[New! Updated with recipes shared by readers] Have you run out of dishwashing detergent and you’re in a pinch to run a load until you can get to the store and buy some more? Or are you looking to whip up a few batches to save yourself a bit money? This is the page you’re looking for!
I have a few DIY/homemade mixes you can try (for both powder and liquid versions), as well as some rinse agent suggestions to help get dishes sparkling clean.
I’ve also updated the page with plenty of tips, recipes and advice shared by readers.
This article is over 12 years old and still going strong with feedback from those who have tried these out, made some tweaks and did some troubleshooting…lots of good information here for you to browse through, have fun!
C. = cup; TBS = Tablespoon; tsp = teaspoon
Powder Versions
#1:
1 C. Washing Soda
1 C. Borax
#2:
1 C. Baking Soda
1 C. Borax
For the above two mixes:
- Blend thoroughly and store in a plastic container, use approximately 2 TBS per load.
- Use vinegar in the rinse compartment as an agent to help prevent residue.
- Try adding 2-3 drops essential oil.
#3:
1/4 C. Washing Soda
1 TBS Liquid Dish Soap
Use the above for each load you run.
Liquid
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.
Dealing With Residue
If you’re having a cloudy residue problem::
- Try adding a few drops of liquid dishsoap to the detegent compartment when you add the powder (just 2 or 3 drops will do).
- You could also try cutting back on the amount used (ie. 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.
Updates & Troubleshooting Tips
Update #1: There are several comments from readers reporting both success and problems (namely complaining about cloudy residue issues). 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, items are consistently clean with no trace left behind and it’s about 20 years old–good old Maytag!
Because these recipes are at least 20 years old (I’m going from memory here), the problem might be isolated to newer appliances? How much water is used rinsing/washing the items? I’m not sure. I would suggest you watch carefully when first trying them to see if they leave a powdery trace (there are tips below that might help with that).
Update #2: Lots of readers have offered their tried-and-true recipes and shared tips in the comments area, here are several that stand out:
MK Whittenburg advises that the etching/cloudiness problem is solved by adding citric acid, she recommends this recipe:
1 (55 oz) box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
1 (76 oz) box of 20 Mule Team Borax
1 (48 oz) boxes of coarse Kosher Salt
1 (2 oz) container of food-grade Citric Acid (or substitute with 10 to 15 envelopes of Unsweetened Lemon Kool-Aid)
- Liv uses the Powdered Version #2 above (baking soda and borax) but added 2 packets of unsweetened lemon Kool-Aid and this did the trick to eliminate the slight film her first attempts gave.
- TL shares this recipe: 1 TBS grated Zote soap, 1 TBS borax and 1 TBS washing soda.
- Gina says she has good success with using just 1 to 2 TBS of Borax in the dispenser then white vinegar as a rinse agent.
- Susan says she uses 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt and a wee pinch of dish soap (non-bleach) per load.
- Sue says she just tosses in 1/2 C. of baking soda and 1/2 C. of vinegar, shuts the door, turns the machine on and this works fine for her.
- Wendy uses 2 parts baking soda, 1 part castille soap and fills the rinse compartment with white distilled vinegar and no longer has a problem with film. The baking soda cuts the castille from becoming too bubbly/foaming.
- Jacklen uses 1/2 C. washing soda, 1/2 C. borax, 1/4 C. Kosher salt, 1/4 C. citric acid…just 1 tablespoon a load will do the trick and make sure to fill the rinse aid reservoir with vinegar.
- Gloria grates a bar of Zote soap and mixes it with water to melt, puts it in an old squeeze bottle and shakes each time she uses it. She also runs a load with 1/4 cup bleach at the bottom of the dishwasher.
- Shelby claims great success with 2 to 3 drops of Sunlight (divided into each compartment) and 2 tablespoons of baking soda (one in each compartment). Vinegar for the rinse agent.
- Megan shares her tried & true: 76 oz Borax, 55 oz Washing Soda, 1 1/3 C. TSP, 4 oz Citric Acid, 2 C. Vaseline IC moisturizing beads and 4 pounds Canning Salt. Use 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons per load.
- Rick uses 1 C. each of washing soda and borax, 1/2 C. each of citric acid and SLS powder. Mix well and use 1 tablespoon in the main compartment and 1/2 tablespoon in the prewash compartment.
