Liquid Dishwasher Detergent

TRushforth's Note:

I searched for a long time and couldn't find a good liquid dishwasher detergent recipe, so I played around and invented this one. It was inspired by the many powdered detergent recipes. It rinses well, but if you have hard water, you might want to use some vinegar in the rinse cycle.

• Total Time: 5 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 16

• 1 cup baking soda
• 1 cup borax
• 1 cup water
• 2 -3 drops lemon essential oils (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix baking soda, borax, and water until dissolved.
2. Store in a jar or a squeeze bottle.
3. Use 2-3 tablespoons per load.

Reviews

[Chef #978623]

I had the same problem "evewitch" had. I tried it several times, but it still left that film on all things plastic and onmy glasses. My plates and cereal bowls came out good though, as well. I do use this same sort of mixture in the laundry and it does work really well for that though.

[evewitch]

My militant, eco-friendly, anti-establishment, anti-packaging self really wanted this to work as well or better than the commercial stuff. However, no matter which setting or cycle I used, it left a film on plastic, nonstick surfaces, and my rough-textured metal silverware and measuring cups. It did much better on my plates and smooth metal, but still left a few spots even with vinegar for rinse aid. (The vinegar works fine with commercial dishwasher detergent.) If all of your dishes and utensils are made of the right materials this might be a good alternative for you. It simply did not work for me.

[atlfitgirl]

I ran out of liquid detergent one day and I found this basic recipe on the web. I didn't really like the powdered version either and decided to add the water to it. So much better! I also like to add the essential oils and vinegar to the rinse cycle... really makes the dishes squeaky clean...not to mention really freshens up the dishwasher! Thanks for sharing a great tip!