Homemade Dishwasher Detergent | DIY That Works!

This homemade dishwasher detergent is a frugal, non-toxic way to replace a common household product. Bonus: it actually works!

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I’ve had a love/hate relationship with my current dishwasher. It doesn’t work very well.

We bought it brand new when we moved into this 1910 farmhouse over 4 years ago.

A new well and two filtration systems later, we learned that hard water is, well, HARD on dishwashers. And everything else, too.

And because of that hard water, our dishwasher has needed extra help removing hard water spots and build up. We are in the process of getting a new fan element, too, since apparently the hard water had its toll on that and the dishes don’t get dried properly.

Why I Make My Own Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

The ingredients found in common dishwasher detergents — this one for example — in the shopping aisle are less than desirable. More like should be banned from use. They contain ingredients that get an “F” from the EWG for things like cancer, developmental/endocrine/reproductive effects, environmental toxicity (municipal water source anyone?), damage to DNA, respiratory effects, nervous system effects, digestive system effects, skin irritation/allergies/damage, and the list goes on!

If our water source didn’t come from a well, we’d be eating rice and beans, beans and rice until we saved up enough for a Berkey water filter!

Prepping the Dishwasher

Because we had SUPER hard water and didn’t get a water softener until 4 years later, the dishwasher had some major build up, mostly iron. So I needed to rid it of the build up so that it wouldn’t redeposit onto my clean dishes.

To do this I simply put 1/2 cup of citric acid in the belly of my dishwasher. I started the cycle and let it run a few minutes, then paused the cycle and let it set for several hours before resuming and finishing the cycle.

I thoroughly wiped down the inside and ALL the parts, filters, and racks. Yeah, it was time consuming, but worth it. Now I had a clean slate to start with.

Video Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

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Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Recipe

This recipe is so simple, frugal, and it works GREAT!

Ingredients

4 cups super washing soda, found at WalMart or grocery stores. Also found HERE.

20-30 drops lemon essential oil (optional)

That’s it! No, seriously, that’s all you need!

NOTE: Because we are on well water, even with all the filtration systems we have, I still use 1 TBL of citric acid to aid in rinsing off water spots. I previously used vinegar in the rinse-aid compartment, but learned that for my model, the manufacturer doesn’t recommend the use of vinegar (probably because of the rubber components).

To Make

In a glass jar, combine the washing soda and essential oils, if using. Secure with a lid and shake well to distribute the oils throughout the soda.

To Use

Add 1-2 TBL to the main wash compartment.

***NOTE: if using citric acid as a rinse aid, place your detergent in the pre-wash compartment, and the citric acid in the main wash compartment. Keep separate because they neutralize each other when used together, thus leaving them ineffective.

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What Dishwasher Detergent Do You Use?

Are you aware of the caustic ingredients present in today’s household products? Look up your brand of detergent on the EWG site today and see what rating it gets. Then consider switching to a safer brand, or this recipe. I’d like to know what you choose and how you like it!