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Making Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

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If there is one thing I love to do, it is experiment with different homemade and natural cleaners. The last time we ran out of dishwasher detergent, I was determined to find a way to make my own.  It seems like every time we run out of dishwasher detergent it is the only thing on our list, or we are ordering it online, meaning it won't be here for another two to four days.  Since I cook all of our meals, I consider this completely unacceptable, especially since my kitchen in this apartment is tiny!

This backup homemade dishwasher soap recipe works fairly well and gets you out of those messy situations where you have no dish soap.  From what I have seen, making your own homemade dishwasher detergent is very easy and seems to work better than many natural dishwasher detergents I have tried in the past.

For those who are willing to make the jump to making your own detergent, this is the best recipe for homemade dishwasher detergent that I have found to date. It doesn't leave spots on your dishes and even gets out some of those sticky messes in your pots (such as burned rice). 

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

1 Cup of 20 Mule Team Borax

1 Cup of Washing Soda (any brand)

1/2 Cup of Salt

1/2 cup of Sure Jell Fruit Pectin

1) Mix all the ingredients above. Stir them for about 2 to 3 minutes, to make sure everything is mixed well. If you don't, it will clump and not clean properly.

2) Put 1 Tablespoon of the power in your dishwasher in each area where you normally put detergent.  I usually just put it in the closable area and call it a day. 

3) Store in an airtight container.  Label it to make sure no one confuses it for Stevia or flour.

Below, are some before and after pictures of how well this homemade dishwasher soap works. As you can see, it does an excellent job with dishes!

Before 

(I tried finding a worst case scenerio to give you an honest look at how this homemade dish detergent works)                                                        

 

                            

    

 

 

After 

 

 

 

 

 

Based on the amount I made for this recipe, I predict it can run about 30 to 40 loads of dishes, depending on how much soap you need to put in your dishwasher.  In our apartment dishwasher (which is a bit old) I’ve found I need to put in two scoops of soap for some loads.  For the times when it lasts 30 loads, it costs me about .21 cents per load. It will likely be cheaper for others who make homemade dishwasher detergent, however, since everything costs more in the northeast, something I can vouch for having moved from northern Kentucky.  If nothing else, this recipe is a fantastic way to save money and give you options if you run out of dishwasher detergent!

About 

Susan Bewley is a professional writer who has been writing content online & in print format for over 10 years. As well, she is an alumni of the University of Louisville with a Masters Degree in Special Education. When not working as an online business consultant or ghost writing, she can be found writing on Budget Earth, on her own novel, or working with various entities in the pet industry.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Thanks, I've recently been searching for facts about this subject matter for ages and yours is the best I've discovered so far.

  4. I have a Pinterest board of homemade cleaners I plan to try when my current cleaners run out.  Unfortunately, I recently stocked up on dishwasher detergent, but I'll be saving this for the future!

  7. I havent tried this, Ill have to get the stuff and make it and see how it works with out hard water, its difficult to find something that gets the dishes clean.

  10. Awesome!  I love all these homemade cleaners you show us how to make!! They work great and save so much money, and help the environment!  Keep posting and thank you!

  11. I did not know it would be so easy to make. I am going to go and buy the ingredients. I am so tired of paying a lot of money for something that can be made at home…Thank you so much for posting the recipe.

    • Yes, it is really super easy! You can also add a scent but putting one or two drops of essential oil. I don’t bother though since it’s just dishes 😉

  13. I stopped using my homemade dishwasher detergent because it left a film on everything.  I am definitely going to try this recipe…Thanks!

  14. I love to make my own cleansers, however it is time consuming. For me anyway…I have two small girls and a 10 year old who constantly keep me running around. Thanks for watching over our environment!

  15. Thank you for this. My family has a fit when we run out of detergent as well, so it would be nice to have this on hand.

  16. The thing that typically blocks me from trying these homemade cleaning solutions is when they contain an ingredient I’ve never heard of or wouldn’t know where to buy. In the case of laundry detergent, it was Fels Naptha (whatever that is), and in this one the only thing I’m confident I could find is salt. Yes, I know I give up too easily, but I thought I’d say what I’m using in my dishwasher that’s working really well in case any other easily-frustrated souls are looking for the second cheapest answer. For several months, I’ve been buying the Great Value disolving pack-thingies from Walmart, and they clean as well as any name brand I ever tried. For a little extra sparkle, I sometimes fill the dispenser with vinegar. If the dishwasher itself is getting cruddy, I’ll throw in a packet of lemonade mix (Kool-Aid, Wylers or any off brand is fine) that costs about a dime.

  21. Pectin! Who would have thought of this? Not me! I have to try it, I guess it helps hold it together? Love the Borax in this, it’s a great water softener and I always add it to the laundry, too!