If you’ve ever tried making homemade dishwasher detergent and been disappointed with the results, chances are you were closer to a great recipe than you thought! Most do-it-yourself formulas use the same basic ingredients, but there’s a trick to getting natural cleaning recipes to work.
You see, cleansers like washing soda are considered a base, while buildup removers like citric acid are, well, an acid! While both of these components are essential to a good recipe, they neutralize each other if used at the same time. Many dishwasher detergent recipes mix them together, when really they’re best left separate.
Here’s an analogy: Hot water is soothing and relaxing, while cold water is refreshing and invigorating. However, when you mix the two together you end up with tepid water and lose the benefits of both.
So, what makes a good dishwasher detergent recipe?
Most commercial detergents use at least 50% washing soda in their formulas, with the remaining ingredients usually being water softeners and rinse aids.
Unfortunately, the extra ingredients in most popular detergents – this one, for example – get an “F” from the EWG for things like developmental and reproductive toxicity, respiratory concerns, environmental toxicity and carcinogenicity.
The chemicals don’t go away when our dishwater flows back to the municipal treatment plant, either. Many of them are not filtered out when the water is processed and sent back into our homes.
Companies use these problematic additives because they’re not acidic like most natural rinse aids, which means they don’t neutralize the washing soda. Fortunately, there’s a way to use washing soda without giving up a natural rinse aid, and that’s to introduce your cleanser and rinse aid during different points of the wash cycle so they don’t cancel each other out.
The detergent recipe below calls for pure washing soda as the primary cleansing agent, which should be followed by one or both of my natural rinse aid recipes.
Really, just washing soda?
If this is what you’re thinking, you’re not alone. Other homemade recipes contain ingredients like borax, kosher salt, epsom salt and baking soda, which can make them seem more legitimate somehow. Truth be told, though, all three of these ingredients do the same thing as washing soda – raise pH and soften water – just less effectively.
The only exception is borax, which in addition to helping raise pH also combines with washing soda to create hydrogen peroxide. However, you can get the same effect – only stronger – simply by using a natural oxygen bleach in your formula. This can be helpful if you’re still experiencing hard water deposits after using this detergent along with one or both of the rinse aids.
For instructions on adding oxygen bleach to your recipe, see the troubleshooting section at the bottom of this post.
What To Buy If You Don’t Want To DIY
I often get questions about what store-bought options I recommend for different products – even one-ingredient recipes like this one.
When I set out to find a store-bought alternative to this dishwasher detergent, I thought for sure the best option would be another powdered detergent. Turns out, though, that this liquid gel is one of the highest rated for both safety and performance.
For a rinse aid, Eco-Me is made with just four ingredients – vinegar, citric acid, coconut-derived soap and plant-derived solubilizer. The soap and stabilizer both score a “1” with the Environmental Working Group, which is the safest rating possible, and vinegar and citric acid are what I use in my homemade rinse aid.
Important: Read Before Transitioning To Homemade Dishwasher Soap
Before using this recipe for the first time, it’s important to clear away mineral deposits and/or other residue from your dishwasher. Otherwise, the citric acid may loosen them and then redeposit them on your dishes.
To prepare your dishwasher, place 1/4- 1/2 cup citric acid in the bottom of your empty dishwasher and start a cycle. Allow it to run for 3-5 minutes and then turn the dishwasher off.
Let the water/citric acid solution soak for 3-4 hours and then allow the cycle to complete. Your dishwasher is now ready to run its first homemade detergent cycle!
Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Recipe
Equipment
- mason jar (or other airtight container)
- mixing bowl
- spoon
Ingredients
- 4 cups washing soda (If you want to make your own, here's how to make washing soda from baking soda)
- 15-30 drops grapefruit essential oil (optional)
- 5-10 drops lemon essential oil (optional)
Instructions
To Make:
- Combine your ingredients and stir until there are no clumps. Pour into a mason jar or other airtight container and add a clay pouch to absorb moisture if desired. (This is only needed if you find that your dishwasher detergent is clumping. See the FAQ section below for details.)
To Use:
- Use approximately 2 tablespoons per load, or a little more for extra dirty dishes. See notes for details on which compartment to use.
Notes
- My dishwasher has a pre-rinse compartment that releases the first round of powder into the dishwasher. That’s where I put my dishwasher detergent.
- The main detergent compartment pops open later in the cycle – that’s where I put my rinse aid.
Tried this recipe?
