Money Monday: Dishwasher Detergent

I have a countertop dishwasher and find it tough to afford to buy detergent for it … I found a solution that works well.

Mix …

• 1 Tablespoon Borax
• 1 Tablespoon Baking Soda

Add the mixture to your dishwasher in place of brandname detergent and run the dishwasher as you normally would.

This can be mixed in larger batches using a 1 part Borax to 1 part Baking soda

Borax is found in the laundry aisle and can be bought for about $3 for a 4 lb. box

Baking Soda costs about $3 for a 4 lb. box

I’ve been using a single box of each for about 2 months and have used about 1/3 of each box.  A 4lb box of cascade usually costs me about $7 and doesn’t last as long

I opted for a store brand of baking soda to keep the cost down and it works just as well as Arm and Hammer does from what I’ve experienced.

Many dishwasher detergents contain borax so it is somethng that is safe to use in a dishwasher.

If you make a larger batch be sure to clearly label the container and include its use and ingredients, along with the amount of each ingredient.

I make a batch using 1 cup Borax and 1 cup Baking Soda it lasts a couple weeks or more depending on how often I run my dishwasher.  I got a plastic bowl from a local dollar store that I could easily write on and had a good sealing lid.

I opted not to reuse a plastic food dish because I wanted to be sure that people don’t think its food.

Here is a good resource to have on hand in case of accidental poisoning … http://www.aapcc.org  They have a national 800 number for contacting Poison Control (some of you may remember the Mr. Yuck stickers this is the poison control organization that made them a household name)