Homemade dishwashing powder...that *works*!!

[cheles2kids]

This is an excellent recipe & it works every time with no spots...yay!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/user/pinkyhasabrain#p/a/u/2/vnY0vgxFdaM]YouTube - pinkyhasabrain's Channel[/ame]

[divinemsn]

Thanks for sharing. I'm gonna try this recipe as soon as I done with the homemade version I out together using baking soda and borax.

[cheles2kids]

Thanks for sharing. I'm gonna try this recipe as soon as I done with the homemade version I out together using baking soda and borax.

You're very welcome!
I have been researching and reading every recipe that I've been able to come across for the past few years and everybody seems to have some type of problems with them after a few days:
I have spots on my dishes
I have a milky film on my dishes
They just aren't getting clean, etc., etc.

When I saw this recipe it just made sense to me so I thought why not? I already had the 20 mule team borax, washing soda & kosher salt...all I needed to buy was the 4 packs of kool-aide, I figured for a .80 cents I'd give it a shot.
It works like a charm!!

Oh and another thing when she says 1 Tblsp. of it is enough, on this particualr recipe she's right.
I know I've tried several of the homemade laundry detergent recipes (both liquid and powdered) and I've always had to use more than it called for but with this, 1 Tblsp. defiantely is enough!

Oooo but one thing...whatever you do, make sure your hands are dry when you reach into your container to scoop some out...or otherwise it will begin to clump up on you. I think it's the Washing soda.

If you try it, come back and post your review!

[craftypam]

Please note the recipe on the video fails to mention that you need 4 pkgs of koolaid.

[cheles2kids]

Please note the recipe on the video fails to mention that you need 4 pkgs of koolaid.

YES!!! Thank-you for pointing that out Pam, she does make a note during the video that pops up explaining that you do need the *4* packets of kool-aide, I'm glad you thought to mention that though just in case someone misses it!

[Ramona]

Here's a printed version of the same thing, I think, which I had copied and pasted into my WordPad. I'm sorry for not keep the accreditation, so thank you to anonymous:
Dishwasher Detergent:

5 SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

* 1 – 55 ounce box of Arm & Hammer® Super Washing Soda = $3.99 Many people seem to be finding this cheaper than me, I suppose I’ll have to shop around.
* 1 – 76 ounce box of 20 Mule Team® Borax = $4.99 People seem to be finding this much cheaper than me too.
* 1 – 48 ounce box of coarse Kosher Salt = $1.99 I cook with kosher salt as well.
* 1 – 2 ounce container of food-grade Citric Acid = $1.15 You can find this online or at your local brewery or specialty beer store. If you cannot find this you can substitute 10-15 lemon Kool-aid envelopes per batch **the small unsweetened ones**, if you use any other flavor you could easily color the inside of your dishwasher (you need 10-15 envelopes to equal the 1-2oz of straight citric acid.) If you do not use some form of citric acid… you will most likely have the cloudy residue left that most “green” cleaners leave.
* 1 – gallon of White Vinegar = $1.79 Yet another excellent use for a nearly universal cleaning agent.

A SIMPLE RECIPE & MAKING OF A BATCH

Each batch yields 20 ounces of resulting product which you should store in some type of container you were going to dispose of. I suggest something 1 gallon size or smaller so you can fit it under your kitchen sink; old coffee cans work great. Feel free to double the batch, or multiply it accordingly to create any amount you’d like.
1. Start with these 5 ingredients:
2. Into a 32 ounce container – add 1/2 cup of borax:
3. Add 1/2 cup of washing soda:
4. Add 1/4 cup of citric acid:
5. Add 1/4 cup of kosher salt:
6. Put the lid on & shake it up good:
7. As you know… my wife loves her some label maker:
8. Fill “Rinse Aid” compartment with white vinegar:

When you do a load use 1 tablespoon of detergent per load (you can use a heaping tablespoon if you feel the need, but I do not).

This detergent will clump together but it doesn’t matter… just scoop out your tablespoon & forget about the clumps! It clumps because of the citric acid.

There you have it folks!

[cheles2kids]

Awesome!!!! Thank-you so much Ramona for sharing, having the larger quantities already figured will be sooo much easier!

I've only made just a regular batch of it, but once I use up the rest of it I can make a much larger batch and just refill my container!

I know some people who just like to use the vinegar in their rinse compartment but so far with this particular recipe I've yet to see a need for it?
I've been using it for almost 2 weeks now.
So unless someone just *wanted* to use the vinegar I see no need for it? Maybe it's called for because of it's germ fighting abilities? I'm really not sure...

