Frugal & Eco-friendly Dishwasher Detergent

7 Apr

Hi everyone and Happy April!

This month I’m going to try another home made experiment from all natural ingredients; this time for dishwasher detergent. My Mom actually actually showed this one to me! (Thanks Mom!)

There are 4 simple ingredients:

  • Borax: I purchased mine online at well.ca but it is available at most natural food stores. Make sure to store in a safe place away from your children.  (1 cup)
  • Washing Soda: available at some grocery stores and all natural food stores. I got mine at Kardish. (1 cup)
  • Kosher Salt: available at the grocery store. (1/2 cup)
  • Citric Acid: available at some grocery stores and all natural food stores. I got a bag at Kardish for about $1.50, enough to make two batches of this dishwasher detergent. (1/2 cup)
All you do is mix everything together in a large mason jar with a tight fitting lid.

I made this  3 cup batch of detergent for about $4.78. With approximately 48 tbsp in three cups, that works out to almost 10 cents per load. Not bad!

I’ll keep you posted on how our dishes turn out. The first load will be running later tonight!

Until next time!
The OMP

3 Responses to “Frugal & Eco-friendly Dishwasher Detergent”

  1. andrea tomkins (@missfish) April 22, 2012 at 12:31 pm #

    So how did it turn out? 🙂 I just bought a box of dishwasher detergent and I remembered yet again how much i hate the stuff. I think as I’m getting older I am developing sensitivities to heavily-scented products. Also: it’s expensive stuff! I’d love to be able to make my own alternative!

    Reply
    • ottawamommyproject April 22, 2012 at 12:49 pm #

      Hi Andrea:
      I was typing in my results as you were sending me a comment. Wow – we must be on the same wavelength this morning 🙂 Results were very good here. I threw a little vinegar in the rinse section which worked wonders. If you have any questions on where to get the ingredients around Ottawa please let me know. Also – please read my comment about the mason jar! It is a must to keep it in powder form.

      Overall success!

      Thanks for commenting!
      Heather

      Reply
  2. ottawamommyproject April 22, 2012 at 12:46 pm #

    Hi Everyone!
    We’ve been using the new dishwasher detergent since April 7 without any complaints! My Mom says the dishes have never been so shiny! Once you have the ingredients, this mix is so easy to whip up. One suggestion from me is to store it in a tall mason jar with an air tight lid. I’m using a large tin for mine, and it has dried up due to being exposed to air. I kind of have to scrape it out, which is no big deal, but next time I will use a mason jar.

    Good luck and let me know if you have any success with this!

    Reply

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