If I can make something from scratch I make it! This is just the way I am, it saves money and I get some satisfaction from figuring out how to make for myself something that the manufacturers think only they can make and charge us too much for.
Sooo now I have to ask myself ..."Self, why didn't you think of doing this before if you are so darn smart?"
Answer self now..."Good Grief, I don't know!"
Here it is...
You will need;
Washing Soda (sodium carbonate) found it at Walmart, did not find it elsewhere
Borax (sodium tetraborate)
Sugar free lemon aid packets or Fruit Fresh or citric acid (in the canning supplies)
The washing soda cost just over $3 for a 3 lb. 7 oz. box and the Borax was just under $3 for a 4 lb. 12 oz. box and the lemon aid packets cost about .12 cents each for the store brand and .25 cents for the Kool Aid brand. Fruit Fresh is a bit more expensive, but works very well. With this amount you can make a lot of dishwasher detergent for pennies per load.
Now here is the hard work...
Into a clean plastic container measure 1 cup of washing soda to 1 cup of Borax and 2 packets of lemon mix or 2 teaspoon of Fruit Fresh or citric acid.
Mix well and it is ready!
Use 1 tablespoon per load of dishes.
This recipe works really well and the lemon gives it a fresh sent. With in 2-3 times of using this detergent the stubborn hard water stains on the dish washer door were gone.
In addition to this I added white vinegar into the rinse agent reservoir
