DIY DISHWASHER SOAP

Since phosphorous was banned in NY as an ingredient in dishwasher detergents (and many other states as well) I have wanted to start making my own automatic dishwasher soap.  Banning phosphorous was good for the environment, but not good when it came to getting clean dishes.  So why bother buying the soaps when I can make it myself and get the same, if not better, results for less money? Well, I finally did it!  It is a simple recipe, and though I am not thrilled about using Borax, I already had it in the closet so I chose to use a recipe that included it.  I still don't use it in my DIY Laundry Soap, but considering the fact that the dishes have a final extra high temperature rinse, I tried the recipe with Borax and it was a success! This works really well so until I find a better DIY alternative and or run out of Borax, it's the recipe I will be using!

Recipe:

• 2 cups Borax
  
• 2 cups Washing Soda
  
• 1 cup Citric Acid
  
• 1 cup Salt

Rice in cheesecloth.

Close it with a twist tie.

Directions:
Warning: Do not inhale any of the powdered dust that is created.  I recommend wearing a dust mask as you make it.  FYI - this is true for ALL powdered dishwasher soaps!  Check out the MSDS for Powdered Cascade.

• Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
  
• Make a small bag of rice using cheesecloth to use as a desiccant in the container (see pictures above).  Put it the bottom of the container (I used an old vanilla creamer container) and then pour in the powder mixture.  
  
• Use one tablespoon per load (I just fill the compartment in the dishwasher about half-way.).
  
• The recipe makes 48 oz, enough to do about 96 loads if you measure exactly.

Cost Effectiveness:

• Cascade Powdered Dishwasher Detergent costs $8.85 for a 75 oz. box at Stop and Shop.  If used according to the directions, I would get about 40 loads per box at a cost of .22 cents per load.
  
• DIY detergent above cost .09 cents per load.  If I do one load per day I will save about $47.00 per year.  Not a big difference but good enough for me, especially when I combine that savings with all the other ways that I save money every day😊.

For Additional Information:
I found this after I made the soap above.  It has some very useful information about the different ingredients that go into making DIY Dishwasher Soap and how to correct a few problems you might have with respect to your dishes getting clean or not.  10 Things You Should Know Before Making Homemade Dishwasher Detergent.