Borax as dishwasher detergent?

[Dan Friedrichs]

I might try that.

I kind of think we get taken advantage of with a lot of those types of products. For instance, I started making my own Windex after seeing a "recipe" on the internet (1/8cu ammonia, 1/4 rubbing alcohol, and 1 qt water). It works many times better than the Windex you buy, and costs about $0.10/bottle, rather than $3.95/bottle.

I've heard of people trying to make their own laundry detergent, too, but I'm not quite up for that

[Jim Koepke]

I might try that.

I kind of think we get taken advantage of with a lot of those types of products. For instance, I started making my own Windex after seeing a "recipe" on the internet (1/8cu ammonia, 1/4 rubbing alcohol, and 1 qt water). It works many times better than the Windex you buy, and costs about $0.10/bottle, rather than $3.95/bottle.

I've heard of people trying to make their own laundry detergent, too, but I'm not quite up for that

I have made my own beer.

Used to have a neighbor who made his own wine.

jim

[Belinda Barfield]

I might try that.

I kind of think we get taken advantage of with a lot of those types of products. For instance, I started making my own Windex after seeing a "recipe" on the internet (1/8cu ammonia, 1/4 rubbing alcohol, and 1 qt water). It works many times better than the Windex you buy, and costs about $0.10/bottle, rather than $3.95/bottle.

I've heard of people trying to make their own laundry detergent, too, but I'm not quite up for that

Thanks for posting the "recipe", Dan. I'm going to use it!

[Dave Lehnert]

I might try that.

I kind of think we get taken advantage of with a lot of those types of products. For instance, I started making my own Windex after seeing a "recipe" on the internet (1/8cu ammonia, 1/4 rubbing alcohol, and 1 qt water). It works many times better than the Windex you buy, and costs about $0.10/bottle, rather than $3.95/bottle.

I've heard of people trying to make their own laundry detergent, too, but I'm not quite up for that

I had read someplace that Oxy Clean is the same thing as Borax just repackaged.

[Dan Friedrichs]

I had read someplace that Oxy Clean is the same thing as Borax just repackaged.

You got me curious. I looked up the MSDS for OxyClen, and it's 50% washing soda, and 50% solid hydrogen peroxide. So it's not Borax, but I bet you could make your own OxyClean much, much cheaper if you just bought those ingredients separately...

[Dan Karachio]

Not quite the same thing, but there is this stuff called Dishwasher Magic that is great for cleaning out the dw. It is in a bottle with a wax seal. You turn it upside down, run it as the only thing in the dw and when it is done, it looks like a new dw (inside). Tang will do the same thing just about. The trick is to make your own bottle with a wax cap so you get the "slow release" just like the expensive product.

[phil harold]

Old thread bump

I was goggling adding Borax to the Dishwasher and found this thread
but also found

Increase the power of your dishwasher detergent by sprinkling a 1/4 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax onto the bottom of the dishwasher to reduce spots and film on dishes and glasses.

[Stephen Tashiro]

In my old dishwasher which doesn't have a reservoir for adding much liquid to the rinse cycle, I found that Belinda's idea of using cleaning vinegar can be implemented by putting a small bowl half full of vinegar in the top rack. I suppose the vinegar gradually mixes-in through all the cycles. I don't run the heated dry cycle, so the fact that the bowl ends up filled to the brim with water at the end doesn't bother me.