Around here - DIY Dishwashing Powder

I have been making my own laundry powder for over 10 years now and on the odd occasion I have attempted to make dishwashing tablets for the dishwasher as they are very expensive.  These days most tablets have plastic around them which is supposed to dissolve and sometimes half of the tablet and plastic ends up sitting in the compartment after the wash.

I have given another recipe a go and started making dishwashing powder which is working perfectly.  There is nothing left in the compartment and the dishes are clean so I'm really happy with this particular recipe.  I have opted however to use the Finish Blue Rinse Aid still at the moment as it was half price at the supermarket so I bought a couple of bottles for $5 each instead of $10 each.  Once I run out I'll see what I can use in place of that.  Other dishwashing powder recipes I've tried out weren't successful however this one is great.   Here is a slightly different recipe but similar on the Lectric Washing Soda website.

DISHWASHING POWDER

• 2 x Cups of Bi-Carb Soda
• 2 x Cups Washing Soda
• 1 x Cup Citric Acid
• 1 x Cup Salt
• Essential Oils [ie lemon]

• Combine all ingredients in an airtight container.
• Mix well until incorporated.
• Use 1-2 teaspoons per load.

You know how much I love the Additive Free Lifestyle sisters and their courses.  This is their DIY Made Easy Course which you can have life time access for $49 and can get you started on lots of recipes and how to make lots of non-toxic home made cleaners.  If you have ever wanted to try to make better choices for your home I can highly recommend this self paced course.  It's not a heavy course so you can start and finish it in a few hours and then print out the recipes and get going.

If you are in Australia I can highly recommend getting your supplies for spray bottles and ingredients or DIY kits from Vitalia in Brisbane.  The online service is great because I order from them and my delivery comes in a couple of days.  They ship all over Australia and have everything you need to get started.  They have some good blog posts as well so check them out.  As an example here is a starter kit however there are lots of different ones depending on what supplies you need or buy individual items as you go.

As an example of how easy these DIY products are to make you can check out this blog post on Vitalia.

Apart from being better for your health, the cost of making these items once you have your spray bottles etc. is very minimal compared to buying supermarket floor cleaner, glass cleaner, all purpose spray, toilet spray, shower power, jiff, toilet gels, the list goes on.  It is so much easier than you think and you can make half of these things in less than 5 mins each.  Would love to hear if you try the dishwashing powder recipe and how you go.