I’m a big fan of keeping things in my life natural and toxic free, especially cleaning products. I don’t like filling my home with toxic chemicals, and you can make cleaning products yourself for much less than commercial products. This week I found a recipe to make your own dishwasher detergent, and I had to try it.

I’ve run a few loads through the dishwasher, and I’m much impressed. My dishes are clean, and the glassware is spot free! To make your own dishwasher detergent, combine the following ingredients:

1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax
½ cup sea salt
½ cup citric acid

Mix the ingredients and store in an air-tight container. I added about 15-20 drops of lemon essential oil to mine for the smell, plus lemon oil is great on dishes. Use 1 tablespoon per load.

For spotless glassware, I filled the rinse agent container with white vinegar.