# How to make my own dish detergent?



## firegirl969 (Nov 3, 2008)

Please share any suggestions on how I can successfully make my own dish detergent to hand wash dishes. I am sick of buying dawn and others and they do not cut grease good and the bubbles don't hold up till I get my dishes washed. I can do better for less money, I just need help. Thanks, firegirl

Note: I have previously seen threads about using vinegar, but I did a search and it did not come up.


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## NEfarmgirl (Jan 27, 2009)

Some people grind up their homemade soap and heat it with water to make their own but it isn't sudsy. Do you have hard water? That will make the soap less effective. We have very hard water and I have to dump water half way through and refill the sink because the soap doesn't work as well. It doesn't matter what brand we use. I ended up going to Sams club and buying the cheap pink stuff in a gallon bottle. It was I think around six and a half dollars and has lasted a long time--months.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

you can buy bars of Octagon soap at the true value store...this, rubbed on a hand crocheted (nubby)cotton dishcloth do a great job. My home soap is not detergenty enough for this purpose


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## firegirl969 (Nov 3, 2008)

Thanks, beaglebiz. I finally found Octagon soap at the local IGA. It works really good. I appreciate the tip. Blessings, firegirl


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## Aimee529 (Apr 30, 2008)

I take equal parts of baking soda and borax and sprinkle a little Fresh Fruit citric acid on top. I have had great success with this! You can mix it up in advance, but I would not put the Fresh Fruit in the pre-made batch. I have heard from other people that the Fresh Fruit will over time make the consistency "chunky"...for lack of a better word. ----- Just realized you meant the liquid soap....oh well.


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

I found a couple of recipes online but haven't tried them.



> Ingredients
> 2 Bars shredded Octagon soap
> 1 cup baking soda
> 1/4 cup washing soda
> ...


The others called for castille soap and vegetable glycerine, so they instantly become more cumbersome.


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## firegirl969 (Nov 3, 2008)

Thanks prettypaisley, I am home today propping up my feet per doctor's orders. I will make that today. I have what I need. I will report back on how it works. Blessings, firegirl


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## firegirl969 (Nov 3, 2008)

Prettypaisley,

I made the dish detergent and a funny thing happened. When I added the baking soda it foamed out of the pot. My kids went nuts. It was hilarious.


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## AlyCarm (Nov 12, 2008)

FYI, suds are an extra ingredient added for Sale value  The soap companies add a chemical b/c they have the public believing you need bubbles to get stuff clean, good advertising.


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## firegirl969 (Nov 3, 2008)

FYI, suds are an extra ingredient added for Sale value The soap companies add a chemical b/c they have the public believing you need bubbles to get stuff clean, good advertising.


Good point, AlyCarm. My kids nutted up because the homemade kind had no bubbles. Thanks for making the point, firegirl


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

How good did this work for you firegirl969?


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## StephanieH (Mar 4, 2009)

The recipe Shannon posted is almost the recipe that I use for laundry soap, the difference being the type of soap. Instead of Octagon I used Fels Naptha...Could mine be used on dishes also? Just wondering because my recipe made 10 gallons of laundry soap! lol...lucky for me I wash a lot of clothes...


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## firegirl969 (Nov 3, 2008)

It works OK. I am going to come up with some kind of degreaser to add to it. It leaves the dishes a little greasy, but so is the watered down dish detergents I have been buying.


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

I really like the octagon liquid ive been using, its not greasy at all.


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## firegirl969 (Nov 3, 2008)

Dreamy,

Where do you get liquid octagon soap? I just found the bars of octagon soap at our local IGA. No one else even has that. Thanks, firegirl


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

firegirl69 I get mine at my local IGA. They don't have octagon bars. This is it http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/HC/Products/Dishwashing/CrystalWhiteOctagon.cvsp. Its the one on the left.


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