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Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Recipes
*Update: There are several comments from readers reporting both success and problems (namely that the homemade detergents below cause issues including a cloudy residue left on dishes). I don’t know why there’s a discrepancy, but it may have something to do with water temperature (not hot enough) or water quality (too hard, etc.). My dishwasher is still going strong with no problems, dishes are consistently clean with no residue and it’s about 20 years old–good old Maytag!
Because these recipes I’ve collected below are at least 10 or 15 years old (I’m going from memory here), the problem could be with newer models of dishwashers? How much water is used to flush & rinse the dishes? I’m not sure. I would suggest you watch carefully how the homemade detergents affect your dishes when first trying them (do they leave a powdery residue?).
If you have any advice or feedback, please feel free to share them below.
Powder Recipe #1
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax
Powder Recipe #2
1 cup Baking Soda
1 cup Borax
For the above two recipes:
- Mix thoroughly and store in a plastic container, use approximately 2 TBS per load.
- Use vinegar in the rinse compartment as a rinse agent to help prevent residue
- Try adding 2-3 drops essential oil
Powder Recipe #3
1/4 cup Washing Soda
1 TBS Liquid Dish Detergent
Use the above for each load of dishes.
Liquid Dishwasher Detergent Recipe
1 part baking soda
1 part borax
1 part water
1 drop lemon or orange essential oil per cup of detergent
- Mix the ingredients thoroughly and store in a sealable jug.
- Use 2 to 3 TBS per load.
If you’re having a cloudy dishes problem after using the homemade detergents:
- Try adding a few drops of liquid dishsoap to the powder compartment when you add the powder.
- You could also try cutting back on the amount of soap used (if you’re using 2 TBS, try cutting it back to 1 – 1 1/2 TBS).
- Make sure to use vinegar in the rinse cycle
Don't Miss These Tips:
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Good to know – I tried the first recipe months ago and all my dishes were cloudy so I gave up. I still have some though. So, it sounds like all I need to do is add a little liquid dish soap to it.
I added oxiclean powder to the mix and mixed in some seventh generation powder (equal ratio) to my mix. for the pre-rinse, I add one small drop of liquid detergent (hand wash detergent). My dishes sparkle!
The homemade dishwasher soap works great if you us 2 tbsp vinegar to the rinse aid. I have not bought rinse aid in a while.
HAS ANYONE TRIED 1 TEASPOON BAKING SODA AND 1 TEASPOON BORAX YET?
I tried the Homemade Powder Dishwasher Detergent Version #2 with one (1) TABLESPOON EACH of BAKING SODA AND BORAX.
I ran my Kitchenaid (less than a year old) dishwasher through just a regular cycle. When I opened the door, I saw a filmy residue inside the dishwasher and noticed a little residue on a glass coffee pot. It was very noticeable because it has a stainless interior.
So, I then ran the d/washer through a Rinse Only cycle to remove the residue. Dishes were clean, but I don’t put dishes with any residue in my d/washer. lol
My rinse dispenser has Jet Dry in it, so haven’t tried white vinegar yet. Looking forward to trying out vinegar.
Will attempt this version again, but with 1 teaspoon each of Borax and baking soda.
Have read to clean your dishwasher, that you can put 1.5 cups of vinegar and run it through a cycle.
Re vinegar, my husband uses apple cider vinegar in water to lose weight, help with diabetes, etc. I use 1 part ACV to 3 parts water as a facial toner.
Would be afraid to put salt in the dishwasher, as it might corrode the heating elements, etc.
When it says to add vinegar, are you guys talking about putting the vinegar in the spot where you would put JetDry ? I did that and a brown liquid started oozing out. It looked like it was rust. I immediately sucked the remainder out. That can’t be good for my dishwasher. Did I do it wrong?
I just read somewhere that you need to add citric acid to the mixture to avoid getting the etching/cloudiness (recipe follows):
Mix the following and use 1 rounded tablespoon per load:
1 – 55 ounce box of Arm & Hammer® Super Washing Soda
1 – 76 ounce box of 20 Mule Team® Borax
1 – 48 ounce box of coarse Kosher Salt
1 – 2 ounce container of food-grade Citric Acid — You can find this online or at your local brewery or specialty beer store. If you cannot find this you can substitute 10-15 lemon Kool-aid envelopes per batch **the small unsweetened ones**, if you use any other flavor you could easily color the inside of your dishwasher (you need 10-15 envelopes to equal the 1-2oz of straight citric acid.) If you do not use some form of citric acid… you will most likely have the cloudy residue left that most “green” cleaners leave.
