Want clean, sparkling dishes without using harsh, toxic chemicals?

Want it to be easy to make with just a few ingredients?

And you want it to be natural and safe to use?

Then this is the recipe for you.

Here are a few reasons why I LOVE this homemade essential oil dishwasher detergent:

• all-natural
• cuts through grease and stuck-on food to clean dishes
• gets my silverware shiny and my glasses sparkling
• no spots!
• removes food and drink stains like from coffee and tea
• has the fresh, bright, refreshing smell of essential oils
• can be made using this easy DIY recipe that takes less than 5 minutes to make
• saves money versus store-bought solutions
• a fun, quick DIY project to do with essential oils!

Want other easy, natural ways to wash your dishes?  Try this recipe for homemade liquid dish soap (perfect for hand washing dishes) and this recipe for dishwasher detergent tabs (it’s similar to this recipe but made into convenient tabs that you can pop into your dishwasher without any measuring).

I don’t get excited about the process of cleaning, but I sure do like the look of clean, sparkling glasses right out of the dishwasher.

I smile when I see the shine on freshly-cleaned silverware.

And as readers of this blog know, I enjoy discovering something I can make at home using essential oils.

So when I found a way to get sparkling glasses, shiny silverware, and plates free of caked-on food the first time through the dishwasher… with a homemade detergent using essential oils… you know I had to share it.

What’s in this natural dishwasher detergent?

This website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link. 

washing soda – this powerful cleaner raises the cleaning pH to help break down food and grease, and softens the water to reduce spotting, leaving your glasses and silverware shiny and sparkly

salt– hard water deposits can leave spots behind on your clean dishes; adding salt softens the water and reduces pesky spots

citric acid– this versatile cleaner boosts dishwasher detergent to help get rid of stuck-on food, suspends hard water deposits to keep them off your dishes, helps remove food and drinks stains like coffee and tea

citrus essential oil–  antibacterial and antimicrobial, cuts through grease to get plates clean, and makes the clean dishwasher load smell great

How to make this essential oil dishwasher detergent?

click here to get free printable recipe and jar label

step 1:  add 1 cup washing soda (find it here) to glass bowl

step 2:  add 1/4 cup salt

tip: no need for fancy, expensive salt.   I use this.

step 3:  add 1/2 cup citric acid powder (like this)

step 4:  add 40 drops citrus essential oil

Lemon essential oil is one of my favorites.  It makes my kitchen smell so fresh & clean every time I unload the dishwasher!

But I also like to change it up and use a variety of citrus essential oils.

You can use 40 drops of a single essential oil or use 40 drops total of a combination of citrus essential oils.

Here are some ideas of citrus essential oils to try:

tangerine essential oil

lemon essential oil

lime essential oil

orange essential oil

grapefruit essential oil

bergamot essential oil

step 5:  stir well

break up any lumps with the back of a spoon or your fingers

step 6:  pour into airtight container

add a label (get my free printable label here)

Here’s my essential oil dishwasher detergent recipe one more time:

click here to get free printable recipe and jar label

1. Mix the following ingredient together:

1 cup washing soda (find it here)

1/4 cup salt (I use this)

1/2 cup citric acid powder (click here for where to buy)

40 drops citrus essential oil

2. stir well – break up any lumps with the back of a spoon or your fingers

3. pour into airtight container

4. add a label (get my free printable label here)

yield: 28 tablespoons, enough for 28 loads of dishes

That’s an entire month of dishes at my house!

How to use

• use 1 tablespoon per load of dishes
• put it in your dishwasher detergent compartment (same place you put store-bought detergent)
• (optional) I put vinegar in my rinse aid compartment.  Vinegar is a great natural rinse agent.

caution: check your dishwasher’s instruction manual to make sure homemade detergent is safe for use in your dishwasher.

Do not use in dishwashers with stainless steel interiors.

Where to get supplies?

