Making your own dishwasher tablets gives you the best of both worlds—a super convenient format, and the green advantage of reduced exposure to harmful chemicals.
Our version also gives you the added bonus of a deliciously clean lemon scent that will envelop your kitchen when you open the dishwasher door. It’s possible, and very economical, to make your own cleaning products out of a few simple ingredients, with lemon juice as the aroma and cleaning booster.
- Note: The essential oil is optional, but will add fragrance to your dishwasher loads. Suggestions are: lavender, eucalyptus or other fresh scent.
What You’ll Need:
1 cup Borax
1/2 cup Epsom salt
1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
1/2 cup lemon juice
8 drops essential oil, optional
PLUS: 1-2 clean ice cube trays
How To Make Them:
- In a large bowl, measure the borax, Epsom salts, and washing soda.
- Mix them together with a wooden spoon or spatula until well blended.
- Add the lemon juice a little at a time. The mixture will fizzle a bit, but that’s fine. Keep blending with the wooden spoon until the mixture is damp and clump, but you don’t want it to be runny.
- Add the essential oils and stir to blend.
- Use a spoon to pack the mixture into clean ice cube trays, pressing down on them firmly to pack the material together.
- Let it sit at room temperature for about 24 hours, until hardened.
- Release them from the ice cube tray.
- Store in a sealed ziplock bag, or a clean mason jar with a lid.
- Use just as you would otherwise, putting 1 tablet in your dishwasher detergent tray.
