Dishwasher Detergent #Recipe – 20 Mule Team #Borax

Did You Know 20 Mule Team Borax is 100% Natural and 99.5% Pure (with only approximately .5% of natural trace minerals). With nothing added, no phosphates, per-oxide or chlorine.

Borax is the common name for sodium tetraborate. A naturally occurring substance produced by the repeated evaporation of seasonal lakes.

Borates, borax and boron compounds are used everyday by families to soak and wash cloth diapers and soiled laundry. Borax boosts your laundry detergents power, helping to control odors bringing you fresh, clean smelling laundry.

A little history…

Let’s travel back in time for a moment. Borax was proclaimed to be a magical crystal that was used in the aid of digestion, keep milk sweet and even cure epilepsy. Common sense and modern technology have brought us better solutions to those problems. However 20 Mule Team Borax still earns a place in your home.

Who knew, 20 Mule Team Borax comes from California where one of the world’s largest deposits was discovered in 1913.

 I received a box of Borax to facilitate my review because I’m a Purex Insider.*

I contemplated the many different ways to use 20 Mule Team Borax around my home. I decided I wanted to try something new to me. I’ve seen the recipes floating around all over the net for homemade dishwasher detergent with 20 Mule Team Borax. Well I decide I’m game. Seriously if this recipe preforms as well as our standard dishwasher detergent and save me money in the long run (whats the harm in trying). Not to mention helping the environment and my septic by not using harmful chemicals in order to have clean dishes.

So like any inquisitive mind I set out on a mission to discover the best dishwasher detergent recipe that I felt would work in our home. We have sulfur water which can be a bit hard. Not so much as to discolor our laundry, but yet it leaves a iron/rust type stain in the bottom of my dishwasher and shower over time.

First I made a stop at my local Dollar Tree store to pick up a tub that would be used solely for this purpose. Next I purchase the following ingredients.

20 Mule Team Borax

Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (NOT BAKING SODA)

Lemi Shine

Plain White Vinegar

In my newly acquired tub I mixed equal part Borax and Super Washing Soda. I used a whisk to mix until I felt it had all been combined thoroughly.

Now some recipes calls for the Lemi Shine (which helps to remove stains) into the borax and Super Washing Soda. However…. I found other recipes that stated upon adding the Lemi Shine to the mix it causes the mixture to harden over time. I for one do not want to de-clump my dishwasher detergent every time I pull the tub out. So, I decided I would just add the Lemi Shine to my dishwasher separately when I add my detergent mixture.

I fill both of my detergent cups in my dishwasher almost full with my detergent mix. Allowing me just enough space to place one teaspoon  of lemi shine to top off each of the detergent cups.

Then I add plain white vinegar to my rinse-aid dispenser. I’ve been doing this for years and my glasses come out looking great.

Now as for my results. Almost every time I ran the dishwasher my dishes came out looking great. The plastic items were squeaky clean and the glasses look great. The only problem I had, and this is my own fault because sometimes I may only run my dishwasher once a week. So really stuck on foods some times needs to be touched up by hand. But seriously this was a fry pan that had been sitting in there for at least a week. So overall I’m super pleased with my results. I’ve just made up my mind if the extra caked on skillet might be sitting for several day before it will be washed. I just go ahead a wash it by hand, which is easy to clean when I let it soak while we enjoy our dinner. No big deal.

This is my finished DIY project. I up-cycled a drink mix scoop to be used solely for this purpose. It takes one full scoop to fill both of my dispenser cups, leaving just enough room for my lemi shine.

My cost breakdown: $11.39 + $1 for the tub. This finale cost per scoop is a bit mire technical than I wanted to go. This big tub of dishwasher detergent will last me far longer than my normal tab package.

Lemi Shine $3.77

Borax $3.38

Super Washing Soda $3.24

White Vinegar $1.00

 Visit 20 Mule Team Borax for a list of other uses in and around your home.

And The Winners Are…

Jessamine D., Ambur B. and Aubrey J.

Congratulations!

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*Note: facts and pictures may/may not be taken from the above mentioned site(s) or supplied by myself. Affiliate links included in this post.*

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