Hope this helps clear the air (or dishes) on the cloudiness issue!
I am wondering about using Borax in the dishwasher. All the recipes for homemade all call for it, but to be safe, I called the company of Borax, and they told me NOT to use it in a dishwasher…..Has anyone had any problems from using it?
I need something because the “organic” detergent that I am using now, leaves a black mold in my dishwasher, which makes me wonder how clean my dishes really are. There is also almost liek an etched film on my glasses, any ideas on what I can do??
THANKS so much!!
I agree! Borax is toxic!! All the organic natural recipes call for it. I wont use it!
If Borax is consumed in food it is toxic. Some countries use it in food, but it is supposed to be banned for use in foods in the US. Check out Wikipedia.org, using Borax for cleaning and in the dishwasher is not toxic. Perhaps you are thinking of Boric acid.
the etching on your glasses is because are using a dishwasher and are not using a detergent that prevents etching. Detergents will state on them that it is an anti etching formula. Not sure how to make it homemade but if you figure it out let me know.
The BLACK in your dishwasher is caused from too much soap.
Drains get black from soap..not poo-poo.
I would suggest filling the soap dispencer with baking soda. Then 1/2 white vinegar in the bottom of the dishwasher. Then run through the cycles. Would even put more vinegar in the rinse thingy.
Should clean things up.
Hi Tracy, I’ve used it with no problems, did they say why it shouldn’t be used in a dishwasher?
I won’t use borax for dishes because I know that if you want to kill ants, just add enough corn syrup to make a syrup and put it out for the ants (keep away from humans and pets). The ants carry it back to their homes and everybody dies. Borax is poison and can be fatal to humans.
You’re thinking of Boric Acic, not borax. Different stuff altogether.
Borax IS Boric acid any government website will tell you so….Boric acid is an acute eye and respiratory tract irritant, which is quite toxic if ingested. In addition, it is unavailable in parts of Europe because of concerns that it caused birth defects and problems with the reproductive organs of children. It is recommended that pregnant women and children in particular do not have exposure to Borax.
You are confusing Borax (boric acid) with Borax-Mule Team Borax, found in the laundry detergent aisle. It is different. With boric acid you cannot even inhale the dust and should only inject it into crevices to get rid of insect pest while wearing gloves and a mask. Mule Team Borax is like washing soda, used to brighten and whiten, similiar to baking soda but doesn’t leave a film. Perhaps labeling things with Mule Team Borax would clear up the confusion?
The the Mule Team Borax even says on the box that you can use it in the dishwasher.
If you stick to that theory, then instant grits (parboiled corn meal) and cream of wheat are poisonous too. If you either of these natural ingredients on ant hills the ants take it in to feed to the colony and their bellies explode. Perhaps humans should stop eating it because it’s poisonous.
That is true the borax in the laundry isle is dif also if you are feeling so strong against it then don’t use it simple as that…… As in all recipies food or cleaning you need to make acceptions for your family and situations….. If you don’t agree with eating sugar then you don’t feed it to your family, right? Well, do the same with this! Everyone is entitled to your opinion….. Although me myself do believe it is safe and i am actually trying it now…. Thank you for the person that posted this because along with home made laundry soap i am hoping to really cut some costs…..and also one last note to the sceptic out there , most soaps have lye in them but lye in and of itself is dangerous however you still use it to was yourself right?
Here is some info on Borax, used in cleaning/detergents:
Wikipedia
Dialcorp
Consuming Borox isn’t a good thing, however using a couple tablespoons of a mixture made from Borax and soap or soda that is well diluted in the dishwasher as a detergent and that is washed away in the hot rinse cycle is something different.
Sometimes I’ll soak dishes in bleach or have bleach in the rinse water (when washing dishes by hand)–especially when camping. Bleach is a VERY bad thing to consume.
ETA: But it is good info to note the hazard. If your dishwasher doesn’t flush enough water through and leaves detergents on the dishes, using Borax or any commercial dishwasher detergent is not a good idea.
