Owners of dishwashers (hereinafter also referred to as PMM, dishwashers) sooner or later are faced with the fact that they have to spend substantial sums of money on the purchase of chemicals for the dishwasher. Therefore, many are interested in whether it is possible to make dishwasher tablets with your own hands as a cheaper alternative. The urgency of the problem is added by the fact that the “all-in-one” tablets offered to customers in stores contain substances that are harmful to health.
Dishwasher tablets available in retail stores
The composition of industrial tablets contains: chlorine, formaldehyde, phosphates and even hydrochloric acid. How to replace dishwasher tablets? Below are recipes for making homemade “homemade” tablets that can successfully replace store-bought products. At the same time, their cost is several times less.
Products based on washing powder
The idea is to use laundry detergent for children's clothes and linen as a detergent. This powder is harmless and has hypoallergenic qualities.
Prepare and mix the following ingredients in a certain proportion:
- children's washing powder intended for automatic washing, for example “Ushasty Nyan” - 4 cups;
- soda ash - 1.5 cups;
- any liquid intended for hand washing dishes - 5 tablespoons;
- water – 50 ml (1/4 cup).
Washing powder for all types of laundry “Ushasty Nyan”
the resulting mixture, which looks like a thick paste , into small molds. The main thing is that their size is not too large and the workpieces can subsequently be placed in the bunker. Then wait until the slurry dries to form briquettes. You can effectively wash dishes with homemade “bricks” without fear for your health.
To prepare tablets according to this recipe, you will need soda ash; baking soda will not work.
Even when using all-in-one tablets, it is necessary to add special salt to the hopper, otherwise the tap water will not soften to the desired level. The same applies to the rinse aid - in any case, it is advisable to pour it into the container provided for this purpose.
Read our article about how much salt you need to put in the dishwasher.
Product with washing and mustard powders
The proportions are one to one. Let's take:
- mustard powder;
- washing powder (regular or children's);
- soda
It is very important to remember to add special or regular salt when washing. Salt reduces scale and extends the life of the dishwasher.
Expensive household chemicals are not always unique in their composition. If absolutely necessary, you can use improvised means. Soda has excellent cleaning properties, borax adds shine, mustard powder can wash away even old dirt, and washing powder is almost a direct analogue of dishwashing powder.
But you need to remember: what is suitable for hand washing may not be suitable for the dishwasher. Some substances can clog it, so it is recommended not to violate the technology for preparing detergents.
Briquettes based on soda ash
Experienced housewives often use the following successful combination of several ingredients, resulting in a good composition for washing cutlery:
- soda ash - 3 cups;
- table/Epsom salt (magnesia) – 1.5 cups;
- citric acid – 0.5 cups;
- manual dishwashing liquid - 3 tablespoons;
- water – 1 glass.
Before mixing, the soda ash must be heated in a clean frying pan for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Only after this can you add the remaining components. Then the mixture is distributed into molds and waited until it dries.
Citric acid is a popular cleaning agent.
Baking soda tablets
There is another elementary recipe, the ingredients for which can be found in almost any kitchen. Prepare the following ingredients:
- baking soda – 2 cups;
- table salt – 1 glass;
- citric acid – 0.5 cups;
- water – 1 glass.
You can also make “bricks” for dishwashers using baking soda.
One glass of soda is heated, for which it is placed in the oven on a baking sheet at a temperature of +200 ℃. You need to heat for 30 minutes, stirring. Then all the ingredients except water are added to the hot soda. When the dry mixture is ready, add a glass of water to it in parts, avoiding too much foaming. The resulting slurry is distributed into molds in a warm place and allowed to dry.
Composition based on magnesium
Magnesia, or Epsom salt, successfully washes even the dirtiest dishes. Based on it, you can make a mixture by adding several other components in the following proportions:
- Magnesia/Epsom salt/Epsom salt – 2.5 cups;
- soda ash – 1 cup;
- sodium tetraborate (borax) – 1 glass;
- citric acid – 0.5 cups;
- liquid/gel for washing dishes – 4 tbsp. l.;
- water – 1 glass.
Sodium tetraborate can be purchased in such packages
Borax and Epsom salts can be purchased at pharmacies; these components are inexpensive. Dissolve citric acid in water. Mix the remaining dry ingredients thoroughly. Add the acid solution to the dry mixture, avoiding too violent a chemical reaction. Mix all the ingredients well, distribute the resulting slurry into the molds and wait until it dries.
The better all the components are mixed, the better the homemade tablets will wash tableware.
How to replace tablets
You can replace the capsules with a gel based on soap shavings.
To prepare you need to take:
- Half a bar of laundry soap.
- Soda ash (3 tablespoons).
- Boiling water (3 cups).
