Can’t find a dishwasher detergent that works…
Have you tried a homemade dishwasher detergent?
When we moved to the hill country, every dishwasher detergent I tried, even those with a co*cktail of chemicals, didn’t work!
Most powder detergents left food on our dishes or gunky chalk-like powder in the dispenser. As for the dishwasher pods, I would find each stuck in the dispenser unchanged or with a small hole in the lining, and all of the dishes would still be dirty!
When I tried liquid dishwasher soap, I found it to be messy and always left the glass disgustingly cloudy.
After years, yes, years of trying to find a dishwasher detergent that worked, I discovered something.
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Ever heard of phosphates?
Phosphates have been used for decades to rinse away hard water deposits, resulting in crystal-clear glass and a super-clean wash. Search the Environmental Working Group, and you’ll find six pages of studies and reports warning you about the use of phosphates.
It turns out nearly two dozen states have banned the use of phosphates in detergents. Sadly, they were banned not for our health concerns but for the issues they cause in our waterways. Not that isn’t a major problem, either. Sometimes, I wonder what wildlife will be left when my daughter is my age.
Guess what?
Thankfully, many manufacturers have switched to citric acid, a natural cleaning agent, to deliver the same great results without harming our waterways or our health!
Found abundantly in lemons and limes, citric acid is incredibly helpful at removing calcium deposits, hard water stains, lime, rust, and soap scum. I use it to get our clothes clean and scrub our sink.
Related: 6 Cleaners to Stop Buying
If you’re tired of spending money on dishwasher detergents that don’t work – then make one!
You may have noticed there are quite a few dishwasher detergent recipes out there. I can attest that this zero-waste DIY dishwasher detergent not only works but is also easy to make!
Even my husband was shocked at how well this homemade dishwasher detergent without borax actually worked. He’s even made it a few times when our jar on the kitchen counter went empty!
How do you make dishwasher detergent without borax?
All you need are a few green living staples that are natural cleaning agents like citric acid. I cover natural cleaning agents in more depth in my book No Nonsense Natural Bathroom Cleaning Methods. I’ll quickly point out the ingredients of this homemade dishwasher detergent.
Washing Soda
What it is: Washing soda, also known as sodium carbonate, is extremely alkaline. It’s actually a PH regulator that helps break down food and grease – in addition to softening the water.
The Purpose: Not only does it work as a solvent or water softener to degrease and lift stains, but it also helps avoid mineral deposits and reduce spots, leaving your glassware sparkly clean.
And get this—washing soda is 50% more effective than borax at cleaning and water-softening!
Citric Acid
What it is: A natural crystalline acid found in citrus fruits like lemons, it is antibacterial and antiseptic.
The Purpose: This natural cleaning agent helps release stuck-on food and lift coffee and tea stains off dishes. Citric acid is additionally effective at keeping mineral deposits off dishes and out of dishwashers.
Baking Soda
What it is: Also known as sodium bicarbonate, baking soda is a naturally occurring substance—best known for its use as a scoring agent and odor absorber.
The Purpose: I include it in homemade dishwasher detergent to fight against grime, grease, and odors. This clean agent alone is a must-have for your cleaning arsenal!
Table Salt
What it is: Hmm, let me think… Ha Ha, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride. It’s either mined from mineral halite and rock salt or evaporated from seawater.
The Purpose: Salt softens the water, including hard water deposits, and reduces spotting on glassware.
Essential Oils
What it is: Antibacterial and antimicrobial in nature, essential oils for cleaning cut through grease for cleaner dishes.
The Purpose: Outside of their cleaning power, essential oils add a natural, non-toxic scent, keeping your dishwasher smelling clean.
You might be wondering can you put essential oils in the dishwasher. What about the dishwasher’s plastic parts? First off, dishwashers have little plastic these days and are normally stainless inside and out.
Secondly, we’re talking about a few teaspoons of essential oil mixed into cups of other ingredients. The minimal amount in the mixture is scooped into ONE tablespoon and added to the dishwasher, which will be diluted into several GALLONS of water. Yeah, we’re good. It’s safe to include essential oils!
