How to Make Homemade Dishwasher Detergent | At Home With P. Allen Smith

[@thereikiplace3545]

I made this and it worked great. I'm hooked. I'll never go back. My dishes are so clean and shiny. I made it just like he said. I found all the ingredients at Wal-Mart. The best part was it didn't have that putrid smell of toxic chemicals while the dishwasher was running.

[@psychosadistic1]

I was using it for more than a year. And if i put too much i get the flimsy dishes, so i do not put more than one tbsp of the powder

[@mustafayasiraydin]

And dont put this much epsom salt. I recommend 1/10 of the total mix.

[@mustafayasiraydin]

I reduced salts down to zero because i think it decreased solubility and effectiveness of NaCO3. Instead added STPP to reduce scaling caused by hard water and you need to adjust detergent amount carefully. STPP is harmfull to the environment but i use it about 5-10%

[@curlyq690]

@@mustafayasiraydin what is STPP?

[@joesmith8288]

@@curlyq690 Sodium triphosphate, a water softener

[@monikaboonzaayer2511]

I did this and I love how it worked I just added 2 tablespoons of citric acid powder to it since I saw a lot of review talking about a film and this would help well my glassware is film and streak free. Love it 😊

[@prithivasudev]

Same here

[@Glogluxx]

Did the mix with citric acid get hard once in contact with water???

[@TheFourthWinchester]

@@Glogluxx It will get hard.

[@isakseivaagantonsen5737]

Base and acid together will make the recipe weak, you are neutralizing the PH.

[@gingerbread1212]

Citric acid is so toxic. It's man made and not at all kind to your body

[@robinc8903]

oh my gosh it really makes sense! Thanks so much because we truly have to take care of our enviorment and I realize its truly never too late to start. Love these wonderful and safe ideas!

[@dewrosejl]

yes add one Tbsp Citric Acid to the mixture and that helps to get your glassware have a clear rinse. You can get the citric acid where they sell canning supplies and also at the health food store. Adding the citric acid also helps to clean your dishwasher. Hope that helps

[@Glogluxx]

I added citric acid to the mix and ended up with rock hard piece of something in the compartment. Anyone experienced that? What could be the issue?

[@dt65262]

I use this soap and with the vinegar rinse and my dishes look great! If you forget the vinegar in the rinse you can get a film on the dishes.

[@TheSchellb]

Thank you. I'm so glad I can make my own automatic dishwasher detergent that is natural. My dishes and pots were very clean and spotless. I don't have hard water. Now no more buying that stinking expense brands at the store.

[@Soundwave-F7Z]

How did you avoid the white residue all over your dishes that this formula leaves?

[@dewrosejl]

Add a one or two tablespoon of Citric Acid to the mixture above to get your glassware to not have a film. Also, Citric acid is food safe and will help to clean the dishwasher. Citric Acid is sold where canning supplies is found and can be purchased online or at the health food stores

[@reggiereynolds6655]

@dewrosejl thanks for clearing that up. I knew there must be some way to get rid of that white film. Natural solutions! Can't use the name unless we are partners.

[@sharonlatour6230]

I have also heard that lemon unsweetened cool aid packets works for citric acid.

[@Glogluxx]

Use vinegar as a rinse. It really helps!

[@cgbyfran9697]

@@sharonlatour6230 I use unsweetened cool aid packets to clean my dishwasher. You can also use TANG, but the unsweetened cool aid packets are much cheaper, and makes the kitchen smell very nice. I use any flavor because it is the citric acid that is important.

[@MsTigerseye77]

I just did this with Zote! I wanted Fels-naptha but couldn't find it in the local grocery. It is so cool! 5 gallons for less than $10!!

[@LCmonman]

???? For your DISHWASHER??

[@MsTigerseye77]

@@LCmonman washing machine

[@rahilraza1344]

Dont forget to add ur favorite detergent like dawn or anything else a few drops

[@ravenblackhawke]

adding acidic vinegar in with the commericial rinse agent will corrode your dishwasher's cap/cover. Vinegar corrodes since it is so acidic so I would stick with using your commercially bought rinse aid like finish or jet dry by themselves with no acidic vinegar.

