DIY Dishwasher Tabs & Liquid Soap

Dirty dishes. Everyone has them, and whether you wash by hand or dishwasher chances are you’re using a store bought product. While there are some eco friendly cleaning solutions for washing dishes, I find them still too much for my budget. It’s one aggravating situation. As you try to rid your home of toxins and chemicals you hit the obstacles of the price tags that come along with them- but don’t worry! There’s DIY cleaning solutions for nearly every one of your dirty situations. 

Dish-washing tabs are handy little packets filled with unneeded chemicals and harsh products that more often than not leave a nasty residue of said chemicals on your dishes after each wash, and you eat off of. Over the years I have combated trying to do away with the dishwasher , wash by hand with a organic soap,  but with four kids that task is a constant challenge. While I do wash by hand off and on, it’s not a daily occurrence and I’m not afraid to admit it’s challenging to keep up with them. I bake and cook every single day, so my hands would be permanently pruned from hot water – seriously you know how much dishes these guys go through during a day? So, while I do need to keep at it by hand the dishwasher itself saves me some time and lets me get other things done, but there’s not many organic soaps for it that I find. The ones I do find aren’t in my price range in anyway, so after a very long hard search for DIY recipes I’ve come to two that I like.

Both are using non toxic ingredients that are found in your home already. Washing soap is all natural and is a great product to keep in the house for use in many other cleaners. Safe for clothes, dishes and surfaces without being abrasive in anyway, same with the baking soda. Salt is a great water softener ( so is the washing soda) if you don’t have very hard water you can lesson the salt but replace it with more washing soda. 
Let’s make some dishwasher tabs! 

Supplies needed for DIY Dishwasher Tabs
1 cup washing soda
1 cup Kosher salt
1 cup baking soda
3/4 cup lemon juice
You can use silicone molds, or even small muffin tins, an ice tray what ever is on hand. Once the solution hardens you can easily wash the container out with no worries. 
*White vinegar for rinse cycle it makes the glasses come out streak clean! 

Directions 
Add all the ingredients into a bowl and mix, it will start to foam but only or a minute or two, don’t worry. Now pour the mixture into whatever molds you have ( you will be making about a tablespoon size) Allow them to harden and then pull them out to store in an airtight container. Use one tab per load . Add in the vinegar to the rinse agent compartment. 
Leave them in the molds for about 24 hours before trying to take them out. Sometimes they dry the same day, but mostly I find it a full 24 hours. What ever container you use, be sure it is about a tablespoon size so they will fit perfectly into the dishwasher

Supplies needed for DIY Dishwasher Liquid Soap 

A container about 50 ounces with cap. 
3 tablespoons Liquid Castile Soap
3 cups warm water
1 cup Washing Soda
5-10 drops Tea Tree Oil *optional
5-10 drops Lemon oil *optional
*Both oils have antibacterial, antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-infection, astringent, detoxifying, antiseptic, disinfectant, anti-fungal properties.

Directions 
Pour the soap, water and vinegar into the container ( best to use a funnel) Add in the lemon oil and the tea tree oil. Put the cap on and mix it until it combines well. Let it sit so it will thicken before using. You will use a tablespoon of this stuff for a normal wash, or two tablespoons for touch jobs.  

You are ready to do a load in the dishwasher! Go dirty some dishes up and test it out. 

Want to check out more about essential oils? Head over to here , or email me if you’d like to ask some questions! 

Come back next Thursday for another DIY cleaner recipe to use around the house!