Mention @mommypotamus or tag #mommypotamus!
Frequently Asked Questions
Add two tablespoons of bentonite clay in a pouch or small sock. This prevents the dishwasher detergent from clumping in high humidity areas. It’s placed in a pouch because it’s not meant to mix with the formula, just absorb excess moisture. However, it’s very rarely necessary. I never use the clay in my home and I have no issues with clumping.
Instead of 4 cups washing soda, use just 2 cups washing soda and add in 2 cups powdered oxygen bleach that contains no fillers – I buy this brand on Amazon. It says it’s 99% pure oxygen bleach (Sodium Percarbonate), but it’s totally pure, non-toxic sodium percarbonate with nothing added. The other 1% is moisture.
This recipe seems to work well even without the rinse aid for some people, but personally I have found it to be essential.
It might be fine, but there’s a possibility that the vinegar could spill out at the same time the washing soda is released, which would neutralize both of their benefits. For that reason I opt not to use this approach.
Make homemade laundry detergent and scouring powder!
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This is a great blog. I came across it via wholesome mama blog and I’m loving it!
Do you think just borax will work, instead of washing soda? Can it be used? I don’t have washing soda at the moment.
My first round worked great. I did the same measurements on my second round but there is more of a filmy residue on my dishes. What’s that about? I did 2 tbsp detergent and 1 tbsp rinse aid. More rinse aid will not fit in the smaller dispenser. I have a Bosch dishwasher.
Thanks!
Hi
I’m curious about the ‘ optional ‘ inclusion of citric acid oils to the washing soda recipe; does this not react with the soda, causing neutralisation?
Many Thanks
Pen
The essential oil is pH neutral, not acidic 🙂
I don’t have the ability to put the washing soda in the rinse dispenser( it only allows me to put liquid)
I have tried without citric acid powder and it was too cloudy – so I’ve been putting 2 T of washing soda and 1 T of citric acid in the normal soap compartment
I have already almost gone through a bag of citric acid – is there a way to do this cheaper? Can I use something else as a rinse aid?
i do dishes the old fashioned way, by hand, do u have a recipe for regular dish soap?
Just wondering whether the essential oils are just for scent or for disinfecting as well. I’m severely allergic to the citrus oils (although not the citric acid used in the rinse aid). If its just scent I’d probably use lavender. If disinfectant, I’d probably add some bay, thyme, rosemary, and/or sage.
They’re helpful as a degreaser but not necessary. I often use just washing soda and it works beautifully. 🙂
I have your ebook on cleaning products (which I love) – does home-made washing soda (baked baking soda, your recipe for laundry detergent) work as well as buying it? Thanks!
Can I use “Super Washing Soda”?
Yes 🙂
Great! My other dish detergent recipe contained epsom salt, washing soda and lemon juice. I’m about out, so I’ll try this simple recipe. Simple is always good. I also took your advice on laundry detergent, using hot water since my homemade stuff has borax in it. and started using Oxi-Clean. Another blog had recently posted an article about how homemade detergent doesn’t work (they were trying to sale some expensive, “natural” detergent, no thanks!) Thanks for the encouragement to not give up on homemade and telling me what really works! Our clothes have been looking and smelling cleaner:)
Hi Heather, I have a big box of Arm & Hammer all natural super washing soda already on hand. The box doesn’t say anything about using it in the dishwasher but for using in the washing machine and cleaning around the house. Will this work as a good substitute for what you use? I just hate to buy more of something I already have. Thanks
Yes you can, I use the same Arm & Hammer washing soda in my dishwasher detergent recipe.
Can I upcycle my used refrigerator baking soda into washing soda?
Do you need to use a rinse aid or will it work to just use the washing soda?
In my experience you really need the rinse aid as well 🙂
How do you make the rinse aid?
You can find the recipe here: https://mommypotamus.com/natural-dishwasher-rinse-aid/
I was just about to ask the same question – thanks for the link!
I’ve been using this and the rinse-aid recipe for about a month now and it works beautifully. Much better than a previous homemade recipe I had found. There is no left-over residue as before, and this recipe is really simple. Thankyou so much for sharing it! 🙂
When using this and a diluted vinegar rinse aid my dishes come out with a powdery film on them. Any advice you can give me to remedy this?
Have you tried this homemade rinse aid?
Thank you Heather, I have been using the rinse aid you suggested for a few weeks now and it really does make all the difference in the world. I have not used any essential oils in either the detergent or the rinse aid yet my dishes are clean and film free. Thank you again for another super simple recipe to help detoxify my home!