Reader tips for fighting film/residue:
- Valerie found cutting the baking soda by 1/4 to 1/2 less solved the problem.
- Lori said she solved the problem by mixing equal parts DIY mix with commercial detergent, not 100% homemade but still saves money.
- Suz advises that adding a couple drops of regular handwashing dish soap to the dispenser should be added before putting in the homemade stuff does the trick, and use vinegar as a rinse agent.
- Gina recommends adding salt to the batch to help with cloudiness, though no amount specified so play with this a bit to see how it works out for you (helps soften the hard water). Sarah recommends using Kosher or pickling salt.
- Marty advises that by cutting the amount used by half may help (since the mix is too strong or concentrated if you’re getting a white film problem).
- Kristina recommends that you run an empty load with a bowl full of vinegar on the bottom of the dishwasher every once in awhile to help clear things up and get better (non-cloudy) results. TL found good results by running a load with a 2 C. measuring cup filled to the top with white vinegar, placed on the upper rack.
Thanks so much to everyone for sharing, Tipnut readers are the best!
I feel it’s worthwhile experimenting and finding a solution that works best for you and your machine. Making your own detergent is inexpensive, effective and environmentally friendly (with no harsh chemicals required). They are effective stain removers, natural disinfectants and santitizers and it’s quite satisfying when you find one that works just right. Good luck and feel free to share your experiences below!
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?
the brown corrosion that cassie seen oozing out, is probably the vinegar doing its job.
Yes, put the vinegar where you would put Jet Dry. I use borax and washing soda for my detergent.
So I mix 1 cup borax, 1 cup washing soda and 2 packets lemonade koolaid. I then add 2 tablespoons of the mixture in the main cup. My main cup has a door that closes. I then wide-ranging 5 drops of dawn dish soap on my silverware so it mixes immediately with the water when I start the cycle. Next I add white vinegar in my rinse aid compartment. Mine has a screw top. The vinegar is important. If you skip it your dishes will feel greasy and look cloudy. If I remember right I also had gross stuff come out of my rinse compartment the first time. But that was it. I’m assuming the vinegar cleaned whatever it was out.
I have heard that putting vinegar in the spot where Jet dry goes will ruin your dishwasher. I don’t know if it’s an old wives tale or not but I don’t want to risk it. I was told to just splash some vinegar on the bottom of the dishwasher or put it in a cup on the top rack.
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 used this recipe but it won’t work unless you get every bit of food, grime, or slime off the dishes first. Is there something else I can add to the mix to get the dishes actually clean? I’m trying to save money and not to smell bleach or chlorine while they are washing. The smell is great, but the money part…. seems as though I am wasting. Can you help?
This works great. The only thing I added to this recipe is Lemi shine, because we have hard water. No spots or cloudiness. Thank you!
What amount of lemishine did you use?
Thanks
Thanks for the info on the Kool-Aid. I had seen on another website to add citric acid and I wasn’t sure where I was supposed to find it. I am looking forward to trying this!
The citric acid can be found at health food stores. It’s rather expensive tho…about $5 for a very small bottle. I’m going to make this, but will use lemi shine instead of citric acid. I will also add salt to the mixture.
citric acid can be found in most grocery stores. fruit fresh and in the canning isle at walmart
I bought a 5 pound bag of citric acid on ebay for 15.00, it will last for quite a while
I made some of this but after a day or two it started to get hard…and one week later it was so hard in the jar i have to use a knife to break it up to use…how do i stop this from happening?
I read on another site to put some white rice in a knee high pantyhose and put in to keep it from getting hard… haven’t tried it yet, planning to w next batch
You’re getting moisture in your mix… not hard to do when working around the dishes. Just put some uncooked rice in a small cloth bag (I used an old toddler sock tied in a knot) and keep in the container – it will absorb moisture and keep your granules dry.
Mine got hard too. If you don’t want to go the rice route, I ran mine through my Ninja to break it back up and then switched from a plastic container to a larger glass ball jar with a lid. I haven’t had any issues with it getting hard since.
I have soft water and used the baking soda/borax mix. Also got a slight film even though I used vinegar in the rinse. I added 2 packages of Lemonade Mix without the sugar of course (Kool-aid)to the powdered mix and the glasses came out very clean and clear.
