Homemade Dishwasher Soap

Now... how many of you are disgusted as of late with how your dishwashers have been cleaning your dishes?

Say "aye!" Common... it's ok. You can admit it.

That is because here in Utah (and quickly lots of other places too) they are removing the environmentally damaging phosphorus out of the soap. And so... we no longer get clean dishes anymore unless we wash them... before we wash them! LOL

Many have tried adding vinegar to their dishwasher and run it a few times that way. That is only a fix for a few loads and then you are back to re-washing! Not so fun...

Well...I have been busy creating a Ward Cookbook (so fun!) and was pleased to add to it a recipe for homemade dishwasher soap! I was feeling desperate at that time... my dishes looked terrible... and it was dirt cheap to make! So I tried it. And guess what??? IT WORKS AWESOME!!!

So, without further ado, here is the recipe and my successes with this homemade marvel.

HOMEMADE DISHWASHER SOAP
1 cup salt
1 cup Borax (found on the laundry isle at the grocery store)
2 cups baking soda

Mix all together and put in an airtight container. (Keep out of the reach of children, just as with any other soap)

TO USE: Add 1 T. in each soap compartment and wash normally. (you can add more or less depending on how well your dishwasher cleans)

Here are a few of the things I noticed:
1st - My spotty/hard water stained glasses were almost immediately improved. My stoneware as well!
2nd - Just like other dish soaps, it makes tin type pans turn a little darker in color (muffin tins and the sort) so I just keep hand washing them because I like them pretty!
3rd - it cleaned out my dishwasher and made it have no smell anymore at all! sweet!
4th - it cleans *really* well, however plastics tend to have a cloudy film on them, so, since I often wash a lot of plastic kid dishes with my other dishes, I improvised:

I use 1 T. of the homemade soap in the first washing compartment, and then use my old standby demoted Cascade in the other. It is as if I still had my awesome friend Cascade with Shine in my washer! I LOVE it! You would never know the phosphorous' are gone!

And so my friends... don't call the dishwasher repair man! Make you some SUPER cheap soap (Each batch costs about $1.50 to make and makes 4 cups of soap!) and never have to wash your dishes before you wash your dishes again! :)