This website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link. 

super washing soda (like this) – you can find it in the laundry detergent aisle in grocery stores, Walmart, Target, and online here

salt (like this)- baking aisle of the grocery store

powdered citric acid (like this)- you can get at grocery stores by canning supplies, at craft stores, or online here

click here to get free printable recipe and jar label

here are some other essential oil recipes I think you’ll like:

Homemade Dish Soap

DIY Dishwasher Detergent Tabs

Homemade HE Laundry Detergent

the Best Streak-Free Window & Glass Cleaner

8 Essential Oil Cleaning Recipes 

Stinky Shoe Spray

Homemade Poo-pourri “Before You Go” Toilet Spray

DIY Soft Scrub

Calming Magnesium Body Butter (improves sleep, reduces stress, and soothes aches)

Best deals for essential oil supplies– diffusers cases, spray bottles, carrier oils, essential oil tools

20 Favorite Roller Bottle Blend Recipes and Free Printable Labels

12 Best Essential Oil Diffuser Blends for Sleep

DIY Sore Muscle Rub with essential oils

Homemade Vapor Rub with essential oils

How to make essential oil inhalers + 24 favorite inhaler recipes

Clever & Creative Ways to Use Empty Essential Oil Bottles

25+ Easy DIY Gifts Made with Essential Oils

Homemade Essential Oil Healing Salve

Please join us…

we’re on Facebook here

we’re on Pinterest here

click here to sign up our email newsletter

Please note: Products mentioned in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products and information on this page are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This website is not a substitute for professional care.  Always consult your medical doctor regarding your medical care. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Disclaimer: Please know that this website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link. 

Have you tried to make homemade laundry soap before and been disappointed that your clothes weren’t really getting clean?

I have.

I used to make a homemade laundry soap from Castile soap, washing soda, baking soda, and OxiClean free.  At first, that sounds like a good idea, but it turns out, it doesn’t really get your clothes clean.

In fact, it actually traps dirt in your clothes.

My family’s clothes looked clean, but they weren’t.  They were hiding loads of dirt and debris in their fibers.

How did I find out?  I saw someone talking about it on Facebook.  Someone had shared a photo of all the dirt and gunk that came out in her family’s laundry when using a proper detergent after she had been using a homemade laundry soap similar to the one I had been using.

So I tried the test on my family’s clothes, and sure enough, the rinse water of my “clean” clothes was not clear sparkling water like you would expect, but rather the rinse water from my “clean” clothes was a dirty brown sludge.

Yuck!

So much for that homemade laundry soap.  I was off to find something that really works.

What I discovered was that I needed a detergent, not a soap.  A detergent not only cleans, it also rinses clean.  And rinsing clean means that the clothes are really, truly clean!

So I share with you my homemade laundry detergent recipe.  I hope your family loves it as much as mine does!

You might also like this other post with favorite natural laundry recipes.  Find it here:   11 Best Essential Oil Recipes for Laundry

UPDATE:  After years of failed experiments, I finally figured out how to make a great natural powder laundry soap.  It’s free of harsh chemicals, artificial fragrances, and dyes.  And best of all, it actually gets clothes clean.  So if you’re looking for a powder laundry detergent, check out my new recipe.  I’m so excited to share it with you!

Top reasons why you’ll want to make this homemade liquid laundry detergent:

1. natural
2. non-toxic
3. easy to make
4. one batch makes enough for 64 loads (so if you do 2 loads of laundry a day, it makes enough for an entire month)
5. smells great!
6. works in high efficiency (HE) front-loading washing machines as well as regular top-loading washers
7. uses the cleaning power of essential oils
8. removes odors
9. no residue on washer or on clothes
10. actually gets clothes clean!

What do you need to make this homemade liquid laundry detergent?

This website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link. 

salt (find in spice aisle of your grocery store or find online here)-  Salt softens the water, which allows the detergent to work more effectively.

super washing soda (find in laundry aisle at your favorite store or find online here)-  Many homemade laundry detergents use baking soda, but baking soda is weaker and doesn’t do as good of job cleaning clothes.  So I use super washing soda instead, and save the baking soda for washing delicates.

filtered or distilled water (find in bottled water aisle of grocery store) –  This dilutes and stretches a batch of laundry detergent so that one batch makes enough for 64 loads of laundry.

