Easy, effective, and cheap, homemade dishwasher detergent will be your new favorite DIY! It only takes 5 minutes to make and uses just 4 simple, clean ingredients.
Reducing household toxins and saving money are two of my biggest goals around the house, but they often don’t go together. Healthy non-toxic items are typically so much more expensive than the standard versions, so I have to work hard to balance health and finances.
When I find a healthy product or clean DIY that’s actually affordable (like homemade hand sanitizer or homemade laundry detergent), I’m so excited. That’s why I love this simple dishwasher detergent! It’s not only made with natural ingredients, but it’s far cheaper than any other clean dishwasher detergent I’ve found.
Why You’ll Love this DIY
Quick and easy – It only takes 5 minutes to make!
Clean ingredients – This dishwasher detergent uses just 4 all-natural ingredients (most of which are often found in food).
Effective – Dishes come out of the dishwasher perfectly cleaned every time!
Money-saving DIY – This dishwasher detergent will save you so much money over time.
Made without borax – There’s lots of opinions regarding if borax is safe to use in dishwasher detergent, so this DIY is made without it,
How Much Money Does It Save?
The price of ingredients and dishwasher detergents are always fluctuating, so it’s impossible to give an exact price comparison that will be relevant for you.
However, based on my figures at the time of writing this post, homemade dishwasher detergent is approximately half the price per ounce of 7th Generation dishwasher powder and slightly less than double the cost per ounce of Cascade dishwasher powder (and made with far superior ingredients).
How to Use
To use, fill up the prewash and main wash dishwasher compartments completely, and run the dishwasher as usual.
Troubleshooting
Cloudy Dishes
If you have especially hard water, this dishwasher detergent may not be able to remove all of the mineral residue from the dishes which can make them appear cloudy. To resolve this, use white vinegar as a rinse aid in your dishwasher.
You can also slightly increase the amount of salt in the detergent. This will help soften the water.
Dirty Dishes
This dishwasher detergent should clean your dishes very well. If it’s not, check to see if your dishwasher filter needs to be cleaned.
Also, make sure you’re completely filling up the prewash and regular wash dishwasher compartments.
Yes, the ingredients in this dishwasher detergent are much safer than the ingredients in most traditional dishwasher detergents.
Yes, homemade dishwasher detergent does a great job cleaning dishes!
Unlike many standard dishwasher detergents, homemade dishwasher detergent doesn’t contain bleach and doesn’t sanitize the dishes this way. However, if the dirt is removed from dishes, it’s not typically necessary to sanitize them (you don’t sanitize dishes when you’re hand washing).
If you’re concerned about your dishes being sanitized, simply run the dishwasher on the sanitize setting. This setting should kill the bacteria no matter what type of dishwasher detergent you’re using.
Tools You May Need
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Ingredients
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Pour all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
Step 2: Then, pour the mixture into a quart Mason jar or whatever container you would like to store it in.
If you try this DIY, let me know in the comments! Tag me on Instagram @violet_rightathome
More Clean Living DIYs
Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
Equipment
- Measuring cups
- Mixing spoon
- Quart Mason jar (to store it in)
Materials
- 2 cups washing soda
- 1 cup baking soda
- 3/4 cup citric acid
- 1/4 cup course Kosher salt
Instructions
- Pour all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Place the mixture in a quart Mason jar to store.
Notes
- To use, fill up the prewash and main wash dishwasher compartments completely, and run the dishwasher as usual.
- If your dishes appear cloudy, use white vinegar as a rinse aid to remove hard water residue. You can also slightly increase the amount of salt to help soften the water.
If you love this dishwasher detergent, please make sure to come back and leave a comment and a 5 star rating. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you!
Also, I’d love to have you part of the Right At Home community! Make sure to join my newsletter for all the latest clean eating recipes and clean living tips and DIYs.
We go through tons of dishes, and I use this dishwasher detergent daily. If you have any questions about how it cleans or how to use it, let me know in the comments!