Some of my favorites to use for essential oil dishwasher detergent are:
Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Benefits:
Why wait? Look at all of the benefits of using a homemade dishwasher detergent!
- The use of natural ingredients means you don’t need to worry about chemical residue on your dishes
- It’s inexpensive compared to commercial dishwasher detergents
- Takes 5 minutes or less to make
- Cut through grease and stuck-on food
- Removes stains like coffee and tea from dishes
- More effective than commercial dishwasher detergents
- Makes glasses sparkling and spot-free
- Zero waste remedy to wash dishes without creating waste
- Provides a fresh, bright scent without chemical fragrances
- Can be made with only a handful of ingredients
Find more essential oil and cleaning resources in the Simple Living Library and shop my favorite sustainable cleaning supplies.
How To Use Homemade Dishwasher Detergent:
Scoop one tablespoon of this natural dishwashing powder into the detergent compartment per one load of dishes.
What about a rinse aid? Is a rinse aid necessary in the dishwasher?
Water spots are actually one of the most common complaints about dishwasher use. And this oftentimes has a lot to do with drying. You can open your dishwasher when it’s finished and dry with a towel (the most energy-saving method).
Or you can set the dishes for a drying cycle at the end to avoid water spots.
On the other hand, cloudiness in glassware is caused by hard water deposits. For those of us with very hard water, you may need to use a rinse aid. I have two natural options for you.
- Using Vinegar as a Rinse Aid: Place a small glass bowl on the top rack and fill it with a tablespoon or two of distilled vinegar. This will knock out cloudiness and avoid damaging rubber components in your dishwasher.
- Make a DIY Rinse Aid: 3% Hydrogen peroxide is a very weak acid and safe to use in the rinse aid compartment of your dishwasher. I like to add 10 to 15 drops of essential oil, such as lemon or lavender, to one cup of hydrogen peroxide. Store this DIY rinse aid in a handy glass, airtight bottle, and fill the rinse aid compartment once every 30 days.
Generally, if you’re not experiencing cloudy glassware or seeing water spots, then you can totally skip it.
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What’s not to love?
This recipe for a homemade dishwasher detergent is made from simple, non-toxic ingredients that will keep your dishes clean and sparkly. That’s right – hard water deposits and grease are no problem for this easy dishwasher detergent and DIY rinse aid. And who doesn’t love that each is a zero-waste hack?
Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Ingredients:
- 1 cup super washing soda
- ½ teaspoon rosemary essential oil
- ½ cup table salt
- 1 cup citric acid
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1 teaspoon lemon essential oil
Recipe Makes 56 Loads
How to Make Dishwasher Detergent:
In a medium glass bowl, combine one cup of super washing soda, one cup of baking soda, one cup of citric acid, and half a cup of table salt. Stir thoroughly to combine. Washing soda is the heavier of the three and will sit on the bottom unless you stir well.
Next, add 1 teaspoon of lemon essential oil and half a teaspoon of rosemary essential oil (or the combination of essential oils recommended above). Stir again to distribute the oils, then scoop into an airtight jar.
Did you make this?
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Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
Yield: 56 loads
Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
This recipe for an all-natural homemade dishwasher detergent is made from simple, non-toxic ingredients that will keep your dishes clean and sparkly.
Materials
- 1 cup super washing soda
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1 cup citric acid
- ½ cup table salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon essential oil
- ½ teaspoon rosemary essential oil
- 1 medium glass airtight jar
Instructions
- In a medium glass bowl combine one cup of super washing soda, one cup of baking soda, one cup of citric acid, and half a cup of table salt. Stir thoroughly to combine.
- Next, add 1 teaspoon of lemon essential oil and half a teaspoon of rosemary essential oil. Stir again to distribute oils and scoop into an airtight jar.
Notes
- Super washing soda is the heavier of the three and will sit on the bottom unless you stir well.
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Pin these simple dishwasher detergent and easy rinse aid to keep your dishes clean—tag #lifenreflection onInstagramto share your dishwashing tips with us.
