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    Home

    Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Recipe ~ Make Your Own!

    by Jessica 27 Comments

    Make Your Own Dishwasher Detergent

    Dishes...ugh.  Doing dishes is one of my least favorite chores...right next to doing laundry of course!  Even though I don't love doing dishes, I simply have no choice.  The other thing, I am constantly running out of dish tabs, and the last time I went to buy them, I was shocked!  When did dish detergent start costing as much as a good steak?  I decided to try making my own and tested it out.  It worked perfectly, and cost less $6 for the supplies that will make about 4 times more than the store bought detergent that cost more than that!  So, today I'm sharing my Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Recipe so you can make you own too if you wish!

    Make your own homemade dishwashing detergent - ingredientsHere is what you will need to fill a large mason jar...

    2 Cups of Borax

    2 Cups of Washing Soda

    4 Packets of Sugar Free Kool-Aid Lemonade

    A Container To Store Your Detergent In

    Homemade Dishwashing Detergent RecipeMix all of the ingredients in a large bowl and fill your container...I love using a large mason jar!

    How to make homemade dishwasher detergentFill both detergent cups in your dishwasher, close the big one and let her rip!

    Recipe for Homemade Dishwasher DetergentMy dishes came out all sparkly and clean...even my wine glasses!

    Make Homemade Dishwashing Detergent with 3 IngredientsI will never buy dishwasher detergent at the store again, and doesn't it look cute there on my sink?  And now, washing dishes costs me less than 50 cents a load...whoop!  I call that a win!

    10 Cleaning Tricks for Cleaning With Salt

    Today I'm also sharing 10 Tips for Cleaning With Salt at The Graphics Fairy blog!  Be sure to stop by and check them out...they are truly awesome!!!

    Kitchen Cleaning Tips

    And if you are looking for more cleaning tips and tricks, check out my 8 Tips for Cleaning Your Kitchen From Top To Bottom, including How To Clean In Between The Glass On Your Oven Doors!

    Happy Cleaning!

    Jessica Signature New

    « Get a Super Clean Dishwasher with Vinegar
    Unclog Your Drains with Baking Soda and Vinegar ~ Natural Cleaning Trick »

    Comments

    1. J. NEAL says

      January 17, 2014 at 3:46 pm

      The Kool-Aid ingredient... is that the kind that comes without sugar or with sugar?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        January 17, 2014 at 4:09 pm

        Sugar free...going back into the post to make sure it says that...thank you!

        Reply
        • Randi says

          August 27, 2014 at 5:57 pm

          This left a film and spots all over my dishes, even after an extra rinse cycle. May be dud to having hard water. Any suggestions?

          Reply
          • Jessica says

            August 27, 2014 at 6:26 pm

            I'm not real sure, Randi. We have hard water as well, and they work great for me. Are you using a rinse aid with them? Hope it's just a fluke! Jess

            Reply
        • Elaine says

          February 10, 2017 at 11:21 am

          I'm a tad confused too. Unsweetened or sweetened but sugar-free ( aspartame )?

          Reply
    2. d. villarreal says

      January 17, 2014 at 5:03 pm

      I am going to try this for sure! Question - what is the lemonade for? just for the scent of lemon?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        January 17, 2014 at 5:57 pm

        The acidic acid in the lemonade mix helps with shine and less spots and it smells good :)

        Reply
    3. Roslyn says

      January 20, 2014 at 9:43 am

      Would you please tell me how to clean between the glass on my oven doors I tried to open the site and my smart phone
      Right?? Would not let me.

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        January 20, 2014 at 11:53 am

        Hi, Roslyn! Here is the link to that post... Hope this is what you were looking for! xoxo Jessica

        Reply
    4. Tracy Lawford says

      January 22, 2014 at 2:15 am

      No idea where to buy many ingredients listed in many of your posts as they are not common in U.K.

      Reply
    5. Debbie says

      February 06, 2014 at 11:43 pm

      will any other flavor koolaid work? I am in Canada and have not seen lemon, but we have lime and orange

      Reply
    6. Kasie says

      February 10, 2014 at 3:16 pm

      Where did you buy your Mason jar and the cute little scoop at??? I love this idea to store my dishwasher detergent in. And

      Reply
    7. teri says

      February 24, 2014 at 10:09 am

      Where did u find the mason jar that big?

      Reply
    8. teri says

      February 24, 2014 at 10:09 am

      Where did u find the mason jar that big?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        February 24, 2014 at 10:15 am

        My mom acctually gve this one to me, but I have seen them at antique malls lately for around $12...good luck finding one!

        Reply
    9. Mary says

      May 17, 2014 at 9:23 pm

      I've been using this however, mine gets hard from, I'm guessing moisture. Any suggestions on how to avoid this?

      Reply
    10. Jeanne says

      November 03, 2014 at 3:45 pm

      I am going to give this a try! My sweetie says that in the Army they used lemon-lime Kool-Aid for cleaning burned pots and pans. So, I'm going to get some of that, rather than the lemonade.

      As to the question about what the Kool-Aid does: the citric acid in the drink powder is a grease cutter.

      Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I'm really enjoying your site. :)

      Reply
    11. Mandy says

      April 26, 2015 at 7:58 am

      Do you think that country time lemonade mix would work in place of the kool-aid?

      Reply
    12. Cheryl says

      April 01, 2016 at 10:03 am

      50 cents per load sounds very expensive

      Reply
    13. Sharon says

      April 14, 2016 at 8:17 am

      I have made this detergent it works great I just have one issue it seems to clump after it sits, I normally have to mash it before each use, any suggestions?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        April 14, 2016 at 8:26 am

        I haven't had trouble with clumping, but it may be because I use it so quickly. Maybe just give it a good shake before each use? I hope it still works great for you!

        Reply
    14. Priscilla Hege says

      July 11, 2016 at 8:35 pm

      I was looking at the Dishwasher detergent recipe and one ingredient was unknown to me.....what is Washing Soda???

      Reply

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    I’m Jessica, a mom on a mission to show other women that you can live well without breaking the bank. I like to share the thrifty, creative ways that I make changes in my home in the hopes that it will spark the creativity in someone else! I love to share DIY projects, crafts, simple recipes and cleaning tips too! Read More…

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