Here it is. My first batch of dishwasher powder. The important thing first- Does it work? I washed two loads with it and yes it does work. My glasses and flatware turned out sparkly and didn't have any spots on them. The cheese grater that I grated some chedder cheese on didn't come out completely clean. In honesty, it never does, even with other brands of tabs, gels or powder, maybe it's just my washer which is on the old side. I threw the grater in with the second batch and it did come out clean after the second time.Cost Comparison:
According to my best calculations, the batch of powder cost $1.05 to make (this price does not include the essential lemon oil). Each batch makes enough for 41 loads. So load cost is .03 cents. For comparison here is the load cost of several popular brands:
Cascade tabs- .15 (Sam's club price)
Gain Liquid- .14 (Sam's club price)
Ecover tabs- .25 (Whole Foods price)
Homemade Powder- .03 (Significant Savings)
The powder was extremely simple to make, took very little time, and the lemon essential oil makes it smell wonderful. It also does not contain phosphates like most other dishwasher soaps.Here is the recipe again:
Dishwasher Powder
1 cup of Borax (usually can be obtained locally also can buy on internet)
1 cup of sodium bi-carbonate (baking soda easily obtained at grocery store)
1/4 cup of salt
1/4 cup of citric acid (can find at health food stores, cheese supply, soap making supply and other sites on internet-this is also used in making cheeses and bath fizzies)
30 drops of lemon essential oil (I buy mine at Wholefoods)
Mix all ingredients together. Stir well and store in air tight container. Use 1 tblsp per load.
Oh yes, today was the jittery, squealy, skipping, jumping first day of school. Look at all the groovy shoes and book bags.
8 comments:
wow that's awsome I hope they have a great day!! I had a great day at cool today to!! see ypu when i get back form my trip!! love ya love carmencita
You are soooooooo cool. I wanna be just like you when I grow up! Seriously! :D I'll get right on that blog post, Thursday. Joey leaves for 4 months in Texas tomorrow morning. That's taking all my attention lately. Plus, Trey and Brittany were here this weekend, so I'll be putting up pics! :D
Love ya!
Joanna/ rawtn
The first day of school...their vacation ends and yours begins!!!
And tell Tera, Leanne loves her new shoes.......
Thank you for that recipe. I am going to buy all those ingredients and make this before I run out of my current box of dishwasher soap. How easy it seems. School begins early there. We usually begin after labor day weekend here. I love that they seem to be wearing uniforms. Greatest thing to happen. It needs to be in every school I think.
Does it really work as well as the other. Where in LA are you ? I lived in MS for many years.
Yolonda, I usually use Ecover tabs, and I find that this recipe works as well as the Ecover tabs. I've done at least five loads with it now and am satisfied. My husband, who is pickier than me, has unloaded the dishwasher and didn't say a word. Belive me, he would have told me. :) I live just south of New Orleans, and I was born in Mississippi.
Egghead, I love uniforms too. It keeps the focus on education and not fashion. It also makes it MUCH easier on me! (no clothing arguments with the 12 year old or Talia the fashion Diva)
I'm amazed that there isn't any soap. I just made some (very easy). How does it get the dishes clean w/o soap? Just curious. Also, regarding laundry detergent, I had been making my own powder but stopped after my washer died and I got an energy efficent front loader. You say the powder (same recipe that you listed online) works well with your front loader? I was nervous. -Sandy
Sandy, I gues the citric acid is the solvent, not sure. Yes, I have a whirlpool duet front loader and have been using homemade laundry detergent and powder for years now in it. It's still working fine.
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