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We currently use a recipe that involves lemon and salt (the particulars of which are known only to my wife) and though it works and cleans the plates we don't get that beautiful shine that you get when you are poisoning the water supply with chemicals etc.

So, does anyone know of an environmentally sound recipe for dishwasher soap that not just cleans the dishes but makes them shine too?

2 Answers 2

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The Eco Store in New Zealand offers dishwasher powder that contains the following:

  • Sodium Carbonate
  • Sodium Citrate
  • Sodium Bicarbonate
  • Sodium Percarbonate
  • Sodium Metasilicate
  • Lauryl/Myristyl Alcohol, Ethoxylated & Propoxylated
  • Sodium Polyaspartate
  • Amylase
  • Protease

If you follow the link above, you'll see the purpose for each of the ingredients in the product. I haven't investigated how eco friendly each of the ingredients is, but on their website you can click the ingredient for some more information.

You probably can't (and likely wouldn't want to) get all these ingredients if you're making your own, but it still might be helpful for trying to put together a mixture.

Note: I use Eco Store products but have no affiliation with their store.

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I don't have any experience doing this but doing some research and thinking about the problem.....

The solution may be as simple as adding vinegar to the rinse cycle. If the dishes are getting clean but not quite shiny, I would think the issues may be mineral residue left behind, and an acidic rinse may do the trick. One important note here is that apparently vinegar can damage the rubber hoses in the rinse aid dispenser, so as an alternative you could out it in an upright container in the cup compartment.

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