Tips for hard economic times...

You can stretch your powdered dish washing soap (like cascade).
Homemade STRETCHER dishwasher soap:
Mix and use 2 tablespoon per dishwasher load:
Equal parts: Borax
Baking soda
Powder dishwasher soap (like cascade)

Homemade liquid laundry soap
Ingredients: (I found ingredients at Fred Meyer/ Kroger)
4 cups hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 cup Arm and Hammer washing soda
½ cup Borax

* Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

* Fill a five-gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

* Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (It will gel.)

* Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per two gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons. Top-load machine: 5/8 cup per load (approximately 180 loads). Front-load machine: ¼ cup per load (approx. 640 loads).

Homemade Window cleaner:
Make a great all-purpose window cleaner by combining 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent, and 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Combine in a spray bottle. Shake to blend. (Make sure to shake before each use.)

Furniture Polish:
4 tbsp lemon juice, 3 tbsp water, 2 tsp olive or vegetable oil- mix- can be put in a spray bottle but use immediately. If you have left over it can become rancid.

*Greasy stains come out of cotton fabrics with a little dawn dish washing soap.