Grate the soap on a coarse grater, dissolve in boiling water, add the dry substance, stir. Pour into a plastic bottle and use as needed.
Making capsules
The most popular form of detergent for use in the dishwasher are expensive capsules. Purchased products contain a whole list of various ingredients. The multi-component option will ideally wash dirty dishes.
Capsules should be prepared using protection (rubber gloves): during preparation, a chemical reaction occurs that can injure the skin of the hands.
To prepare you will need:
- Half a cup of borax (sodium tetraborate).
- 80 grams of soda ash.
- A glass of magnesia (can be purchased at a pharmacy).
- A tablespoon of lemon juice or citric acid.
Take a container, mix the dry ingredients, add lemon juice (dilute citric acid with a small amount of water), mix. As a result of mixing, the mixture will begin to hiss and heat will be released. At the end of the reaction, spread the mixture into the cells of the mold, dry, and store.
DIY washing gel
The simplest recipe without fragrances, surfactants, or acids can quickly wash away dirt and remove residual oil and burnt fat.
Read more ► How to load dishes into the dishwasher: rules, how to arrange them depending on the type
Ingredients for making:
- A glass of soda.
- A glass of dry mustard.
- Half a glass of unscented liquid soap.
Mix the dry ingredients in a container, add liquid soap, stir until smooth, pour into a bottle with a tight lid, use as needed.
DIY powder
Making dishwasher powder is not difficult. You should take dry mustard, sodium carbonate, and baby laundry detergent in equal proportions. Mix the ingredients, pour into a box with a tight lid, and place in the dishwasher.
Advantages of homemade briquettes for the dishwasher
Why is it more profitable to prepare universal dishwashing detergents with your own hands? Firstly, they are much cleaner in environmental terms and do not contain substances harmful to humans, unlike the “secret” compositions of tablets produced by industry. Secondly, simple calculations show that one briquette made in the kitchen costs 4-5 times less than a store-bought one .
Dishwashing detergents that can be bought in stores are easy to use, but expensive
It only takes 15-20 minutes to make dishwasher detergent with your own hands; the rest of the time they dry in a warm room. The tablets are then stored in a dry and dark place. They can be used for six months, during which time the briquettes will not lose their basic properties. Once dried, the small “bricks” do not fall apart or crumble.
Regular use of self-made detergent compositions does not negatively affect the operation of the PMM. The surface of the dishes is washed clean, and after rinsing there are no streaks or stains left.
So, making universal briquettes for dishwashers with your own hands is very profitable. Compared to industrial household chemicals, such products have practically no disadvantages, but there are enough advantages.
We make it ourselves
Household chemical stores offer various options for dishwashers:
- powders are quite cheap to use;
- gel - safe for health, but more expensive;
- capsules are the most popular means for removing dirt, but their cost reaches up to 200 rubles.
Making your own capsules is not so easy, but recreating gels or powders from various ingredients is not particularly difficult.
Store-bought dishwashing detergents contain a number of components that remove dirt, add shine to dishes, make water soft, and remove scale in the dishwasher.
It is unlikely that you will be able to repeat the recipe one-on-one with purchased chemicals at home, but every housewife can create a mixture for washing plates and cutlery from substances that can be purchased at any hardware store.
Ingredients for homemade remedies
The basis for making homemade mixtures and powders are:
- soda ash (sodium carbonate),
- dry mustard,
- washing powder or soap,
- salt.
The right combination of ingredients will allow you to wash your dishes clean in the dishwasher at no extra cost.
Popular soda-based recipes
Below are the options for soda-based products:
Soda Ash Tablets
An uncomplicated, budget option for the dishwasher.
To make tablets you should take:
- A glass of baby laundry detergent.
- Half a cup of sodium carbonate.
- Ice tray.
Mix both ingredients in a container and start adding warm water little by little to get a mushy mixture. Using a tablespoon, spread the mixture into the cells of the mold and compact lightly. Dry, put in a box with a tight lid for storage.
Read more ► How to connect a dishwasher with your own hands: step-by-step instructions, checking the installation
With soda ash and glycerin
Glycerin will add shine to dishes and quickly remove grease and dried-on food residues.
For production you will need: the same amount of powder and sodium carbonate, but glycerin should be used instead of a binding liquid. Place the resulting mixture into the cells of the mold, dry, and remove.
With baking soda and salt
The option with salt is safe for health, washes dishes well, and will help remove scale and dirt from inside the dishwasher.
To make it you will need:
- Sodium carbonate (1 cup).
- Half a glass of salt.
- Half a glass of hot water.
- 2 tablespoons lemon.
Mix the dry ingredients in a container, add liquid, stir, arrange in the cells of the mold, dry, and store.
