Borax dishwasher detergent? why haven't I done this before?

Being part of such a large family sometimes means you have to get creative, and by creative I mean, you have to learn how to turn shit into shine-ola. You have to reach deep within and ask yourself "what would grandma do?" Grandma grew up during the depression, and grandma raised 6 children on a mill worker, and a farmer's income, and grandma didn't have it easy. But grandma found a way, and her way helped her survive well into her late 80's and her children are still going strong, the oldest in her 70's now. Back then it wasn't as simple as running to dollar general, or to the doctor, farm folks knew the home remedies, or at least someone nearby who knew the home remedies, and it was OK to call on a neighbor when things got crazy.

I remember a story I have heard since I was old enough to remember hearing anything, about my grandpa chopping off his brothers finger with an ax during a wood cutting session, and great grandma didn't load him up in her SUV and take him to the General Hospital, she didn't even take him to the general store. No, great granny rubbed that bloody nub around in the soot in the back of the fireplace stuck the missing part back in place and wrapped it in cob webs. Now I'm not that extreme with it, If my child lost a limb, or part of a limb, I would immediately rush them to the hospital. But it worked. He had a perfectly functional but slightly crooked finger and was none the worse for it.

This is not a medical lesson, I don't recommend you try that at home, but its a prime example of how life hasn't always been easy, people had to make do, There Big Pharma to figure it all out for them, and that uncle lived well into his 60's, and didn't die from some illness, he died for a gun incident. I guess there are some things you just can't home remedy.

I am sure you must think Im crazy to relate all of that to "How to make dishwasher detergent" but.. I never claimed not to be crazy, and if you are still reading, my brand of crazy must have some appeal, so let's press forward.

An incident in my teen years made me abundantly aware that one should NEVER.. and I mean NEVER put dish washing liquid into the dishwasher. I'm talking soap bubbles everywhere. You know that cartoon where the house becomes consumed by bubbles.. Yeah.. That doesn't just happen in cartoons. 100% based on reality.

So, while I love experimenting, finding old ways to do new things, saving a dollar every chance I get. Dishwasher experimenting was off limits. It was worth the extra expense not to have to clean up a room full of bubbles.

Then recently on my quest to find the perfect home made laundry detergent to wash my mechanics oily greasy clothes in that I saw a few recipes for homemade dishwasher soap, one in particular I read a couple times, and researched, this recipe called for dishwashing liquid along with several other things.. Yes you read that right it called for the mortal enemy of a dishwasher to be added into the dishwasher. Well... I wasn't that froggy, but I got up my nerve and I gave the recipe a try.. Sort of.. I used Dawn Power dissolver instead of dishwashing liquid..

Here is my recipe for homemade dishwasher soap

1/2 cup borax

1/2 cup baking soda

1/4 cup salt

2 ttbsp dawn power dissolver

2 or 3 tbps lemon juice (enough to make a paste when all ingredients are mixed

mix all ingredients (mixture will foam and have a chemical reaction but this is fine it will only last a few seconds)

store in jar or other sealed container I used about 2 tbsp per load.

and here are my results.. Fresh out of the dishwasher and they look pretty freakin clean to me.. What say you? The casserole dish had baked mac n cheese in it and its all gone. I am please with the results.