Besides the fact that dishwasher detergent is pricey (even with a coupon), I have been trying to incorporate more DIY into my life, so when the bag of gel tabs ran out, I started scouring the internet for homemade detergent recipes..... and there are a LOT of them. I ended up trying a version of the recipe below, but have made a few adjustments to fit my personal dishwasher. It literally takes under five minutes to make, will last quite a while and breaks down to about 9 cents per load. A time and money saver if I do say so myself.
DIY Dishwasher Powder
1 cup Borax (find this in the laundry aisle)
1 cup Washing Soda (this is not baking soda!)
1/2 salt (go for the Kosher or course ground kind)
1/2 cup citric acid
1 air-tight glass jar (you can use plastic as long as it is air tight, but I am trying to use less plastic)
It's as simple as this- throw everything into the jar, tighten the lid and give it a GOOD shake. I use one heaping teaspoon per load, but you can adjust as you need to for your own washer (ours is on the older side- new washers may only need a teaspoon).
- Some recipes called for adding your favorite essential oil, or the zest of a lemon. This sounded delightful, so on my first try I happily zested a lemon into the mixture..... only to have the entire jar HARD AS A ROCK a few hours later. I didn't want to waste the mixture, so I would have to labor for 10 minutes to get a teaspoon of powder out. Lesson learned- my dishes never came out smelling like lemon, so I just skip this step.
- Some people use unsweetened, lemonade kool-aid packets instead of citric acid. Whenever I think of kool-aid packets, I think of the time I was babysitting and the kids got into several packets and dyed themselves AND the carpet. That stain never came out, so I'm not sure why I would used that to clean my dishes. Plus kool-aid doesn't scream 'natural' to me.
- Washing soda and citric acid were hard to find. None of my local stores (even the big box ones) carried either of them. I get mine from Soap.com (use code STEF968847 for 20% off your first order). I did have to buy a 10 pound bag of citric acid, but it was worth the investment as I use it in several other DIY cleaners. Stay tuned and you will get the recipes for those too!
- The other tip I commonly found when researching recipes was using a splash of white vinegar as a rinsing agent. Simply toss a splash at the bottom of your dishwasher before you start the cycle and it will help eliminate spots and cloudiness on your glasses. I first tried this on a recommendation to fill the slot normally used for Jet Dry, which I did. The vinegar didn't last multiple cycles (as the finishing agent normally does), so now I just splash it on the bottom. Sometimes I remember, sometimes I don't, but I have never gotten such a terrible result either way that I had to re-wash.
So give it a try! You can make as much or as little as you want and the ingredients never go bad. I keep them all in a 5 gallon, sealed bucket in the garage so everything is in one place.
Did you try it? Love it? Modify the recipe? Share in the comments below!
No comments:
Post a Comment