30 Superior DIY Dishwasher Detergent Recipes for Clean Dishes (2024)

Have you ever taken a look at all those mysterious ingredients in your dishwasher detergent? Well, studies show that even after being rinsed, a thin layer of soap residue is left on your dishes after being washed. Who wants to eat off a plate that still has chemicals on it? Not me!

Making your own DIY dishwasher detergent is the best way to know precisely what ingredients you’re putting on your dishes. It’s simple to do, easy-to-use, and on average cheaper too!

The internet has provided us with various unique recipes so you can find the perfect one that works for you! If you prefer to know what chemicals are used around your house, give a few of these ideas a try and see which one makes your dishes sparkle more and gives you peace of mind.

30 Superior DIY Dishwasher Detergent Recipes for Clean Dishes (1)

DIY Dishwasher Detergent

1. Lemony Fresh

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When life gives you lemons… Make toxin-free all-natural lemony fresh dishwasher soap!

2. Dishwashing Powder

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A lot cheaper than commercially-bought detergent, you can make this simple detergent without breaking your budget!

3. 3-Ingredient Dish Tablets

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Only three ingredients to make these effective dish tabs that leave your dishes sparkly and clean.

4. DIY Dishwasher Detergent – Lemon Thieves

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A non-toxic liquid dish soapuses the sweet essences of lemon and thieves oil.

5. Borax-Free Detergent

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These (borax-free) tabs will do the job of making your dishes shine! Plus, they’re cheap to make!

6. Easy-to-Make

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Only moments of your time and a small amount of effort before you’re washing your dishes with your own homemade detergent!

7. Lemon Vinegar30 Superior DIY Dishwasher Detergent Recipes for Clean Dishes (8)

Your dishes will be squeaky clean with this homemade recipe! Lemony fresh.

8. Epsom Salt

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Use the cleaning effects of Epsonsalt to create this hard-working detergent tabs.

9. Label Included

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Another variation of a homemade dishwasher detergent that includes a super cute printable label!

10. Sparkly Clean

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Want your dishes to shine and sparkle? Here’s the recipe for you to try today!

11. Citrus Fresh

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Citrus Fresh essential oils will make your dishes glow and smell amazing!

12. Copycat Finish

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Not ready to give up your commercial detergent? Here’s a copycat that you’ll be happy with!

13. Grapefruit

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The delicious scent and cleaning power of grapefruit makes this an excellent recipe to try!

14. Soap Nuts

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A liquid laundry detergent using the ever-so-talked-about soap nut! Give it a try and see for yourself!

15. Lavender

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The sweet scent of lavender will breeze over your dishes, and Castille soap will make them clean.

16. Lemon Tabs

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Give your dishes that lemony fresh cleanliness with an easy-to-use homemade dishwasher tab.

17. Kool-Aid

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Did you know you can use lemon Kool-Aid as a dishwasher detergent ingredient? Check it out!

18. Arm & Hammer

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You can use Arm and Hammer to create a very active dishwasher detergent with a boost of lemon.

19. Unique Shapes

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Put your homemade dishwasher detergent tabs into fun molds and get creative with this craft.

20. Bentonite Clay Desiccant

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If you’re like me, you might have a lot of bentonite clay around the house from other DIY projects. Let’s use it up!

21. Lemon Juice and Castile Soap

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If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Lemon and Castile soap are two ingredients we’ve seen in most of these recipes, and there’s a reason for that!

22. Dishwasher Powder

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Citric acid, baking soda, washing soda, lemon essential oil, these are some of the basic ingredients for this recipe!

23. Kosher Salt

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This detergent recipe calls for kosher salt to help scrub away grease and grime off your dishes.

24. Lemon, Orange, Tangerine

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Give your dishes all the citrusy freshness they can get with lemon, tangerine, and orange essential oils.

25. And Another

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Another useful dishwasher detergent tab recipe that will leave your dishes shining bright and beautiful.

26. Lemongrass

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Lemongrass essential oil is what makes these adorable heart-shaped detergent tabs smell so great!

27. 3-Ingredients

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Did you know three simple ingredients are all you need to make a homemade dishwasher detergent? And you probably already have them somewhere inthe house!

28. Citrus Fresh Tangerine

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A wicked combination of essential oils:Citrus Fresh and Tangerine. Then add some power-cleaning ingredients like Arm & Hammer washing soda, and you’ve got yourself an excellent detergent!

29. Vegan Lavender Lemon

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All-natural vegan dishwasher detergent that smells wonderfully of lavender and lemon. Your dishes will sparkle!

