I was inspired to make my first batch of homemade dishwasher pods by a comment from a reader named Heather on a Facebook post about my DIY dishwasher detergent. Heather’s comment not only made me laugh, but it sparked the idea for a new, useful DIY creation! Here’s what she said:
“Jillee!!! Simply awesome! My dishes were DIRTY and CAKED with food. This homemade detergent is fantastic! One thing… The mixture in my container is already semi-solid. I had to knife it ‘Psycho’-style to get my tablespoon filled. Still works great, but I was surprised by how easily it bonded! Thank you for the work you do!”
– OGT Reader Heather
As I read about Heather’s efforts to break up her block of DIY dishwasher detergent, it occurred to me that if the detergent was already prone to solidifying, it surely wouldn’t take much effort to turn the detergent into solid DIY dishwasher tablets. I decided to take a “stab” at it, and thus my homemade dishwasher pods were born!
These homemade detergent tabs are extremely inexpensive compared to their store-bought counterparts, and it only takes a few minutes to make them. Read on to see how it’s done!
Jillee’s Take:
Table Of Contents
DIY Dishwasher Detergent Pod Ingredients
In case you haven’t had a chance to check out my post about homemade dishwasher detergent, here’s a quick overview of what goes into it. (We’re using the same formula here to make the pods.)
- Washing soda (or baking soda): These alkaline powders aid in dishwashing by converting stubborn oils and food grease into water-soluble salts that are easier to wash away.
- Borax: With a pH level between baking soda and washing soda, borax also aids in cleaning, deodorizing, and cutting tough grease.
- Salt: Salt helps soften the water in your dishwasher and boost the effectiveness of the various cleaning agents.
- Vinegar: White vinegar fights hard water and, in this formula, helps bind the ingredients to form a solid pod or tablet.
- Lemon essential oil: Lemon oil provides antibacterial properties and a fresh, clean scent!
How To Make Homemade Dishwasher Pods
Materials:
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon
- Silicone molds or ice cube trays (cavities should hold 1-2 tablespoons each)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups washing soda (or baking soda)
- 2 cups borax
- 1/2 cup coarse salt (or Epsom salt)
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 15-20 drops lemon essential oil
Directions:
Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir well with a spoon. (The vinegar will fizz a bit when added to the baking soda, but that’s fine.) As you stir, the mixture will begin to form clumps.
Divide the detergent mixture evenly among the cavities of a silicone mold (or ice cube tray). Ideally, you want to use a silicone mold with cavities that hold 1-2 tablespoons each. (Ice cube trays are about the right size, but you’ll have a much easier time removing the pods from a silicone mold.)
Use your fingers to pack the damp powder down firmly into each cavity. Press hard to ensure the finished dishwasher pods are solid and not crumbly!
Finally, leave the mold in a warm, dry location for at least 24 hours. When the detergent pods are completely dry and solid, carefully remove them from the mold and store them in an airtight container. (If you have a silica gel packet handy, toss it in the container to help keep them dry!)
How To Use Homemade Dishwasher Tabs
- Place one detergent pod in your dishwasher’s detergent compartment.
- Add 2 drops of a dishwashing liquid like Dawn. (This is optional for added grease-cutting power, but do not use more than 2 drops, or you could end up with very sudsy mess to clean up.)
- Place a small bowl in the top rack of your dishwasher, pour about 1/2 cup of white vinegar into it, then shut the door and start your dishwasher.
- Enjoy sparkling clean dishes!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Homemade Dishwasher Pods And Why Should I Make Them?
Homemade dishwasher pods are just homemade dishwasher detergent formed into a handy pre-measured pod, tab, or pack. They offer all of the convenience of store-bought dishwasher pods while being less expensive and having fewer harsh chemicals.
What Ingredients Do I Need To Make Homemade Dishwasher Pods?
You’ll need a few simple ingredients, including washing soda or baking soda, borax, salt, and lemon essential oil. These ingredients cut through grease and grime and leave dishes sparkling.
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Can I Use Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Pods If I Have Hard Water?
Absolutely! With hard water, it’s crucial to use white vinegar in conjunction with your homemade dishwasher detergent pods. Putting a small, shallow dish of vinegar on the top rack of your dishwasher makes a big difference!
How Many Dishwasher Pods Does This Recipe Make?
The number of pods this recipe makes will depend on the size of your mold. The detergent recipe yields about 48 tablespoons, so if the cavities of your mold hold two tablespoons, you’ll end up with 24 pods.
Do I Have To Put Pods In The Detergent Compartment?
