Does anyone have a recipe for homemade dishwasher soap? Preferably a powdered version.
Linda
(title)RE: Homemade Dishwasher Soap?(/title)
Here's some tips from the Dollar Stretcher:
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/02/02dec09b.cfm
Basically it is one part baking soda to one part borax using vinegar for the rinse agent. Another site I read used washing soda instead of baking soda with the borax.
For light loads, use 1 tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled loads, use 2 tablespoons.
I use 1 box baking soda, 1 box cheap powder dish washer soap and 1 box borax mix it all together and put in a covered container works great!
Carole from Maine
I've tried the baking soda/borax mix with no success, I always have residue. I've tried vinegar in the Jet Dri cup, vinegar in the tub, vinegar in the rinse cyle, less detergent, etc. and no luck. Does anyone have ideas for getting rid of the residue? The strange thing is that it is selective--a few random things get the residue each time. I'd like to continue using this cheaper, safer alternative, but unless I can solve the residue problem it's back to Cascade.
By Fratze
I found this simple recipe for dishwasher soap at frugal living msn group:
Automatic Dishwasher Powder
"Use 2 tablespoons baking soda and 2 tablespoons borax per load."
truleelee (10/11/2004)
By ThriftyFun
Hi Fratze, maybe your hot water needs to be set at a higher setting? That may help the residue. I don't use my dishwasher much, but if I do, I go down the basement and turn my hot water tank up a few notches. Then when they are done, I turn it back down. Saves on my gas bill. (03/04/2006)
By Mary.
Drat! I still have the residue problem. I'm right there and stuck with Fratze!
This is a terrible blow, just recently cleaned out the motor andreplaced the drain motor, so everything is working mechanically.
Please help! (01/18/2009)
By Jane
AHA! I think I know why our dishes turn out cloudy and with a powdery film all over when we use the Borax and Washing Soda Dishwasher Detergent Recipe.
Well, try this now: Use that 1 Tbsp. of Borax and 1 Tbsp. Washing Soda. This time, mix it with a little water before you put it into the detergent reservoir. Like, in a little cup or something. Try not to get any of this slush on the rim of the door.
No matter what we did, everything came out covered in a stubborn with "powdery looking" residue. I think this is caused by the fact that you are putting dry powder in the reservoir.
The reservoir is not waterproof, so water gets in before the door is opened. In fact, the door can't open easily because powder has become a paste, a lump glued onto the walls of the reservoir." The door opens MUCH LATER than it should. Hence the un-rinsed off residue.
If this doesn't work for you, please make the "gel" recipe and I'm sure that will do the trick! (01/22/2009)
By Jane
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