Friday, November 18, 2011

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

This is something I've been wanting to do for a while.
We are working toward becoming more self-sufficient
with household products.

Here's a recipe I found for dishwasher detergent.
With a few simple ingredients
and about 10 minutes worth of your time,
you can be sure that you will be on your way
to providing your homestead with another product
that will be superior to anything you can find in the market.
Just as it's important to know what goes into our bodies,
 knowing what's in the cleansers we use is another way
to assure that our family is exposed
to the safest ingredients possible.



The citric acid was found at the health food store.
Although the recipe calls for lemon oil,
I used cucumber/melon,
as that's what was in the medicine cabinet.



All ingredients except the essential oils are measured
and added to a blender or food processor.
Once the mixture is processed,
add your favorite oil (or not!).



A fine texture is your goal. 
I added a tablespoon right in the container.



Since this is the first time I'm making this,
the date will help me know how long it lasts
before another batch is needed.
I also marked the label with "1 T",
so the person starting the load
will know how much is needed per load.


Dishwashing Detergent
1 C Borax
1 C baking soda
1/4 C sea salt
1/4 C citric acid
30 drops lemon essential oil

Pulverize all but oil in blender in small batches.
Add oil when mixture is a fine texture.
Add 1 T (tablespoon) per load.
Enjoy!

***Update:  This cleanser did not meet our expectations,
so we tweaked it.
Find the new recipe here.




9 comments:

  1. What a good idea. Maybe I'll put this on my list of goals for next year. Please let us know how long it lasts and if you find it cleans comparably to store bought! :) thanks for sharing1
    katy

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  2. Katy-I'll put an update on the post.

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  3. I knew there had to be a recipe for dishwasher detergent out there. This looks like a very good one. I rarely use mine, but when I do I will need to whip this up. So much healthier than store bought.

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  4. Jane-Hope you get to try it out!

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  5. Ohhh....cucumber-melon. I bet that smells nice!

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  6. Staci-Yeah, it's really refreshing!

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  7. Thank, I'll have to try this one. I too look for natural cleaning products as much as possible. I also would like to know what you think of it. Do you have hard water? It's an issue with me. Thank you and have a great Thanksgiving

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  8. Kathleen-Yes, we have hard water too. I'll post an update in the future. Have a great holiday!

    Andrea-Thanks for stopping by! I'll see you soon!

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  9. Thank you so very much for linking up to Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways:) It is my sincere hope that you will continue to make Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways a part of your Wednesdays! Keep the great posts comin':)
    Blessings,
    Andrea
    www.frugallysustainable.com

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Thanks for taking the time to leave your thoughts!