30 Superior DIY Dishwasher Detergent Recipes for Clean Dishes (2024)

Have you ever taken a look at all those mysterious ingredients in your dishwasher detergent? Well, studies show that even after being rinsed, a thin layer of soap residue is left on your dishes after being washed. Who wants to eat off a plate that still has chemicals on it? Not me!

Making your own DIY dishwasher detergent is the best way to know precisely what ingredients you’re putting on your dishes. It’s simple to do, easy-to-use, and on average cheaper too!

The internet has provided us with various unique recipes so you can find the perfect one that works for you! If you prefer to know what chemicals are used around your house, give a few of these ideas a try and see which one makes your dishes sparkle more and gives you peace of mind.

30 Superior DIY Dishwasher Detergent Recipes for Clean Dishes (1)

DIY Dishwasher Detergent

1. Lemony Fresh

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When life gives you lemons… Make toxin-free all-natural lemony fresh dishwasher soap!

2. Dishwashing Powder

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A lot cheaper than commercially-bought detergent, you can make this simple detergent without breaking your budget!

3. 3-Ingredient Dish Tablets

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Only three ingredients to make these effective dish tabs that leave your dishes sparkly and clean.

4. DIY Dishwasher Detergent – Lemon Thieves

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A non-toxic liquid dish soapuses the sweet essences of lemon and thieves oil.

5. Borax-Free Detergent

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These (borax-free) tabs will do the job of making your dishes shine! Plus, they’re cheap to make!

6. Easy-to-Make

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Only moments of your time and a small amount of effort before you’re washing your dishes with your own homemade detergent!

7. Lemon Vinegar30 Superior DIY Dishwasher Detergent Recipes for Clean Dishes (8)

Your dishes will be squeaky clean with this homemade recipe! Lemony fresh.

8. Epsom Salt

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Use the cleaning effects of Epsonsalt to create this hard-working detergent tabs.

9. Label Included

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Another variation of a homemade dishwasher detergent that includes a super cute printable label!

10. Sparkly Clean

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Want your dishes to shine and sparkle? Here’s the recipe for you to try today!

11. Citrus Fresh

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Citrus Fresh essential oils will make your dishes glow and smell amazing!

12. Copycat Finish

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Not ready to give up your commercial detergent? Here’s a copycat that you’ll be happy with!

13. Grapefruit

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The delicious scent and cleaning power of grapefruit makes this an excellent recipe to try!

14. Soap Nuts

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A liquid laundry detergent using the ever-so-talked-about soap nut! Give it a try and see for yourself!

15. Lavender

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The sweet scent of lavender will breeze over your dishes, and Castille soap will make them clean.

16. Lemon Tabs

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Give your dishes that lemony fresh cleanliness with an easy-to-use homemade dishwasher tab.

17. Kool-Aid

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Did you know you can use lemon Kool-Aid as a dishwasher detergent ingredient? Check it out!

18. Arm & Hammer

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You can use Arm and Hammer to create a very active dishwasher detergent with a boost of lemon.

19. Unique Shapes

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Put your homemade dishwasher detergent tabs into fun molds and get creative with this craft.

20. Bentonite Clay Desiccant

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If you’re like me, you might have a lot of bentonite clay around the house from other DIY projects. Let’s use it up!

21. Lemon Juice and Castile Soap

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If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Lemon and Castile soap are two ingredients we’ve seen in most of these recipes, and there’s a reason for that!

22. Dishwasher Powder

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Citric acid, baking soda, washing soda, lemon essential oil, these are some of the basic ingredients for this recipe!

23. Kosher Salt

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This detergent recipe calls for kosher salt to help scrub away grease and grime off your dishes.

24. Lemon, Orange, Tangerine

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Give your dishes all the citrusy freshness they can get with lemon, tangerine, and orange essential oils.

25. And Another

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Another useful dishwasher detergent tab recipe that will leave your dishes shining bright and beautiful.

26. Lemongrass

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Lemongrass essential oil is what makes these adorable heart-shaped detergent tabs smell so great!

27. 3-Ingredients

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Did you know three simple ingredients are all you need to make a homemade dishwasher detergent? And you probably already have them somewhere inthe house!

28. Citrus Fresh Tangerine

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A wicked combination of essential oils:Citrus Fresh and Tangerine. Then add some power-cleaning ingredients like Arm & Hammer washing soda, and you’ve got yourself an excellent detergent!

29. Vegan Lavender Lemon

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All-natural vegan dishwasher detergent that smells wonderfully of lavender and lemon. Your dishes will sparkle!

30. Budget-Friendly

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Dishwasher detergent can be unnecessarily expensive, but you don’t have to put up with it anymore! Make your own and save some money!

There we have it! 30 powerful cleaning detergents to make your dishes sparkle and shine. Whether you’re looking to find an all-natural replacement for your store-bought soap or you’re just looking to save a few bucks, there’s a recipe here for you!

Give a few different ones a try before you settle down with your new go-to DIY dishwasher detergent.

