Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
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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Ooooh!
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??
Cool!
I'll be trying this, as soon as the dishwasher is hooked up again.
Thanks, Lynn!
Rose
Results
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
OMG...I love the idea...
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?
Washing vs baking soda
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
Lynn, I have to admit that wh
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 =]
Bought the Borax and the wash
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
I've had luck with using SLS
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!
Terrible film on everything with this recipie
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?
Wow! This is very
Wow! This is very ambitious! I like it and I just might have to try
*~* GLITTERY.HOMEMAKER *~*
don't start genuflecting yet!
I had the 25-lb bag because it's a fixative in dyeing and I used to dye stuff for the store, remember?
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
I really improved the recipe--this is old
Check out my improved dishwasher powder recipe.
Lynn Siprelle, Editor
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