Cloudy dishes or white film on dishes is caused by a lack of phosphate in the detergent. Because the feds required phosphate to be taken out of dishwashing detergent sold in the stores, you have the same problem with the commercial products.
I have heard that some people buy food grade trisodium phosphate and add one scoop of it to 12-15 scoops of store-bought dishwashing detergent. The materials are put in a container and mixed until the TSP is dispersed evenly throughout the the detergent.
Of course, I would never do that, nor would I advocate anybody else doing that. And I certainly would not advocate adding TSP to laundry detergent in the same ratio to laundry detergent — even though that would get clothing much cleaner.
Forget adding vinegar as a rinse in dishwashing detergent. It’s an acid, and it will eventually corrode steel and rubber. There are probably other ways to prevent spots from forming without using the commercial rinse additive, but the only one I can think of right off is to buy a water softener for your home.
Bob-
Vinegar is actually a base … not an acid. If you burn yourself (with something like Lye, for example … vinegar will neutralize the burn) So I don’t think it will corrode anything. Google it, if you are unsure ;-}
Check that again. It is an acid. 2.4, less than 7 is an acid higher is a base. But I still use it in my washer and dishwasher to nice results.
Vinegar is an acid. Lye is a base. If you burn yourself with lye don’t put vinegar on it – rinse it with water and then go to the hospital.
If the lye is powdered you should neutralize it with vinegar, never,ever use water with powdered lye. if the lye is liquid use water to wash off then follow with a vinegar rinse. Please google it if in doubt, never just take someones word for it. Lye is dangerous and not something to fool around with. Soap makers have been using vinegar for a long time to neutralize the affects of lye.
Never never use vinegar on a lye burn! It creates an exothermic reaction ( produces heat ) and will increase burn damage ! ALWAYS flush lye burns with water copious amounts of water!
Actually, I had the problem with cloudy dishes so I added salt to my powder detergent mix. That solved the problem. It is not the dishwasher that is the problem, it is hard water and salt softens the water. 🙂
I have VERY hard water and using commercial soap I’m getting the clouds. How much salt did you use?
This is insane. There’s no research about how much residue is left from any of the chemical detergents that are being used in these so-called recipes. Dishwasher detergent is green and it has been tested and approved for use for the dishwashers that contain dishes that hold our food. Unless I had evidence that these “recipes” are safe I would never try on the dishes that my family and I eat from.
Try putting some grocery store brand auto dishwashing soap on a piece of aluminum foil. It will eat a hole right through it. I don’t want any residue of this sort on my eating utinsels…
About the same amount of residue that is left behind from commercial dishwasher detergent. I encourage you to look up the ingredients found in commercial dishwasher detergents and research them…it’s scary stuff, yet that is what has been deemed “safe” by the powers that be. And as far as dishwasher detergent being “green”…unless it specifically states that on the label, it’s not. Even some that are labeled as such are not as green as the company making them would like you to believe. As previously stated, I encourage you to research different dishwasher detergents and make an educated decision, based on your research, on what is best for you and your family.
I just made my own for the first time. T baking soda, few turns of sea salt, 3 drops of Dawn. For rinse I put in white vinegar with few drops of lemon juice. Dishes came out great. All of these ingredients are edible except dish soap. Not going to hurt anyone to eat off the dishes.
My husband and I tried these and dishes were cloudy. Our new trick we read was to add 2pkts of lemonade to the mix. We are trying it in our next load.
I wanted to try this because my dishes have not been so great.. But this made them worse than EVER ! I have come to the conclusion that it is due to hard water. we are installing a water softener Today. So I will have to try it again and see if it gets better. Mine had the lemonade mixed in too.
Be careful adding any liquid dish soap! You can over suds the machine. It’s too much foam for a dishwasher. You could have suds spilling out of everywhere! Yes, I learned by experience!
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.
No Tracy is right you shouldn’t use this for cleaning your dishes. It is toxic, it a level 1! Borax-Mule Team Borax says on the box you can use it in your dish washer but you shouldn’t. 20 Mule Team is composed of sodium, boron, oxygen, and water. (The scientific name for borax is sodium tetraborate decahydrate. (thats on their website) look it up its not good!
Wrong.
