentle recipes:
Home Made Washing Powder:
- 1 cup of pure very finely grated hand-made soap
- 1 cup of washing soda
- 2 tsp of lavender oil or any other herbal extract, for scent
Fresh Fabric Rinse:
- 1 cup bicarbonate of soda
- 1 cup cider or white wine vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp lemon oil
- 1 tsp eucalyptus oil, or any other herbal extract
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Published in: Homemaking
