Saving Money on dishwasher soap

As a stay at home mom who is in charge of the shopping and the finances I know how much things cost and I'm always trying to find ways to save money that doesn't require hours of clipping coupons. One thing that seems to add to our budget is dishwasher soap. A container lasts a little over a month and then I am always having to buy the Rinse Aid to go with it. The most logical way to save money would be to hand wash everything but doing dishes three times a day doesn't really sound fun, does it?

A few years ago I started cleaning with baking soda and vinegar. I found a recipe for dishwasher soap. It worked fine but it was a tablespoon of one thing and two of another. When we moved into our new house it just didn't work very well and I gave it up.

A few months ago I came a across a recipe that was so incredibly simple that I figured I should at least give it a try. I did and it worked great! I have been using it for 2 months now and don't plan on going back to store bought. I did change a few things in the wash routine that has helped tremendously. 

Here are some tips in making the most out of your dishwasher:

• RINSE everything. The less food on the dishes the better.
• Clean out the bottom of the dishwasher every single time. You'd be surprise at the food that was left on dishes.
• Run hot water in the sink with disposal for a few minutes before you start your dishwasher.
• Run your garbage disposal and make sure it is clear before you start your dishwasher. 

Dishwasher Soap Recipe     
1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
1 Tablespoon Lemi Shine or Lemonade (sugarless kind)(this becomes your rinse aid)       

2 Tablespoons of soap in each load. (This last about a month and I run the dishwasher at least every other day)



You can use Lemi Shine to clean your dishwasher also, which I would recommend doing once a month especially if you have hard water. 

I'd love to hear if it worked for you!