How a Skeptic does DIY Dishwasher Detergent

The dishwasher is such a blessing to struggling homemakers.  It cuts down time spent standing at the sink.  But…dishwasher detergent is another one of those products that is expensive when you calculate how often you purchase it!

I am a skeptic when it comes to most DIY cleaning recipes.

Those I share on this blog are those that I believe work just as well, if not better (i.e. diy tub and tile cleaner, diy carpet freshener, diy all purpose cleaning spray).  I haven’t written about my distaste for vinegar/baking soda/dawn floor cleaning solution.  I find that it leaves a film on our home’s old vinyl kitchen floor and leaves the tile in the bathroom too slick.

I may have mentioned in my how to clean stinky gym clothes post that the vinegar/conditioner as a DIY fabric softener was a no-go for me.   I also didn’t like baking soda/water/fabric softener as a “Febreze.”

The dishwasher cleans utensils that we put in our mouths and plates that we eat off of so my confidence in homemade dishwasher detergents doesn’t last long.

I tried the 2 ingredient DIY dishwasher detergent recipe.  I saw many blogs with the recipe and finally tried it at the urging of a friend.  Two drops of dish soap and 1 drop of lemon essential oil.  Simple.  It actually did a pretty decent job of cleaning my dishes.

After a few washes, I started getting the nagging feeling that two drops of Dawn was not enough to handwash three plates let alone a whole load.

Also, what about “germ cleaning” power of the bleach in the store bought dishwasher soap?

Once I started questioning it, I lost faith.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience.

I added deep cleaning the dishwasher to my spring cleaning routine this year.  I bought lemishine dishwasher cleaner and followed the instructions to clean my dishwasher.  I was amazed at the difference that cleaning it made on the dishwashers efficiency.

I have been seeing recipes for DIY dishwasher detergent using citric acid or lemon koolaid with baking soda and borax all over the web.

I ended up using this recipe:

• 1 cup borax*
• 1 cup washing soda
• 1/2 c kosher sea salt
• 4 packets unsweetened lemon kool aid powder

I poured the above in a recycled spaghetti sauce jar and vigorously shook it until it was well mixed.

I tried the detergent and found that it did a great job but my glasses were not as spot-less as they were with the Dawn and lemon essential oil.

So I started filling the dishwasher detergent compartment with a scoop of the dishwasher powder and then I added two drops of Dawn and 1 drop of lemon essential oil.  Overkill?  Maybe but it is still MUCH cheaper than the dishwasher detergent and I feel confident that my dishes are clean.  Well confident enough that I only use the store bought detergent once a month or so!

I modge podged a pretty yellow strip of scrapbook paper and a label to my jar so that it looks pretty on the counter. I did the same thing with this princess hair tie holder and I love the look!

Have you tried DIY Dishwasher Detergent?  How did it work for you?  I would love to hear about it in the comments.

If you are interested in how essential oils fit into my practical life, click here. 

 *Are you concerned about using borax?  I was too but found this article informative.