It matters where you put dishwasher pods! Most dishwasher cycles start with a hot water rinse before the detergent compartment opens. So if you placed your detergent pod in the bottom of your dishwasher, all the detergent could be dissolved before the wash cycle begins in earnest.
Can I Add Citric Acid To My Detergent Pods?
Many people use citric acid in dish detergent recipes, but I prefer the formula featured in this post. You can always give it a try and let me know how it goes!
Can I Use Lemon Juice Instead Of Vinegar?
Lemon juice and vinegar are both acids, but vinegar’s lower pH makes it better for dishwashing and rinse aid purposes. You can still enjoy the fresh, clean scent of lemons by including lemon oil in your pods!
Conclusion
This dishwasher tablet recipe has joined the ranks of my DIY laundry detergents by becoming one of my favorite homemade cleaning products. These pods have no harsh ingredients, plastic, perfumes, or dyes — just a few simple ingredients that cost a fraction of what you’d pay for store-bought dishwasher tabs.
These dishwasher pods are easy to make, and leave my dishes sparkling clean. Try them out for yourself!
Do you use dishwasher pods at home?
Homemade Dishwasher Pods (Step-by-Step)
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Spoon
- Silicone mold with 2-tablespoon cavities
Ingredients
- 2 cups washing soda or baking soda
- 2 cups borax
- 1/2 cup coarse salt or Epsom salt
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 20 drops lemon essential oil
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir well. (The vinegar will cause a little fizzing, but not much.)
- Divide the mixture evenly among the cavities of a silicone mold and pack them down firmly with your fingers.
- Place the mold in a warm location to dry for 24 hours.
- When dry and solid, remove the finished pods and store them in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
- Place one pod in your dishwasher’s detergent compartment.
- Add 2 drops of a dishwashing liquid like Dawn. (This is optional for added grease-cutting power, but do not use more than 2 drops.)
- Pour about 1/2 cup of white vinegar into a shallow dish, place it in the top rack, and start your dishwasher.
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I love the knowledge you share with us but I have trouble saving the topic to my pinterest account. Do you have any suggestions?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sarah, I would suggest you sign up for OGT Free. signing up for OGT Free. One of the best benefits is you can save all of your favorite posts on our website. Then you can find them whenever you want. The best part is it’s free for life!
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I made these a week or so ago. I have left them sit. Every time I go to remove them from my silicone molds they just crumble. I am so disappointed:(. Any suggestions as to why? I waited 48 hours then everyday since.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Jillee,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The place I living in , I can’t find washing soda is there any replacement for that as my dishwasher detergent finished and I can’t get it in this place.
How much should be in one tablet and is it dishwashing soap or dishwasher soap. i am very excited to try this out
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just mix all of the ingredients together and use the mold I show in my post. It is for the dishwasher.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love the idea!!! Hands down, Awesomeness! But…. for me, I don’t wanna have to add dishwasher soap and vinegar to every single load. The price for all items needed have to be around the same price as just buying a tablet! Just pop one in and done! Also if you just watch the sales and do a little couponing you can get boxes for .80cents or less!! I SERIOUSLY do not need to buy any Tablets for the rest of this year! It’s been months since that sale occurred at my local Harris Teeter and I picked up so many boxes that I’m good for a very long time! If you feel like me and don’t wanna have to add the extra stuff every load, watch a quick beginners couponing tutorial! It’s so easy and saves you so much time and money!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Marcia, I totally understand what you are saying… Some people would rather not use all of the chemicals that come in the store-bought products. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I added the dish soap to the tablets without having them crumble. However, I wasn’t terribly impressed with them in my dishwasher. BUT I found a great alternate use for the leftovers!!! They make great little presoak bombs for my kiddies clothes! Bucket of warm water and drop one in and add the clothes!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just a comment about tablet size….I have found that using ice cube trays to form these tablets are too large for my dispenser in my dish washer. If you have any doubt about them fitting yours, freeze a tray of ice and pop out an ice cube and try it for size, if it’s too big, remember to adjust how much you fill the ice cube trays with, leave a little “wiggle” room at the top. I have also found that using about a tablespoon of the Dawn dish soap mixed completely into the mixture works well. I have not found any difference in the cleaning ability in my dish washer. Sometimes you just have to experiment. Thank you so much Jillee for all your awesome recipes!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Why couldn’t you add 3 drops of detergent to each tablet after you’ve formed them and before you set them to dry?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The soap makes the tablets start to crumble :-(
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What size of mold should be used? Standard ice cube size? Or would 2 small ice cube size be enough per load?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi just have a small doubt if we use the home made dishwasher tablet then why do we have to add three drops of detergent can’t we avoid detergent.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You can, I’ve just found that that works best for me :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just made these. The powder seemed dry when I put it in the molds. I’m afraid they will fall apart when I take them out. Is this how they are supposed to be
