How to Make Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
- 1). Mix 1-1/2 cups borax, 1-1/2 cups washing soda and 1 cup table salt in a container with a tight fitting lid. Borax and washing soda are available in the laundry aisle of most grocery or discount stores. You may replace washing soda with baking soda if desired. Shake until well blended.
- 2). Use 1/4 cup of your dishwasher detergent per load. Experiment with your dishwasher until you find the amount that works best, which may be a little more or less than a quarter cup. This homemade detergent does not contain caustic cleansers, so you'll need to rinse and scrape food away from your dishes before loading them into the washer.
- 3). Add distilled white vinegar to the rinse agent dispenser in your dishwasher. This will help to break down any residue such as water spots from the dishes. Commercial dishwasher detergents often have mixed-in rinse agents which do the same thing.
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