It is a department of health policy for restaurants, schools, daycares, hospitals etc. to run all dishes through at least one cycle of bleach water. How could a TBS. of Borax be any worse than that?
Is the Liquid Dish Detergent in recipe # 3 regular dishwashing soap? I tried the recipe, and when I mixed the washing soda with liquid soap (Ajax w/ bleach alternative) it created a very strong smell and the cup it was in started heating up. It seemed like it created some sort of chemical reaction. Is this what is supposed to happen?
No SHollander that’s not what’s supposed to happen. Just use regular dish detergent liquid, nothing with bleach.
is there a certain type of vinegar to use? i’m assuming (and we all know what that means) that you would use white or distilled vinegar. Yes/NO?
thanks!
Hi Erin, I just use regular white vinegar.
Yes, Borax is poisonous, but so is dishwasher soap.
In fact, I wouldn’t want to eat most cleaning products, including straight white vinegar.
Is there a recipe that does not use Borax or washing soda? I would rather use a pure castille soap instead.
Hi i use something that makes my dishes shine i put about 1 teaspoon of baking soda regular arm and hammer 1 teaspoon of salt you could use a bit more salt if wanted salt acts as a scrubber and a pinch of dish soap not the kind with bleach i use Palmolive comes out great.
The poster above who mentioned that Borax is used as a pest repellent is confusing Borax with Boric Acid. Boric Acid is what kills pests like ants and roaches. Just wanted to clear that up.
Borax Will Kill Ants! Not just Boric Acid…It’s true, mix Borax with Sugar or corn syrup and they will take it back to their nest and kill everyone including the queen…safer around kids and pets than Boric Acid, but still a poison, keep it away from your children and pets
Borax ~ the washing soda contains a peroxide and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) all durivied from nature and depending on it’s use is very harmful to humans and animals even though it is an all natural product. YES ants will die using Borax but the same result can be done using straight baking soda and icing sugar. It is the baking soda which they swallow then it expands in their stomaches and they explode.
FYI: the only difference with washing soda and baking soda is the peroxide compound which is also found in OxyClean at a much higher concentration level. It is still considered a GREEN product b/c it isn’t harmful unless injested in large quantities and it is naturally derived, not chemically!
Washing soda and baking soda are two totally different things. Baking soda is edible. Washing soda is not edible.
You can easily make washing powder by spreading baking powder on a baking sheet and baking it in the oven for a while.
Hi…i wanted to know if these recipes can be used to clean the dishes by hand – no dishwasher at home – thanks!
To Noelia, if you mix Dr. Bronner’s castille soap with water 1-2tbsp to 8 oz water that will make a liquid soap that is organic. Use more Dr. Bronner’s if you need more, there are no rules to the recipe…
I have tried the above recipe & I have had white film on my dishes ever since. I end up running my dhishes through a water only cycle (which costs more money) or I end up hand washing my entire load of dishes after they have already gone through the dishwasher. I don’t have hard water because I never had this problem until I started using the Borax & Washing Soda mix. I clean out my dishwasher once a month & I have used just White Vinegar. Does anyone have any other ideas?
please someone help her cuz i am having the same problem.
Try adding a couple of drops of regular ‘hand’ dishwashing liquid to the dispenser before you put in your homemade product, then wash as normal, also put white vinegar in your rinse cycle container… Should work like a dream…. Also the white vinegar will neutralize any chemical left behind, that your regular rinse cycle did not remove….
this film is caused by the detergent being to strong or too concentrated, the same thing happens if you use an over the counter soap with a whole house water softener system, dilute by half until the dishes come out clean
I would say to put some white vinegar in the dishwasher.
NOT in the soap tray thing, but i’ve had to pour a good bit in the bottom of the dishwasher after it’s filled with water, and before it drains LOL
you kinda have to stand there and wait.. wait… haha! like boiling water!
but the heat activated with the vinegar will surely get the film off your dishes!
Adding Kosher or pickling salt (they’re courser than table) Is supposed to help prevent cloudiness and help clean.
I use Zote Soap grated/melted and mixed with water..I put it in a old dish detergent bottle and shake each time I use it..I also put a 1/4 cup bleach in the bottom of my dishwasher.. Works good for me..
