Easy Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

Happy Frugal Friday, Ya'll!

Today I'm going to share with you my recipe for Easy Homemade Dishwasher Detergent.

I started to use homemade detergent as a money saving measure but I quickly found that it cleaned my dishes sooo much better than the store bought stuff.

I won't be going back to the store bought stuff, even if I can get it for free. I'm that happy with the way my homemade detergent works.

To  make your own dishwasher detergent you will need:

1/2 cup borax

1/2 cup washing soda

1/4 cup citric acid (Walmart carries this in the canning section)

1/4 cup salt (I use sea salt)


Mix all of these together. I do this in a ziploc bag because it will clump and harden if given the chance. Just knead the bag frequently for the first 48 hours. I then will store it in my glass jar. It is still usable if clumped up. It is just harder to get out of the jar.

To use, put about a tablespoon of detergent in your dishwasher. I also use vinegar as a rinse agent. It seems to work just as well without the vinegar on those occasions when I've forgotten to add it.


I hope you give this a try. Let me know how it works for you.

Easy Homemade Degreaser Spray

Welcome to another Frugal Friday!


Today We're making Homemade Degreaser Spray.



If you made last week's laundry detergent then you should have all of the ingredients in your house.

You will need:

1 teaspoon of Washing Soda

4 teaspoons of Borax

1 teaspoon of dish soap (I use Dawn)

4 cups HOT water

add the first 3 to your bottle and then pour in the hot water. Hot water will help the powders to dissolve. Shake well.

I use this on all of the surfaces in my kitchen and the even the rest of the house for that matter.  I love the way it cleans. Just remember to shake it again before you use it because it may separate a little between uses.

If you prefer, you can follow up with the glass cleaner ( vinegar and water spray) on the kitchen food prep surfaces but I really don't.

I haven't done a cost breakdown for using these homemade products vs. the store bought stuff but I do know that I save a lot of money this way. More importantly, I like the peace of mind in knowing exactly what I'm exposing my kids to.

Next week I'll show you my recipe for homemade dishwasher detergent.