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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Great dishwashing detergent - DIY and eco-friendly

Thankfully more and more people are becoming more conscious about protecting our water, air, and our planet in general.  Everything, whether it by recycling, using green products or just conserving our resources such as water will make a difference in protecting our environment.

There are many green cleaning products on the market however I find that Shaklee is by far the best and has the Green Seal certification.  I know it is not just a green marketing ploy.  I use Shaklee products, because I love my basic H all natural cleaner. However I really like homemade remedies too.  I came across this recipe for an automatic dishwashing detergent and just had to share it with the Shine community.  I thought it was great.  The cost averages 50 loads for 50 cents!!!  I don’t know if it is just me but the cost of automatic dishwashing detergent seems to be a bit pricey these days and they surely are not very eco-friendly.

So here is the recipe for Automatic Dishwashing detergent

1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup citric acid

Shake thoroughly or stir and store in tightly covered jar.  Use one tablespoon per load.  For best results add white vinegar to the rinse dispenser.

All of the above items can be found in your local grocery store.  Arm and Hammer makes a washing soda which is also known as sodium carbonate.  It is a natural substance made from salt and limestone.  Borax is a naturally occurring substance in the environment and you can usually find it in the laundry detergent isle.  Kosher salt is a pure salt.  The citric acid you can buy food grade such as Fruit Fresh or use unsweetened lemonade packets.

This recipe cleans; cuts grease and yet gentle enough for fine china. I do hope you try this recipe and just think how good you will feel by a using eco-friendly product.   Additionally the left over washing soda and borax can be used has an added booster for your laundry detergent.

The recipe came from www.care2.com a site for the environment.  For more information about green products, stop by and visit Creating a Healthy Home.

Get Borax and Washing soda right here  

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Comments 1-4 of 4
  • Bobbylane's Avatar
    Posted by Bobbylane Sun Nov 1, 2009 6:02pm PST

    I usually use the store bought sort, never gave a thought about what goes into the product itself. But it sure makes my dishes come out clean.I would be concerned on the agitation and breakdown of the homemade mix. I wouldn't want my pipes to be chewed down over a period of time.I wonder if lemon can be added,so the spots won't show up. Hmm?

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  • CarolB's Avatar
    Posted by CarolB Mon Nov 2, 2009 10:18am PST

    good point, I would think that washing soda and borax would be more gentle on the pipes. I use both in my laundry and I have no problems with buildup in my washer. thanks for your comments

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  • Leslie's Avatar
    Posted by Leslie Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:11am PST

    I would think it would be a good receipe. I'll give it a try.

    ***You don't need to worry about the lemon. That's what the citric acid is for! It would probably disolve quite easily in dishwasher temperature. Although I think I will save the fine china for handwashing in the sink...just to be safe.

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  • KarenD's Avatar
    Posted by KarenD Sat Nov 14, 2009 1:25am PST

    wow I gotta try this out thanks for the tip.

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Comments 1-4 of 4

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