How much water do you mix with the Zote soap for the dishwasher detergent and can you use the mixture to hand wash dishes.
Thanks
Annette
I tried the borax/baking soda mix and was not impressed at all. I also use white vinegar for rinse agent but I don’t think it does a very good job. I decided to try putting about a 1/4 teaspoon dish soap in each cup with the borax/baking soda and it’s working better but I still get white film sometimes and my glasses are cloudy. At least it didn’t cost much to try it out. I’m going back to dish detergent.
What is the reason for the Borox? Why not just use soap??? I would think the soap and hot water would be enough to kill all the germs…
My family owns an appliance service business and I can tell you that putting anything that suds (soaps or liquid dish soaps) is NOT a good idea for your dishwasher. Dishwashers are not designed for a “sudsy” wash. Using sudsing soaps can cause your DW to leak or worse coat the washer parts with residue that will continue to sud in future wash cycles as well as leave residue on your dishes. Adding vinegar to your rinse cycle is great! *If you have used “soaps” in your DW I highly recommend that you cleanse your DW by running a cycle (no dishes) with a TBS of olive oil. This will counter any soap residue left in the DW. Make sure to add vinegar to the rinse cycle to ensure it is very clean. Hope this helps for those of you seeing residue. (A&H washing soda and Borax are not sudsing detergents, it’s the bar soaps and liquid DISH soap you should stay away from.)
Will the homemade recipes get rid of the black mold?
Also, will the homemade remedies get rid of the gritty residue that ends up in my glasses?
This may have been answered for you already. If so then ignore my post.
The best Mold controller I’ve found is this recipe.
If you already have mold/mildew problem allow the spray to rest on the surface areas for a few hours. Wipe with a soft cloth, then respray the areas and let dry without rinsing.
1 1/4 cups vinegar
3/4 cups water
4 drops cinnamon essential oil
6 drops patchouli essential oil
2 tsp tea tree essential oil
Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle. Spray surfaces well but do not rinse.
Zote bar soap has hardly any soap bubbles, I think thats why I have No residue on my dishes..
Lisa, vinegar kills mold.
Has anyone tried both #1 & #2? Which one is better?
I also tried the first recipe. I loved it the first 4 or 5 times. Then this white coat of dust like film is now covering my dishes. I am using vinegar in the rinse. I also tried to lessen the amount used, but nothing has worked. I went back to using Cascade but the dishes still have a coating of the white stuff. Does anyone have any advice. If I am desperate. I would warn anyone of this before they try it. My water is not hard, as I NEVER had any residue before I used the homemade solution.
cascade complet will get the white stuff off
Danielle it sounds like a calcium/lime buildup in your dishwasher (that’s why the film is there regardless of what detergent you use). Try soaking the dishwasher in a few inches of vinegar and hot water overnight. Or do a search online for “calcium buildup dishwasher” for more ideas. Your sprayers might be clogged with calcium or food bits as well.
I’ve experienced the same troubles with cloudy dishes (white residue) when using 50/50 Borax and washing soda mix (1 tbsp. each) even though I used vinegar in the rinse cycle. To get rid of the heavy white residue, I tried running the dishwasher once with Cascade, and that didn’t work. I then took a 2 cup measuring cup, filled it to the top with white vinegar, and placed it in the upper dishwasher rack. Then I ran my dishwasher on full cycle, and as the water splashed around, the measuring cup overflowed spraying a good combination of hot water and vinegar, and this cleaned off all the residue. I tried the 50/50 combination again 3 more times:
once using 1-1/2 tbsp. of each thinking the recommended amount of 1 tbsp. each maybe wasn’t enough, a second time using 1/2 tbsp. of each thinking maybe I was using too much, and then once using the recommended 1 tbsp. each mixed with hot water to make a runny paste thinking it would work better if already moistened. I was left with a white residue each time, so now I am back using Cascade. I don’t buy the dishwasher soap build up theory because I recently cleaned my dishwasher with Dishwasher Magic, plus I’ve been using vinegar in the rinse cycle since the machine was installed. Years ago I tried the 1 drop regular dishwashing liquid in the machine and I had soap bubbles coming out around the entire door, so I do not recommend using dishwashing liquid in your machine.
