{UPDATE – AUGUST 20, 2012 – Since writing this post, I have found out some important information that you need to read in my updated Dishwasher Rinse Aid. The post below still has some great information and might be just what you need, but please make sure to read both posts and then decide what version of Homemade Dishwasher Rinse Aid you should be using.
Thanks for reading!!}
For a long time now I have been gradually making more and more homemade cleaning products.
Some have worked great and some are – well, they still need some work.
One that has been working great for me is a super easy homemade dishwasher rinse agent.
If you are like me, you’ve noticed that your dishes haven’t been getting clean in your dishwasher like they used to. There are a number of reasons for that, but in any case, you might need a boost in the dishwasher department.
When we had to replace our old dishwasher with a new one, I thought we’d have fabulously clean dishes. Instead, I found myself having to clean at least 1/4 of the top rack every load. Ugh.
Totally not efficient and not what this already-too-busy-mom needs at the end of the day. Something had to change.
I talked with the dishwasher manufacturer and they sent me a bunch of dishwasher rinse aid saying that that would help, and they recommended a type of detergent (of course, it’s expensive).
Well, I wanted to stay away from the chemicals in both, and though I don’t have a great homemade dishwasher detergent figured out yet (I hope to soon), the rinse aid is working great.
Why make your own rinse aid?
1. It costs a whole lot less than the stuff in the stores.
2. It’s completely free of all the toxic chemicals.
3. It can be really fun to make something yourself and feel like you’ve “beaten the system”.
4. Save more money by not having to make a trip to the store when you run out.
5. It’s a fun thing to do with your kids! Well, this really doesn’t take much work, but you can still involve the kiddos.
The basic idea came to me from another local West Michigan blogger, Donielle of Naturally Knocked Up. I read her post about it awhile ago and thought I’d give it a run. Since my dishwasher had other issues at the time (long story), I wasn’t sure if it worked or not.
But now that the other problems are cleared up, I am sure that it does. I just have one suggestion to make it a bit more user friendly.
How much can you save?
Right now, on Amazon, you can find Jet Dry for $6.09 for only 4.22 oz.
If you buy your white vinegar at Aldi, you can get 32 oz for only $.79.
Unbelievable. That means that you can make 4.22 oz of “Homemade Dishwasher Rinse Aid” for only 10.4 cents (plus the cost of the color, if you decide to use it). That’s a 5855% savings!
Try and get that kind of a return on your money anywhere else. I think I should send out one of those “Guaranteed 5855% return on your money” investment letter and sell it for a huge profit :-).
Next week I hope to have some other dishwasher tips to share as well as (hopefully) a homemade dishwasher detergent recipe. I’m still working on it.
Homemade Dishwasher Rinse Aid
1. Use up the rinse aid in your dishwasher (if you’ve been using it).
2. Combine white vinegar with a coloring agent so that you can easily see when your rinse aid container is empty. I recommend mixing in a drop of food coloring or blending the vinegar with a bit of turmeric or beet juice.
After you’ve mixed in enough of the coloring, store the colored vinegar in a container marked “Natural Rinse Aid”. (Otherwise, you’ll do what I did – spend time tilting your dishwasher door up and down wondering, “Hmm..is there still vinegar left in there?”or you’ll have less-than-clean dishes for a few loads before you figure out that the vinegar is gone :-(.)
3. Fill up your rinse aid compartment in your dishwasher.
4. Refill when empty.
How about some other DIY ideas:
– Homemade Foaming Soap
– Homemade Decongestant Chest Rub
How about you? Do you have a favorite natural household cleaner?
I used to put vinegar in the washing machine, to remove chemicals from new cloths. It ended up making my machine rust. I would love to try the vinegar in the dishwasher, but the dishwasher is new and I really want to ruin it.
I know – it’s all so confusing to me!! Some say it’s a problem and others say no and even the manufacturers say to use citric acid to clean the dishwasher!!!
I think the theory is if you put vinegar IN the rinse aid portion of the dishwasher, it will destroy that compartment. that’s why it’s recommended to put it in the top rack in a cup or glass.
Yes, it’s been complicated for sure as you can see in the comments area!
I read that vinegar is too acidic to put in the dispenser as it destroys the rubber gasket/seal.
Hi there.
Yes, I heard that as well but then a number of people commented on this and the follow up post and they had different information. Let me know what you think after reading them :).
I did a bit of research, trying to find the MSDS that I read which indicated that some major rinse aid variant has a pH of 2.2 and I am unable to find it. However, I did find a Proctor & Gamble patent which states and I quote:
“…The rinse aid dispersion has a pH in a range of from 2 to 6…”
So, apparently, that is the range of pH for currently marketed rinse aids. Perhaps, there are several versions of some of them, with different power factors. Vinegar, of course, falls well within that range, clocking in at about 2.5 pH, so it will not harm anyone’s machine. But, think about the lost profits for P&G and the others that are making big bucks from selling rinse aids, if everyone started to use vinegar…
Keep up the good work.
Thank you! That’s a pretty large range….I find that to be odd. However interesting.
I got the pH of 2.2 from a material safety sheet I read some time ago. I think it was Jet Dry, but it might have been another big time rinse aid, like Finish.
Got it – thanks! If you end up looking that up and could come back w/ the information that would be fantastic.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you for reading and you are welcome!
My manufacturer told me that Vinergar can harm my dishwasher .
I know – I have heard this but others have commented that it’s not the case. Please read the comments and let me know what you think!
a repairman that was at my house told me to run my empty dishwasher with a cup of vinegar in the top rack every so often once a week at least, said it helps keep the dishwasher and the lines clean and unclogged…pretty sure it must be safe as a rinse aid…
Sounds like he thinks so at least!
a repairman that was at my house told me to run my empty dishwasher with a cup of vinegar in the top rack every so often once a week at least, said it helps keep the dishwasher and the lines clean and unclogged…pretty sure it must be safe as a rinse aid…