So glad it has worked well for you, Tonya!
Hi, do I need the rinse aid if using this recipe if I have soft water? Thanks in advance!
The link for the alternative dishwasher gel doesn’t work. Can you post the correct link please? Thank you!
Hi Barbi, I have updated the link but it looks like it is out of stock right now. 🙁
This recipe works great in my dishwasher! I’ve tried 3 different recipes, and this is the best. I don’t even have to use a rinse aid. My dishwasher is running better since using this recipe and is cleaner inside that it’s been in a long time. Thank you, Heather, for researching on best safe products and for your great website!
I made a 1/2 batch of this last night (2 cups washing soda, 15 drops of grapefruit EO, and 5 of Lemon EO). I used 2T in my dishwasher per the instructions and woke up super excited to unload my dishwasher this morning, only to find every single one of them covered in a white film that I cannot get off. I have run it 2 additional times with no detergent, only using the seventh gen (brilliant shine rinse) because I still have some. So I’m wondering what can I do? Why did this happen? How can I get this off without manually scraping every single dish?! ?
Ack, I’m sorry to hear that! I wonder if the washing soda reacted with detergent residue that was on the dishes or perhaps the water?
Hello!
I have just tried this for the first time.
But my “pre-wash” section in my dishwasher, isn’t big enough for 2 table spoons of the washing soda. I tried to keep it in there the best I could, but much of the second table spoon overflows the compartment and spills out.
Will this be okay?? Should I use less? Or put what doesn’t fit into the bottom of my dishwasher?
You have to run a load with a few cups of vinegar to get the gunk off. Adding citric acid to your rinse will definitely help So you don’t have to do vinegar again.
What is a clay pouch?
To make one, add two tablespoons of bentonite clay in a pouch or small sock. This prevents the dishwasher detergent from clumping in high humidity areas. It’s placed in a pouch because it’s not meant to mix with the formula, just absorb excess moisture. However, it’s very rarely necessary. I never use the clay in my home and I have no issues with clumping.
Where do you place the clay pouch? Sorry, maybe the answer is obvious for most people, but just call me a newbie as I’ve been handwashing the dishes all my life until recently.
I was told my new dishwasher has to have enzymes in the detergent; will this work? Will it harm a stainless steel lining? I switched to using your recipe in the old dishwasher and it worked really well – til it malfunctioned and flooded our kitchen!
HELP!!! I made this detergent, and was so excited to use it – only to find my dishes [and the dishwasher] covered in a white powdery type of residue after using it. I have run it again, three more times. It’s still there. I used the remainder of the seventh generation rinse aid I had on hand, just water, and oxy on the 3 washes after. What happened? Is there anything I can do to fix this?
The same thing happened to me. I think our glass dishes are etched by the washing soda and I am afraid they are permanently damaged. This would be the first and last recipe I will try from this blog.
In her homeaid rinse aid post, she mentions preping the dishwasher first because deposits may be loosened and redeposited to dishes. I wonder if this is what happened?
Is this safe to use in stainless steel dishwasher
You need to run citric acid or vinegar in the dishwasher to remove the builduo. Running it with the dishes will help get the hard water sum off too. Use a few cups of vinegar once your dishwasher gets going. If that doesn’t do it I’ve read to use a whole gallon, I inever had to though.
Heather:
You’ve mentioned here, and an a email you sent tht you use only washing soda in your dishwasher.
You email also contains a link to where to buy washing soda.
Do you know that you can make washing soda?
Just spread baking soda on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake at 400 for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Voila = baking soda becomes washing soda. Even better, baking soda has many other uses and is inexpensive when bought at Costco — about $12.00 for a 13 lb bag.
Can you use OxiClean brand oxygen bleach on a dishwasher; or does it need to be like the one that is linked?
Based on the MSDS sheets I’ve found, unscented Oxyclean is not just washing soda: it’s a mix of washing soda (sodium carbonate), sodium percarbonate and powdered hydrogen peroxide. I am not sure if that combination is dishwasher safe, but you could check with them and see.
Hi
I have tried your recipe with washing soda and citric acid as the rinse aid but my cups are not coming out clean as they still have tea stains. What can I do for that? Do you have any suggestions?
I suggest replacing half of the washing soda with powdered oxygen bleach for extra cleaning power.