Sal Suds (find it online here) –  Organic and plant-based cleaning concentrate that not only makes this laundry detergent, it also makes a great dish soap (recipe here), floor cleaner, and more.  It doesn’t have any artificial dyes, fragrances, or preservatives.  Best of all- it works!  It cleans clothes, getting rid of dirt and odors.  And it rinses clean (even in cold water)!

essential oil –  I use a combination of lavender and lemon, but you can customize your detergent with your favorite essential oils.

gallon glass drink dispenser (like this) or four quart-sized glass jars (like this)

free printable label for your detergent jar  (get it here)

long-handled wooden spoon (like this)

How to make homemade laundry detergent with essential oils

step 1: bring 4 cups of filtered or distilled water to a boil.

step 2:  While the water is still boiling on the stove, add 1 cup salt to the boiling water.   Mix well until the salt is completely dissolved.

step 3: take the water and salt mixture off the heat and add  1.5 cups of super washing soda to boiling water

step 4:  mix the really hot water, super washing soda, and salt until it is dissolved.  If you have one, it really helps to use an immersion blender for this.  You want to be sure to break up any clumps.  If not mixed thoroughly, you can have little hard “rocks” in your detergent.

step 5:  Let the salt, washing soda, and water mixture cool a little bit, then add 100 drops of essential oil (this is 1 tsp of essential oil).

I used 50 drops lavender essential oil and 50 drops lemon essential oil.

But lots of other essential oils and EO combinations would also be great.  Here are a few others to try:

• 100 lemon
• 70 lemon and 30 tea tree
• 40 lemongrass, 30 lavender, and 30 eucalyptus
• 40 lavender, 30 lime, and 30 spearmint
• 40 grapefruit, 30 orange, and 30 lemon
• 30 spruce, 30 tea tree, and 40 cypress

step 6: add 2.5 cups Sal Suds

step 7: gently stir everything together.  You want it mixed well, but you don’t want to agitate the Sal Suds, because if you do it will bubble up.

step 8: pour the detergent concentrate into your gallon jar (or four quart-sized jars)

step 9:  fill jar with distilled water

step 10:  gently stir to mix well (again, don’t stir too briskly or you’ll cause it to bubble up)

step 11:  add this free printable label (get it here)

How to use

• use 1/4 cup for HE (high efficiency) front-loading washing machines or 1/2 cup for traditional top-loading machines
• yields: 64 loads in HE machines, 32 loads in top-loading machines
• You may want to keep a long-handled wooden spoon by your detergent.  Over time, the washing soda and salt may settle to the bottom of the container and you’ll need to stir (or shake) the container to remix.

Where to get supplies?

This website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link. 

salt (find in spice aisle of your grocery store or find online here)

super washing soda (find in laundry aisle at your favorite store or find online here)

filtered or distilled water (find in bottled water aisle of grocery store)

Sal Suds (find it online here)

gallon glass drink dispenser (like this) or four quart-sized glass jars (like this)

immersion blender (find it here)

long-handled wooden spoon (like this)

free printable label for your detergent jar (get it here)

Please join us…

we’re on Facebook here

we’re on Pinterest here

click here to sign up our email newsletter

Please note: Products mentioned in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products and information on this page are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This website is not a substitute for professional care.  Always consult your medical doctor regarding your medical care. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

We all want sparkling and shiny dishes and glasses — the FIRST time they go through the dishwasher.

I hate when I open up my dishwasher expecting to find clean dishes and instead find caked on food on the plates and water spots on the silverware and glasses.

Dirty dishes AFTER they’ve already been washed.

That’s not fun!

We know store-bought solutions exist for this.

But is there a natural, non-toxic dishwasher detergent we can make at home that really works?  And can I use essential oils?

Yes!  Yes, there is.

Inspired by my DIY essential oil dish soap that I LOVE for hand washing dishes, I’ve experimented and tried lots of variations of homemade dishwasher detergent concoctions with essential oils and different ingredients to discover what will work as an all-natural dishwasher detergent.

And I found it!

I’ve found a recipe that gets my dishes clean and smelling fresh, and without leaving spots behind.

Yes!