[@alexk3088]

Commercial rinse agents use citric acid as active ingredient. Vinegar is a weaker acid and household vinegar is only a 5% solution while crystals of citric acid are 100% acid. The role of acid here is to dissolve calcium carbonate and other "water hardness" minerals. Not especially important for those who have soft water, but also a small amount won't really corrode anything - everything is rinsed out at the end of the cycle. Maybe after a couple of decades? ;)

[@TheFourthWinchester]

@@alexk3088 Irl it has corroded many dishwashers in a few months or years.

[@benthere8051]

I put a small ramekin on the top rack filled with 1/2 cup of white vinegar. I get no film on my dishes or silverware.

[@andyharperarbo138]

I made a 5 gal. patch of homemade laundry soap using Baking soda washing soap, borax and a bar of Fels-naptha soap and it works great! It's liquid and there is no powder film and no suds. Sweet huh?

[@veramentegina]

this is exactly what i was looking for. thank you!!

[@dougrichardson1980]

My dishwasher has a place to put the detergent for when you close the door but it also has a little trap door to put detergent in for apparently a second cycle. Do I use a tablespoon in each one of those places or just a tablespoon in the open reservoir and be done with it?

[@switchhazel3517]

I don't want to use borax. Can I leave it out or replace it with something else?

[@silvermine2033]

This is great. Thank you!

[@Zogus100]

There is a reason why that Borax is for your cloths and not for your dishes: Overexposure to borax dust can cause respiratory irritation, while no skin irritation is known to exist due to external borax exposure. Ingestion may cause gastrointestinal distress including nausea, persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Effects on the vascular system and human brain include headaches and lethargy, but are less frequent. In severe cases, a "beefy" red rash affecting the palms, soles, buttocks and scrotum has occurred.

[@mountaingoddess9720]

Scare tactics from the CDC, WHO, AMA. I’ve been taking 1/8 teaspoon every day for years. Borax = boron. An essential mineral for bone strength 🏋🏻‍♀️💪🏼🏆

[@rendagolden2496]

My dishwasher manual says, yes I actually read it. That vinegar will destroy your dishwasher. It eats it.

[@cannotbeshaken7889]

That is very hard to believe. It's possible they just want you to buy their dishwasher detergent.

[@desisacris]

I’ve been using vinegar as a rinse aid for 15+ years. Never had any problems at all.

[@silvermine2033]

@@cannotbeshaken7889 Yep. They want you to buy their product!

[@StephanieBogart]

I know if I had a good dishwasher this would work better but I also get white film on mine. I have added the vinegar too. :-(

[@isidrasnyder6143]

Mr. P. Allen Smith how about dishwashing soap. Thank you

[@markcohen810]

works great just 1 issue the mix when the mix stuff in the mason jar it sticks and is clumpy and hard to get out of the jar. How to fix that?

[@tusharkathuria9]

Store it in ice cube tray.. take one or half cube everytime.. hope it helps..

[@mayraconcepcion6815]

Use the silica gel packages or a mesh bag with uncooked rice. Helps with water absorption

[@soniaguzman7327]

I have seen this recipe with Citric Acid crystals added. Can I add the citric acid crystals to this recipe?

[@liquidpoison2012]

i used a little (1Tbls) in a very similar recipe for dishwashing tablets

[@harugushken2843]

Thanks for sharing!

[@janetblickle7924]

I just heard it is OK now to run your dishwasher on cold water now. What do you think about that.

[@dwighttaylor2184]

can i use caustic soda. (lye) instead of washing soda. i have a high fat diet and my dishes are usually very greasy

[@peter7582]

Maybe sodium phosphate would be better. Is an excellent degreaser, not as harmful as lye, and it was used in dishwasher detergents before the government banned it. That's why old dishwashers got the dishes cleaner.

[@mybenz92]

UPDATE*** I had to omit adding white vinegar. It was leaving a heavy film on my dishes. Especially apparent on my glassware* Everything comes out sparkling clean now!