Best simple one that works well is 3 parts Baking Soda (Turns to washing soda, CO2) and Sodium Percarbonate (Turns to washing soda, and H2O2 ‘hydrogen peroxide’) with about 10 drops of Dawn liquid.
You can tell it really works, because once you have used it a few times, you will realize you have not seen the inside of your dishwasher that clean in years…
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It is my go-to for dish washing. It works like a charm, smells beautiful, easy on the budget – what’s not to love?
Thank you for the wonderful recipe. It appears that your purpose is to help people live more holistically, self sufficiently and free from the corporate box. Can i ask, no beg, that you not promote Amazon. Too many do not understand how they take (or we give it) that lifestyle away from us. Be well. It’s worse than promoting Walmart
Heather, we live in Arizona and have both a soft water tank and water filter tank which makes our water very good. What would you suggest we use in our dishwasher instead of store bought?
Hi Cheri, I’ve never lived in an area with soft water and therefore haven’t tested any recipes under soft water conditions, so unfortunately I’m just not sure.
I have extremely soft water and find that I can just use less of the homemade recipe. I use about a teaspoon and a half of the dish detergent which is a very similar recipe to the one given here. Try a much smaller amount and play around with it until you decide on the right amount for your softened water.
Thanks for this blog!
The link to the recommended ready made gel detergent on Amazon no longer works & the product isn’t named anywhere on the blog. Can you add an updated link or even just let readers know the brand/item name of the product you were intending to recommend? Thank you so much!
If anyone has any advice I need it. I tried this recipie (after cleaning out my dish washer). I then added the powdered oxygen bleach. I then tried the rinse aid. Then I tried more vinegar to re-clean the dishwasher and then added it to loads of dishes to try and salvage them. I need suggestions. I can not get the resulting film off of a single one of my dishes and they feel and look terrible even after several rounds of hand washing. Im a) very angry that several of my dishes are seemingly ruined and b) very frustrated that I bought all the ingredients to make these and now all that money and material is wasted. If anyone can offer any help to salvage my dishes or what to do with the pre-mixed dishwasher powder I’m desperate for it.
I would try powdered barkeeper’s friend. It gets hard water residue off of glass and is great for many cleaning applications
How does this work when the inside of the dishwasher is stainless steel?
Hi All,
I seem to have a problem with the dishwasher detergent. All dishes are covered with white film and you can actually feel the powder under your fingers. I really want to make it work so I would appreciate for your suggestions and comments. Here is what I did:
-I made washing soda as per instructions without essential oils (we don’t like strong smells)
-meanwhile, I cleaned my dishwasher with citric acid crystals, as per instructions
-i used vinegar as a rinse aid (we only have compartment for liquid)
-I run the dishes with washing soda and all the dishes, especially top compartment had a white film
-I did cleaning with citric acid again (now I spread it at the bottom of the dishwasher and put some more into detergent compartment)
-still glasses come out white and powdery
I would appreciate your help and suggestions!
Anna
I’m venturing to try this, but I am a bit nervous after reading some of the reviews. I’m curious as to what brand / types of dish washers you guys use and if there seems to be a coloration with the results on that basis? Also wondering if for those making their own washing soda from baking soda, how much would results differ if the soda was baked a little too long or too short?
I tried this recipe, making the washing soda from baking soda. I have the same problem as many others here – powdery film covering my dishes. But what I don’t understand is how you can use this powder without breathing it? It gets in the air, however carefully I’m scooping it, and ends up everywhere. My face and lips were burning after I baked the soda, put it in a jar and then scooped some in my dishwasher, and I kept having to blow my nose. Plus I had to clean a layer of dust on everything in my kitchen. Must be really bad for sinuses. I will have to use it since I don’t want to waste the batch I made, but I definitely won’t make more after that.
To those having powdery film: you may just be using way too much of the product. I had that issue and just used less. Problem solved. What material are your dishes made of, for those of you not able to get the film off? I use only glass, ceramic, or stainless steel and have not had issues. I would assume that using malamine or plastic based dishes would result in not being able to get it off.
Carol, I was seeing somewhat the opposite: clear glass items got the film, plastic dishes (tupperware, I don’t use melamine), no film. I ran an acidic powder in the machine as Heather instructed and it seems to have worked. I have been using less anyway–the prewash section only takes about 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon, if I am saving the big cup for the rinse agent.
