If you’re tired of paying high prices for a dishwasher soap, this homemade dishwasher soap is the answer! With all-natural ingredients, this budget friendly homemade cleaning recipe is easy to make and cleans your dishes better than any store bought dishwasher soap ever could! Make it today and you’ll see!
Dishes. I despise them. If I could afford to simply toss them all and start over at the end of each day, my days would be so much simpler. Actually, it’s a toss up between dishes and laundry, but I digress.
Don’t ask me why I hate dishes so much. Maybe it’s my ADHD, but the thought of standing there washing them just drives me nuts. That’s why I am so grateful I have a dishwasher.
What I don’t like though is the absolutely ridiculous cost of dishwasher detergent. Have you priced it lately? It’s nuts!
Of course you have. Why else would you be on this post?
This homemade dishwasher detergent works just as well as the more expensive stuff but is so much cheaper to make and of all the homemade cleaning products I make, it’s one of my favorites. Hands down! You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to clean dishes with!
Can You Make Homemade Dishwasher Detergent?
Yes! Making homemade dishwasher detergent is not only safer for your family as it has fewer chemicals, but it is cheaper! You can make several batches of this recipe for less than the cost of one package of the store bought stuff.
I do want to add a caveat though; this DIY liquid dishwasher soap is not manufacturer approved. Because of this, if your machine is still under warranty, it may void that. I would call the manufacturer to be sure if you aren’t.
How to Make Homemade Liquid Dishwasher Detergent
This homemade dishwasher detergent recipe uses lemon essential oil. Lemon is not only pleasant smelling, but it also has disinfecting properties that can help kill germs on your dishes and in your dishwasher. If you aren’t fond of lemon, you can use any citrus essential oil in it’s place. Grapefruit essential oil or sweet orange essential oil would both work well as substitutes.
When this recipe was first created, it was one of the first 52 things I stopped buying to make homemade. Originally the recipe called for lemon juice, but in the time since I originally started making it, I have changed that to lemon essential oil.
I feel like using actual lemon juice creates a product that is too watery far too often so you’re left up in the air as to whether your detergent will actually turn out or not. If you would like to use lemon juice, I have included those instructions as well.
The Difference Between Baking Soda and Washing Soda
This DIY dishwasher detergent uses washing soda. Please do not confuse this product with baking soda. Washing soda is not baking soda. It is an entirely different product. If you are trying to find it in stores, it is usually in the laundry detergent aisle near the Borax. If you still can’t find it, look near the top of bottom shelves since it can sometimes be placed out of the line of sight.
Does Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Really Work?
Yes! Because of the soap ingredients, this DIY dishwasher detergent will absolutely get your dishes clean! Whether it’s a bowl or something as simple as a form, your dishes will sparkle.
Now, keep in mind, this is not a rinse agent. If you prefer to use one, you’ll need to either make a DIY dishwasher rinse agent recipe such as THIS one or buy JetDry.
Tips for Making Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
Castile soap can be expensive if you don’t buy it in the right place. I personally prefer to buy my Castile soap – and my essential oils – from Simply Earth. It’s a great price and I know the purity levels are triple verified so there is no need to worry. Check it out HERE.
If you have hard water, you may want to consider adding citric acid like THIS to your mixture. It will help keep that white film from appearing on your glassware and clean your dishwasher a bit as well. If using it, add it to the mixture when you add the Borax powder. Just be sure that your citric acid is food grade before you use it.
Another tip is to make certain you’re using a wire whisk like THIS when stirring. This will help to break up any clumps that spoons can leave behind. Clumps will keep your load of dishes from getting truly clean.
If after making your homemade dishwasher soap, you find that your soap is too thin, you can thicken it by making a salt water solution. Add .5 oz regular table salt to 1.5 oz warm distilled water and stir until it is dissolved. Then, in very small amounts (1 ml or less), add to your soap and stir. Continue adding the salt water solution to your soap until you’ve got the consistency that you want.
How to Use Homemade Dishwasher Soap
To use for running a dishwasher, add 1-2 tablespoons of the soap mixture to your dishwashers detergent compartment and wash like normal.
This homemade dishwasher soap can also be used for hand washing dishes. Fill your sink 1/4 with water, add the soap then continue running your dishwater like normal. Wash and rinse well.
Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
Equipment
- Heavy Bottom Pot
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Dry Measuring Cups
- Wire Whisk
- Quart canning jars
- Dry Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 10-15 drops Lemon essential oil or 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¾ cup Super Washing Soda
- ½ cup Borax
- ¼ cup Liquid unscented Castile soap
- 4 cups Water
Instructions
- Place water in a large heavy bottomed pot and heat on medium-high heat until it boils.
- Stir the washing soda into the boiling water with a wire whisk. Reduce the heat and allow the mixture to cool for a minute or two.
- Add the Borax and stir until it is fully dissolved. Once the Borax has fully dissolved, add the liquid Castile soap.
- Once the washing soda and borax are dissolved, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes making sure you whisk it often.
- If you are using lemon juice, add the 2 TBSP lemon juice now and whisk it into the mixture. Do not add essential oils yet if you are using them.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
- Once mixture has cooled and sat overnight, add essential oils.
- Pour mixture into mason jars and shake to combine well.
Notes
- If after making your homemade dishwasher soap, you find that your soap is too thin, you can thicken it by making a salt water solution. Add .5 oz regular table salt to 1.5 oz warm distilled water and stir until it is dissolved. Then, in very small amounts (1 ml or less), add to your soap and stir. Continue adding the salt water solution to your soap until you’ve got the consistency that you want.
How to Use Your Homemade Dishwasher Soap
To use for running a dishwasher, add 1-2 tablespoons of the soap mixture to your dishwasher and wash like normal. This homemade dishwasher soap can also be used for hand washing dishes. Fill your sink 1/4 with water, add the soap then continue running your dishwater like normal. Wash and rinse well.