According to the brochure on the 20 Mule Team Borax website: Under Dishwasher, under kitchen, it says: “Boost the cleaning power of your dishwashing detergent by removing hard water minerals & residues from the wash water. Add 1/4 cup of 20 MULE TEAM® Borax in the bottom of the dishwasher to reduce spots and film from dishes and glasses.” There is also a segment about rinsing your Fine China in a solution of a 1/2 cup Borax in a sinkful of warm water and then a second thorough rinse in clear water. Like anything if improperly used then yes there may be contraindications. However, if used in the way it was made for ie: Borax as a cleaning agent, and rinsed away thoroughly then things should be fine. Any soap, even castile have side effects if not used correctly; anyone had diarrhea after the kids did the dishes and were heavy soap users and light on rinsing?? Lol… nothing life threatening, just some squeaky clean bowels for a few days.
Borax is sodium borate – which is a salt. Boric acid is the acid made with boron. It’s like comparing table salt (sodium chloride) to hydrochloric acid… Definitely not the same thing!!
Please refer to Jill’s reply. She is on the money with her information.
boric acid can’t be too toxic since all eye drops use it as their base……
That is like saying that lye is not toxic because it is used in soap. Chemical reactions change things. Think hydrogen and oxygen which are gasses but H2O is water, a liquid.
That is why you shouldnt fill both compartments. You just put it in the bottom of the dishwasher. That you wash once and rinse twice
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.
Another thing that helps with dishwashers that tend to mold is to let your dishwasher door open and allow it to air dry. We do not use the hot dry cycle on our dishwasher to help save on electricity, and I’ve found I have to prop the door open over night or the dishwasher gets that infamous moldy smell. Cheers!
I have mould in my 5 year old kenmore but it has taken 5 years for me to start to notice it near the vent on the inside. I used a toothbrush to scrub it out. I read all of these comment with interest and want to try a recipe since I am always in saving mode.
Tracy, you are WAY off the mark. Borax SHOULD NOT be consumed but it is completely safe for household products and use in dishwashers. Add lemishine to your mixture should work like a charm.
If Borax is not safe, then why does it say on the box safe to use in dishwahers? Im confused.
Borax says right on the box to put in the dishwasher to make dishes sparkle. Why would they tell u not to???
found america recipes for home made dishwasher
1/4 cup of white vinager
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of liquid castile soap
2 teaspoons of lemon
all together put it in any plastic bottle
two tablespoon for heavy soild pans or one tablespoon for mild dirty dishes
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.
Corn Meal kills ants and we eat it.
From WikiAnswers: Is borax and boric acid the same?
Earlier answer: Borax contains boric acid.
My answer: That may be true, but they are not the same thing. Borax is a white powder used as a cleaning and in some places, a preserving agent. Boric acid is a white powder used as an insecticide, especially for cockroaches, and is about as toxic as regular table salt to people.
If you are worried about the toxicity of Borax, use straight vinegar in the rinse aid dispenser. It will nutralize the acid.
I’m sorry to disapoint you but you cannot nutralize on acid with another acid. Vinegar is an acid and there for you need to use a base such as baking soda to nutralize an acid.
Actually, Borax isn’t properly an acid. Borax is NOT BORIC ACID, EITHER! Learn your chemistry, people. This is basic high school stuff. Borax does not become boric acid without sulfuric acid being added, so no, it is not toxic like boric acid. Again, easy chemistry. Borax is a salt. It’s highly ALKALINE, which is entirely OPPOSITE of an acid, i.e. VINEGAR. So while mistaken about the nature of borax, Kelcey is ENTIRELY CORRECT. An acid (like vinegar) DOES neutralize an alkaline substance, like borax. Think neutralizing the alkalinity of baking soda with vinegar, an acid.
people you all need to research further. BORAX is safe for cleaners/dishes the cleaning agent Borax is not a poison.
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?
Best ant killer is mule team borax mixed equally with regular sugar… they take it back and kill the nest however we are talking about dish cleaner and i assure you it is safer to use than the toxic crap that is in the commercial brands including rinse agents that DON’T RINSE OFF so you ngest them when you use the dishes however the detergent you make rinses off and the vinegar as a rinse agent is perfectly safe to ingest. And I have been maaking my own for quite a while and the lemonade packets make a big difference in the film left on dishes. but if you are so worried about chemicals try using a pure liquid castile sap and handwashing.