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It should be moist enough that you can pinch a bit of powder together between your fingers :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just wondering why the citrus acid was omitted when making the tabs versus dry? I like tabs so my kids put the right amount in without making a mess.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just throw my tabs in the bottom of the DW and fill the compartment with Lemi-shine or vinegar.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Here’s another dishwasher hint: If you have spots on the racks where the white covering has slits or is broken away from the metal, use Flex Seal to mend it. It’s available at Home Depot or Lowe’s. That stuff is so handy around the house. It comes in black or white. I’m using it to seal my leaky mailbox, and I’m using white so I can see inside it easier!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When our Samsung dishwasher was giving us fits (eventually the control board had to be replaced, but I guess we should be happy it didn’t catch on fire like those other Samsung products) the repairman mentioned in passing that dishwasher tabs are a very bad idea. If the water isn’t hot enough, the tabs will not completely dissolve and you end up with a clogged hose. Not worth the hassle to save not a lot of money, especially if you void your warranty by not using a recommended product.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Dishwashing PODS after a while did indeed clog up my sprayer arm holes!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Worse idea ever! Went to Melaleuca Diamond Brite, the best liquid dishwasher stuff! But am going to make these this week, I love making my own products and saving money!
Can anyone speak to whether this is safe for septic systems?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillee, the borax washing soda isn’t cheapo at Safeway. Baking sode is about $1+ on sale. I can buy a lage box of store brand detergent on sale for about $4 when it’s on sale (usually). I get quite decent results. I did follow your recipe for DIY, but I no longer have the time, energy, nor space to work in. But I will be saving your recipe for others that want a good, great! dw detergent recipe.
On the subject of dishwashers, though, can I digress. My kitchenaid has a smart water cycle. It takes 3 hours, but is the most energy and water conserving cycle. Since it’s so long, I usually divide it by removing some pet dishes (first), plastic cutting boards, and some metal mixing bowls. I add things into that space and get 2 or 3 for one loads.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wish I had known about this when I had a dishwasher , now I do them by hand , but quite enjoy it (good for wool gathering etc )
However I do rinse in a pan of hot vinegar water , making the dishes squeekey clean .
Great in laundry rinse also, gets all soap out . ….all soft in.!
Love it . Will share this link with ladies who still ! use a dishwasher lol.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I would assume that i want to be careful how large the compartments are in my moldso that I don’t use way more than I need per loaf?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Jillee, just got your email this morning regarding this article. Funny, we all must be thinking about dishwashers this week. I have linked this article into my own Dishwasher article that I had posted a few days ago. I also shared it in one of my Facebook sites too. Thanks, everyone is always looking for money saving tips, no matter whether in the US or up here in Canada. Keep up the great work.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Most of the time we all use way too much soap whether it be in our dishwasher or washing machine or even on our hair! I would suggest using the little plastic pop out mold/things that the Eclipse and other type of gum comes in. Small, convenient, and if you worry you can use two.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Have made these and love how they work. Stacey Fogoros is correct-use a small mold. I too, the first time around, used too big of a mold and had to break apart the tablets.
Jilly, I have a question. I have dark, forest green tile in my shower. I have noticed that there now are white “blotches” on the tile. I am puzzled, as the shower is thoroughly wiped down after each use. Is this from shampoo, bar soap? What will clean this off? I have used over the counter products and the white spots return.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Can you or one of your readers help me out?
You might think about Lemishine or other citric acid to add instead of the vinegar for those of us with very hard water.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jilee, I have just recently started reading your emails and I can say I am quite amazed at all of them! I am into saving as much as I can at the grocery store, and some of your homemade recipes will help that happen!! Thank you so much for sharing your creations and ideas!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Kristal
Good morning, I do not have a dish washer, but could this be used for regular dish washing.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I tried one of tabs a while ago. It didn’t exactly turn out. It was all crumbly and I kept having to add more water. Also where I live in the Midwest is and can be humid, so that may have been a factor.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Jilee,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you for the recipe but I live in France. In Europe, Borax is NOT available to public. What can I replace it with, please?
Thanks, Jillee, for another great homemade “recipe”!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I tried this once before several years ago am I have been completely next the idea. I’m going to try again and see if he is happier. I have faith!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I made this with a silicone mold that was too big to fit my dispenser and had to break it apart. Make sure the mold you use will fit the dishwasher dispenser………………………………….FYI
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