I’ve been making my own Dishwasher Detergent for the past several months, and it’s really working great! Since this is such an easy way to save money I thought I’d share my recipe.
About once a year, we couponers are able to snag a high value dishwashing detergent coupon and stock up for just pennies on the dollar. But for those of you who missed it, or who aren’t really into couponing, this is a nice alternative that’ll cut down on your expenses and give you good results.
I used an old Purex Crystals bottle for storing my detergent, but you could use any container with a pour spout.
Ingredients:
- 3 c. Borax
- 3 c. Washing Soda
- 20 drops Lemon Essential Oil (optional)
- 1 cup Lemishine (found near the rinse aids). This ingredient eliminates residue.
Mix together thoroughly in a bowl. Store in an airtight container and use 2 tablespoons per load. Makes7 cups worth. Make sure you have a good container, as the washing soda will clump together if exposed.
How easy is that? I can’t believe I didn’t try it sooner…
In the end, you’ll wind up paying around $3.09 for 6 cups worth. Since each load only requires 2 tablespoons, you’ll have enough for 48 loads. That’s $0.06 per load! Compare to $0.15-$0.30 per load with the store bought varieties, which means you’re paying around 1/3 the price. If you do one load per day you’ll end up saving at least $40 per year by making it yourself. Not too shabby. But now combine that with savings you’ll realize by making other cleaners yourself and you can see how that will add up!
Come back next week to see how I make my own window cleaner. Or stop over HERE for my recipe for DIY Soft Scrub!
Posted in: diy cleaners
{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
I add citric acid because I have hard water and don’t want the icky residue. Otherwise – my recipe is the same.
Thanks for the reminder Melissa – I have a friend who adds Lemishine because she has hard water issues. I added that to the post.
Thanks for the how to, can’t wait to give it a try!!
Where to I get washing soda? Never heard of it.
Thanks
Hi Gail – found mine at the local grocery store. But I’ve seen it at Walmart (probably Target as well). Should be located near the laundry detergent, look near the special cleaning products like Borax.
It’s a yellow box (that’s what I always look for) and the kind I have is by Arm & Hammer. I purchased mine on Alice.com, but have seen it at my Walmart.
just wondering if anyone has tried this in an h.e. washing machine?
Yes, I have been making detergent for our HE washer for awhile and it works great! Actually, some stains have even come clean since being washed with it…go figure. I use the Borax and Washing Soda…equal amounts plus add one whole Fels Naptha bar…it smells nice and works great…we use just shy of a table spoon per full load. Blessings
Can you use this solution in a HE machine?
Just wondering if this is baby safe? I imagine it would be, but wanted to make sure before I tried it out! Sounds GREAT!!
Does anyone have a recipe for homemade laundry spot remover (Shout)? If so please share it with me. Thanks.
Barbara – I use this one. Works on anything:
http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2011/11/goodbye-to-yellow-armpit-stains.html
I use a similar recipe and it has been working really well for me. 1 cup borax 1/2 cup washing soda, 1 1/2 citric acid and 1/2 coarse salt (Kosher or sea salt). I have extremely hard water. If you don’t have hard water you could definately cut down on the citric acid maybe even down to 1/2 c. I also use distilled white vinegar in my rinse aid dispenser. Actually I use 1 cup vinegar with 1 tbsp citric acid disolved in it.
The website I got my original recipe warned that the salt might be to abrasive on some dishes but I have had no problems with that at all.
Oh and I only use about 1 tbsp per load.
Things like dishwashing detergent depend on so many factors to determine how effective they are so if your first attempt doesn’t work keep adjusting the recipe until it does work. If you have a film or spots you are either using to much detergent or you need more citric acid in your detergent. Good luck.
Can baking soda be substituted for washing soda?
Hi Trina – I don’t think so, but I’ve never tried!
What does the lemonade mix do? Where do you get citric acid?
I am making this today. Can’t wait to see how it works and all the money I will be saving. I was wondering if I really needed the lemon? I was thinking it was just for smell. Has anyone ever put lavender in their dishwasher soap???
Have a blessed day
Carol
Hi Carol – since I started adding Lemishine to the mix I have had great results. No residue at all. I do skip the lemon now and just add lemishine.
I’m having a little issue! I made this and it has worked great, but after about a week, my mix has turned into a solid brick! I have to chip away at it in order to use it. Anything I can do to prevent this?!
You need to make sure that it is in an air tight container (like a screw on lid or one with a rubber seal) and away from fluctuations in temperature. If you have it in a decorative container don’t have it sitting on the counter where the dishwasher is and if you keep it under your sink try to place it on the cold water side (unless your dishwasher is on that side like mine). I keep mine in the very front of the cabinet under my sink away from the dishwasher. So far I haven’t had any problems with it hardening up.
Good idea Aimee. I haven’t had it harden up either, and I suspect the washing soda would absorb moisture if it was exposed. An air tight container should do the trick Christina, and I’ll add that to the post so other folks know.
Hope that helps Christina
I have been wanting to make my own dishwasher soap for so long…THANKS for posting this!! I do use a similar recipe for our HE washer…..equal amounts of Borax and washing soda plus one Fels Naptha bar…works great too
Blessings everyone
Is the lemishine all natural? And if you added the ingredients to water could you make liquid dish soap? I’m looking for a liquid dish soap recipe to take place of the stuff I buy at the store to soak my baby bottles and breast pumping parts in to be able to hand wash…
I use this and it works great. I put vinegar in the rinse aid compartment, and instead of the citric acid crystals or lemishine I squirt in a few squirts of lemon juice that I use in my gluten-free baking. I only need a tablespoon of the mixture to do the job.
Note that if you use the Lemishine you need to let the mixture dry out in the mixing bowl. I let mine dry for a few days, and then chunked it up and ran it through my blender in a few batches. If you put it directly into a sealed jar, it will harden and be most difficult to use. Other than that, I love it – it’s what I’m currently using (as well as the homemade laundry soap!).
I made this last week. It unfortunately left a yucky film on my silverware and glasses.
Hi Megan – that happens when you don’t use the lemishine. It is super important