Eco Love: Make Your Own Dishwasher Soap

For your pleasure, another dose of earthsaving (and pocketbook pleasing) eco-love.  Today, learn how to make your own dishwashing detergent for just under $0.05 a load.  Yes, you read correctly.  Five cents.  It only takes a few ingredients:
-Vinegar
-Borax
-Oxi-Clean (or another inexpensive active detergent)
-Baking Soda (or washing powder)

I keep all of my basic cleaning products in labeled glass jars so they are always ready for mixing.

Making a batch of detergent is easy:

1. Mix equal parts baking soda and borax.  Typically, adding a cup at time until you have the desired sized batch works well.  In the nest, we make batches of two cups each soda and borax.
2. Add another equal part of your active detergent (Oxi-clean works best) and mix again.
3. Store your mix in a well labeled sealible container.
4. If you have hard water and/or you're concerned about spotting, add two tablespoons of white vinegar to the "finishing liquid" hole in your dishwasher.

To use, simply add two tablespoons of your mix to the dishwasher, along with the vinegar if desired.

The mix should run for about a month's worth of loads (if you cook as much as sparrow!).

Thats all!


This receipe was originally spotted at thesimpledollar , then modifed by paper sparrow.