I have tried making just the powdered cleaners and haven't had much luck with them. I am going to try that again soon. Maybe I'll work with ingredients and see if I have better luck.
The problem that I had with the powder was that it clumped up and got so hard very quickly. I thought I had it in an airtight container but it still got hard very quickly. I have to add that the recipes I used did not clean very well at all and everything looked cloudy.
This has been all over the internet so I thought I would give it a try.
I'm going to give you the recipe for you to try if you wish and then soon I will be back with an update as to how it worked for me. In the meantime if you make and try it please let me know how it works for you.
I know by now if you make your own cleaning supplies that you have noticed something, that they all have in common. Ingredients, if you have 20 Mule Team Borax, Baking Soda, Washing Soda, Vinegar, Essential Oils, Citric Acid in some form or another and the occasional use of Epsom Salt, regular, Sea and Coarse Kosher salt...soaps like Fels Naptha, Zote, Octagon ( which they no longer make) Dial, Ivory...Hair Conditioner for fabric softeners, Alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide, and you just about have all you need to clean your home. Add to that micro fiber cloths..you are good to go
Then why is my house such a mess? I'm too busy making cleaners and cooking..(I am laughing.)
I make large batches so I used a large bowl. Put some newspaper down under your mold, ice tray whatever you use. I used these silicon baking pans I've had for awhile. Check your dishwasher dispenser and see if what you are using for mold will be the correct size and fit easily into it.
Do yourself a favor and wear a glove to mix the ingredients. I used a wisk and my fingers to mix and crush large lumps. The salts will burn an open cut if you have one and may be a little rough on your hands. After I filled and mashed each cube I went over the entire pan with the back of a flat edged knife to clean the sides of the cubes and filled other empty cubes with the leftover product. I tripled the recipe to make these 48 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" by 3/4" deep cubes
Finished and drying in their pans for a day or so
How to for a Single Batch
- 15 cubes
- 1/2 cup each Borax, Washing Soda & Epsom Salts
- 1 tablespoon each Citric Acid & Baking Soda
- 2 tablespoons vinegar I used White 5% Acidity Add 1 spoon at a time
- Use more or less as needed.
- 2 teaspoons citrus essential oil (I used orange essential oil)
I think this is where I saw this but can't be certain
Click HERE to see video
Some recipes I have seen say you can add kool aid, lemonade and orange flavors, Tang and Lemi-Shine in the place of Citric Acid. I used the Tang and it is a clump festival for me anyway. This time I used the Citric Acid which you can buy at Amazon fairly cheaply.
I usually buy some things in bulk from Sam's. I use Finish Powerball Tabs and they work great! I will use that as a comparison with this new homemade tab...
I'll be back soon with results and pictures of finished tabs.
Key Lime Pie up next though.
**UPDATE: I USE THESE IN BETWEEN USING THE FINISH POWER BALL. I DON'T FIND THAT IT WORKS WELL ENOUGH TO USE CONSTANTLY. BUT I ALWAYS KEEP ON HAND AND FIND IT IS THE BEST HOMEMADE THAT I PERSONALLY HAVE FOUND.