I\u2019ve posted a lot of recipes for DIY homemade cleaners<\/a>, but dishwasher detergent was one I had trouble figuring out. After a little more digging, I finally figured out the secret! This homemade dishwasher detergent recipe uses natural ingredients to help you save money and get dirty dishes squeaky clean.<\/p>\n I\u2019d experimented with a lot of dishwasher powder recipes, but all of them left a little residue, especially on glassware. I wasn\u2019t sure if I had too much of something or if I was missing an ingredient that would make it more effective.<\/p>\n Thanks to a little tip on Pinterest<\/a>, I figured out the missing ingredient was citric acid. Even better, I already had some on hand from making bath bombs<\/a> so I gave it a try. The result was clean, shiny dishes without residue buildup or grime.<\/p>\n As the name implies, citric acid is an acid and is naturally found in lemon juice. Adding fresh lemon juice to your homemade dishwasher detergent though isn\u2019t really practical since it decreases the shelf life. For those with hard water (especially if you don\u2019t have a water softener) citric acid provides natural cleaning power to beat filmy dish residue.<\/p>\n Most citric acid comes from fermented GMO-corn, so it\u2019s important to check your source. The citric acid I use is food-grade, non-GMO, and fermented from cane sugar. Vinegar is made by using natural microbes to ferment fruit sugar (like apples) into acetic acid. Citric acid is made in much the same way as vinegar, except the end result of fermentation is citric acid. <\/p>\n I combine the citric acid with the rest of the ingredients and put the whole thing in the detergent compartment. Some people find though that it works best separately as a rinse aid. In this case, put a tablespoon of citric acid powder in the rinse aid compartment of your dishwasher.<\/p>\n Some people instead use vinegar in the liquid rinse dispenser or in a bowl in the top rack of the dishwasher. Over time though the white vinegar <\/a>can break down the rubber gaskets and hoses in your dishwasher.<\/p>\n While the natural acidity of the citric acid prevents a film, the other ingredients in this homemade detergent help clean dishes.<\/p>\n Washing soda, the main ingredient here, raises water pH and helps soften water. It also removes stains and grease and works as a cleaning agent. Most store-bought detergents include it in their soap recipe so you\u2019ll often see it on the label as sodium carbonate. You can even make it yourself from baking soda.<\/a><\/p>\n I\u2019ve also added salt to the recipe which also helps clean and soften water. Most recipes call for Kosher salt since it\u2019s pure sodium chloride without any other minerals. I haven\u2019t had a problem using regular sea salt though.<\/p>\n The final ingredient in this dishwasher blend is borax, which has been the center of some online debate. In my opinion,<\/a> borax is very much on the low end of the scale when it comes to the potential toxicity of chemicals in cleaning products. It\u2019s a naturally occurring ingredient that I feel comfortable using in my cleaning recipes.<\/p>\nPowdered Dishwasher Detergent<\/h2>\n
The Magical Ingredient<\/h3>\n
How Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Works<\/h3>\n
Much Ado\u2026<\/h3>\n
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