DIY Dishwasher Detergent: The Best Money-Saving Life Hack for Budgeting In the Kitchen DIY Money Finances Home
I don’t recall where I saw this. I probably googled “I’m out of dishwasher pods, what can I use instead?” but its value never goes unappreciated. As a busy mom with dirty dishes a constant in my house and as someone who likes to save money, this hack is everything.
I like to shop at the dollar stores because many things are of the same quality as other stores and, in fact, many items are name brands. But one thing I’ve never been able to go cheap on is dishwasher pods. I am a pod snob, if you will. Only the platinum or complete of the best brands would do the job well the first time – until I discovered the DIY hack that changed my life!
Without further ado, here's what I do:
- Drop two small squirts of any liquid dishwashing detergent into the dishwasher detergent depository.
- Add baking soda to fill the remaining space.
BOOM! Sparkling dishes for literal pennies a week. You’re welcome!
How to Clean Dishwashers
Need to deep-clean your dishwasher? Here's how to clean your dishwasher with vinegar from America's Test Kitchen (ATK). They suggest you do this once a month to remove minerals from your tap water, soap residue and grease from your dishwasher:
- Put 2 cups white distilled vinegar in a glass or dishwasher-safe measuring cup on the bottom rack.
- Run the dishwasher through a complete wash cycle, using an air-dry or an energy-saving dry option. Do not use detergent. [img]
ATK says not to go overboard and do this only once a month because vinegar is an acid, and "too much can damage your dishwasher, even if its interior is made of stainless steel. And definitely don’t be tempted to use chlorine bleach, which will damage the machine."
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