[@maceyloubrown]

THANK YOU!!!

[@TheDoodlibop]

This is great! :)

[@spike33829]

wow very helpful

[@beeann4294]

Hi, I wanted to ask you if your homemade dishwasher recipe is septic tank safe? Thank you very much

[@RHsapperdaddy1993]

Bee Ann Yes due to their non acidic nature and powder dissolving form factors.

[@cherylstone7256]

Can I add some esssential oils to this mixture?

[@poobear30002006]

citric acid is also works great in this recipe.

[@jackstraw5527]

The first load looked amazing and I thought I had found the greatest hack ever. The next 3 loads were garbage. Did not clean any grime off the dishes, and left a white powder. This was with and without using vinegar in the rinse aid compartment. Anybody have a home made dish detergent that actually works?

[@mountaingoddess9720]

I just made one from My Messy German Life; it’s a liquid and did not go into solution, so don’t try that one! Someone said to add a couple of tablespoons of citric acid to this recipe, so I’m going to try that

[@Amy1664880129]

Hello, MR. P. Allen Smith Do you know How much would the cost per wash be for this recipe? Thanks a lot.

[@imacrapschick]

+Amy Liu Amy, I didn't see a reply to your question so I decided to answer you. Q: cost per load....I add generic Kool-Aid packets to mine for the citric acid- read the ingredients on the packets to make sure it has citric acid. It's cheaper than buying Lemme Shine or Citric Acid in the canning section...I had heard this would help my glasses shine without vinegar being used (the amount of packets depends on your water- hard or soft) It works for me... So, cost per load.....I'd ballpark and say....1.3 cents a load?? This recipe makes a lot of detergent......Here is another easy measurement of price(the way I measure it).....this recipe costs me 9 dollars to make when I can't catch stuff on sale...... If you make the entire amount into dishwashing powder it makes 5 commercial boxes of powdered dishwashing soap. In the Deep South, where I live, dishwashing powder costs me 7.99 a box for the generic, Walmart brand. So, if I went out and bought 5 boxes, it would cost me 40 dollars to get this much dishwashing powder. Also, all you need is one tablespoon of this powder where the store bought powder takes 2 to 4 tablespoons depending on whether you have pots and pans you need extra soap for. So, in my opinion, this stuff is economical. Also, environmentally safe. Some people say that Borax is harmful to the environment but, Borax(the chemical name eludes me) is mined from the Earth.......read the box..Why is it called 20 Muleteam Borax? Because it took 20 mules to tow 20 tons of Borax from the MINES to the nearest city, etc. etc.. So, it comes from the ground....I'd say that's basically environmentally friendly, right???? LOL I just love this stuff.....Also, my dishwasher got clogged and my service guy said I had the cleanest dishwasher he'd ever seen. He said even the pump was clean inside it, no muck stuck to the sides. When I explained that I used a homemade powder he smiled and said, "Yep, that's it. The citric acid(Kool-Aid) and Borax keeps things clean." Well, for me....that sold it!!!! Why? My dishwasher is 17 years old!!!! No, that's not a type oh..LOL We bought an old farmhouse, built in 1802, and are saving the kitchen for last to remodel......So, we've had to be gentle with the old appliances......When we first moved in, the dishwasher barely cleaned, drained slow and left bits on top of the glasses....ewwwww. After a month of using my homemade dishwashing powder and pre-washing the dirty dishes that were put in it, I noticed that the dishwasher wasn't leaving sediment anymore and was draining faster. So, I began to treat the washer normally and didn't pre-scrub the dishes as much....... 3 months pass, and my teenager gets himself grounded(the punishment- a weeks worth of dishwasher duty--.to a 13 yr. old boy, this is the end of the world!!) In my eyes, an effective punishment for disrespecting our 77 yr. old neighbor by riding a golf cart thru his garden(Yes, we made him repair the garden, too.) (just around 15 feet of tire tracks to shovel in)......Anyway, he decided to put several empty salsa containers in the dishwasher without removing the paper labels...sigh....You can guess the rest....104.00 dollars to the service tech. and a "dishwasher loading education class" for the 13 yr. old. But, a bit of good news....My 13 yr. old is now best buds with our 77 yr. old neighbor and is learning how to plant a spring garden......I even saw the reverse....a 77 yr. old on a golf cart that had been turned into a garden trolley... LOL Hope this helps....I got a bit (extremely) long winded so, I apologize.

