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    Home » HEALTH » Natural Living

    Non-Toxic DIY Dishwasher Tablets

    Published: Oct 10, 2020 / Modified: Nov 16, 2020 by: Dr. Karen Lee / This post may contain affiliate links. As Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. /

    Jump to Recipe ⬇️

    Make your own DIY dishwasher tablets right in your kitchen. They are so easy to make and they really do work!

    dishwasher detergent tablets in a cupcake pan

    DIY Dishwasher Tablets

    It seems that I am the only one in my family who knows how to use the laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent. Whenever my family tries to run the dishwasher, they'd yell, "How many scoops of this white powder and how many cups of the vinegar? And where do I put them in again?"

    And I'd mumble under the breadth, something like, "If I have to tell you how to do it a thousand times, I'll do it myself!" 

    Sound familiar?

    Well, truth be told, this is partly my fault since I don't make it that easier for them to figure out how to use my crazy concoctions. "1 tablespoon of Washing Soda (No, the jar that's in front of the baking soda), 1 tablespoon of kosher salt (Yes, the blue box that says Kosher....and yes, pour the vinegar IN the covered....") By this time, I march into the kitchen and take over. *sigh*

    Finally, I came up with an ingenius way for them to feel "successful". Ok, so that I don't have to repeat myself a thousand times. Now, they have no excuse for not being able to run the dishwasher because all they have to do is to drop a tablet (a hockey puck, as my hubby calls it.) in the machine! Yes, I'm that evil. *Snicker*

    Here is my Non-Toxic Dishwasher Detergent Tablets formula so that your family too can use the dishwasher without bugging you.

    Jump to:
    • Intro
    • Ingredients
    • FAQ
    • Related recipes

    Intro

    What are DIY Dishwasher Tablets?

    These tablets are perfectly-measured packs of dishwasher detergent that you can use when you wash your dishes. If you are trying to live in a toxin-free home, these are perfect! They are made with completely safe ingredients.

    I'll share the entire tutorial in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. First, I have some helpful tips and information I wanted to share.

    How To Use Homemade Dishwasher Tablets

    Use one tablet for each load. Then, add vinegar to the second compartment with a door and close it. This way, vinegar will be released when the second washing cycle starts and will act as a rinse.

    Don't add vinegar to the bottom of the machine at the beginning of the wash, as some other posts suggest. Washing soda and vinegar will neutralize each other and it will not act like a detergent. This goes for adding vinegar to any soap making recipes.

    muffin pans for dishwasher detergent tablets

    Ingredients

    Washing Soda

    If you don't to buy any, you can make your own washing soda out of baking soda.

    Salt

    You can use any kind of salt that you want, as long as it is Kosher. Save the pricy sea salt for cooking.

    Low-Sud Dishwashing Liquid Soap

    If you buy commercial dish soap, make sure it's SLS-free.

    Muffin Pan

    I used a metal muffin pan. You can use a silicone muffin pan - this makes it easier to pop them out. You can also use ice cube trays. Since this formula is for washing dishes, you can just rinse them afterward and continue using them for food.

    FAQ

    How many tablets does this recipe make?

    This recipe will make about 12 tablets.

    Why are my homemade dishwasher tablets still too wet?

    You might have to leave your muffin tin or mold out in room temperature air for longer. I always leave mine overnight. The longer you leave it, the drier it will become.

    How do you store DIY dishwasher tablets?

    Store them at room temperature in an airtight container. You can store them in a zippered plastic bag or a large glass jar with a lid.

    Is this safe to eat?

    While this formula is safe for washing dishes, it's not SAFE for ingestion. Keep all cleaning products away from children. This formula is definitely safer than commercial detergents but still, keep the tabs in fido jars like pictured above since kids can't get into them. Also, the jar keeps the moisture out.

    dishwasher detergent tablet on cupcake pan next to glass jar of dishwasher detergent tablets

    Related recipes

    • Homemade Borax-Free Laundry Detergent
    • DIY Avocado Face Mask
    • Homemade Linen or Ironing Spray Formula
    clean dishes in dishwasher

    Ok, I'll admit. I like these tablets too. It's pretty darn easy to pop a tablet into the dishwasher instead of measuring different things. But I'll still dedicate this DIY to my kids and hubby who now have no excuse for not loading the dishes!

    ⭐️ Have you tried this recipe? If you love this recipe, give it "5 star" ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe card! We appreciate your feedback!

    Did you try this recipe? We would love your feedback! Click on the stars on the recipe card below.
    dishwasher detergent tablets in a cupcake pan
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    DIY Dishwasher Tablets

    Make your own DIY dishwasher tablets. They are really easy and completley non-toxic.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Resting Time5 hrs
    Total Time5 hrs 10 mins
    Course : Misc
    Keyword : DIY Dishwasher Tablets
    Servings: 12 tablets
    Author: Dr. Karen S. Lee

    Equipment

    • Muffin Tin

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup washing soda
    • 1 cup Kosher salt
    • 6 teaspoon low-sud dishwashign liquid soap
    • ½ cup warm water

    Instructions

    • Mix the washing soda and kosher salt in a mixing bowl.
    • Scoop out about 2 tablespoon into the each muffin mold. You should have enough to fill the entire muffin evenly.
    • Sprinkle about ½ teaspoon of Dishwashing Liquid Soap to each cup.
    • Add about 1-2 teaspoon of water to each cup.
    • Mix the dishwashing liquid soap, water and the powder. The powder should just get wet, not liquidy or runny.
    • Press the mixture down.
    • Leave the muffin pan to dry for at least 3-5 hrs or overnight. The longer it stays, the drier it will get.
    • When it’s time to take them out, gently, drop the muffin on a hard surface, to give it a good (but gentle) jolt. If you use the silicone mold, you can pop them out easily. Same with the ice cube tray.
    • Store them in an air-tight container.

