Homemade Dishwashing Liquid Recipe
Posted on | February 11, 2011 | 11 Comments
One of the things I do to live large on a little is I make a lot (almost all) of my cleaners. This saves me a fortune alone! When I first started, I was spending an estimated $50 a month on cleaners and stuff, between laundry detergent, window cleaners, commode cleaners, floor cleaners and the like. A box of good laundry detergent was over $10 alone—and I do a LOT of laundry!
I started collecting recipes, modifying some to suit my needs and ended up with a book’s worth and at my auntie’s insistence published them as The Minimalist Cleaning Method.
This particular recipe is completely original. Octagon soap is designed for washing dishes, but I didn’t like having to use a bar (just felt strange). I knew how to make liquid soap, and that in the old days they used to use washing soda to keep their dishes clean, so I came up with this.
It costs about fifty cents to make a whole gallon, which is a lot less than what you pay in the store, and a gallon will last quite a while:
Note that to make this you need to use Octagon Soap, which is designed for washing dishes as well as other things. I don’t recommend trying to substitute other soaps for this for safety reasons. You can find Octagon at soapsgonebuy.com and other places online.
I’ve got a print version of this recipe submitted to Y!CN and when it publishes I’ll post the link here as well.
Stuff like making my own cleaners saves me a fortune over time. I can take a box of borax, a box of washing soda, a few bars of Octagon soap, some bleach, ammonia and vinegar and clean my house, laundry and car for months—take that corporate central!
They tell you that you need all of those special cleaners, but if you look on them, a lot of them have these basic ingredients within. Why pay them to mix it up when you can do it yourself (to your specifications) for a LOT less?
Anyway, for more frugally minimalist tips and recipes you can check out my book The Minimalist Cleaning Method available on Smashwords and Amazon.
Take care!
Annie
UPDATE: Here is the written version of the recipe published on the Yahoo! Contributor Network for those who want to print it out. Enjoy!
Comments
11 Responses to “Homemade Dishwashing Liquid Recipe”
Leave a Reply
Search This Blog:
Archives
Annie @ Yahoo! Contributor Network
Post Categories
Tip Jar
Tags
I combine minimalism with frugality to live the life of my dreams. You can follow my adventures here, discover my articles on Y!CN and read free books and samples at Smashwords and the Amazon Kindle Store.
Subscribe
Blogroll
- Be More With Less
- Carpe Diem Simplify
- Dazed and Confused
- Eden Journal
- Food Storage Made Easy
- Frugal Living Freedom
- I Won't Be a Hoarder Too
- Life Around the Curves
- Life Miner
- Minimalist Cook
- Minimalist Lifestyle
- Minimalist Mommi
- Minimalist Woman
- Miss Miminalist
- My Home Remedies
- Nerd Quirks
- Observations of a Backroad Traveler
- Survival Guide to Homelessness
- The Edgewalker
- The Everyday Minimalist
- The Liberation of Persephone
- The Minimalist Packrat
- The Wiener Shack
- Unbridled Existence
- Work From Home
- Writing, Kids and Marriages
Follow Your Dreams
February 11th, 2011 @ 10:52 am
[...] Homemade Dishwashing Liquid Recipe : Annienygma [...]
February 13th, 2011 @ 9:23 am
Just saw the tagline and burst out laughing!
I really gotta get some Octagon soap. In fact, next weekend’s cleaning day will introduce some of your cleaning recipes. I am totally fed up with commercial stuff, particularly the fragrances.
February 13th, 2011 @ 10:44 am
Octagon is actually more versatile than Fels because you CAN safely use it to wash dishes. I stock up every time I go to my sister’s house because I have yet to locate it where I live in Paducah. I use it as a general cleaner, to make my laundry detergent and to clean tons of stuff. I even keep a bar in the bathroom to wash my hands with because it washes cleaner than the other soaps I’ve used (and definitely tackles grime better). Go to a mom and pop hardware store and request it if you can’t find it in your area–if you mention that it can be used for laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid and other things they should get it in. If you have to, tell them you can get a mention for them on this blog as a source, and I’ll be happy to post something about them!
March 2nd, 2011 @ 4:11 pm
Since you said it doesn’t suds up as much as commercial dish soap, can you use this in a dishwasher?
March 2nd, 2011 @ 6:38 pm
I’ve not tested it Joanna, so I honestly don’t know. I don’t think it would hurt anything if you used a small amount but I cannot say for sure. If you try it will you please let me know the results?
June 30th, 2011 @ 1:31 pm
I have Fels Naptha on hand from making laundry soap. Could I use that instead of Octagon??
June 30th, 2011 @ 2:02 pm
I’ve not tried it so I am not sure if it would be safe. In olden days Fels Naptha used to advertise this soap for washing dishes, but I cannot recommend it. If you try it please let me know how it works out ok?
July 20th, 2011 @ 11:36 am
Do you have any Liquid/Gel dishwasher soap receipes. I have tried 2 different ones and well one receipe I like better than the other, because it cleans better and leaves less of a residue. The down side to it is that you have to keep mixing and/or shaking it for a long time or the whole things hardens up on you and you’re stuk with a brick.
Any Advise? I tried the powder ones and I hate them. Also, I no longer use jetdry, I use Vinegar and I love it better
July 20th, 2011 @ 9:17 pm
I don’t have any recipes offhand Amy, but I will keep a look out and will definitely let you know!
May 6th, 2012 @ 2:21 pm
What was the Arm&Hammer’s Super Washing Soda for? I didn’t see it used during the demonstration. (Which was awesome by the way).
May 6th, 2012 @ 6:49 pm
Dear Mary,
It helps with the grease cutting action. I put it in but rather quickly (sorry)! You add it after the grated soap dissolves. If you don’t have it you can leave it out — it won’t hurt anything!