Dishwasher detergent

[MrsPete]

I make my own laundry detergent with GREAT success -- I've given jars of it to a number of people (some frugal, some not so frugal), and MANY of them have started making their own.  I make other homemade cleaners with a lesser degree of success.

But I've utterly failed with dishwasher detergent.  Does anyone have a recipe that's cheaper than store-bought and works well? 

[Ottawa]

I've tried a couple of variants...but have also had no long term success here. 

[kaizen soze]

I'm interested in this, but also in your laundry detergent recipe, if you care to share.  I've made my own dish soap with some success.  It will not cut the grease quite the way Dawn does.  But it works 99% of the time.

[MrsPete]

I'm interested in this, but also in your laundry detergent recipe, if you care to share.  I've made my own dish soap with some success.  It will not cut the grease quite the way Dawn does.  But it works 99% of the time.

Google "How Does She . . . laundry detergent", and you'll find my recipe.  I've tried others, and this one is best by far.  I use ALL the optional ingredients.  You'll probably have to go to more than one store to find all the ingredients, and you'll spend around $25 on everything.  This quantity of detergent lasts me around 14 months; I have three people at home and a college daugther who is home for summers and occasional weekends. 

[Pennsylvanian]

http://www.myfrugalhome.com/how-to-make-dishwasher-detergent-tabs/

Here's one I read a few weeks ago but haven't tried. The writer has lots of other household recipes as well for lotion bars, hair conditioner, lip balm, etc.

Also generally an interesting site for frugal folks and quite mustachian!

I'd be interested in your thoughts if you try it. I have everything but the molds in my house usually, so I'd be game, but I thought that silicone molds might be pricey (I haven't checked).

I'm editing to add this: I use conventional dry dishwasher detergent in PA, where phosphates were removed a few years ago and we generally have hard water. The solution for me so far is to do the occasional load via hand wash and to soak glass in Lemi-Shine every 4 or 6 weeks (maybe 1-2 T. in a sink of hot water, soak 10-30 min.), then rinse and dry. This removes the hard water film and makes glasses clear. Not sure about those with softened water, but they should need even less often or less Lemi-Shine, I think.

[Tami1982]

I have tried many different recipes, some better than others, but with the amount of time and energy required it wasn't worth it.  I use such a small amount of Cascade that one bottle lasts me nearly six months and cleans better than any of the recipes I've tried.  The laundry detergent is so worth it - easy, quick, and a huge amount, but dishwasher detergent just wasn't for me.

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

I don't bother with dishwasher detergent--tried it and it sucked. I buy Cascade at Costco and just use a little. Walmart brand is cheaper but it sucks!

[starbuck]

I've also made my own laundry detergent for YEARS now, but when I tried dishwasher detergent it was a total failure. And we don't have very hard water either. So I buy a box of 7th Generation's Free & Clear dw detergent when it goes on sale at the grocery store once every 2 months, and only fill the dispenser half way. I don't bother with anything else.

[catccc]

another one here that didn't find a good dishwasher detergent recipe.  I only tried a couple, but they were both terrible.  I try to snag cascade at costco when it is on sale.