I’ve shared before that I make our cloth diaper detergent and laundry detergent from scratch. I do this for a few reasons–it’s cheaper (this is key!), it lets me control what chemicals we’re exposed to through clothing wear and use, and frankly, it’s not hard to do. I use The Eco-Friendly Family Blog‘s recipes, and love them. So when I realized that she created a recipe for dishwasher detergent, I couldn’t wait to try it.
I calculated that this costs $5.60 per 32 loads, which is about $0.16 per load of dishes. Commercially-prepared detergents (we used to use Cascade) run between $5 and $6 a box around here, so it’s comparable pricing. I need to see if I can find the Lemi-Shine for cheaper than they sell it for at Target–if so, that would make this recipe financially worth it.
Here’s how to make it (thanks to the EFF Blog!)
12 oz Lemi-Shine powder
1.5 cups washing soda
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup sea salt
Mix together in storage container. To use, put 2T in soap cup of dishwasher.
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