Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

Lynn's picture
Submitted by Lynn on Sun, 02/22/2004 - 5:34pm.

Attention Googlers Update 8-2-07: Check out my improved dishwasher powder recipe. It's much improved from this early attempt.

I have this little roll-around dishwasher and I'm getting really tired of buying detergent for it. It's expensive! And I'm not real thrilled by what's in it, but the "eco-friendly" kind is even MORE expensive. So I did a little googling and found several "recipes"; all of them were basically one part borax to one part baking soda. Me being me, and me having a 25 lb bag of washing soda in the basement, I'm subbing washing soda for the baking soda. A cup of each, mixed together, makes a lot. You use 2 tablespoons per load. If you wanted to, you could probably put a couple of drops of sweet orange essential oil in it, and the stories said it makes a pretty good cleanser, which I completely believe and shall experiment with (for that use, I'd add the essential oil; not so sure about dishes). I'll let ya know how these experiments turns out. I hope well, because a) this is CHEAP and b) it's about as nontoxic as you can get and still get clean.


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Susannah's picture

Ooooh!

Submitted by Susannah on Mon, 02/23/2004 - 10:07am.

You've piqued my interest! Let me know, really. I can't find washing soda *anywhere* around here. Where on earth did you get a 25 lb. bag??

silverbear's picture

Cool!

Submitted by silverbear on Mon, 02/23/2004 - 12:06pm.

I'll be trying this, as soon as the dishwasher is hooked up again.
Thanks, Lynn!
Rose

Lynn's picture

Results

Submitted by Lynn on Mon, 02/23/2004 - 2:41pm.

OK, I mixed up a cup of borax and a cup of washing soda (aka soda ash--try swimming pool chemical houses for the big bags--or use baking soda as originally called for) in a Ziplock container. I broke up the lumps with my fingers. I also shook a few drops of sweet orange essential oil in for the heck of it and shook it. I put a tablespoon in the one detergent cup and a tablespoon in the other with a lid. Ran it, seemed to work just as well as the store stuff with no weird bleach smell. I'll keep y'all posted.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

Anhata's picture

OMG...I love the idea...

Submitted by Anhata on Mon, 02/23/2004 - 11:53pm.

This sounds GREAT! Does it clean well? The environmentally safe stuff doesn't completely dissolve in my dishwasher and leaves its grains and a film all over the dishes. I end up having to wash the washed dishes. And what is the difference between washing soda and baking soda?

Lynn's picture

Washing vs baking soda

Submitted by Lynn on Tue, 02/24/2004 - 7:08am.

Washing soda = sodium carbonate, baking soda = sodium BIcarbonate. You can eat baking soda. I wouldn't recommend eating washing soda. Washing soda is more caustic and cleans better. If you're having trouble with grainies I recommend vinegar in the "jet dry" port of your dishwasher. I haven't seen any grains yet.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

Danna's picture

Lynn, I have to admit that wh

Submitted by Danna on Tue, 02/24/2004 - 9:43am.

Lynn, I have to admit that when I read that you have a 25-lb bag of washing soda I said to myself, "She IS the goddess." I have so far contented myself with the four-lb boxes they sell in the grocery store. I will have to check out the pool-supply companies.

I have so far been disappointed in all the "brand name" environmentally sensitive dishwasher detergents I've tried. My dishes end up stained with food residue ... nothing you can scrape off, but an actual stain. I thought this might be because none of the detergents I tried had bleach in them, so I reluctantly went back to a store brand with bleach. I HATE it, but it works.

I can't wait to try your recipe!

Danna =]

Lynn's picture

don't start genuflecting yet!

Submitted by Lynn on Tue, 02/24/2004 - 12:07pm.

I had the 25-lb bag because it's a fixative in dyeing and I used to dye stuff for the store, remember? Smiling

Also here's a thought: If you get food stains with the borax/soda mix, why not add a little Oxyclean? Yes! Oxyclean! Lynn's solution to everything! Please don't rush out and do that, though, because for all I know mixing Oxyclean with borax and washing soda equals toxic gas or something.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

Anhata's picture

Bought the Borax and the wash

Submitted by Anhata on Tue, 03/02/2004 - 11:49pm.

Bought the Borax and the washing soda today, will try it on the next load! Thanks, Lynn!
______

May The Hair On Your Toes Never Fall Out

--Traditional Hobbit Blessing

elizabethanne's picture

I've had luck with using SLS

Submitted by elizabethanne on Wed, 03/03/2004 - 6:56am.

I've had luck with using SLS powder (which I got from sunfeather.com) as a surfactant, baking soda and lavendar or rosemary oil. Plus the kitchen smells yummy when it's running!

Guest's picture

Terrible film on everything with this recipie

Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Thu, 08/02/2007 - 5:55am.

I have had no luck at all with equal parts washing soda and borax. It leaves everything covered with a terrible film - even with the rinse compartment filled with vinegar. Any ideas?

Lynn's picture

I really improved the recipe--this is old

Submitted by Lynn on Thu, 08/02/2007 - 9:35am.

Check out my improved dishwasher powder recipe.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

glitteryhomemaker's picture

Wow! This is very

Submitted by glitteryhomemaker on Fri, 08/03/2007 - 8:41am.

Wow! This is very ambitious! I like it and I just might have to try Smiling

*~* GLITTERY.HOMEMAKER *~*

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