Making Homemade Dishwasher Tablets: Efficient And Eco-friendly Ideas

Body scrub, face cream, homemade soap, lip balm, solid shampoo … after making your own natural cosmetics, it's time to make your dishwasher tablets or washing powder effective and environmentally friendly! No more tablets which, in addition to being too expensive, are also chemical and polluting. The homemade dishwasher tablet is made from natural and environmentally friendly ingredients that we all have at home. Economical, it is made in two steps and three movements.

Zero waste approach: making efficient and eco-friendly dishwasher tablets

Did you know that each year in France, around 11,000 tonnes of detergents are used by households for the dishwasher? These detergents, on the other hand, are very harmful for aquatic flora and fauna. And although detergent manufacturers have started to phase out phosphates from their products, there are still tablets and detergents that contain a lot of it.

Faced with this disaster, we adopted the zero-waste trend, the idea of which is not only to buy in bulk or without packaging. It's also about taking action and making your own products. In addition to protecting the environment, the zero-waste approach allows you to save on your monthly expenses. So, to fight against pollution, while promoting reasonable and responsible consumption, we show you how to make your own homemade dishwasher tablets. Made entirely from natural and biodegradable ingredients, our recipes are as good for nature as they are for your health!

Not yet convinced? Perhaps the composition of industrial dishwasher products will make you adopt the zero-waste approach.

Composition of industrial dishwasher products:

• surfactants - from petrochemicals and considered allergens
• synthetic fragrances - allergens
• polycarboxylates - also from petrochemicals, a non-degradable substance
• phosponates - poorly biodegradable and very harmful to aquatic environments

What ingredients to make your homemade and natural dishwasher tablets?

To succeed with DIY and natural dishwasher tablets, we obviously opt for biodegradable and eco-friendly ingredients. One of these is probably baking soda. A multi-use product, it acts as a natural cleanser and deodorizer by eliminating grease and enhancing the action of homemade dishwasher tablets. Without risk to health, it also softens water and limits the proliferation of bacteria and microbes.

Coarse salt is the other essential ingredient for a successful homemade dishwasher tablet recipe. It is a non-corrosive abrasive that has the potential to loosen, deodorize and soften water.

Thanks to their antibacterial and antifungal action, soda crystals act as an excellent degreaser and cleaner. They also soften the water. Easier to use, anhydrous soda crystals are preferred.

Citric acid, on the other hand, is the other natural ingredient to add in the DIY dishwasher tablet recipe. Completely biodegradable, it is made from a microscopic fungus and molasses and acts as an anti-lime that removes and dissolves white spots. When mixed with baking soda, citric acid forms an effervescent mixture on contact with water which greatly facilitates washing.

Percarbonate of soda is highly prized for its stain-removing, deodorizing and whitening properties.

Finally, regarding the addition of essential oils in household product recipes, some say that it is unnecessary, while others do not hesitate to put a few drops. But as with homemade liquid detergent, they have no flavoring effect because their scent does not resist washing at this temperature. In addition, essential oils do not mix well with water.

Homemade dishwasher tablet recipe

Whether liquid or in the form of tablets, washing-up liquid is an essential product for every household that is used several times a week. Good news ! No need to buy expensive commercial dishwashing tablets anymore, because there are now ecological and economical do-it-yourself alternatives that are just as active and effective as industrial tablets.

Ingredients for 15 homemade tablets:

• 100 g baking soda
• 100 g soda crystals
• 100 g coarse salt
• 100 g of citric acid
• 1 spray bottle filled with water
• 1 ice cube tray
• lemon essential oil / lemon juice (optional)
• 1 airtight jar

Manufacturing:

In a bowl, combine the baking soda, soda crystals, coarse salt and citric acid. Pour a few drops of essential oil and lightly spray the resulting mixture with the spray bottle. Mix everything well to remove lumps. Spray again if needed. Finally, you need to get a powdery dough that crumbles easily. Transfer the latter to an ice cube tray and let it sit for 24 hours. At the end of this time, unmold the tablets obtained and store them in an airtight jar away from humidity. Use your homemade dishwasher tablet as you normally would.

Tips for best results:

If the water in your home is too hard, go for 1 tsp. of citric acid in the container to prevent white spots on dishes. It also prevents dirt residues in the corners of the machine. For faster and streak-free drying, a little salt and white vinegar will do just fine.

Homemade dishwasher powder

Ingredients needed:

• 200 g of soda crystals
• 200 g of citric acid
• 150 g of percarbonate
• 1 tbsp of baking soda in the container
• 1 airtight jar

Manufacturing:

To make your own homemade dishwasher powder, nothing could be easier and faster. Just mix the first three ingredients together, then transfer them to an airtight jar and voila, top-chrono it's done! Regarding the dosage, nothing could be easier! Pour 2 tbsp. tablespoons of homemade powder in the tub of your dishwasher. Do not use the cold cycle. For rinse aid, swap expensive commercial rinse aid for a little white vinegar. If your dishes are not the brightest, add a teaspoon of baking soda to the pan in your machine and it will shine brightly.

Dishwasher tablets with black soap

Ingredients needed for 24 DIY pastilles:

• 2 tbsp. sodium percarbonate
• 4 tbsp. liquid black soap
• 2 tbsp. tablespoons of soda
• 1 C. coarse salt
• 10 drops of lemon juice or lemon EO
• 2 ice cube trays
• airtight jar

Manufacturing:

In a large container, mix the black soap, sodium percarbonate, soda crystals, coarse salt and essential oil. Mix until you get a paste, then fill each behavior of your ice cube trays and let the tablets dry overnight at room temperature. To make your dishes shiny, don't forget the rinse aid. We remind you that you can replace it with white vinegar. Store your lozenges in an airtight, labeled jar out of the reach of children and pets.

Natural and zero waste dishwasher powder with Marseille soap

Ingredients needed:

• 4 tbsp. grated Marseille soap
• 4 tbsp. tablespoons of soda
• 2 tbsp. tablespoon of sodium bicarbonate
• 4 tbsp. tablespoon citric acid
• 3 drops of lemon juice or peppermint EO
• airtight jar

Manufacturing:

To prepare this DIY grated Marseille soap dishwashing powder, just put the indicated ingredients (without the EO / lemon juice) in an airtight jar and shake to mix everything well. To use it, put a tsp. of product in the compartment of your machine and pour a few drops of essential oil of peppermint or lemon juice, according to the preferences.

To note:

Over time, your DIY dishwasher powder can get a little harder. You can however continue to use it by breaking up pieces with a spoon.