You know, I have a recipe that uses only washing soda in the tub of the dishwasher, and citric acid in the dishwasher pod compartment or whatever it’s called. I then add a couple of tiny squirts of a liquid castile soap to help with grease… (Just don’t add TOO MUCH! I did once, squirted a bit over the top and bottom baskets as there were some really greasy dishes, then added some where I usually put it on the washing soda…YIKES! Soap running all over the floor.) I never have issues. UNLESS I use too much. … this has worked extremely well for me. I rarely have film issues, and if I do, I just cut back on the two ingredients. I still fill the rinse compartment with ACV, but it often goes ‘dry ‘ without me knowing and I still don’t have issues.
My pre rinse slot only holds 1 tablespoon of the detergent and I was just wondering if I should just throw the other tablespoon in the dishwasher or how I can get 2 tablespoons in the load. Thanks for the recipes!
I have the same question!
The white cloudy film on glassware is not usually from etching, but rather from residue left by hard water. You can remove it by running the dishwasher again with just citric acid or vinegar (the former should work better), or maybe by soaking the dishes in vinegar or citric acid.
Most commercial dishwasher powders are made with sodium percarbonate plus sodium carbonate, along with an activator, some kind of water softening agent, and some enzymes. The sodium percarbonate plus sodium carbonate combo is basically OxyClean, and generates hydrogen peroxide when mixed in water. The activator boosts the power of that peroxide. Without the sodium percarbonate, it’s hard to get deep stains (coffee, tea, tomato sauce, etc.) off the dishes. The enzymes are there primarily to chemically break up grease.
The comment in this article about borax plus washing soda (sodium carbonate) making hydrogen peroxide is incorrect. That chemical reaction can’t happen.
Hi,
Your recipe uses just washing soda. I have seen more recipes that add Baking Soda along with Citric Acid and Kosher Salt to soften the hard water?
Is that good too?
Would Baking Soda, Citric Acid and Salt ruin the machine parts by any chance?
I am concerned about that before starting to use home made dishwasher soap. Can you advise?
I read your article on homemade dishwasher detergent. I followed your advice and used just washing soda…it works great!! The first couple of times the dishes didn’t seem as clean, but it’s great now! Excited that I was able to make such an easy change toward a more natural home! Thanks!
I was given a recipe of 2 Cups Washing Soda, 2 Cups Borax and 8 oz. citric acid to use as a pre-wash in my dishwasher. Is this a viable recipe?
It’s great idea. Thanks for sharing this 🙂
Due to a snowstorm and icy roads I couldn’t get to the store for more dishwasher detergent so I made up half the recipe of this. Glass items turned out white after the first couple of times. I added more vinegar to the rinse agent dispenser (couldn’t find my citric acid). Glass items still came out translucent, but not as bad. Uh, not a win.
For one thing, 2 tablespoons of powder will not fit into my machine’s “prewash” slot. I don’t know how you determined it had to be 2 tablespoons but that is what I used. I may try a couple more runs with as much as will fit and putting vinegar in the detergent compartment, since I have this and it snowed and froze again.
Likely I’ll just switch back to the commercial cleaner when the roads are clear. This is an intriguing idea, it just may not be working for me. Luckily I’m not stuck with unusable stuff yet, if my next trials aren’t successful I can move on to try your laundry and scouring powder recipes!
Thanks to commenter Joe for discussing some points of chemistry. Maybe I will try pouring some hydrogen peroxide in the machine. Maybe not.
You have an awesome blog!
HI Tiranda, I’m so glad you the blog! You mentioned that you couldn’t find your citric acid, so I’m thinking you probably didn’t use it to clear away built-up mineral deposits before using the detergent for the first time. I highly recommend that step as you try a few more runs.
Okay. Trying it now (the citric acid jar surfaced finally). My DW doesn’t seem to have a “pause in midcycle” setting so the door is just off the latch and the machine is cheeping every so often to let me know. We’ll see which one gives in first…
looping back to report success. I just turned up some music and let it cheep:) while the citric did its work and now clear glass comes out clear. Thanks for this recipe, I will move on to some of your others now, but will follow your instructions more diligently!
Oh my word… THANK YOU FOR THIS!! Over the years, I’ve tried “natural” dishwasher detergents and honestly, they either didn’t work (left a film if I didn’t include a few drops of Dawn) or were too complicated to quickly whip up a batch. My hubby was adamant that I needed to just “run to Wal-Mart” to get more of what we’d been using.. which, unfortunately was NOT natural.