Why I LOVE this homemade dishwasher detergent

• all-natural
• cuts through grease and stuck-on food to clean dishes
• gets my silverware shiny and my glasses sparkling
• no spots!
• has the fresh, bright, refreshing smell of essential oils
• can be made using this easy DIY recipe that takes less than 5 minutes to make
• saves money versus store-bought solutions

What’s in my homemade dishwasher detergent tabs?

washing soda – this powerful cleaner raises the cleaning pH to help break down food and grease, and softens the water to reduce spotting, leaving your glasses and silverware shiny and sparkly

salt– hard water deposits can leave spots behind on your clean dishes; adding salt softens the water and reduces pesky spots

citric acid – this versatile cleaner boosts dishwasher detergent to help get rid of stuck-on food, suspends hard water deposits to keep them off your dishes, and assists in smooth rinsing at the end of the cycle

citrus essential oil–  dual benefit of cutting through grease to get plates clean, and makes the clean dishwasher load smell great

How to make homemade natural dishwasher detergent tabs?

step 1:   add 1 cup of super washing soda (like this) to a glass bowl

step 2:  add 1/4 cup of salt

note:  there’s no need for fancy, expensive salt, look for salt like this

step 3:  add 1/2 cup citric acid powder (like this)

step 4:  add 40 drops of citrus essential oil, then mix and use back of wooden spoon to break up any clumps

citrus essential oils (use 40 drops of one or use 40 drops total of a combination of oils):

orange essential oil

tangerine essential oil

lemon essential oil

grapefruit essential oil

lime essential oil

bergamot essential oil

step 5:  spray 2-3 tablespoons water into mixture, stirring as you add the water

tip: don’t add the water too quickly or the washing soda and citric acid will fizz and react too much.  Slower is better.

step 6:  once the mixture is the consistency of slightly damp sand, stop adding water.  the mixture should clump together when you squeeze it, but fall apart if you drop the clump into the bowl.

If it’s too wet, don’t worry, you can add more washing soda to dry it out.

If it’s not wet enough, spritz it with a little more water.

step 7:  scoop the mixture into a silicone mold (like this)

It’s the perfect size for both (1) the right amount of detergent and (2) fit perfectly into the dishwasher detergent tray.

Use the back of a wooden spoon and your fingers to firmly press the mixture into the silicone mold.

step 8:  let them dry and harden overnight

Then when they’re completely dry, pop them out of the silicone mold and put them into an airtight container.

step 9:  add a label ( get a free printable of the recipe and this label here)

Here’s the homemade natural dishwasher detergent tabs recipe one more time

This website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link. 

1 cup of super washing soda (like this)

1/4 cup of salt  (note:  there’s no need for fancy, expensive salt, look for salt like this)

1/2 cup citric acid powder (like this)

add 40 drops of citrus essential oil, then mix and use back of wooden spoon to break up any clumps

spray 2-3 tablespoons water into mixture, stirring as you add the water

tip: don’t add the water too quickly or the washing soda and citric acid will fizz and react too much.  Slower is better.

scoop the mixture into a silicone mold (like this).   Use the back of a wooden spoon and your fingers to firmly press the mixture into the silicone mold.

let them dry and harden overnight, then when completely dry, pop out of mold and store in airtight container

add a label ( get a free printable of the recipe and this label here)

How to use natural dishwasher detergent tabs

• Put one detergent tab into your dishwasher’s detergent dispenser.
• Add a little vinegar to the rinse aid compartment.
• Let the dishwasher take it from there; use your usual wash settings.

caution: check your dishwasher’s instruction manual to make sure these detergent tabs are safe for use in your dishwasher.

Do not use in dishwashers with stainless steel interiors.

here are a few other essential oil posts that I think you’ll like:

Homemade Dish Soap

the Best Streak-Free Window & Glass Cleaner

8 Essential Oil Cleaning Recipes 

Stinky Shoe Spray

Homemade Poo-pourri “Before You Go” Toilet Spray

Please join us…

we’re on Facebook here

we’re on Pinterest here

click here to sign up our email newsletter

Please note: Products mentioned in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products and information on this page are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This website is not a substitute for professional care.  Always consult your medical doctor regarding your medical care. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Disclaimer: Please know that this website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link.