Borax is extremely non-toxic. It IS a broad spectrum insect killer, a first choice for fleas in the house…but works across almost the entire insect world, from wasp nests to roaches. A zillion restaurants routinely wash down their kitchen floors using borax (or boric acid), which works to kill roaches that may be present. It has been used for well over a century for insect pests. Sprinkle it lightly and work it into carpets, along wood molding and within hours you will find dried up flea carcasses. It works by dessication of the exo-skeleton. Many other people use salt to achieve the same effect, but I prefer borax. use small amounts in my cat’s bed…fleas that are attracted and contact even small amounts die. Its an extraordinary substance that EVERY exterminator uses…yet not toxic in small amounts. P.S. Look up the stats–every year people die of “water intoxification.” You probably know people who are on a nutty water drinking regime, those who believe one has to drink gallons of water a day to “detoxify.” This is pure nonsense medically. Yet it persists. What happens is that huge amounts of water dilute the electrolytes of your brain and throw you into convulsions. Check it out. Best, Ph.D. guy…….
The amount of boron needed to kill ants is far, far less than what would be needed to affect a human! So, the amount of boric acid in Borax is probably enough to kill an ant and still be safe for human use in household cleaning.
While it may say on some government website the information you refer to ~ it simply is not the same thing. Understand that each person should do their own research and come to their own conclusion. However, have you also researched the ingredients used in other household products that ARE approved by the government? Or better yet, have you actually ever researched the ingredients that are in the food that you eat, that are also approved by the government? Pick up a can of vegetables, or some other random processed food and come back here after researching the ingredients and tell me what you find? Or even better… pick up a pack of bottled water, say the Walmart brand, tell me what is in that ~ water right? Nope, try magnesium sulfate, potassium bicarbonate and potassium chloride… think those things are safe? Anyway… not being rude at all, so please do not take it that way… I just think that some people take things at face value that should really be researched further :o)
The chemicals magnesium sulfate, potassium bicarbonate and potassium chloride are not poisonous. Magnesium sulfate (epsom salts) will cause diarhea in large amounts, but in small amounts provide magnesium, a necessary human nutrient. Potassium bicarbonate and potassium chloride provide potassium, another necesary human nutrient.
Chemicals that are in food or water that can be detrimental are aluminum (baking soda) and fluoride (toothpaste).
Baking soda contains aluminum? I think not. Were you perchance thinking baking POWDER?
Baking POWDER is baking soda mixed with an acid such as sodium ALUMINUM sulfate.
Baking Soda – NO ALUMINUM
Baking Powder – MAY CONTAIN ALUMINUM (check the label)
Certain companies who sell baking soda have come up with a great marketing strategy – They now label their baking soda as “aluminum free”. Could it be that the want to clear up the misconception about baking soda containing aluminum?
Not!
They aren’t out to educated you… they are out for the money in your pocket and will use your silly assumptions against you to get that money. They are stating that THEIR baking soda is aluminum free. They aren’t about to tell you the truth that ALL baking soda is aluminum free because then you would feel safe buying any brand. Good marketing strategy…lol
I think I’ll start a company to sell baking soda and I’ll label it “Aluminum, Sewage, and Motor Oil FREE”. That should put me out ahead of the competition and make people scared to buy other brands because since they aren’t labeled “Aluminum, Sewage, and Motor Oil FREE” they may contain those things. I’m gonna be rich! 🙂
you also have to realize that the ants ingestion will be ALOT greater than any ingestion you may have. they will be exposed to it directly where as you would have a tsp for a whole load of dishes that have been throughly rinced. how many times have you put things into your sink that you wouldnt dare ingest and then put our dishes in the same sink? i just think your reasoning is majorly flawed.
Okay. Quick question. Who here is eating the dishwashing detergent that they buy at the store? I’m pretty sure that stuff is toxic also. This is the reason that our dishwashers have rinse cycles. Nobody is telling anyone to eat a heaping bowlful of borax. Lets get back to other things. Have a day.
LOL I was thinking the same thing!
Yeppp! Me too!