I already had everything on hand, since I use washing soda in my DIY laundry detergent, so on Wednesday night, I did the citric acid “cleanout” of our dishwasher. Yesterday, I loaded it, and last night, ran a load. I used citric acid in the “other” dispenser, as well as vinegar in the rinseaid area. I added a few drops of orange essential oil in with the washing soda, just to scent it a bit.
I went to put the dishes away while ago and they were sparkling clean! Absolutely NO residue!! And it’s a pretty old dishwasher that’s seen better days (we live in a rental). SO, off to eBay I went to order a 10lb bag of non GMO citric acid. This will be my dishwasher detergent from this point forward. So again, THANK YOU!!
I’m so glad it worked well for you, Amy!
citric acid does a fabulous job cleaning the dishwasher interior. But it might remove some finishes. So we need to be cautious. Fortunately the pan that was ruined was kind of old and I hardly ever used it, I have others that are easier to get to. Sort of glazed, not a nonstick finish….and now: Decluttered!
Hi,
The cleaning recipes are very useful. Thanks for sharing them.
I would like to receive the FREE ebook of non-toxic cleaning recipes pdf.
Thanks
Gandhimathi
I just used this for the first time this week. The first load was decently washed. But the second, it just did not seem to cut the grease on some items. And the top rack seems to get forgotten a bit. Something I haven’t had an issue with when using store bought pods. Any ideas? I did not use the rinse aid, but have just vinegar in my washers rinse aid compartment.
Stephanie: I use just a few squirts of homemade dish soap added into the mix: a castille liquid soap, a bit of soap pod powder, water, and some homemade Thieves essential oils blend. About 1/2 the castile liquid soap, about 1 tsp soap pod powder, fill the rest with water, a few drops of the homemade thieves blend. shake (this for a pint mason jar) I add the washing soda and put a 2-3 drops of this on top. Don’t use too much!!! This will help with the grease issue.
I have a small dishwasher as that was in the 1945 house I bought 20+ years ago. I got a new one about 10 years ago. Now, I will put the WS just thrown into the machine with the liquid soap drops, on a quick rinse. Just after it is done, (don’t let the dishes dry off) will use the smaller amount again in the holder with the liquid soap, plus another just thrown into the machine, and use a light wash. Dishes come out super clean and uses less water and energy.
very clear and good article easy to understand. Thank you
I haven’t tried to make these yet. Adding to my list of things to try out.
Hi, the “liquid gel” link is not working. I’m curious to know what it is. Thanks. Right now the citric acid has 4 more hours to go before I proceed to the next step. I’m very grateful for your support in keeping our bodies and planet healthy!
Hi Heather –
I know that homemade toilet tablets eventually breakdown the seal between the floor and the toilet. Have you had any issue with the citric acid and citrus essential oils breaking down the seals and/or rubber parts of the dishwasher?
I’ve been warned that some DIY dishwasher detergent recipes are NOT recommended for dishwashers with stainless steel interiors because they can etch into the stainless steel surfaces. The one in particular that gave this warning has washing soda, citric acid, plus salt in it. Can I safely use your dishwashing powder recipe in my stainless steel interior dishwasher? Thanks for a reply.
I have a small stainless steel DW. (read my comment above) and have had no issues using this type of Homemade DW soap for over 10 years.
I think mfg use this to scare you into buying the nasty stuff.
Would it be okay to add 1 c. sodium percarbonate to 3 c. washing soda instead?
I’ve always been curious about making my own dishwasher detergent, and your guide on how to make homemade dishwasher detergent that actually works is incredibly helpful. Your recipe using simple, natural ingredients like baking soda, citric acid, and essential oils is fantastic. I appreciate how you provided clear measurements and instructions to ensure success. It’s impressive to see that homemade detergent can be just as effective, if not more so, than store-bought options. The cost savings and the reduction of harsh chemicals are major benefits as well. Your troubleshooting tips for adjusting the recipe to suit different water types were a thoughtful addition. Thanks to your blog post, I feel confident and excited to try making my own dishwasher detergent. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and empowering us to make sustainable choices in our cleaning routines. Well done!
I discovered washing soda is giving me hives on my face. Based on your research, do you have a recommendation on how to make dishwasher detergent without washing soda? Thank you for your time & assistance! 🙂
I don’t, sorry!
The washing soda and a couple tablespoons of rinse aid (rubbing alcohol and critic acid) worked wonderfully. I’ve never seen the dishes so clean. I bought some sodium percarbonate online last night. I hope the washing soda, rinse aid, and percarbonate will permanently eliminate the brown stain coating the inside of my dishwasher. I understand the stain is from iron and/or calcium in the county’s water.