[@tinkerdee5923]

How much citric acid do you use with this recipe? I am so gonna do this .. Thanks for the help & the mystery behind why it is called 20muleteam ... LOVED that :) Never mind the question, I re-read the response .. lol Deloris

[@poopgle]

wait you use kool aid...?! you put sugar in your detergent, arent you asking for ants on your cleaned dishes

[@gemaffs]

jessica kiefer love your answer in every way. Wish I knew you personally. In a side note, with all the bad reviews I wasn't going to make make this recipe but now you've convinced me. Oh, my dishwasher is 36 years old, and knock on wood, it still works like a charm. Can't wait to make this soap and yry it. I also prewash and use citric acid to aid the rinse.

[@cjandauntieyaya1446]

Question, is this septic tank safe?

[@superfrogg9660]

The vinegar doesn’t eat through the seals or plastic components of the dishwasher?

[@cannotbeshaken7889]

No because it's instantly diluted with a ton of water.

[@woodturningjohn]

tried this one a while back and did not work well for me, however my dishwasher is not the best so maybe the problem comes from it but the dishes came out covered in white dust.

[@sallykalya9023]

Can you make this into liquid soap

[@davewoods24]

Does using homemade dishwasher detergent void the warranty on your dishwasher

[@sharonklug1337]

It does

[@auberthere3737]

I can't find the washing soda anywhere.

[@badgerwear]

Where can you get borax and washing soda?

[@bridgetharrison103]

Look in the laundry section of your grocery store.

[@melissavelasquez9658]

Can this be used in HE washing machines?

[@sharonlatour6230]

this is for DISHWASHERS!

[@pro-spinners7040]

Cheeky!

[@aanjum4262]

Do these safe for machine ?

[@mustafayasiraydin]

Magnesium sulfate reacts with sodium carb to give magnesium carbonate which is insoluble in water. It helps with abresion but it can also hurt pumps etc. I wouldnt use this much sulfate maybe 1/4 of this amount is good.

[@moto-camper]

I mixed all this, next day it absorbed moisture and turned to a gel

[@kath3611]

I don't get it. I have never had an issue and I put it all in one jar.

[@Mrrockstarmeta]

I tried putting my powered mix in water and it doesn't dissolve at all

[@mustafayasiraydin]

Only thing not dissolving is magnesium carbonate.

[@shirowapk]

I tired this and it did it work at all, I fact the white powder doubled

[@nangan838]

Is washing soda same as baking soda?

[@cannotbeshaken7889]

No.

[@tusharkathuria9]

0:09 why is the dishwasher covered in so much salt deposits... is it normal?

[@TheFourthWinchester]

Hard water.

[@markmessa5888]

Does this detergent cause any harm to utensils? (ex: silver, aluminium, plastics, etc)

[@musicbox2466]

no. stop using aluminium and plastics

[@dccop5871]

@@musicbox2466 Why not use plastic. I buy things that come on plastic containers (butter, yogurt, etc) and reuse the container over and over. So if there isn't a waste issue, what's wrong w/ using plastic to store food short term?

[@WeGotJamWellness]

@@dccop5871 Plastic is made from petroleum oil and you should never ingest anything from a plastic container. Yes, it will cost you more to buy products from glass jars but you need to decide if you want to live healthy or not. Also, whenever plastic warms up above room temperature, tiny plastic polymers leach into the food or beverage, you consume it, and your system is constantly fighting a losing battle to remove the foreign agents you have ingested. Do some research - and I do not mean look at the first couple sites that pop up saying plastic is fine, I mean do some actual research. Skip to page 25 of your search and start from there. Contact a naturopath or a university that is specifically doing research into the harmful side effects of using plastic as food storage containers. If you look long enough you will be shocked. Use glass, always glass.

