I wrote about homemade powdered laundry detergent in an earlier post. Now, I’m here to bring you homemade dishwashing detergent.

The same benefits apply here as for laundry soap – by making your own dish detergent, you’re using less packaging per load, spending a lot less money, and you’re still getting nice, clean dishes. This recipe is even easier than laundry soap, as there is no grating involved – just measure, mix, and store!

Ready? Let’s go!

Homemade Dishwashing Detergent

You will need:

• 1 c borax
• 1 c washing soda (not baking soda)
• 1/2 c kosher salt
• 1/2 c citric acid (you can get this online, at brewers’ supply stores, and a lot more places than you might think – just look for it!)
• Some people also like to add a few drops of essential oil into the detergent. I don’t, but it apparently works for them. You do you.

Directions: Measure all ingredients into a large jar or glass container, cover, and shake to combine. (You can also mix everything in a bowl, then funnel it into a jar or container.) Store in a dark, cool place, preferably with little moisture. Use 1 tbsp per load in the regular detergent slot in your dishwasher for a regular load of dishes.

Notes: The mixture may clump due to the citric acid taking moisture from the air. This is normal and doesn’t lessen the effectiveness of the detergent, in my experience – just give the jar a good shake to break up clumps. I’ve also read that putting an unopened silica gel packet (like what you get in shoeboxes and other packaging) into the jar helps to prevent this, since it absorbs moisture.