LOL! 😀
Never thought of syrup for ants. Will try that this summer. However, for cockroaches, use borax with some flour mixed, and make a trail around the base walls. I did this in the basement. The bugs will get it on their legs, take it back to their nest, clean themselves, and die. The hatching bugs will then eat them and die also. Works great!!!!!!!!!!! I found that in a very old “Dear Heloise” book at a sale years ago.
When I moved to Arkansas from Minnesota, I had my first and, having moved back to MN, hopefully last, exposure to cockroaches. The first one I saw dive bombed me when my son turned on the ceiling fan! I’d never seen one before and these were the 1 – 2 inch sized ones. I was on medical leave from my job after being exposed to hazardous chemicals in the manufacturing plant where I worked, even though it was an office job. Needless to say, we couldn’t have an exterminator come in to spray! What to do??? A neighbor gave me a recipe for borax & flour balls (I can’t remember the agent used to stick the two dry ingredients together, though.) She told me to put some under our beds, sofas, chairs, etc. Our youngest child was 6 so we didn’t have to be concerned with a child finding them and eating them. (We did tell him we were making the balls and why, though.) We still had some roaches but my neighbor said that even people who have exterminators come in to spray still have some roaches, too. I beieve it diminished the number of those suckers, though, and would use that method again if — Heaven forbid — I’d ever have a roach problem again! As a Northerner, I thought people had to live in dirty houses and slum neighborhoods to have roaches in their homes. I learned that is NOT true from my experience in Arkansas. LOL
Here is some info on Borax, used in cleaning/detergents:
Wikipedia
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?
The health department REQUIRES camps and other entities serving the public to use bleach in rinse water, rinsing in clean hot water afterward for any hand washed items, but we don’t drink it!
I have tried using 1 tablespoon each of baking soda and borax (not boric acid, a different product) in my dishwasher and it works great! I would not put dishwashing liquid in my dishwasher at all. When my dishwasher detergent is gone I will use this exclusively. I also am using vinegar for the rinse agent and my dishwasher is fine.
You take what you read on Wikipedia with a grain of salt. Not everything you find there is true.
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?
NEVER mix bleach with anything! Especially not toilet bowl cleaners or anything containing ammonia! You could create chlorine gas which is deadly! It destroys your lungs and can even kill you! Please be careful and read labels diligently!
It’s BLEACH ALTERNATIVE people. But it’s probably what caused the problem. Just use PLAIN dish liquid next time, no additives.
Yes, I would expect it was from the bleach alternative. Try one without any additives (like regular old blue Dawn).
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.
Susan – is there a danger of the salt scratching the glassware? Also, do you get a residue on your dishes? Do you use vinegar in the rinse dispenser?
for that you’d be better off handwashing with the liquid castile soap it works great on everything from baby bottles to nasty pots n pans
Hi there! I’m assuming you’re already familiar enough with castile soap to know how it can “gunk up” when it starts to dry. I’d be wary of adding it to your dishwasher, as it might clog it up. And the castile soap I use for other cleaning purposes (including myself) isn’t really “low suds” like they claim, so I’m afraid it would create an awful mess in the dishwasher! Think overflowing soap suds all over the place! If you do figure out a way to use castile in the dishwasher, though, let us know! I’d be happy to have yet another use for my castile soap. 🙂
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 have always wondered how this would work, I have a good friend who does it. Would it, over time, rust out your drains?
Mine gets cloudy as well. With homemade and store bought. I use vinegar to rinse, but when thats not enough I add Lemi-shine powder….same thing as the coolaid lemonade packets except better!!! Get it at walmart in the dishwashing isle. Good price too.
How much Lemi-shine do you add?
2 parts borax, 2 parts washing soda, 1 part food grade citric acid(more for hard water), the citric acid will eliminate or greatly reduce the white film. citric acid can easily be found on amazon.com don’t forget the white vinagar in the rinse aid compartment
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…
Borax is a non sudsing detergent… if you have ever seen anyone accidently put dawn dishsoap in a dishwasher you know why you can’t use regular soap. bubble flood doesn’t cover the mess you end up with just ask my lil bro!
That is too funny my little brothers did the same thing. It took them forever to clean it up. lol
I did the same thing when I was about 12, and we were out of dishwasher detergent. Just used liquid dish soap in the dishwasher….oh, my. HUGE bubble mess! Lesson learned.