I also have been using the homemade DW detergent recipe #1 and have a horrible white residue that will not go away. I have also always used vinegar for the rinse cycle. I am however going to try adding some Zote soap and see if that makes any difference, only because I have a lot of this stuff left and hate to waste it, if I can make it work. If anyone has any other ideas, let me know!!! Thanks.
Just use a couple of tbsp of Borax and white vinegar in the rinse. It works great & no residue. I’ve used it for a while now. I do have a water softener though. Maybe that makes a difference?
For those having trouble with the white residue, can you tell me if it’s a newer model of dishwasher you have or older? I’m wondering if the answer to the varying results is due to how your dishwasher handles each load?
My dishwasher is at least 10 years old. Today I tried using the 50/50 borax and washing soda mix again, 1 tbsp. each, but also added 1 tbsp. grated Zote soap – this made a world of difference in the amount of white residue. There is only a trace amount, so next time I am going to increase the Zote soap to 2 tbps.
Borax, Washing Soda & grated soap is what I use to clean my laundry. That may be overkill in the dishwasher and could be why you get the film. I only use Borax (1-2 tbsp/load of dishes) and then add white vinegar to the rinse solution reservoir. My dishes are crystal clear without even any spots from drying. If you have gotten a build up of white film that is hard to get off, just wash them in white vinegar for a while. Even that is enough to get your dishes clean and it clears off any residue. The borax just adds a bit of scrubing power to really dirty dishes. But straight vinegar works great to clean off residue. It is considered a natural disinfectant and just look what it will do for coffee stains! (I’m referring to running straight vinegar through your coffee maker for those of you who may not have heard of that one yet.)
Best of luck!
Gina
Ive tried the recipes too. Ive tried everything……a little less, a little more, vinegar to the rinse thing, adding a cup of vinegar at the beginning of the rinse cycle…..adding dish detergent…….adding vinegar to the recipe, adding orange juice or lemon juice to the recipe…….I mean everything. I get that dreadful white film on everything and the more you wash them the film gets cloudier and whiter. YUCK! My machine is fairly new….maybe two years old, I didnt have a problem before, and now Im at the point where the dishes arent always coming out clean. SO my washer works worse now! I LOVE the clothes detergent BUT this detergent stinks….doesnt work at all for me.
Thanks for the feedback, there’s obviously a problem somewhere, so I updated the post above advising caution. I’m thinking the discrepancy between the results is the type of dishwasher used?
If it helps I use the washing soda and baking soda recipe with no problems at all and my dishes look fine to me. We bought this dishwasher used about 7 years ago and I can’t remember how old it was then but it wasn’t ancient. Also I have used this homemade mix for quite a few months now when I first found it on tipnut. Thank you for the recipe.
I forgot to say to that I use vinegar in the rinse cup.
I tried recipe #1, in a dishwasher that is 11 years old. Dishes came out just as clean as my normal detergent. I did put a bit of vinegar in the rinse cycle, just to be safe. I’ll watch for buildup, but so far I’m good!
Hi,
I’ve had the same problem with my dishes with the homemade recipes as well as the eco-friendly dishwasher soaps (both liquid and powder). I place vinegar in the cups during the rinse cycle and it works… at least 1 cup of vinegar in order to counteract the film…
My dishwasher is about 10 yrs old or so…
Hi I don’t really have a comment but a question. are these for dishwashers or hand washing dishes? or does it even matter?
You don’t want to use borax and/or washing soda on bare skin. It is caustic and will irritate your skin. On the back of the Borax box there is a suggestion to use a little borax when washing your fine china. It doesn’t say anything about repeated use on dishes used daily, but if you do use it to hand wash, you most definitely should use rubber gloves. I just use vinegar on my dishes now. That vinegar smell goes away when it dries and my dishes are really clean. If you need extra scrubbing power, try baking soda (may be causing some film if used regularly) or even just a little kosher salt (canning salt or table salt will do as well)
Hope that helps!
Gina
Gina
I recently ran out of dishwasher detergent and money to buy more detergent, and was forced to find a solution. I tried 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup vinegar. Pour in seperately and be ready to shut the door fast. *(remember making volcanoes for science projects) This works fine for me. My dishes came out cleaner than ever and there was no harmful fumes coming out of the vent. The fumes from brand name detergents takes my breath away. Is there any reason this simple mix would not work just fine?
