So yesterday I made some laundry detergent. The results were fantastic, BTW. Who knew you could achieve such cleansing results on 2T of product? Well, I didn't know. Reading that article is a good primer for this one as the recipes are similar.
Read it here: Homemade Laundry Detergent
With dishwasher detergent we use the same basic principals of softening the water, raising the pH, and using a surfactant to displace organic matter. There are some differences, though. Dishwashers do not provide any built in way to provide an abrasive cleansing action like the motion of fabric against itself in a clothes washer. We've got to add an abrasive to the recipe. We may also want to get the pH a little higher, to assist in loosening the organic matter.
Kosher salt is the abrasive I've decided to use. You don't have Kosher salt!? Get some! Use it. Do you really want to ingest iodized ANYTHING? The salt will wash down the drain just fine, it may even help keep the jet nozzles and drain clean.
To assist in raising the pH, I've chosen to use chlorine bleach since it has some amazing disinfectant powers anyways.
For a rinsing agent, I've filled the container with cider vinegar. Why cider? Personal preference. Vinegar is an acid and will neutralize the washing environment. Sort of like the fixing agent in a perm. No, I've never had a perm, but the process is similar to a dishwashing cycle. Raise pH for a time, do your thing, lower the pH back to neutral.
Here's the recipe for liquid dishwashing detergent.
1/4 part grated soap (I used Irish Spring since that's what I had available)
1 part bleach
1 part BORAX
1 part soda ash
1 part Kosher salt
Close the cap and shake shake shake!
I put this in an empty liquid dishwasher detergent jug. For a load of dishes, fill the reservoir about half way. Don't forget to try vinegar as a rinsing agent.