I was very excited to see this natural alternative to dishwashing detergent. I put the citric acid in my rinse aid compartment that calls for a liquid rinse agent. I was hoping it would release the powder from the compartment, but when I opened the dishwasher, the powder was still there. I wonder if it is possible to create a liquid rinse agent with the citric acid instead of leaving it in its powder form. Has anyone tried this?
My dishwasher can only fit 1 TBSP of the dishwashing soda in the pre-wash compartment-not 2. Will my dishes not get washed thoroughly enough? From your photo on the rinse aid recipe of your dishwasher compartments, I thought we had the same size but I guess not! 🙁
Thank you kindly for your help,
Stacy
I was about to give up with making my own dishwasher detergent as nothing was working. I was having to rewash the dishes after they had been in the dishwasher! My glass mugs were a total mess. Then…I found your wonderful, simple recipe, Heather. It is a lifesaver! Adding the sodium percarbonate worked wonders! Thank you so much!
Oh, I’m so happy it worked for you, Johanna! Thank you for taking the time to let me know!
Great recipe! I did the first step with letting the citric acid sit for several hours. My first few loads came out great. Then I had cloudy glasses. I noticed there was a milky substance at the bottom of the dishwasher after it was done. Does this mean the washing soda or citric acid did not dissolve fully? Or they were not rinsed away fully? Is it an issue with the dishwasher not getting hot enough to dissolve the powder? Thank you!
Will the citric acid ruin aluminum cookie sheets? I feel like my cookie sheets look different now after using this recipe.
I haven’t used it yet, but I normally use Biokleen and I was hoping to use this to cut costs but I priced everything out, and with the rinse aid of citric acid that is required for this to work, it’s actually more expensive than what I normally use…so there goes that idea.
So excited to try this!
I would like to start replacing our store bought soaps/ detergents with your recipes but we have a septic system. Are your recipes, dish washer, clothes detergent etc septic safe?
Hi Sandee, I developed and used the recipes for several years while living on a farm with a septic system. I never had any issues, but I’m not an expert so I recommend consulting with a septic system professional if you have any questions. 🙂
Hi- I have been doing this recipe for awhile now. I don’t think we have hard water but we started to get deposits on our heating coil and the washer door. I’m at a loss as to how to remedy this. Any ideas? We are using the citric acid rinse aid ans our dishes come out clean just our dishwasher is looking dingy. Thanks for any help!
Any suggestions to help clean especially oily dishes? The detergent isn’t doing a great job for that. For example, a bowl that had a salad with olive oil will still be oily after going through the wash.
Nope…doesn’t work. Doesn’t even clean the dishes
Thank you for the great post and information! Unfortunately I have reacted to dishwasher detergents with washing soda in the past with hives on my face and neck. Do you have a natural dishwasher detergent recommendation? I have been using Ecos liquid detergent but it is leaving a filmy residue on our dishes. Thanks for your help!
I don’t, sorry!
DEAR EUROPEANS, if you’re confused by the term ‘pre-rinse compartment’, you should know that dishwashing in the USA works a little differently. American dishwashers are usually attached to the hot water supply, and because of this, they can use soap during the pre-rinse. Americans simply run the kitchen tap until warm water comes out and then turn on the dishwasher so the water used during the pre-rinse is hot enough to activate the detergent (cleaning agents don’t usually work at temperatures below that of a serious fever). Some American dishwashers even contain a mini-shredder, so leftover chunks of food can be chopped up to drain off with the dirty water. This means that American dishes could be almost clean after pre-rinse, because their pre-rinse is a hot soapy washing cycle (ours is quick and ice-cold). Heather then describes citric acid in her MAIN detergent compartment, which mimics the effect of the enzymes in regular dishwasher detergent. I can imagine that simple washing soda would be enough to clean dishes under those circumstances (as long as Americans remember to run the hot water before turning on their dishwashers).
Here’s what we have in western Europe:
– Dishwashers connected to the cold water supply
– A cold and short pre-rinse with no chance for detergent to work
– Simple filters, no shredders
– A single detergent compartment
My dishwasher is from the brand Bosch, made in Germany for the Dutch market (I live in The Netherlands). The pre-rinse takes just a few minutes, after which the water starts to heat up. Roughly 10 minutes after the start of our longest program, the only detergent compartment pops open. So American dishwashers usually have two hot soapy washing cycles, where we have only one long washing cycle.
