Dishwashers (DMMs) have become a part of the everyday life of many housewives, saving time and effort. They don't require much to work: water, electricity and dishwashing detergent.
The market provides a wide selection of detergents for PMM in different forms: gel, capsules, tablets, etc. But with daily use, they are quickly consumed, which ultimately results in significant costs. But there is an alternative: you can make dishwasher tablets with your own hands from inexpensive natural ingredients.
How to make your own dishwasher detergent
Everything that thrifty housewives use to put things in order in the kitchen is successfully used for this purpose: soda, salt, mustard, borax and other cheap and accessible substances.
The specific thing is that it is undesirable to use liquid or crumbly detergents for a dishwasher, so it is better if they are in the form of tablets or briquettes. Plastic or silicone ice molds come to the rescue, which will give the finished product the desired shape.
Composition of store-bought analogues: how harmful are they to health?
The composition of dishwasher tablets is similar to the structure of washing powder. And the function of both cleaning products is the same - cleaning from dirt. The tablets are based on enzymes, defoamer, phosphates, chlorine and chlorine-containing products, soda, surfactants and fragrance.
The greatest harm to human health is caused by chlorine and chlorine-containing substances, which are the main factors in the occurrence of allergies and hypertension, as well as surfactants. Surfactants clean kitchen utensils well due to their ability to combine water and fat molecules, but at the same time they break down human sebum, which ages the skin and causes skin allergic reactions.
Having studied the composition of dishwasher tablets, you can understand that they are not harmless to health and start making them yourself at home.
What you need to make homemade detergent
The main components of the recipes are on hand in every home, so purchasing them will not require special financial costs.
The main components include:
- washing powder (better for baby clothes);
- dishwashing liquid;
- soda (baking or ash);
- dry mustard;
- sodium tetraborate (borax);
- aroma oil.
To give the resulting mass the appearance of a three-dimensional figure, you need to have plastic or silicone molds for ice or cookies in your arsenal. Important: the size of the self-made tablet must correspond to the size of the dishwasher cell.
Homemade cleaning tablet recipes
The main component is almost always soda. Due to its physical and chemical properties, it has an abrasive effect, and when combined with acid, it triggers a chemical reaction that dissolves fat. Other ingredients are added to enhance the effect.
Soda and washing powder
Add 7 parts of washing powder to 3 parts of soda ash and mix. Pour in water, stirring until a thick paste forms. Place in molds and place in a dry place to harden. You can use any molds, as long as the finished tablet fits in the dishwasher compartment.
With dish gel
For gentle washing modes, when the water temperature does not exceed +40°C, you can prepare a mixture of soda, dish gel and baby laundry detergent in a ratio of 1.8:0.2:8. Mix the mixture thoroughly, form into bars and lay them out to dry. By adding gel, this mixture will wash dishes well even in cool water.
With salt and citric acid
Pour a glass of soda onto a metal baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes in an oven preheated to +200°C, stirring occasionally. This is necessary so that the soda acquires a more plastic structure - then the mixture is better formed into tablets. Then pour the soda into a container, add 0.5 cups of table salt and 0.25 cups of citric acid.
Pour a glass of water in small portions, after each time waiting for the end of the reaction of soda with acid. Then mix the mass and put it into molds.
With borax and salt
Mix 1 part sodium tetraborate, 1 part Epsom salts and 2 parts soda ash. Then add lemon juice until the mixture reaches the desired thickness. If there is no lemon, you can add citric acid to the dry mixture, and then gradually pour in water.
When the reaction of the acid with soda is complete, the mixture can be laid out in molds and dried.
With mustard powder
Mix 2 parts of powder with 1 part of soda, pour in 1 part of hot water. Stir the mixture until smooth and pour into molds.
With glycerin
Mix 160 g of washing powder with 40 g of soda ash, then add 5 g of glycerin. After drying in the molds, the tablets are ready for use.
Recipe without soda
3 tbsp. l. salt mixed with 2 tbsp. l. cleaning powder, then pour in 1 tbsp. l. 70% vinegar. Next, mix until smooth and place to dry on a sunny window sill or on a radiator.
Advice. For aroma, you can add a few drops of essential oils, preferably citrus, to the mixture.
Homemade dishwashing detergents vs. store-bought ones
Many people know that household dishwashing chemicals contain components that can harm the body and the environment. Manufacturers claim that their products are harmless and advertise their benefits in every possible way. The emphasis is on quick rinsing of gels.
In fact, to remove products from the surface of the dishes, you need to rinse them under running water for at least 10-15 seconds.
You've seen unfamiliar "chemical" names on the label and may not realize how harmful they cause. Most often this is:
- phosphates, phosphonates;
- chlorine-containing substances;
- surfactant;
- sodium;
- formaldehyde.
