We have previously discussed homemade laundry detergent here on the blog and I guess that is why I was intrigued by Money Saving Mom’s article on Homemade Dishwashing Detergent. I immediately wondered about the cost efficiency of such since I have a stockpile of dishwashing detergent for which I paid pennies on the dollar.
If you want to see the recipe and judge for yourself, visit her HERE.
I make my own with the very same recipe except sometimes I use Lemi Shine for the citric acid. (You can even use KoolAid Lemonade in the little packets instead of citric acid for even more cost savings.) For me it’s cost effective but I already have the borax & washing soda b/c I make my own laundry detergent. It works really well on our hard water & is much better for the environment than most detergents.
Just curious about the people who have trouble with the homemade dish soap turning hard…. where are you storing it? I would think that keeping it under the kichen sink might be too humid, and this could be causing the problem??? I have used citric acid in other products and noticed a difference in consistancy depending on where it was stored.
Good question, Carla. I personally have not made my own dishwashing detergent but need to try it. (I actually forgot about this post until your comment came through!) Hopefully, another reader can help. I will also post this question to our Facebook wall.
I’ve made both homemade dishwasher detergent and homemade laundry soap, but have gone back to purchasing commercial products. For me, the dishwasher detergent did not get my dishes clean even though we have a water softener. And my skin is too sensitive for borax in my laundry. I’d prefer making my own, but can’t find an acceptable solution for my extraordinarily sensitive skin.
Some people have had success with this type of dishwasher detergent. Unfortunately, I have not. My water is very hard (I really need to get a filter, as my pipes keep getting clogged with calcium deposits) and my dishes do not get clean unless I use the packets. I try to buy them on sale and with coupons, but sometimes that doesn’t work out. We go through a lot. We do 2 – 3 loads a day. I was able to get some this past week at Winn-Dixie on fuel perks. 🙂 Oh, and be careful what you put in the dishwasher using this as it has salt and it etched one of my gold plated forks. I know, your not supposed to put those in. I don’t have a set, it was just an odd piece, so it didn’t matter much. I really wish I could make my own. I’ve thought a lot about it and want to try a liquid version. I finally found one (the recipe was for dish detergent, but I want to try it in the dishwasher) I want to try (on pinterest) which is very similar to the liquid laundry detergent I already make. If I ever get around to making it, I’ll let you know how it turns out.