Homemade Dishwasher Detergent: How to Make Your Own Dishwasher Detergent

In today's times, when everything that we need comes with a high price tag, basic household items are no different. Dishwashers, an essential kitchen appliance has gained popularity and is seen in most kitchens these days. The cost of one packet of commercial dishwasher detergent has the capacity to boggle you down. In such conditions, making a dishwasher detergent at home would be a fabulous idea. Homemade dishwasher detergent is extremely easy to make, and the most important thing is that the cost of the ingredients required is much cheaper than the actual detergent available at the market.

Benefits of Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

Apart from the fact that it is quite inexpensive to make a dishwasher detergent at home, it also has some other advantages. For example, the commercial detergents that we buy contain harmful chemicals and also let out chlorine gas which can be harmful for the environment. However, when one makes dishwasher detergent at home, it is free from chemicals and so is said to be environment friendly. Other than this, the function it performs is similar to the commercial detergents. You would find no difference between dishes washed by detergent bought from a supermarket and that which you make at home.

How to Make Your Own Dishwasher Detergent?

The process of making homemade dishwasher detergent is very simple and would not take much of your time. The things that you need to make a dishwasher detergent include-

• Washing Soda
• Borax (cleansing agent)

To make the dishwasher detergent, all you have to do is to take equal amounts of borax and washing soda, and mix them together. The amount of ingredients you should use would depend upon how much detergent you want. It would be beneficial to make a large amount of detergent and store it in an air-tight container.

When you fill the dishwasher with a load of dishes, add two to three tablespoons of this detergent into the dispenser. If you are using hard water, an extra spoon of detergent would be required. To avoid water spots on the dishes after washing them, it is necessary to add a little bit of distilled white vinegar into the anti-spotting dispenser.

How to Make Detergent Soap?

If you do not have a dishwasher and do the dishes yourself, just like the homemade dishwasher detergent, it is also possible to make homemade dish soap. The ingredients required to make this are-

• ¼ cup water
• 1 cup liquid castile soap
• drop of essential oil

To make homemade dish soap, first take a plastic or a glass bottle and fill it with water. Add a cup of castile soap in it, and with an eye-dropper put in a drop of essential oil. Close the lid of the bottle tightly and shake it vigorously.

There also some other methods of making homemade dish soap. One method would be by using soap flakes. Take warm water in a large bowl and add soap flakes in it. Keep it on the gas burner on a low flame and stir till all the snow flakes get dissolved completely. Once this is done, put in some glycerin and switch off the flame. After the mixture is completely cooled, pour in white vinegar, 4 ounces of lemon juice and 4 - 5 drops of your favorite essential oil. Transfer the solution into a bottle, tightly shut it with a lid and shake before using.

Another method to make dish soap is by using a bar of soap. In a bucket, with a razor, cut the soap into pieces. Soak the bucket with two to three cups of water for three hours. Once the soap pieces soften, squeeze and stir till all the soap pieces are diluted completely. Pour it in a bottle and shake well.

By now you must have got a clear idea about how to make your own dishwasher detergent. Making dishwasher detergent and dish soap at home requires very less effort and is also a good way of saving money.