Yes, I’m at it again.
What can I say…the high from making my own laundry detergent {and having tons of borax and washing soda left over} propelled me to figure out how to make my own dishwasher detergent.
I’m cheap thrifty like that.
As the economy gets tighter and the cost of living goes up…enter a group of smart women who get more creative and resourceful to boot.
{I’m totally making a superhero cape, just so you know}
I did the research and am back to declare…”it’s so easy you’ll kick yourself”. Or something.
So here you go…the {deliciously simply} recipe for dishwasher detergent {drum roll, please}, featuring the very same stars as the laundry detergent:
1 part 20 Mule Team Borax
1 part Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
Combine the powders in a large bowl and mix well {breaking apart any clumps you come across}. Transfer the detergent to an airtight container {I used an old apple sauce jar}, and use just 1 tbsp of mixture per load.
You can use distilled vinegar for an added sparkle, simply add during your rinse cycle {or fill your machine’s clear rinse gel dispenser}.
If you want to live on the edge, add equal parts sea salt to the bowl {I didn’t simply because I don’t have any…and I’m far too attached to my kosher salt to let it dissolve in the dishwasher}, and…if you’re a sucker for a lemon scent…I “heard” you can get away with adding a couple envelopes of unsweetened lemon drink mix to the concoction. I frankly don’t care what it smells like {although hot chocolate would be nice}…but please, don’t hold back…you go wild!
if you happen to be a dork like me and know you’ll be more apt to enjoy doing the dishes if your detergent bottle is pretty…
Right click on the image below, save it, open it in Microsoft Word/Publisher, edit it to the size you want… and print it out on cardstock.
Voila! Pretty jar. Cheap detergent. World changer.
{I adhered mine with superglue, but hey…I’m a little excessive}
Don’t you just love saving money?!?
Cha ching!
