PYP Blog

After my post on homemade laundry soap I had the idea presented to me to investigate homemade dish soap options too. I have been researching all day and I am very impressed with the recipes and tips that I have found.

I think that most of these recipes could easily be adjusted according to your own scent preferences. Just visit your local health food store and choose essential oils to your taste.

Fruit Scented Dish Soap

Liquid castile soap
20 drops lime
10 drops sweet orange
5 drops citrus

Fill a clean 22 oz. plastic squirt bottle with castile soap (diluted according to directions if using concentrate). Add the essential oils. Shake the bottle before each use. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the liquid to dishwater and wash as usual.

Blue Dish Soap

Liquid castile soap
10 drops lemon
6 drops bergamot
4 drops lavender
2 drops orange

Fill a clean 22 oz. plastic squirt bottle with castile soap (diluted according to directions if using concentrate). Add the essential oils. Shake the bottle before each use. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the liquid to dishwater and wash as usual.

Basic Dish Soap

1/4 cup soap flakes (grated ivory)
2 cups hot water
1/4 cup glycerin
1/2 teaspoon lemon essential oil

Let soap flakes dissolve in water. Add glycerin and lemon oil. Let cool. Funnel into squeeze container.

Lavender Dish Soap

2 cups soap flakes (grated ivory)
1 gallon water
25 drops of lavender essential oil (you can change this to lemon or orange or other scent)

Place soap flakes and water into a pan. Heat over medium heat stirring occasionally until it boils and until soap dissolves. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes to thoroughly combine the ingredients. Remove from heat and let liquid partially cool, add the essential oil and stir. Pour into a clean plastic squeeze bottle or re-used dish soap bottle.

Dishwasher Soap:

Mix equal parts of washing soda and borax and store in a plastic covered container. To use, add 2 tablespoons to the dishwasher soap compartment.

Another Dish Powder Recipe:

In a plastic container with a firmly fitting lid, mix:
1 cup borax (20-Mule-Team Borax, available in any supermarket)
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup citric acid (available in some grocery stores among other places—OR you can try this formula, use two packets of Lemonade-Flavored Kool-Aid, ONLY lemon, or you'll dye your dishwasher! and ONLY unsweetened Kool-Aid!)
30 drops citrus essential oil--lemon, grapefruit, orange, tangerine, or a mixture

Put all of it in the container, shake it up.
To use, put a tablespoon or so into each cup of your dishwasher.

This recipe would also work as good if not better than any scouring powder. You could find an old sugar shaker to put it in to sprinkle it in your sink or tub.

Sherri's Notes:

If you find when you try these recipes that you have a powdery film on your dishes try filling your rinse aid compartment with white vinegar.

You can buy castile soap in some grocery and health food stores. It typically comes by the gallon or ½ gallon. It is also available on AMAZON.

For greasy dishes, add 1/2 cup vinegar to the water.

To loosen baked-on food from pots and pans, immediately add some baking soda and wait 15 minutes before you've had a chance to add baking soda, boil a solution of 1 cup water, 5 drops of essential oil, and 3 tablespoons baking soda directly in the pot or pan. Allow the mixture to stand until the food can be scraped off easily.

These are all great ideas! Great ways to save money and to have some control over some of the chemicals coming into you home.