After experimenting for a while, I did manage to get clean, shiny dishes though. I use a 50/50 mix of washing soda (the concentrated non-clumpy kind) and sodium percarbonate, also known as OxyPer (or ‘stainsalt’ as it’s called in my country). I use a little under 2 tablespoons of this mix in the main compartment; I found that 16 grams is enough for our area with moderate-to-soft water hardness. I filled up the compartment for descaling in the bottom of the dishwasher with simple store brand dishwasher salt (it’s been months and the indicator-light to add salt hasn’t come on yet). Vinegar as a rinse in the end was nowhere near effective enough, but citric acid did the trick. As a rinse-aid, I dissolve citric acid in warm water and add alcohol (40%, like wodka or whatever you have). Works like a charm. In the settings for my dishwasher, I set the amount of rinse-aid to the maximum though. It took me a while to figure it out, but this combination finally led to perfect shiny wine glasses. Make sure to clean the filters regularly and I’d also advise 2 rounds for the dishwasher to get used to the DIY detergent. I’d done all the descaling described in the article, but the glasswork still came out milky white after the first time (yikes), so I had to run the dishes for another cycle with citric acid in the compartment to correct this (it mostly worked). Don’t give up if you’re not immediately successful. Clean and descale the whole dishwasher and figure out how yours works.
The information in the article helped so much! I love the fact that I can have squeaky clean dishes without having to buy toxic dishwasher tablets with nasty perfumes. At 6 cents (1 euro = $1,07 USD) per wash, it’s also a good choice for my wallet, though not as frugal as the recipe for washing soda only would have been (sodium percarbonate is more expensive). I’m not sure if I’m doing this right though, or if this could damage my machine in the long term. I’d love to read other tips and experiences. Thanks and keep it up!
HI Jo,
Dutchie here too, thank you so much for clarifying the differences between dishwashers in US and Europe. I am about to try your alternate recipe for the rinse aid (with alcohol). No idea if you get a direct message in your inbox of this question, so I’ll figure it out if you don’t. But if you do, would you please share how much citric acid you use to how much warm water, and how much alcohol? That would be most helpful, thank you. We have very soft water so we don’t need to put the salt in the machine, but I’m not sure now I read your post. Maybe you have thoughts on that too? Thanks for reading and @Heather: many many many thanks for your recipes, I am so grateful you share those on your website. They are such a blessing in this toxic world! Together we can make it a little better 🙏🙏🙏
Hi, Do you still offer your ebooks? I am interested in purchasing some of them. Thanks
I don’t currently have any ebooks available. Most of the information can now be found on the site. 🙂
I am excited to try using washing soda as a replacement for dishwasher detergent, but my husband is very worried about using citric acid to pre-clean the dishwasher. He says it will eat through many metals. How do I reassure him?
Hi there. My dishwasher has a pre wash compartment, a main compartment that flips over as well as a rinse aid compartment. Where do you recommend I put the home made main detergent and the rinse aid? Thank you!
Needing help. Im so frustrated because ive tried all the homemade dishwasher detergents (washing soda, borax, citric acid, castile soap, vingegar etc) and i just tried straight washing soda. This one was the worst for leaving a white film on everything glass. Any input would be amazing as i REALLY dont want to go back to store bought. Please someone give insight! Thank you!
Hi Kelita, unfortunately because every water supply is different in terms of mineral content and other factors, it’s often a case of trial-and-error to figure out what works best for you. My recommendation would be to find out what kind of water you have (for example, hard or soft) and then search for options that people have found most helpful for that type.
Another consideration is whether your glassware has accumulated a film due to all the different things you’ve tried rather than simply the most recent thing you tried. You may consider cleaning some glasses with vinegar, then running them through to see if the results change.
Hi Heather, An old subscriber here! Looking at your dishwasher detergent recipe I’m wondering if I’m good to use washing soda alone in my dishwasher as I have water softener installed and the water used by my appliances is soft water. ?
Many thanks
Possibly, but I’ve never had soft water in my home so I can’t speak from experience on that. My suggestion would be to experiment and see what works best. 🙂
Just made the dishwashing detergent and rinse aide. Anxious to try it!
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Basically are you saying that you only need washing sofa as a dishwasher detergent.
The essential oils are not necessary.
Thanks
Yes, that has been my experience.