Homemade Dishwashing Tablets

Stop breaking the bank! You're likely wasting money on mainstream dishwashing detergent that's brimming with toxic ingredients you can't even pronounce. Try my simple recipe and make homemade dishwashing detergent tablets with natural ingredients you know and can pronounce.

↪︎JUMP TO RECIPE↩︎

We all eat, so chances are, we all have dishes to clean. I used to be one of those people who absolutely refused to use a dishwasher; I would handwash everything, but eventually, life got busy, and I had to compromise. One thing I wasn’t willing to compromise on was the ingredients. There was no way I was using a product with ingredients such as:

Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Citrate, C12-15 Alcohols Ethoxylated Propoxylated, Sodium Percarbonate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Polyacrylic Acid Sodium Bisulfite Terminated, Taed, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Ethylene/Propylene Oxide Copolymer, Alcohol Polyglycolether, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Protease Enzyme, Amylase Enzyme, Manganese Catalyst, Colorants, and Fragrance.

Absolutely not! Think about how many times you’ve opened the dishwasher, and there is visible soap scum still on your dishes. Now think about all the times you may not see soap scum; those ingredients end up in your food and can cause detrimental health consequences.

Of course, I started by using Earthley’s Dishwasher Detergent. That was the only brand I trusted to clean my dishes without compromising quality. I still use them when I am too lazy to make my own detergent, but let’s face it, making your own is almost always cheaper! And not to brag, but in my experience, my recipe cleans better than anything I've ever used, especially when used alongside my homemade rinse aid.

Essential Oils You Can Add

First, let’s discuss essential oil options; then, we can get to a homemade dishwashing tablet recipe. Of course, you do not need to add any essential oils to this recipe if you wish not to, as lemon juice alone is great for cleaning properties.

Before proceeding, let’s discuss some dos and don’ts regarding essential oils.

✅ DO dilute all essential oils as directed on the bottle.

❎ DO NOT ingest essential oils.

✅ DO use essential oils topically and always dilute them.

❎ DO NOT apply directly on the skin.

✅ DO use caution around pets and children

❎ DO NOT disregard safety information

This is just a brief run down, but I recommend reviewing my full list of essential oil safety tips.

Personally, I like to use Plant Therapy's Pink Grapefruit Essential Oil, but that's not the only option. As discussed in my blog Essential Oils for Cleaning, there are quite a few essential oils that have disinfecting properties to ensure you're home looks and smells clean. My favorite cleaning essential oils include:

• Eucalyptus Globulus Essential Oil

• Lemon Essential Oil

• Oregano Essential Oil

• Spearmint Essential Oil

• Sweet Orange Essential Oil

• Tea Tree Essential Oil

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Homemade Dishwashing Tablets

Ingredients & Materials:

• 1 cup washing soda (I like Sky High Suds)

• 1 cup non-iodized salt (I used pink salt)

• 1 cup aluminum-free baking soda

• 3/4 cup lemon juice (I like Santa Cruz Organic)

• 2 tsp. essential oils for cleaning (optional)

• 0.5 oz. silicone mold (I used these)

• An airtight jar or bag for storage

Directions:

1. Add all your dry ingredients (washing soda, salt, and baking soda) into a mixing bowl. Combine well.

2. Add your wet ingredients (lemon juice and essential oil) into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients. Combine well, ensuring everything is evenly moist.

3. Add 1 tablespoon of the mixture into the silicone mold (there should be enough for 60 tablets) and let sit until the tablets are hardened and completely dry.

4. Remove the dishwashing tablets from the mold and store them in an airtight jar or bag.

To use: Add one tablet into your dishwasher’s soap dispenser and wash alongside a natural rinse aid like distilled vinegar.

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What do you use to freshen up your carpet?