Photo by misterkrista
Ridding your life of chemicals doesn’t just apply to the lotions you put on your skin or the food you put in your mouth. If you want to make your home as natural as possible, consider the things you come into contact with every day. The convenience of a dishwasher is nice, but all too often the cleaning agents you put in that dishwasher can coat your plates and glasses with unwanted and unpleasant chemicals. Instead of purchasing dishwashing fluid, why not make your own dishwasher tabs with items you may already have around the house?
Ingredients in Your Cupboard
To start, gather the following items:
1 c washing soda (such as Arm & Hammer)
1 c baking soda
3 packages unsweetened lemonade mix
1 c kosher salt
1 c water
The lemonade mix may seem like a strange addition, but it contributes a nice, clean scent and added antibacterial cleaning power! The kosher salt will help to reduce any hard water build-up you may have, while the baking soda will cut out that pesky grease that can stick to your dishes.
The Simple Process
To begin, mix all ingredients except the water in a large bowl with a spoon. One of the great things about this recipe is that you could use it already at this stage – just put it in the dishwasher as powdered detergent! However, if you like the convenience of detergent tabs, read on.
To make tabs, add the water (watch it fizz!) and wait until it’s done bubbling, which should take anywhere from one to two minutes. Once it looks like very wet sand, spoon it into ice cube trays and press it down into each segment until it is packed very firmly. Allow them to dry in the sun for about a full 24-hour day. Then, crack the trays as you typically would with ice and store the “cubes” in an air-tight container.
How to Use Homemade Detergent
To use your cubes, simply add a tablet to your dishwasher detergent compartment! For additional, natural cleaning power, pour a little white vinegar in the rinse aid compartment as well.
Countless Benefits
The benefits of making your own dishwasher detergent go beyond simply natural living. It also will save you money in the long run! While buying detergent tabs could run you about fifteen cents a load as its cheapest, using these babies could be as cheap as $0.03 each. Now that’s a deal worth making!
