I've been told that you can use 1/2 baking soda 1/2 borax in the dishwasher and get good results, but it didn't work for me. I think that's because our dishwasher is cheap. Vinegar works as a rinse agent, but is reputed to eat away at the inside of the dishwasher. I haven't tried it because, well if it's a cheap dishwasher, the likelyhood of disaster is high.
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Annette, mama to Owen (02) and Xander (04)
No, I don't have an alternative to a commercial product. But I really love ECOver brand dishwasher tablets. They don't have a strong scent, claim to be all natural, and really work well. I love that I open my dishwasher and it just smells like water, not like artificial perfume. I buy these tabs at our local whole foods.
Astoria
__________________ Mama to JR 3/15/01 and CJ 3/16/03 and due in August.
I love the Ecover tablets also...and I cut them in half. Half is plenty and we have a lousy dishwasher:P
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"If you only believe what you see, then you are limited to what's on the surface. If you only believe what you see, then why do you pay your electric bill?" Dr. Wayne Dyer
I've tried the borax/baking soda/vinegar thing, and also a Dr. Bronner's recipe, I've tried about 3 or 4 different combos and nothing worked. So we went back to SunLight or whatever horrible chemical-y one the grocery store had!!
I'll be trying the Ecover tablets now though! Yay!
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SAH-Homeschooling-College Student-Mom to my two little guys, 8 & 5.
Ditto on the Ecover tablets. I used to get it in the powder and it worked well also. I liked it because it was less expensive. Can't find it now. I will have to try cutting them in half.
We do the borax, bs, vinegar thing here and have had good results with it. I am a borax, bs, vinegar freak and use them for EVERYTHING - laundry, mopping, dishes, sanitizing, etc. Nice cheap alternative to harsher chemicals.
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Jess, mama to Colin 8/04 and Camden 1/07
My Little Buckaroo is soon-to-be three!
We have VERY hard well water. I have found success with this recipe.
1/3 baking soday
1/3 borax
1/3 sea salt
I put 1 teaspoon of this into the bottom of the dishwasher, NOT in the cup dispensers. I then add 1/2 tsp of sea salt into the pop out dispenser.
I have tried using vinegar for the rinse, but our water is just too hard so I use the store bought rinse agent. I still save a lot of money by not using the store bought detergent though!! I always know when DH didn't notice the rinse was empty as the glasses are spotted.
The vinegar worked fine for the regular plates & mugs, just not the glass.
I still find once in a while I have to do a good hot water & natural dish detergent wash of the glasses & silver ware with a good hot rinse & then dry them with a tea towel vs letting them air dry. Also because there is no bleach in my concoction (we have a septic tank so never let bleach go down the drain) so on occasion I will also scrub the mugs. I use a oxygen or hydrogen peroxide powdered "bleach" for a bit less scrubbing. I don't add this to my mix as it is only an issue with DH's coffee mugs. He tends to re-use the already washed mug so I am not having to do a ton of mugs, just a couple.
Let us know if anything you try helps!!
Kerri mom to Amanda(15), Emma(13), Maddison(11), Jonah(8), Saige & Claire(5, id twin girls) & sweet Teagan(Sept 2003)
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Kerri mom to: Amanda & partner PC, Emma(16), Maddison(14), Jonah(11),Saige & Claire (7, id twin dds) & Teagan (4,ds), fostering four children, grandma to baby boy (Jan, 2008) and caring for horses, dogs, cats & rodents.
No, I don't have an alternative to a commercial product. But I really love ECOver brand dishwasher tablets. They don't have a strong scent, claim to be all natural, and really work well. I love that I open my dishwasher and it just smells like water, not like artificial perfume. I buy these tabs at our local whole foods.
Astoria
I love Ecover Tabs! I will have to try ½ tab next time, as they are pricey ($5.50 for 25). I tried the Method ones from Target, and they SUCK!!!
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~Tiffany,
SAHM to Ryan ('98), Alex ('99) & Caroline (11/7/07)
and loving wife to Dave (12/06)
I had never considered trying the Ecover tablets, because I have always found liquid detergents so much better in the dishwasher than powdered ones, and I assumed the tablets would be like powder, but since so many mamas here like them and Whole Foods was out of the liquid ones, I tried the tablets. Wow! I don't think my dishes have ever been so clean before!
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Thea
wife to Chris since 8-7-99
mom to Louisa May 9-30-2002
and Morganna Rose 6-17-06
I had never considered trying the Ecover tablets, because I have always found liquid detergents so much better in the dishwasher than powdered ones, and I assumed the tablets would be like powder, but since so many mamas here like them and Whole Foods was out of the liquid ones, I tried the tablets. Wow! I don't think my dishes have ever been so clean before!
I'm gonna try those! I just use the 7th Heaven liquid dishwasher detergent.
Hi, I'm relatively new here, but I wanted to add that when we had a dishwasher we just ran it with no detergent all the time. The dishes came out clean and we never got sick. Just plain old hot hot hot water seemed to be enough.
due in August.
I love Ecover Tabs! I will have to try ½ tab next time, as they are pricey ($5.50 for 25). I tried the Method ones from Target, and they SUCK!!!
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