[@PsychologyStudentSam]

if they came out iwth a "dust" it's only possible that its your dishwasher

[@Soundwave-F7Z]

Tried this and it leaves a white residue all over my dishes.

[@cindypayet1563]

it doesn t work for me neither

[@juliegiamo4177]

This recipe covered my dishes with a white coating... please don't recommend this recipe

[@musicbox2466]

Julie Giamo use citric acid in place of borax. borax kills you, while citric acid removes lime, grease, bacteria and reacts with soda to make soap and does not kill anything or anyone, but keeps your machine functional longer

[@xanadu1jw]

music box borax is no more toxic than table salt. The reason this myth got started that it is toxic is because it kills insects but what most people don’t know is that it does so by dehydrating them not poisoning them. I wash my hair wih a borax solution, comes out clean and shiny every time. I drink a very diluted solution of borax for the bone strengthening effect of the boron in it ala information from earth clinic.com.

[@kcastagnoli]

I wish I wou1d have read the comments before I wasted my time and money on this. I have the white fi1m too - and it's no coming off easi1y

[@FrankGutowski-ls8jt]

music box Ha. Don’t quit your day job. You’re no chemist!!!

[@5150pt]

I tried this recipe and its horrible. I thought I was going to save money, but ended up wasting borax,washing soda and Epsom salt. I have been using vinegar in my rinse aid for some time and I was happy with the results. After putting this detergent mix in my dishwasher, it left a nasty white film all over my dishes, even with the vinegar! I ended up having to rewash them by hand. After reviewing the video carefully, I noticed P. Allen Smith's dishwasher as he is putting more into the compartment. It has the same yucky film all over his stainless steel door! Gross! I'm pissed!

[@rahulbsb1]

So you use vinegar for rinse aid. What about detergent? What sort of mixture do you use. I am curious because I just bought myself a new dishwasher and ended buying finish detergent kit

[@5150pt]

I still use regular dishwasher detergent, but pour the vinegar into the rinse aid compartment until its filled. It makes your glasses look clear. Vinegar can be used to clean when you get layers of hard water deposits clogging your filters and water blades. I pour about 5C vinegar into dishwasher alone, no dishes. I let it rest 20 mins and set a cycle to clean it out. Our appliance repair man suggested vinegar as well as Whirlpool when I called.

[@yupyup1562]

I know your comment is old but in case you didn’t get your answer, Smith didn’t use citric acid in his recipe. Citric acid cuts through water deposits. Detergent manufacturers use to use phosphorous to do the same thing because it works so well.

[@FrankGutowski-ls8jt]

yupyup1562 This clown should stick to gardening.

[@asma12041981]

i trade the recipe but a get a with film in my dishes, and i use some vinegar with but i did not get a good result please i need help with that

[@explodeChannel]

delta france Add 1 cup citric acid

[@explodeChannel]

delta france Add 1 cup citric acid

[@maryediscala1817]

M

[@FrankGutowski-ls8jt]

Adding Epsom salt hardens water. Washing soda softens. Got it? Take my advice: stick to gardening.

[@FrankGutowski-ls8jt]

treis531 I truly hope you are learning something! This ‘lifestyle expert’ clearly doesn’t know what he’s doin’.

[@dennisalvarez2518]

Either way he is handsome.

[@cannotbeshaken7889]

I'm more concerned about the chemicals getting in our bodies, and I'm not sure borax would be good to consume.

[@silvermine2033]

There's chemicals in the store bought soap.

[@cannotbeshaken7889]

@@silvermine2033 Yes, I know. And when there's borax residue on our dishes and glasses we are eating it. Borax might be ok for the environment, but it's not ok for our bodies.

[@mountaingoddess9720]

Borax is Boron, an essential mineral for bones. I’ve been taking it internally for years. 1/8 tsp per day for women, 1/4 tsp for men. Add it to your bottle of water that you sip throughout the day.

[@traceylafontaine8893]

Borax 🤮🤮🤮🤮☠☠☠☠