Also to the reply about not eating white vinegar, why couldnt you eat white vinegar? I pour it on cooked spinach, also use to make pickles. I have never been told not to ingest vinegar. My grandmother also would put a tsp of baking soda in warm water and drink for indegestion, and in a pinch it has worked for me. I didnt die, yet.
I agree on the viniger and baking soda, sue. My husband still uses baking soda and water for indigestion. Ants can die from it prob due to the fact that they cant burp? Just like the mean thing I heard from my dad of the pigeions and alka selzters. They would explode due to the fact they couldnt burp. I use a fabulous homade laundry detergent and would never buy store bought again. dont need fabric softner or dryer sheet except on a few items. Jeans, towels and most colors no need. They smell fresh and are very clean. I have had only two items that need static control. I tried the dishwasher recipies and they hit and miss with residue. My dishwasher is a new one..Bosh. I can seee how the different types of water in different areas could indeed effect the results. Prob several things. But i appreciate anyone willinging to share their recipies nevertheless!!! Thank you.
I had a powdery film too. What I did was adjust the amount of baking soda to 1/4 to a 1/2 less. Then I filled my rinse compartment w/White vinegar. No Problems since!
At what point do at the vinegar to the rinse? When you start cycle or do you have to wait for rinse cycle to begin then put it in?
Thank you
I wonder if the water temperture differences could be why so many people are having different results.
Putting aluminum in the dishwasher can cause white residue on glasses. Make sure you arent placing any aluminum “silver”ware, pots, mugs, etc (stainless steel is usually fine)
I suspect the different results described are due to different amounts of calcium in the water (hard and soft water).
I use the powder mix, and it was leaving a residue on the dishes, so I started mixing it in equal parts with my old powder dish soap, and no more problems. Still, a lot cheaper than just using the regular bought stuff.
As to Borax being dangerous to injest, so is any commercial dish soap.
When you mixed the borax and baking soda to your old detergent, how much did you use? Someone posted they bought DG dishwasher powder and mixed it with borax and baking soda, but I can’t find the post. Can someone help me with this.
I’ve not tried these recipes yet but I did make a very small batch of the the laundry detergent and it’s great – no more Tide for me!…but I digress. I used to buy the store brand dishwasher detergent and had some of the white residue – besides it etched all my glasses so badly I had to throw them out – I was embarrassed to serve anyone out of them (yes – I did soak them in hot vinegar water, etc. etc. several times but no luck). I’ve gone back to Cascade Liquid which works really well but I did put vinegar in the rinse aid thingy – plain white vinegar. I’ll try one of the recipes soon, though because I like the idea of making my own. I’ll use the tips and suggestions here – don’t you just love this site??? I do!
The recipe for dish washing liquid sounds great for those who use a dishwasher, howevever I’m a person who has washed my own dishes by hand while raising my children and still today.
Can you send me a recipe on how to make dish liquid for those who wash their dishes in a dish pan, the old fashion way?
Still washing by hand in the Antelope Valley and it works for me!
I tried the powdered version of dishwashing detergent first. Dishes came out cloudy. BUT I did try the liquid version and added vinegar to the rinse cycel. Dishes are perfectly clean. No cloudiness. I only use 2tbsp instead of three. I used three the first time and had cloudy plastic bowls. I will definitely continue to use this recipe to SAVE some money!!!
There might be something to the thought about water temperature. In my experience using Borax in diaper pails for the past 20 years, I have noticed that if you try to dissolve Borax in cold water, you can end up with rock hard chunks that don’t dissolve when hot water is added and there tends to be more of a film that won’t rinse easily. If your water is too cold, the Borax may not be dissolving completely and some is hanging around until the rinse cycle. Try running hot water to your sink before you start the dishwasher so your pipes are warmed up, or turn your water heater up a bit. I love using homemade laundry detergent, but I do dissolve it in hot water first, then change the temperature and add the clothes. Works great – no grey residue on my whites and NO odors.
Wendy
Hope this helps.
I’ve heard that adding a small amount of citric acid to home dish washer recipes can help with the cloudiness but I haven’t tried it yet.
For sparkling clean dishes, use 2 parts baking soda, 1 part castille soap, fill rinse compartment with white distilled vinegar. NO MORE FILM. The baking soda prevents the castille soap from becoming bubbly.
