Homemade…Dishwasher Detergent

Well today I ran out of dishwasher detergent and decided to try making my own. I have planned on it for a while now, I even bought the ingredients two weeks ago but just never got around to it. Well I have to say, it is so easy, quick,  inexpensive, and effective. I just finished my second load of dishes and they came out great. I’m sold! So here is the recipe for dishwasher detergent.

 

1 cup borax

 

 

1 cup baking soda

 

 

 

1/4 cup salt. (I know I have a 1/2 cup here but I couldn’t find my 1/4 cup anywhere. So I estimated and it worked fine.)

 

 

 

 

 

1/4 cup citric acid. (Once again I had to use the 1/2 cup and had to estimate the 1/4 cup.) You can buy citric acid in a jar but I also read you can use sugar free lemonade mix. This brand is from Aldi but you could use any sugar free brand. It worked fine but I think I will be buying the big jar in the future so I have less packaging to throw away.

 

 

 

 

30 drops lemon essential oil. I bought mine at the health food store in town.

 

 

 

 

 

Put all ingredients in a container and shake to mix. Use 1 Tablespoon per load. If you have hard water you could use 2 Tablespoons. I also used white vinegar as a rinse aid.

Well there you have it. Homemade dishwasher detergent. Enjoy!

Homemade…Whipped Coconut Oil Moistureizer

Today I wanted to show you what I usually use for a moisturizer, coconut oil. Coconut oil is great, it is natural, absorbs completely into the skin, and smells great.

But coconut oil can be difficult to use depending on the weather. This time of year in Wisconsin the oil is completely solid. To make it easier to use I whipped it with my stand mixer. I started by scooping half of the coconut oil from the jar into my stand mixer.

 

Next I put on the whisk attachment and whipped it until it was smooth and fluffy. I didn’t time it, I just waited until it looked good to me.

I scooped the whipped coconut oil into a container and put it on my bathroom counter. I use this on my face, lips, and body. I like it and it has helped with some of my eczema problems.

This is just one way to use coconut oil. This post has some information about why coconut oil is so awesome and how to use it.