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.
Hey Lisa,
You can scrub the mold with vinegar and a toothbrush if you’re intolerant of bleach. Clean off the visible black mold. I’ve read that rubbing alcohol will kill it. Try scrubbing it with that if the vinegar doesn’t work for you. Unload the dishwasher promptly after use and allow the machine to dry empty.
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
I have found that when my salt gets low in my softener my dishes start looking cloudy with Cascade and other store brands. The only way I can get the residue off is to put a bowl in the bottom of the dishwasher filled with vinegar and run the load through as normal. The cloudiness disappears and the dishes sparkle once again. If this doesn’t work I would guess you have etching issues.
There was a report on TV this week about people having problems with a cloudy film on their dishes. I was not able to hear the program but started searching the internet for the solution. I had never made my own dishwasher powder and have used Cascade for years. After buying a new box at Sams Wholesale a few weeks ago I have had film on my dishes everysince. I tried cleaning my dishwasher with CLR and then with vinigar and had no improvement with either. I was on the verge of getting a new dishwasher (mine is only 23 years old and have never had a problem with it until now) when I started reading the internet for a solution and found the articles about making your own dishwasher powder. The Citric Acid ingredient struck me because I do use lemon for a lot of things in cooking as well as cleaning. I did not have Citric Acid in the cabinet nor dis I have Kool-Aid. What I did have was Crystal Lite Lemonade with Strawberries. I opened the tube (the one used for adding to bottled water) and dumped it in the dishwasher along with my Cascade and my dishes came out sparkling clean. I am now in the process of making my own dishwasher powder.
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
I have not used the homemade recipe yet. The white residue in my dishwasher is the reason I am even exploring homemade recipes. So, based on my experience, I would reason that it is the dishwasher causing the problem and not the detergent. Our dishwasher is 3 years old. I have hated it since day 1! It works nowhere near as well as our old one which was ancient! I think it has something to do with the lesser amount of water it uses to be “economical”. Yeah right! My personal opionion.
Anyway, the detergents I currently use are causing a white residue to clog the jets and soap dispenser. It cakes up so much that the dispenser sticks and won’t open. We have tried adding vinegar to clean it. I have even scrubbed it with vinegar and other cleaners to no avail. The only thing that has worked is running a complete cycle with CLR. I don’t like it, but that is the only thing that has worked.
So, now I’m looking for an alternative to commercial crudy detergent. My husband said he saw a report on tv that said detergent companies had to take out a key ingredient and that is why they aren’t working properly anymore.
After reading the comments here and seeing that others are having the same problem even with the homemade detergent, I feel like the problem is with my dishwasher so I think I will try using vinegar alone for washing dishes and just see how that works.
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.
You are correct about animals and most of them not having the ability to burp. One sure fire easy way to kill mice and rats is to set out a cup of your favorite sugary fizzy pop/soda. They will find it drink it and die because they can not burp upthe carbination. As for not ingesting vinager.. then the senior citizen center I worked for shouldn’t be setting it out when any greens were served for lunch.
I put a pod of Cascade (whatever I have in the silverware bin for prewash and a Cascade Platinum in the detergent compartment of a 21-year-old GE dishwasher and never get film and always perfectly clean dishes. I’ve got other s**t to worry about. I do preheat the water by running the hot tap at the kitchen sink and I leave the hot water just barely trickling once it’s running so it’s super hot for the duration. Also, any rinse aid in that reservoir – using Cascade rinse aid at the moment. Paying for peace of mind, I suppose.
Ashey (Ashley?), just don’t use Diet Coke. I worked at Coca-Cola and at restaurants that had our fountain drinks (a bag of syrup in a box away from the soda fountain), the rats would eat through all of the syrup lines except for one – Diet Coke. That’s all I drank when there was only New Coke back in the 80s, but now I figure that if 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙨 won’t consume it, I’m good.
Results may vary.
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.
Hope this helps.
🙂 Wendy
This could easily explain why some people have sporadic successes mixed with failures using the same dishwasher/detergent combination. The success/failure of the detergent could be determined by whether or not you have hot water in the pipes when you turn on the dishwasher. It’s worth testing the theory.
Great observation, Wendy Ray
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.
I tried adding the citric acid, to no avail. 🙁
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.