Homemade liquid dish detergent...not for the dishwasher.

[cheles2kids]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge0CLqtbdAY]How to Make Dishwashing Liquid - YouTube[/ame]

I want to try this so badly but cannot find the Colgate soap, I can order it online but really don't want to pay S&H if I could find it locally.

Any ideas?

[Backwoodsgirl]

Well, I didn't watch the video because everybody is asleep, but if you can make lye soap, or buy a bar of good lye soap it is easy to make.

Grate some about 1/2 cup. Add 1/4 c. borax and 1/4 c. washing soda to it. Cook it up in a pan and add about a quart and a half of water to it...

Cook it until it dissolves. Stir it with a wire whisk as it is cooling to keep it from separating.

You'll get some really good grease cutting dish soap. You might have to shake it up once in a while but it's great.

Backwoodsgirl

[sinopa27]

I was just wondering how to make this and out of no where, this post about how to do it. It is a sign!! I will be obedient! Thank you!

[greekislandgirl]

Before you spend the money on the ingredients, have you tried soap foamers?

I went from using a "normal" amount of dishwashing liquid to using about €1/year ($1.30 in US) on dishwashing liquid by using a soap foamer. You put one squirt of soap into the bottle and fill it up with tap water, swirl gently, and it will last about a week. I buy dishwashing soap in the store brand gallon container, which sells for €2.67/gallon, and that should last me about 2-3 years.

(Now that I have a dishwasher, actually I expect it to last more like 5-6 years.)

Just mentioning this in case it could turn out to be an even less expensive method.

[Backwoodsgirl]

I was just wondering how to make this and out of no where, this post about how to do it. It is a sign!! I will be obedient! Thank you!

You are welcome! Backwoodsgirl

[Backwoodsgirl]

I was just wondering how to make this and out of no where, this post about how to do it. It is a sign!! I will be obedient! Thank you!

You are welcome! You can also use it for laundry detergent. I actually use it all over the house on just about everything. It replaced almost everything except for window cleaner and toilet bowl cleaner.

If you have really hard water, add a little extra washing soda. You can also dilute this a little more if you wish.

For laundry detergent I just add enough water to fill up the jug and shake.

Backwoodsgirl

[frugal_cheap_pants]

Before you spend the money on the ingredients, have you tried soap foamers?

Never heard of this. Can you tell me more?

[greekislandgirl]

frugal_cheap_pants, this is what I'm talking about:

Dawn Direct Foam

Many brands make them, the brand isn't important. What's important is the plastic bottle itself, with that large pump. You use the soap until the bottle is empty. DON'T BUY THE REFILLS!!! Squirt a single squirt of regular dishwashing liquid into the bottle, and fill with tap water until you get to the "shoulder" of the bottle - just a little below the bottom of the pump mechanism itself - in other words, you're only filling it about 3/4 of the way. You don't want to overfill it because that will make the pump mechanism jam. You don't want to use too much soap because that will make the pump jam also. It's better to start with LESS soap and see if you can get a good foam, than to start with too much and have to throw it away.

The foamer I use in my kitchen now, I bought in August 2010. It still works perfectly. I used it to wash dishes exclusively (no dishwasher) until this summer, now that I have a dishwasher, I use it for my pots and pans and whatever doesn't go in the dishwasher. It shows no signs of getting "tired."

I also use these in the bathroom for washing hands. Hand wash liquid soap goes in these in the exact same way. You can probably even use them for shower gel and who knows - maybe even shampoo. I haven't tried those yet.

I use the "Fairy" brand in the kitchen (European brand I think) and "Dial" and "Wegmans" in the bathroom and kitchen (hand-washing). The Dial one I'm unhappy with, and wouldn't recommend. The Fairy one that I have that works great looks identical to the Dove in the photo. The Wegmans (for handsoap) looks different but has been excellent as well. Also had those since Aug '10.

I pump the soap a LOT. Like up to 20 times to wash dishes. But it's 99% water, so it's still far, far less soap than using regular soap. And it DOES work the same as regular soap.

[frugal_cheap_pants]

Thanks for the description, I understand what you mean. I don't know what I was thinking. LOL. That's a great idea, I will be keeping and eye on sales and trying it.