I have been living without a dishwasher for the past three years. What I have learned during this time is handwashing is not for me. Truthfully, I am just not any good at it. I leave food stuck on everything and as environmentally aware as I tend to think I am, I find myself in the moment, letting that water run for days. I don’t like who I become when I wash dishes. Matt assures me, this is not one of my many talents. Making dishwasher detergent though, I can do that.
Years before losing my dishwasher, I had always used a DIY home recipe. This is partially because when I started making the detergent I wanted a more natural, sustainable lifestyle but what it became over the years was also a much simpler and more affordable option. I found a huge joy in making things for the household. Many of the items can be found around the home. Once you stock up on a few basic ingredients, you would be surprised at how many different products you can actually make with them.
Needless to say we have recently moved and the dishwasher is back and so is my favorite recipe. It keeps the dishes clean and costs next to nothing to make.
its not all perfect
Complete transparency. The upside to making homemade dishwasher detergent is that it’s simple, cost effective and it works! The downside, using a powdered detergent can form clumps in more humidity. It still works just the same (but not always wanted) and it can leave a residue depending on the type of water you have in your area. TIP: use a little white vinegar as your rinse agent and it works wonderfully!
I really do love this stuff. Have you tried it? I would love to hear!
DIY dishwasher detergent
Equipment
- one mason jar
- measuring cups
Materials
- 1 cup borax
- 1 cup washing soda
- 1/2 cup citric acid
- 1/2 cup salt
Instructions
- combine all ingredients and store in mason jar (any air tight container will do)
- use 1.5 tablespoon per load
- white vinegar as the rinse agent (personal preference) totally optional!
A couple of my favorite DIY
natural cleaning recipes
check out these all natural rooted with ali products from the shop
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