One of the most important ways we keep our household safe is by making our own simple cleaning products. Making your own dishwasher tablets from simple ingredients is a great place to start!

Here is a simple recipe followed by a few tips for use of the DIY tablets. We have been using these home made tablets (made with Borax) for over 2 years now and are quite happy with the results. Sometimes the dishes are still a little dirty but then they were before too when we used the commercial ones! The biggest difference between our tablets and the commercial ones is that ours leave the dishwasher smelling clean and fresh whilst the commercial ones leave a strong chemical smell that makes me feel ill!

You will need:

50 g salt 

150 g sodium carbonate (Washing soda)

150 g citric acid

100 g borax

15 drops Lemongrass Essential Oil. 

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. 

When mixed, spoon into a silicone ice cube tray or muffin tray. 

Make sure each tablet is packed in firmly

Leave in a cool place for 24 hours until the tablet is hard. 

Place into an airtight container. 

Tip: I wrap each one in a piece of paper to prevent them from sticking together.  Alternatively, turn out the tablets onto some paper for a few hours to complete the drying process before placing them into a container.  I use the paper from my office recycling bin. 

Using the Tablets:

 

Use in the dishwasher, just like you would commercial tablets.

But, for best results:

Use white vinegar in the rinse compartment.

Don’t overfill the dishwasher.

If you would like some help finding the ingredients please read our blog post called Quick Guide for Finding DIY Ingredients Part 1.

Seriously though, we do hope that there is a good Brexit outcome for everyone in the UK, and that it happens sooner rather than later……

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Until next time,

Gillian (and Andrew)