    Notes

    You can buy any brand of salt, as long as it’s Kosher. Save the expensive sea salt for cooking. 
    If you buy commercial dish soap, make sure it’s SLS-free.
    To form the tablets, you can use a silicone muffin pan which makes it easier to pop them out. You can also use ice cube trays. 
    DisclosureThis recipe may contain links that pay commission to this site when you purchase from the links, at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure!
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    More Natural Living

    • Moisturizing Avocado Face Mask
    • How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies Naturally - Once And For All
    • Homemade Borax-Free Laundry Detergent for Sensitive Skin
    • How To Make Homemade Washing Soda

    About Dr. Karen Lee

    I am a food writer, recipe developer, and a cookbook author sharing my family’s favorite simple & easy, allergy-friendly recipes with you! Let's connect on Instagram || Facebook || Pinterest || YouTube Learn more about me on the ABOUT page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Krista says

      April 24, 2016 at 10:00 pm

      I love this idea!!! I am unfamiliar with Low Sud Dishwashing Liquid Soap. Can I use Castile Soap instead?

      • Dr. Karen Lee says

        May 03, 2016 at 9:09 am

        Krista, If you use Castile Soap, it may leave a film on your dishes and you may need to use additional vinegar for rinsing. Try it and see if your water will tolerate Castile Soap. I've used Seventh Generation and Earth Friendly dishwashing liquid soaps and they worked fine for me. But you can try Castile and experiment.

        • Krista says

          May 03, 2016 at 2:35 pm

          I appreciate you getting back to me! I have heard that castile soap can do that so I think I will give your suggestion a try!

    2. Stacy says

      May 26, 2015 at 8:52 am

      Is it necessary to make tablets because
      it seems time consuming and you have to wait for them to be ready for
      use. Longer it stays dryer they get, you say, so eventually at some
      spot they will be dry enough to fall apart. So, my idea is to mix all
      the ingredients and store in a jar. When you need to load the
      dishwasher just add 2 table spoons of the mixture and voilà. Do you
      think it is a good idea?
      Stacy,

    3. Dr. Karen says

      March 28, 2015 at 7:08 pm

      JessicaSHH Thx for reading Jessica! Hope you'll try it!

    4. Dr. Karen says

      March 28, 2015 at 7:07 pm

      @Recipes to Nourish It's so easy peasy AND non-toxic! Hope you try it!

    5. Dr. Karen says

      March 28, 2015 at 7:07 pm

      ReneeKohley Thx Renee!

    6. Dr. Karen says

      March 28, 2015 at 7:07 pm

      Megan Stevens You are welcome! Thx for reading!

    7. Dr. Karen says

      March 28, 2015 at 7:06 pm

      JensPlantains YES! It's very cheap to make your own. I forgot to mention that in the post.

    8. Dr. Karen says

      March 28, 2015 at 7:06 pm

      [email protected] Talk Thx Anna! Now they don't have an excuse! I can probably do the same with laundry powder too. But I have baskets for diff powders so I'll leave that alone for now.

    9. Dr. Karen says

      March 28, 2015 at 6:00 pm

      natfitfoodie Thx for reading!

    10. Dr. Karen says

      March 28, 2015 at 5:59 pm

      @Chloe If you have your favorite homemade powder recipe that uses washing powder, try adding water to it like I did. It'll harden and you'll end up with solid tablets like these.

    11. Chloe says

      March 27, 2015 at 9:42 am

      Great idea! I've tried something similar before, but my homemade powder worked better. I'll have to try this recipe.

    12. natfitfoodie says

      March 27, 2015 at 5:45 am

      I love DIY recipes like these! Thanks for sharing!

    13. [email protected] Talk says

      March 26, 2015 at 10:59 pm

      I have the same problem in my house with everyone asking me how much to put in the dishwasher.  I love the convenience of dishing washing tablets.  I can't wait to make these.  You are the queen of washing machines and dishwashers!

      Pinning and FB sharing.

    14. JensPlantains says

      March 26, 2015 at 10:04 pm

      Great recipe! And super frugal...LOVE!!!

    15. Megan Stevens says

      March 26, 2015 at 8:33 pm

      I had no idea!!! Thank for this!

    16. ReneeKohley says

      March 26, 2015 at 7:38 pm

      Oh NEAT! Love this!

    17. Recipes to Nourish says

      March 26, 2015 at 7:04 pm

      So cool! I've never thought of making my own before. What a great idea!

    18. JessicaSHH says

      March 26, 2015 at 5:29 pm

      Very neat idea!!!

    19. Dr. Karen says

      March 26, 2015 at 4:22 pm

      @linda spiker LOL...."totally toxic tablets"...I had to read that twice. This will change your world Linda! So easy. So cheap! and TOTALLY NON-TOXIC! 🙂

    20. linda spiker says

      March 26, 2015 at 2:56 pm

      I use totally toxic tablets in my new dishwasher. I need to try these!

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