Dishwasher Soap & other failures

I have been trying since New Year's to perfect a homemade dishwasher soap (liquid or powder).  So far each batch is an improvement, but I'm still not yet pleased with any of them.  This last batch reminded me of the Palmolive Eco Friendly stuff at the store.  My dishes got clean, but some plastics had a filmy white coat on them.  I didn't like it when I bought it at the store and don't like it even when I can make 7 times as much for the price at home.  However, my search will continue and I'll keep you posted if I find an affordable alternative to Finish (R) dishwasher detergents.

In my quest for dishwasher soap, I discovered an old soap called Kirk's Castile Soap.  It's been on the market since 1839 and it is for hard water.  Plus its hypo-allergenic, all-vegetable based and it has amazing lather.  Its clean feeling like Ivory, but it is less drying.  I think someone with dry skin (like my younger kids) would still find it too drying, but normal to oil skin would enjoy this fresh clean soap.  The soap is very hard and it does not melt away if left on the ledge of the tub in a puddle of water by a spouse, for a tested example.  The link to buy Kirk's from Amazon is on my picks at the lower left of this page.  I think you will be impressed.

Now I must confess that there are homemade products out there that I love, like those I've shared this month, but there are others that unlike dishwasher soap, did not result in even finding a new, fabulous bath bar.  For example, making baby wipes is not for everyone.  I got icky, soggy, slimy, wet paper towels when I first tried it.  Plus in order for my "homemade" wipes to work, I had to use top of the line Bounty so 400 wipes cost me $3.50.  I can do almost as well with coupons and sales on brand name baby wipes so the budget is going to need to get tighter before I start making our own slimy baby wipes.

I must ALSO confess that I have some "dream" make-at-home-for-less recipes that I have not yet been able to find....things like scrubbing bubbles bathroom cleaner, disposable diapers, trash bags with the drawstring, tissue paper (Kleenex), and infants Tylenol....although I did make aspirin in Chemistry lab in college (BUT I wouldn't have tried it, even for bunches of money)....HOWEVER, if there was something that I could spin straw into, it would NOT be gold.  It would be Angel Soft Toilet Paper.  We use shocking amounts per month and I still have 4 in diapers full time!  This month I tracked our usage and this morning I put out double rolls 72, 73, and 74!  I am officially on a campaign to educate my family on how much toilet paper is actually needed to do the job.  If education cannot reduce usage of TP, then Plan B may be to encourage the family to use the restroom at school, church, friend's houses and not so much at home...if we lived closer to a city park, I'd close the home bathrooms from dawn to dusk! (Joking!...Sort of...NO, no, what am I thinking...well, its a good thing the park is a long ways away!  I don't have to be tempted! ) My husband is doubting that my efforts to conserve and shift costs will work so he is praying for a stock-up sale price tip from the Crazy Coupon Lady.  I, on the other hand, am hoping for a an April Fools morning with toilet paper still on the roll and with my Kirk's Castile Soap on dry "land" in the shower...I guess a wife and mom can dream! 

But who may abide the day of his coming?

and who shall stand when he appeareth?

for he [is] like a refiner's fire,

and like fullers' soap --Malachi 3:2