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 recipe uses a few simple ingredients and costs way less than most of the natural options you find in stores and actually works.

Ditch the toxins

When you first begin transitioning your home to more natural options, 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.

Natural can be simple

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

And all God’s children said amen!

This dishwashing detergent is a perfect example. It’s super simple with only 5 ingredients and about 2 minutes of actual work.

Does it 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 cleans your dishes without leaving streaks and stuck-on food.

Now, that’s 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…..

Now that we’ve settled that, let’s break down the ingredients and why they work so well.

Ingredients

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 because of it’s whitening, deodorizing, and cleansing abilities, among many, many other uses. Baking soda 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 natural laundry powder, 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 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

Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Add 30 drops of your essential oil of choice.

Use a fork to mix and break up any clumps that form.

Store in a glass mason jar or airtight container.

When washing dishes, place 1 tablespoon of the powder in the detergent dispenser on your dishwasher.