April 12, 2011

Homemade Dishwasher Soap

Hey there all!  I feel I need to offer an explanation in the lack of recipes lately and since we are now letting the cat out of the bag I feel that I can tell ya'll that we are expecting baby #8 early November.  I've been nauseous most of the time and thinking about food doesn't sound fun at all.  My poor hubby stops at the store for whatever sounds good to me for dinner most nights.  Sometimes I can plan, but most of the time I look at a recipe and it doesn't even sound good.  Not sure what I'm going to post for the Raising Homemakers post that I'm scheduled for on Saturday, but I'll come up with something. 

So...since recipes have been lacking I thought I'd share one that I picked up over at Homestead Revival.  I tweaked it a bit. 

Homemade Dishwasher Soap

1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup baking soda
3 packets lemon aid

Mix together and keep in an airtight container.  Use 1 1/2 tsp. of it for each compartment.  Really it works!  I use vinegar as my rinse agent so the whole process is even cheaper!  Yes there are a few spots here and there, but I'm not Ms. Stewart, so a few spots don't ruin my day.  *wink*  The lemon aid is in there as the citric acid that helps rinse the Borax off the dishes.  Not sure why but it works.  You can read more about it over at Amy's site HERE.  (The recipe I use is for soft water.  You can add kosher salt for hard water...read more about that on the link I just listed.)

10 comments:

Kimberly said...

I've been using homemade dishsoap for nearly a year, I love it! I used vinegar as a rinse agent long before that even. I've been using equal parts of the washing soda, borax and citric acid; I'd been thinking that it might be too much- I'm glad to hear I can cut back on the citric acid, that will make it even more economical!

Michelle said...

Congratulations on your new addition. I used homemade dishwasher soap for several months and loved it at first. The longer I used it, the nastier my dishes became. Covered in a rough film and all of my glass ware was cloudy. I gave it up and went back to store bought. I'm just now seeing my dishes really clean again. not sure what happened, but glad it works for others!

Carmen at Old House Homestead said...

Michelle, I've tried homemade before without the citric acid and my dishes were like you describe. The citric acid does something to take the film off. The vinegar helps as well. Have you tried it with the citric acid? Also...do you have hard or soft water? I read that hard water gals should use kosher salt in their mix as well.

Ann at eightacresofeden said...

Congratulations Carmen. Sorry to hear that you have nausea especially as you are someone who loves to cook and share recipes. Hope it passes soon and you are back in your kitchen!
I'm back to washing dishes by hand after our dishwasher stopped working. I have to say I would be hesitant to use borax as a dishwasher soap unless I was certain that it would be completely rinsed away and not leave any residue. I suppose it is the fact that borax effectively kills cockroaches that makes me nervous!

Carmen at Old House Homestead said...

Ann, I don't worry too much about the Borax since it's a small amount and the citric acid helps wash away the residue. I used to use a homemade soap that didn't have the citric acid in it and there was a residue. I'm assuming it was the Borax. Also, the vinegar helps wash it away, too. I'm guessing there's just as much nasty stuff in the dishwasher soap that you buy at the store. ; )

I hope you get a new/fixed dishwasher soon! I couldn't live without mine!

Blessings!

Michelle said...

I had not used citric acid...I did use the kosher salt though. At the time we had a water softener bc we had well water. I've moved into town now, so I'm not sure. I started using Finish gel pacs and they are the BOMB! Hope your nausea passes soon. I was sicker than a dog with all my pregnancies.

Michelle said...

Oh- and I used the vinegar as well :)

oviya said...
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Zach & Jen said...

When you say 3 packets of lemon aid....do you mean like the stuff you drink? I'm sorry if this is a crazy question...but I am totally clueless as to what else you could mean :)

Carmen at Old House Homestead said...

Yep! Like the little packets that you mix with sugar. It's the citric acid in the mix. :)

Hope that helps!

Blessings,
Carmen

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