Just to refresh your memory on the detergent, each of the chemicals has its own set of advantages. Washing soda (or baking soda, depending on your preference) is an excellent all-purpose cleaner that cuts through oil. Another excellent cleaner that also serves as a disinfectant is borax. If you live in a location where hard water is a problem, both salt and vinegar can help. (When producing the tablets, vinegar also aids in the binding of the materials.) Finally, a drop of lemon essential oil has been added to the mix for its antibacterial effects as well as its fresh, clean aroma!
Ingredients:
- No filler ingredients or mysterious chemicals here! Continue Reading
- 2 cups washing soda or baking soda
- 2 cups borax
- 1/2 cup coarse salt or Epsom salt
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 15-20 drops of lemon essential oil
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients together with a spoon. (The addition of the vinegar will cause a little fizzing, but not much.) Once all the ingredients are well combined, you will notice it actually will start clumping all by itself.
Transfer the mixture into a couple of ice cube trays or your favorite silicone mold, and press down until each compartment is hard-packed with detergent.
Now the hardest part for me… waiting! These babies need to DRY good and hard before you use them. Put them in a dry, sunny spot (preferably out of sight so you won’t be tempted to mess with them before they’re completely dry) and let them sit for at least 24 hours.
When they are good and hard and DRY, remove them from the trays and store them in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
Using Your Dishwasher Detergent Tabs
Add 1 tablet to your dishwasher detergent compartment along with 3 drops of dishwashing liquid. (This is optional, but I think it gives my homemade stuff a little extra cleaning/grease-cutting kick.) Do not use more than three drops! The dishwasher will overflow if you use too much dish soap, and no one wants to clean up a bubble explosion!
Then splash 1/2 to 1 cup of white vinegar into the bottom of the dishwasher (or put it in a cup on the top rack of the machine) and start the machine. Note: If you have hard water like I do, adding vinegar is crucial if you want to avoid cloudy dishes!
Enjoy your sparkling dishes!