30. Budget-Friendly

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Dishwasher detergent can be unnecessarily expensive, but you don’t have to put up with it anymore! Make your own and save some money!

There we have it! 30 powerful cleaning detergents to make your dishes sparkle and shine. Whether you’re looking to find an all-natural replacement for your store-bought soap or you’re just looking to save a few bucks, there’s a recipe here for you!

Give a few different ones a try before you settle down with your new go-to DIY dishwasher detergent.

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30 Superior DIY Dishwasher Detergent Recipes for Clean Dishes (2024)

FAQs

What is the best homemade dishwasher cleaner? ›

First, fill a dishwasher-safe bowl with one cup of white vinegar and place it on the bottom of the empty dishwasher. Set the dishwasher to run on a hot water cycle. The vinegar will break down any remaining bits of food, grease, soap scum, residue, and any other leftover grime.

How to make your own dishwasher detergent? ›

How to Make Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
  1. Equal parts washing soda and borax (about 1 1/2 cups each)
  2. 1/2 cup salt.
  3. 1/2 cup citric acid powder.
Aug 17, 2023

How do you make the best dishwashing liquid? ›

Ingredients
  1. 2/3 cup Sal Suds.
  2. 1 and 1/3 cup distilled water.
  3. 40 drops lemon or grapefruit essential oil (or essential oil of choice)
  4. 1 TBSP washing soda.
  5. 1 TBSP table or kosher salt and 3 TBSP hot water.
  6. large pot.
  7. dish soap dispenser.

Does homemade dishwasher detergent work? ›

How Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Works. While the natural acidity of the citric acid prevents a film, the other ingredients in this homemade detergent help clean dishes. Washing soda, the main ingredient here, raises water pH and helps soften water. It also removes stains and grease and works as a cleaning agent.

What is the best home remedy to clean a dishwasher? ›

Pour one cup of white vinegar into a dishwasher-safe mug. The mug should be about 2/3 full of vinegar. Place the mug upright on the top rack of your dishwasher and then close the door of the appliance. Run the dishwasher on the normal cycle with hot water for extra sterilization.

What happens if you put vinegar and baking soda in the dishwasher? ›

Start by cleaning the drain trap and clearing any clogs from the spray arms with a toothpick. Then run the dishwasher according to our directions, first with vinegar to cut through grease and soap scum, then with baking soda to neutralize smells. Open the door after each cycle runs to air-dry the interior.

What is the best substitute for dishwasher detergent? ›

A quick alternative to dishwasher detergent is a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar. Add a cup of baking soda to the detergent compartment and a cup of white vinegar to the rinse aid compartment for an effective, all-natural cleaning solution.

How do you improvise dishwasher detergent? ›

Just put three drops of liquid dishwashing soap (Dawn, Palmolive, Fairy, that kind of thing) in the soap slot of your dishwasher. Then, fill the slot the rest of the way with baking soda and close it. Your dishes will come out just as clean as if you used a dishwasher tab.

What to use when you run out of dishwasher detergent? ›

Squeeze in two to three drops of regular dish soap, the kind you'd use to hand-wash your dishes normally. Next, pour in baking soda until the compartment is full. Then run your dishwasher on the normal cycle. Don't be tempted to use a compartment full of dish soap.

What can I run through my dishwasher to clean it? ›

Pour 2 cups (500 mL) of white vinegar into a glass measuring cup or other dishwasher-safe container and place upright in the lower rack. Run a normal cycle with the heat dry option turned off to clean the inside of your dishwasher. Do not use detergent.

What is the best way to clean and deodorize a dishwasher? ›

Run Empty Dishwasher Cycles with Vinegar and Baking Soda

For the first cycle, place a bowl filled with distilled white vinegar on the top rack of the dishwasher, and run a normal cycle. Then, pour a cup of baking soda into the bottom of the dishwasher and run a second cycle. Now your dishwasher should be odor-free!

Does putting vinegar in your dishwasher help clean it? ›

The acidity in vinegar effectively breaks down grease, food residue, and mineral deposits inside the dishwasher. It also acts as a disinfectant, helping to kill bacteria and mildew. While vinegar is a great dishwasher cleaner, it's important to use it with caution.

Is bleach or vinegar better to clean dishwasher? ›

Clean with the vinegar first and then with the baking soda. Additionally, cleaning a dishwasher with bleach can deep clean its interior and remove tough stains, mold and mildew, but only if your dishwasher is not stainless steel and does not contain stainless steel.

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