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30 Superior DIY Dishwasher Detergent Recipes for Clean Dishes (2024)

FAQs

How do you make homemade dishwasher detergent that actually works? ›

How to Make Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
  1. Equal parts washing soda and borax (about 1 1/2 cups each)
  2. 1/2 cup salt.
  3. 1/2 cup citric acid powder.
Aug 17, 2023

What is the best homemade dishwasher cleaner? ›

First, fill a dishwasher-safe bowl with one cup of white vinegar and place it on the bottom of the empty dishwasher. Set the dishwasher to run on a hot water cycle. The vinegar will break down any remaining bits of food, grease, soap scum, residue, and any other leftover grime.

Is it cheaper to make your own dishwasher detergent? ›

Commercial detergents cost as much as 30 cents per load. If you run your dishwasher every day, that adds up to $110 per year. Homemade dishwasher detergents, made with common ingredients found in your grocery store, can cost as little as 4 cents per load, which adds up to only $15 per year with everyday use.

What can you use instead of dishwashing detergent in the dishwasher? ›

Squeeze in two to three drops of regular dish soap, the kind you'd use to hand-wash your dishes normally. Next, pour in baking soda until the compartment is full. Then run your dishwasher on the normal cycle. Don't be tempted to use a compartment full of dish soap.

What are the 3 ingredient homemade dishwasher detergent? ›

Large Load Recipe:
  • 5 drops (4 squirts) of regular dish soap.
  • 1 1/4 tablespoon of baking soda.
  • 1 teaspoon of salt (1/2-3/4 teaspoon for soft water)
Aug 27, 2018

How do you make dishwashing liquid from scratch? ›

How to make dishwashing liquid at home
  1. Add your washing soda or baking soda into a bowl with the grated soap. ...
  2. Heat water to a boil and pour it into the bowl of washing soda and grated soap.
  3. Whisk the mixture until it is blended thoroughly. ...
  4. Add a few drops of lemon and lavender essential oil.

Can you put vinegar and baking soda in dishwasher at the same time? ›

"Using vinegar and baking soda are easy, effective ways to clean inside a dishwasher, but do not use them together at the same time—clean with the vinegar first and then with the baking soda."

How do you hack the cleaning cycle on a dishwasher? ›

Pop two parts white vinegar and one part baking soda into a large container and pop it on the top rack of your dishwasher. Run the cycle with nothing else inside. If there's a strong smell coming from your dishwasher, sprinkle some baking soda at the bottom of the machine, then run it on a short and hot cycle.

Does putting vinegar in your dishwasher help clean it? ›

Luckily, regular cleaning of the dishwasher takes just one ingredient—distilled white vinegar—and little effort. The acidity in the vinegar helps break down soap scum, residue, and grime.

How to make cheap dishwashing liquid? ›

1/2 cup grated Fels-Naptha soap or similar soap 2 cups water, 1–2 Tbsp white vinegar, & 5 drps of lemon essential oil. Directions: Pour the water and grated soap into the saucepan, bring to heat over medium fire stirring constantly until all soap are melted, don't bring to boil. Remove from the stove and allow to cool.

Why does my homemade dishwasher detergent leave a film? ›

- Your dishwasher can't spray or circulate the suds the way it would a water and detergent solution. - The suds are likely to create a film on your dishes and WILL create one inside your dishwasher. the suds are difficult to flush out, no matter the age of your dishwasher, so it sits and builds up.

Can you use borax as a dishwasher detergent? ›

In a pinch, we decided to make some detergent with two tablespoons baking soda mixed with two tablespoons of Borax (we have a box in our laundry room just gathering dust). You cannot believe how beautiful our dishes came out! For pennies a wash! We are now converts and will not need to buy commercial dish detergent.

Can vinegar replace dishwasher detergent? ›

Furthermore, despite how much you might love vinegar, you don't want to use it in lieu of dishwasher detergent to clean your dishes. Vinegar can wreak havoc on your dishes. Just stick to something safe and effective, like Cascade Platinum ActionPacs for regularly washing your dishes.

Can you use Dawn dish soap instead of dishwasher detergent? ›

No, you should only use dishwasher detergent in your dishwasher as it is designed specifically for your dishwasher to clean dishes without the use of suds or bubbles. Read on to learn what to do if you accidentally use dish soap in your dishwasher.

Can you put borax and baking soda in the dishwasher? ›

In a pinch, we decided to make some detergent with two tablespoons baking soda mixed with two tablespoons of Borax (we have a box in our laundry room just gathering dust). You cannot believe how beautiful our dishes came out! For pennies a wash! We are now converts and will not need to buy commercial dish detergent.

How do you make a natural dishwasher tablet? ›

Dishwasher detergent recipe
  1. 1 cup washing soda.
  2. ½ cup sodium percarbonate.
  3. ¼ cup citric acid.
  4. Juice of half a lemon.
  5. Droplets of tea tree oil.
Sep 5, 2022

Is borax safe to use in dishwasher? ›

Yes, it is safe. Borax is alkaline and has a pH of about 9, the same as baking soda.

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