So, now I will climb off of my soap box (ha! ha! pun intended : ) and finish my story. I ran out of my favorite dishwasher detergent and decided to once again look online for a recipe for homemade dishwasher detergent. I have tried some recipes before, but my dishes always ended up with a powdery film all over them. I even tried the natural rinse aid alternative that I've seen recommended all over the internet, which is to fill up your rinse aid compartment with white vinegar. DO NOT DO THIS! Firstly, it did not remove the powdery film, and most importantly, my rinse aid compartment start leaving rusty streak marks on the inside of my dishwasher door, where it drains out during the rinse cycle! I live in an apartment and I was mortified that the vinegar was somehow rusting my dishwasher's inner parts, and that the management would make us pay for a new dishwasher when we move out someday. I sat on the kitchen floor for a good hour one day with a scrub pad, trying to get the stains off, and a nasal bulb (like you use on a baby's nose) trying to suck out all of the rusty vinegar from the rinse aid compartment. Not pretty. Not fun. Don't try it at home. Okay, back to my recipe search. I typed into Google: homemade dishwasher detergent that actually works. I came up with some recipes that claimed the only way to avoid the powdery film was to include an ingredient called citric acid, which can apparently be purchased at a brewery supply store(?) or ordered online. Well, I certainly didn't have any citric acid lying around the house, so I next searched for citric acid alternatives for homemade dishwashing detergent. I came up with this recipe, which calls for unsweetened lemon-lime Kool Aid packets! My husband loves Kool Aid, so I ran over to the kitchen cupboard, and sure enough, the first ingredient on a packet of lemon-lime Kool Aid is: citric acid. So, tonight, I filled up the dishwasher with rinsed off dishes, and some homemade lemon-lime Kool Aid dishwasher detergent. I will let you know how it turns out. I only pray that I have not dyed all of my dishes green : )
You are almost there! Congratulations! I went into labor and had the C-section right at 38 weeks and ended up having an almost 8lbs baby with Heidi, so it could be any day for you! Have fun at your shower and I am waiting to find out what the sex is... which was a bummer since Gymboree had it's big sale last month and they had a ton of cute newborn stuff that I wanted to get!
ReplyDeleteQuick tip to add to your post: My godmother, who does not use store bought cleaners, advised me to mix Vinegar and baking soda. It works like a charm in getting the residue and hard water spots off stuff and having a sparkling clean dishes and appliances, sinks, pretty much everything. Most recipes don't tell you to mix baking soda and vinegar (that has been diluted - 1 part vinegar to two part H2O). I clean my dishwasher, washing machine, coffee pot, shower and shower doors, and sink faucets with the mixture since we still have hard water - not for long, just had a water softener delivered to my house and pending backyard project being completed we will get that installed.
For big appliances - 3 to 4 table spoons of baking soda, 1/2 cup of vinegar and one cup of warm water. Shake to mix and dissolve the baking soda and just pour in the bottom of the dishwasher (I also add my glass dishes to this load to all the hard water spots vanish- I still use dishwasher tablets for daily cleaners- which has baking soda and citric acid in it - or the washing machine.
Coffee pot, 1 tbs. of baking soda 1/8 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of warm water pour in reservoir and add two cups of h20 so you have more cleaning time.
Shower and sinks- In a spray bottle- 2 tbs. of baking soda 1/2 cup of vinegar and 1/4 cup of warm h2o (I found that half and half really attacks the hard water spot on the shower door much better and since it is glass, ceramic and metal, there is no worry about the vinegar strength eating the material. Try it out and let me know what you think!
I can buy vinegar, baking soda and bleach (I use that diluted down in my mop bucket for floors (I also have a steam mop) and to wipe down bathroom and kitchen surfaces. I also mix baking soda with it for cleaning the shower floors, bathtub, and toilets at Costco on the cheap and it is bulk.
I do have to admit I use one (Pledge Multi Surface) multi surface cleaner for my regular weekly/daily dusting, my stainless appliances and to keep the shine on my granite. I also use wood oil ever three months to shine and preserve my antiques and wood furniture. But from using seven to eight different cleaners before, I have come along way to eliminating it to just three. If you have any options for dusting, let me know.... I have not found anything that works to my liking so far.
* I have added fresh lemon for smell before, but I just forget to do that most of the time.
Hi, thanks for the household cleaner tips. Also, we will definately pass on the baby's gender and other stats as soon as he/she makes his/her big debut! As far as dusting, I haven't tried very many products (grew up using Pledge) but I currently use Method brand "Wood For Good" wood surface cleaner. It has a delightful almond smell to it, comes in a spray bottle (so no aerosol fumes to breath in) and of course my favorite feature: it's non-toxic. Since I have most of the bottle left, I haven't searched for/attempted any homemade wood cleaner recipes, but I just might now, out of curiosity : )
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