Save money with your own cleaning products!

Every time I shell out money for dishwasher detergent or laundry detergent, it makes me cringe. I saw an awesome recipe posted on Cheapskate monthly for washing machine soap and thought it might be worth a shot. There is no grating or boiling. It is a simple recipe that I was willing to try. I have used it for all my laundry this week and I am thrilled with the results. I also found on another website a recipe for dishwasher detergent. Every since the government meddled and companies had to change their dishwasher detergent formulas, dishwashers haven't been the same. I've run several loads and I'm happy to report that everything has come out so clean! My glasses sparkle!

Here are the recipes:  

Dishwasher Detergent

1 Tbl. oxygen bleach (like Oxi Clean)
1/2 teaspoon POWER CLEAN Dawn dish soap
1 Tbl. Lemi Shine ($3.66 at WalMart)
1/2 cup white vinegar (poured into a bowl or cup on the top rack of the machine) (this is optional)

You put the first three ingredients right in the detergent cup of your dishwasher right before you start the load. No premixing! Do not use more than 1/2 tsp. of Dawn or you will have a bubbly mess. There are bubbles during the washing cycles. Don't worry, they all rinse away at the end.

The water from the dishwasher cycle collects in the cup with the vinegar and spills over into the dishwasher making the perfect rise for your dishes. No, your glasses don't taste like vinegar!

I am so thrilled to never, ever again have to buy dishwasher detergent! It works better than the expensive Cascade Complete I was buying! Yipee!

(Update 8-1-13 - I've been using the LemiShine Rinse agent for a few months now. It works very well and I've noticed that my glasses are even shinier! I switched from the original Dawn to the Power Clean Dawn and my pots and dishes are coming out even better.)

Laundry Detergent - concentrated version

(Note: a few people have asked if we can double the strength of the original recipe and use half as much. I have tried it and it works just fine. The updated concentrated version is below)

6 tablespoons borax
6 tablespoons washing soda (I found "Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda" at Kroger)4 tablespoons Original Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid (I used the concentrated Dawn)

Add 2 cups water into a microwavable bowl or measuring cup. Microwave for 3 minutes. Add the ingredients and stir until dissolved. Pour into a gallon container. Fill with cold water. To use: Add 1/2 cups to each load of laundry depending on the size and soil levels.

I have an HE machine and it works perfectly.  

It is so watery, but it works perfectly! I tried it out on a very dirty white clothes load. It took the ground in dirt from the socks right out! Super easy to make!

Expect to spend about $12 for all the ingredients and depending on your laundry use, you can expect to get about 4 months out of them. I do at least one load of laundry every day. This costs about 1 cent per load! Wow! I purchased my initial ingredients in August and they lasted me through December.

I found a 2 1/2 gallon slimline water dispenser container at Wal-Mart. I make a double batch and it lasts me about a month.