And also “blurred” names: bleach, fragrance. In this case, the manufacturer does not decipher the components that are included in their composition.
These substances can accumulate in the human body. Most of them do not decompose in nature, which leads to a decrease in water quality.
Therefore, we suggest making eco-powder, tablets or gel at home.
The simplest option. Mix one teaspoon each of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide in a glass of warm water to prepare the liquid.
An aqueous solution is unlikely to cope with complex stains, but it is an excellent option for washing dishes and cutlery.
Even using folk recipes, do not forget to add special salt to the dishwasher, which protects the parts from scale.
How to make powder
What will you need to prepare? Everything is at hand.
First option. The universal recipe is suitable for washing dishes by hand and in a washing machine: prepare half a glass of borax and the same amount of mustard powder. Mustard foams well, helping to wash away dirt from dishes.
Add one glass of soda ash and stir. Store the powder in a dry, dark place.
Some users complain that mustard powder clogs the filter and spray nozzles. Others recommend this method for use.
Second option. This composition is aimed at greater washing effect; it contains a small amount of surfactants. You will need: 25 g of neonol and sulfanol, 950 g of soda. Surfactants serve to foam and enhance the cleaning properties of soda. Having studied the composition of the detergent in the store, customers decided that they could wash the devices in a less aggressive way.
One kilogram of powder will cost 50 rubles. You can buy surfactants in the store.
Additionally, do not forget to add salt to the ion exchanger tank.
How to prepare tablets without leaving home
If we can handle the powder, what should we do with the tablets? Today these are some of the most popular and expensive detergents: 3-in-1, 4-in-1, 5-in-1, 8-in-1 and so on. Manufacturers never tire of adding more and more new components. We offer an affordable alternative.
Consumer reviews have convinced us of the effectiveness of homemade tablets.
- Mix 350 g of washing powder (its composition is not much different from detergent for PMM) with 150 g of soda (for softening and cleansing). Add a little water for viscosity. Bring until smooth and place in ice cube trays (or others). The main thing is that the water tablet fits into the dispenser compartment.
- Take 80 g of baby powder (for example, “Stork”), 18 g of soda. Mix them and add some dishwashing detergent. Knead and place in molds. Use at a temperature of 40 degrees (Eco program).
- Mix 150 g of baking soda with 200 g of borax, 1.5 kg of magnesia. Condition with lemon juice or citric acid solution (gives the dishes shine and shine). This composition is more environmentally friendly than previous options.
What is important to consider:
- Size . A large tablet will not fit into the compartment.
- Protection. Wear gloves and a mask when making. The components are very dusty.
- Concentration . A large dose of soda does not dissolve well, leaving a residue on the devices.
- Mood . Don't feel like kneading? Add dry ingredients, but some may spill out.
How to make your own gel
A simple and versatile recipe:
- Boil one liter of water.
- Add 50 g of laundry soap shavings.
- Stir until smooth.
- Pour in 45 g of soda ash (not baking soda).
- Stir until dissolved.
- Let the mixture cool.
- Add a couple drops of your favorite essential oil for scent.
This unique product is ready to use. Pour it into a convenient bottle and use it for washing clothes or washing dishes.
Regular apple cider vinegar (9%) is suitable as a rinse aid. Add it to the rinse aid compartment at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 6 sets of dishes.
A more complex option: five tablespoons of lemon juice, two tablespoons of essential oil, one spoon of glass cleaner. The ratio can be increased, but keep in mind that homemade mouthwash does not last as long as store-bought one.
Benefits of Homemade Recipes
The main factor when choosing dishwasher tablets is price. With daily use, PMM tablets are consumed quickly and constitute a significant household expense. Homemade detergent benefits from cheap and readily available ingredients.
The second, no less important aspect is environmental friendliness. The finished tablets may contain various chemicals - from surfactants that bind fat to chlorine compounds that are better at removing dirt but are harmful to the body. Their traces may remain on the dishes even after rinsing. In addition, store-bought briquettes contain phosphates, formaldehydes, and hydrochloric acid.
Therefore, it is preferable to take tablets prepared at home from improvised means. They are easily washed off from the surface of the dishes, do not cause harm to the body, even if they get into food in small quantities, and are not hazardous to the environment when discharged into sewer drains.
Preparing the mixtures does not take much time. You can calculate the volume of components depending on the number of free molds and prepare from 20 to 50 tablets in 15 minutes. They will last a long time even with daily use.
Do homemade dishwasher tablets wash well?
The quality of washing dishes with self-prepared tablets is approximately at the level of a cheap group of store-bought products.
In addition to detergent, expensive PMM tablets contain rinsing layers, fat solvents, anti-scale agents, etc.
All this is not found in homemade tablets, but their simple composition and low cost justify this drawback.