Wendy
From what I’ve read on several sites, a lot of the discrepancy in cleaning using homemade powder seems to be due to the softness or hardness of your water.
Citric acid (fruit fresh) helps with dissolving calcium and lime (that cloudy residue) in hard water areas. If you cannot find citric acid, you can use unsweetened lemonade powder. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) may also work.
I’ve also seen salt in recipes, used to scrub the dishes further.
Borax – 20 Mule Team Borax is not toxic. It states on the box that you can use it for your dishes, your laundry, etc. Here is an insert from Wikipedia about BORAX. If you look at wikipedia Borax is used in your everyday from cosmetics to your detergent to enamels and yes insecticides. As an insecticide Borax kills pest because it screws up their digestive system.
Toxicity
Borax, sodium tetraborate decahydrate, is not acutely toxic. [8] Its LD50 (median lethal dose) score is tested at 2.66 g/kg in rats. [9] This does not mean that it is safe, merely that a significant dose of the chemical is needed to cause severe symptoms or death. The median lethal dose for humans tends to differ for a given compound from that of rats. Simple exposure can cause respiratory and skin irritation. Ingestion may cause gastrointestinal distress including nausea, persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Effects on the vascular system and brain include headaches and lethargy, but are less frequent. “In severe poisonings, a beefy red skin rash affecting palms, soles, buttocks and scrotum has been described. With severe poisoning, erythematous and exfoliative rash, unconsciousness, respiratory depression, and renal failure.” [10]
A reassessment of boric acid/borax by the United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pesticide Programs found potential developmental toxicity (especially effects on the testes).[11] Boric acid solutions used as an eye wash or on abraded skin are known to be especially toxic to infants, especially after repeated use because of its slow elimination rate.[12]
I have not read all the articles but from what I did read, there seems to be missing the cause that makes dishwashing a problem. Getting them clean depends on attacking the residues on the surface. Washing Soda, otherwise known as sodium carbonate reacts with water to
form sodium hydroxide and carbonic acid. The sodium hydroxide attacks the particles as
well as the oils and greases. You need this chemical action if you are going to use washing
soda and borax. Borax aids in cleaning by preventing the hardness from water to adhere to
the surfaces. Calcium is the chief culprit and adheres to surfaces that shows up a a film.
Borax is sodium deca borate which reacts with the calcium and prevents deposition unto
surfaces. It acts like a water softener. If you have films on you glassware, they may be
removed by soaking in a dilute solution of vinegar, otherwise known as acetic acid. I cannot say how strong to make the solution, but a little experimentation should solve that problem.
I’ve used recipe #1 for almost a month now (dishes done every 2-3 days) and it’s worked great! I was totally amazed at the glorious sparkle on all of my dishes the first time I opened the dishwasher. I’ve NEVER has such good results with Cascade or any other commercial detergent.
I use about 2tsp each of borax and washing soda and always use vinegar in the rinse dispenser and the dishes — glass, plastic, china, flatware — all come out sparkling – and very clean – every time. I can’t understand why some people are having a problem with residue – maybe that aluminum thing mentioned above???
I am looking forward to trying these recipes to find out what works best for my family, but I have used borax before in our dishwasher. When we rented a place that had extremely hard water I used two tablespoons of borax along with my dish detergent and vinegar as a rinse agent, to get the dishes (particularly the glasses) to come out clean. It started that I was using Calgon Water Softener (the powder) in the dishwasher for get things clean because nothing else was working. But that stuff is expensive, I did have 20 Mule Borax on hand and when I ran out of the Calgon I tried that. It worked wonderfully and was about 1/3 the price or less when you take into account the different sizes.
From my reading about using borax for cleaning & homemade beauty products you have to have HOT water to dissolve it. So if some people are having problems, I would have to agree that it water may not be getting hot enough.
Hi. I have heard, and this may sound stupid, that the reason fleas and roaches die from borax is because it makes them burp. Which is; apparently, something ants, fleas, and roaches can’t do, so instead, they basically blow up. So I have heard. My mom told me this as a child and since moms are always right I am still assuming it is true. I do remember her sprinkling it on the carpet when we were younger to kill fleas, something I still do today. So I do not believe it is toxic. I haven’t done any other research. I’m playing the “my mother always did it” card. And she is about as “Green” as they get.
