Homemade dishwater powder: Clean dishes, cut costs, save planet

The dishwasher is one of those appliances I can't imagine my kitchen without. It resolves the age-old argument of who will wash the dishes today and makes cleaning up after dinner more enjoyable. To make usage even more economical, I reach for homemade dishwashing powder.

If you want to reduce your expenses on dishwasher detergents and care for the environment simultaneously, homemade dishwashing powder is a perfect solution. Instead of overpaying for tablets labeled "eco," make them yourself at home. You need just a few simple, inexpensive, and readily available ingredients to enjoy streak-free clean dishes.

Homemade powder is significantly cheaper than store-bought products. Ingredients are natural and biodegradable, making it environmentally friendly. Most importantly, it cleans dishes effectively, even removing stubborn stains.

Prepare your eco-friendly powder at home! You only need easily accessible ingredients:

• a cup of baking soda,
• a cup of borax,
• half a cup of citric acid in powder form,
• a cup of salt.

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight container in a dry place. Before each wash, add two tablespoons of powder to the dishwasher's dispenser and start the selected program.

Baking soda and salt act abrasively and neutralize unpleasant odours, borax effectively removes grease and stains while softening the water, and citric acid adds shine and a fresh scent.

Don't even think about pouring dish soap into your dishwasher. You'll be faced with seas of foam flooding your kitchen, often damaging the machine. It looks impressive in movies, but it's better not to test this at home.

Although a dishwasher is undoubtedly a very helpful appliance in any home, not everything belongs in there.

• Silver and silver-plated items: They may lose their shine and get covered with a dark patina.
• Non-stick coated dishes: High temperatures can damage the coating.
• Cast iron and aluminum dishes: They may rust and discolour.
• Enameled and copper dishes: They may lose colour and shine.
• Wooden dishes: They may crack, warp, and absorb water.
• Plastic dishes: Not all plastics are resistant to high temperatures. Check the markings on the dish.
• Hand-painted dishes: Decorations may wash off or get damaged.
• Crystal and delicate porcelain: They may crack.

Additionally, do not wash in the dishwasher stainless steel cutlery with wooden handles, wooden dishes, copper, tin, aluminum, porcelain with hand-made decorations, pots with non-stick coatings, and plastic dishes that are not resistant to high temperatures.