Homemade All Natural Dishwashing Detergent That Actually Works

Homemade all-natural dishwashing detergent is a simple DIY that can be whipped up in less than 2 minutes. This detergent recipe uses a few simple ingredients, costs way less than most of the natural options you find in stores and actually works! You’ll never want to go back to the toxic store-bought detergents again! 

DITCH THE TOXINS

When you first begin transitioning your home to more natural products, it can be really overwhelming. First off, you start reading all of the ingredients on the back labels of the stuff under your sink. Then, you convince yourself that these items are the reason you’ve been feeling sluggish, your head has been hurting, and you can’t jump on a trampoline without wetting yourself.

While it’s a possibility that some of your issues might be stemming from the toxins in your cleaning products, the pants-wetting is probably unrelated. I’d take a closer look at those kids you’re bouncing around in urine with.

I know it can feel really difficult in the beginning, which is why I sought to create natural homemade cleaners that are easy to make, budget-friendly, and safe for your home! 

NATURAL CAN BE SIMPLE

One thing that you’ll probably notice when you dive into natural home cleaning, is that many of the homemade recipes only call for a few basic ingredients. Plus they’re ingredients that we can actually pronounce!

And all God’s children said “Amen”!

This homemade detergent is a perfect example. It’s super simple with only 5 ingredients and about 2 minutes of actual work. Making your own dishwasher detergent is so easy and so much better for your health and your home than any store-bought options! Natural can be simple and I am all about simplicity! 

DOES IT ACTUALLY WORK?

I know what you’re thinking, “Does this natural stuff actually work??” That’s kind of important, right? Because I’ve definitely bought “natural” cleaners and detergents before that didn’t actually do the job. Mama is busy. Mama doesn’t want to wash her dishes before she washes her dishes. Ya feel me?

That’s why I like this recipe. I’ve tried several, and this one actually gives you clean dishes without leaving streaks and stuck-on food.

Now, that doesn’t mean that you can leave a casserole dish “soaking” in the sink for a couple of days, then let it dry out with all the crusty bits still on, then stick it in the dishwasher and think that this powder is going to do the job that you should’ve done when you left it in the sink 2 days ago…or so I’ve heard.

I’d never leave a dirty dish in the sink that long.

Gross…..

So for good results, don’t leave your baked on casserole dish in the sink for a long time and expect it to work magic. But for everything else, it works just as good as any store-bought versions! 

When creating this homemade dishwashing detergent recipe, two things were important to me: the cleaning power and the safety of the ingredients. There’s nothing worse than natural cleaning recipes that don’t work! It’s safe to say that this recipe has the cleaning power I was looking for! So, now that we’ve settled that, let’s break down the natural ingredients and why they work so well.

Non-toxic INGREDIENTS for DIY dishwasher detergent

I have to admit when I first made this detergent, I couldn’t believe how short the ingredient list was! If you look on the back of cleaning products, they usually have a list a mile long! I’ll never understand why products have to use so many chemicals when nature has all the ingredients we need! This diy recipe has five simple ingredients, let’s break down each one! 

Super Washing Soda
Purchase here

Also known as soda ash, this is nothing more than sodium carbonate which is an alkali substance with a high pH. Many natural cleaning products use it as a cleansing agent. It’s derived from processing trona ore, and is considered safe by the EPA because it is a naturally occurring compound found in soil and water. I also use it in my natural homemade laundry detergent.

Baking Soda

This pantry staple is used for more than just leavening baking products. It’s processed in much the same manner as washing soda, and is essentially a form of salt. Many green cleaning products use it as a natural cleaning agent because of its whitening, deodorizing, and cleansing abilities, among many, many other uses. Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is always in abundance in my pantry. I use it for everything from baking, to grout scrubbing. It’s also a main ingredient in my recipes for homemade laundry soap, deodorant, and toothpaste.

Salt

This recipe calls for kosher salt because the crystals are slightly larger than traditional table salt and lend a little more elbow grease when scrubbing dishes. If all you have is table salt though, go for it. In my video I even used a little pink Himalayan salt because it’s what I had on hand. You aren’t going to mess this up.

Citric Acid

Citrus fruits contain citric acid, which is a naturally occurring compound. It can often be found in the canning section of your grocery store. It kills bacteria and is great for general disinfecting. Another benefit, especially for this recipe, is that citric acid helps to remove soap scum and hard water stains. Holla!

Lemon Essential Oil

Ahh, lemon oil. How I love thee. This is probably the essential oil that I reach for most often. *I drink it in my water first thing every morning to boost my metabolism and kick my cleansing organs into gear for the day. It is incredibly cleansing and detoxifying, both to the body and to surfaces. It’s especially great for this recipe because it is a natural grease fighter.

Lemon essential oil is an excellent addition to many natural cleaning products. I use it all over my home for surface cleaning, deodorizing, and disinfecting. It’s really great when my children go crazy with their stickers and decide that we need wallpaper. Lemon oil removes sticker residue (and permanent marker, FYI) like nobody’s business. Except that, it’s definitely our business. All of us mamas need a bottle of Lemon oil in our stash. If you’re nodding your head while gazing across the room at the remnants of craft days gone wrong all over your dining room table, you probably need lemon oil in your life. Maybe even something for stress. I share lots more essential oil info here, friend.

*Only ingest pure, food grade essential oils that are suggested for internal use.

Directions to make your own homemade dishwasher detergent

To make your diy dishwasher detergent, first combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl or large jar. 

Then, add 30 drops of your essential oil of choice to the dry ingredients.

Use a fork to mix and break up any clumps that form. Or if you are using a large jar, just give it a really good shake to make sure it is fully combined. 

Store in a glass mason jar or airtight container. If you want to get fancy you can store it in a pretty glass jar on your counter. 

When washing dishes, place 1 tablespoon of the powder in the dishwasher detergent compartment for each load of dishes

How many loads of dishes will each batch clean?

Each batch of this homemade dishwasher soap recipe will clean about 52 loads of dishes 

More Natural DIY homemade products

Reduce the chemicals in your home with these homemade products! Made with natural and simple ingredients that will also save you money!

Homemade Glass cleaner – only three ingredients!

Natural Fruit and Vegetable Wash – Using apple cider vinegar, water, and essential oils

Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner – this also doubles as an immune defense! 

Homemade Laundry Detergent – made with four natural ingredients 

Four Ingredient Natural Toothpaste– with peppermint oil

Natural Deodorant– use your favorite essential oil