Commercial dishwasher detergent can sometimes create more problems than it solves. Cheaply made products with lower quality ingredients not only leave the dishes dirty, they can also cause the inside of the dishwater to erode faster. One way to combat this problem is to create homemade dishwasher detergent in four different formats.
Gel:
Gather one cup of washing soda, three cups of warm water, and three cups of Castile soap and place them in a re-sealable container. Make sure the cover is on tight and then shake the container. This gives consistency to the gel, which is now ready to use.
Liquid:
This is a good solution for washing dishes by hand. It requires four ounces of soap flakes or a bar of soap, eight cups of water, and half a teaspoon of essential oil. If using a bar of soap, shave off four ounces with a cheese grater. The next step is to heat the water to a boil and remove it when it starts to steam. Add the essential oil and soap flakes to the hot water and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for eight hours before using.
Powdered Detergent:
This requires one cup each of Borax and washing soda and a half cup each of citric acid and kosher. Collect one-half cup of kosher, one-half cup of citric acid, washing soda and Borax and mix together in a bowl. The detergent is now ready to use, and dishes will come clean with a half cup of the mixture. Add vinegar to the rinse cycle if desired.
Tablets:
Making homemade tabs requires one cup each of washing soda, baking soda, water, and Kosher salt. It also requires three cups of unsweetened lemonade drink mixture. Combine all ingredients except water in a bowl and stir. Add the water at this point to start a fizzing reaction. About two minutes later, scoop clumps of the mix into an ice tray with a spoon. The last step is to apply pressure to the tabs to force them to harden.