I agree with the clumping comment as well, I know the name brand that I was using before would also clump and I would have a hard time trying to get it out of the box, you know how the clumps get stuck in the little metal pour spout?
So this really isn't any different.

But I do find it very interesting that it's the citric acid that seems to be the ingredient that makes it clump!

I just figured it was my Arm & Hammer Washing soda because I know that it likes to get hard as a rock in the box and I have to actually pour it into a baggie and take a rolling pin or something to break it up.

[Ramona]

Awesome!!!! Thank-you so much Ramona for sharing, having the larger quantities already figured will be sooo much easier!

I've only made just a regular batch of it, but once I use up the rest of it I can make a much larger batch and just refill my container!

I know some people who just like to use the vinegar in their rinse compartment but so far with this particular recipe I've yet to see a need for it?
I've been using it for almost 2 weeks now.
So unless someone just *wanted* to use the vinegar I see no need for it? Maybe it's called for because of it's germ fighting abilities? I'm really not sure...

I agree with the clumping comment as well, I know the name brand that I was using before would also clump and I would have a hard time trying to get it out of the box, you know how the clumps get stuck in the little metal pour spout?
So this really isn't any different.

But I do find it very interesting that it's the citric acid that seems to be the ingredient that makes it clump!

I just figured it was my Arm & Hammer Washing soda because I know that it likes to get hard as a rock in the box and I have to actually pour it into a baggie and take a rolling pin or something to break it up.

1. You are very welcome.
2. Visions of you and a baggie and a rolling pin make me laugh!

[Gibs]

Thanks for posting this I wil definitely be giving it a try.

[Pemberleyan]

Thanks for sharing this! I am going to give it a try. I buy citric acid at the drug store.

[nuisance26]

~I'm wondering why anyone would make their own. It won't save money.
Borax is $.53 a cup.
Washing soda is $.73 a cup.
Kosher salt is $.21 for half a cup.
The KoolAid was $.80 and I assume 1/4-1/2 cup in volume?
So $2.27 for 3 cups or less. That's $.76 a cup.
I buy 75 ounces of powdered Cascade for $3. That's $.40 a cup.~

[cheles2kids]

~I'm wondering why anyone would make their own. It won't save money.
Borax is $.53 a cup.
Washing soda is $.73 a cup.
Kosher salt is $.21 for half a cup.
The KoolAid was $.80 and I assume 1/4-1/2 cup in volume?
So $2.27 for 3 cups or less. That's $.76 a cup.
I buy 75 ounces of powdered Cascade for $3. That's $.40 a cup.~

Well for me, if I had to go to the store to buy all of the ingredients, it might not make any sense...
But* I already had everything on hand except for the kool-aide, so to make it I only spent .80 cents?

I make my own laundry soap so I already had the other items on hand.
Sometimes..."making do" with what we already have on hand saves us more money than having to go out and purchase a $3.00 box of dishwashing powder.
.80 cents compared to $3.00 is a considerable savings if you might be running low on money but need the powder...

Also making your own seems a bit more "green" than using the store/name brands which might or might not contain the 'not so great' ingredients.

Also another note on the Cascade (which by the way is the brand that I referred to in my earlier post), Sam's Club has a MUCH larger box of it, so actually if bought at Sam's it would probably be much less than what you calculated above.

[benosayi]

~I'm wondering why anyone would make their own. It won't save money.
Borax is $.53 a cup.
Washing soda is $.73 a cup.
Kosher salt is $.21 for half a cup.
The KoolAid was $.80 and I assume 1/4-1/2 cup in volume?
So $2.27 for 3 cups or less. That's $.76 a cup.
I buy 75 ounces of powdered Cascade for $3. That's $.40 a cup.~

I haven't made this recipe yet, I have been streching my cascade with dollar store deter. because it has gone up so much at the dollar store. But I pay 2.56 for a 76 oz of 40 acres which make it about 27 cents a cup and pay 2.64 for washing soda that comes in a 55 ox box which is 38 cent a cup. I don't buy koolaide or that kind of salt so I am not sure of the price. I do know that cascade at my dollar store is 4. something a box. I guess it depends on where you are and how much it cost.

[Judi Dial]

I have most of the ingredients, and I won't use Cascade because I have a septic tank. I use Sun & Earth, and think I'll give this a try when I next run out...but I'll go buy a bottle of citric acid first. I have everything else like a previous poster.

Thanks!

Judi

[zakity]

I mix regular store bought powder dishwasher detergent with washing soda and borax. The mix is a third cup of each. We have a water softener and I use a half tablespoon per load.