And thank you so much for the tips! Can’t wait to try them!
None of those recipes have ever worked for me. What does is my homemade concoction
1/2C washing soda
1/2C borax
1/4C kosher salt
1/4C citric acid
use 1TBS per load, and fill the rinse aid reservoir with vinegar.
We have an oooooold inefficient dishwasher that came with our apartment, and very hard water.
This works beautifully with no film or residue!
Thanks for sharing that recipe Jacklen!
Thanks TipNut and Jacklen! I’ve been using Jacklen’s formula for a couple of weeks and am happy so far. We have very hard water here and I find I have to rinse the dishes before putting them in. It also helps to have vinegar in the rinse aid compartment or add some along the way.
My dishwasher door was replaced ,due to a recall, and the handyman who came out and fixed it, said to put the dishwashing detergent into the compartment and do not close the lid, so when the door shuts the soap will go all over dishes inside. He said that the dishsoap compartment only opens at the very end of the wash cycle. So I thought maybe that is why the individuals making there own soap had residue on their dishes?
It’s worth a try.
I use recipe number 2 with 1 TBS works great and we love saving the money.
Thank you for sharing, I am washing a load now.
I have been making my own dishwashing liquid (for handwashing dishes and general cleaning) for the past six months with great success. I make it up in a large clean plastic container and it lasts ages (and costs only a few pennies to make). Here’s the recipe:-
Take one bar of scented soap (or plain if you prefer), grate to a powder on your kitchen grater and add 4 – 8 cups of boiling water slowly. If you have it, add a Tbsp of liquid Glycerine. Beat, blend or stir (careful, this may be FOAMY!) until well mixed. The top thick creamy foam can be skimmed and put in a jar, for use as shaving cream, the liquid can be bottled (note: the solution is rather goopy and should be shaken/stirred before each use) and used for hand soap, general cleaning, dishwashing liquid etc. You’ll notice there’s not a lot of bubbles but you’ll get clean and shiny dishes for a fraction of the cost.
I tried the liquid reciepe and added vinegar to my jet dry compartment and it turned out great!!! WOW…got off dried on mac-n-cheese sauce off of my rubbermaid and all!!! I’ll never buy dishwashing detergent again:) And I only had to use 2TBS and I measured it out to be sure of how much I would need and it was just enough! This is going to save a lot of $$
I would like to try one of these recipes, as I use homemade for laundry and LOVE it. Am wondering if I can substitute lemon juice for lemon essential oil in the liquid recipe?!?!
Thanks!
i tried the borax and arm and hammer recipe WITH the vinegar and i had white filmy stuff all over my dishes.
When I got a new dishwasher I thought it would be interesting to actually read the how to load since I had been loading a dishwasher for over 25 years and it did say to use less detergent if you had a water softener. To much detergent could eat the etching off the glassware, That is usually what causes the cloudiness. Hope this is helpful.
Most dishwasher soap, homemade or otherwise, will etch glasses if used in too high a concentrate. If the glasses are truly etched, nothing will clear them up, it is in the glass. If you are getting residue from your detergent, that should wash off. Only use enough detergent to clean the dishes, more in NOT better.
Hi,I have an old dishwasher that still works great.Probably 20 yrs old.We have very hard water as a lot of you do.I learned a long time ago from the back of the box I use for water softner for my clothes,which is “WHITE KING water softner”,it has a hint on the back of the box,on using 1 Tablespoon pr dishload in the bottom of the dishwasher, I also just put in 1 level scoop of dishwashing powder in the bottom at the start,is all I put in for all the cycles.My dishes are clean,it’s cheap,and it works.The scoop I use is from one of those drink mixes,it holds 2 Tablespoons.I never use the baskets to fill.That would take 1/2 cup or more of detergent.All I know is this works,and doesn’t use much soap.Doesn’t leave a film.Also my friends & neighbors do it too.It’s found in the laundry isle by the washing soda.I have a cottage cheese container with a TB spoon in it,with a lid on it sitting on the dishwasher.And I have another container with a lid and the scoop of the detergent in it.All I have to do is pop the lids,toss the white king,and DW detergent in the bottom of the washer, and start the wash.Really easy.Hope that helps,A box of cascade lasts 6 mo for me. Bonita