Homemade Dishwasher Detergent and Rinse Agent
by Matt Jabs, http://www.diynatural.com/simple-effective-jabs-homemade-dishwasher-detergent-rinse-agent/

Faith Note: This worked okay, but I did not find that it worked as good as Cascade.

Recipe:

Mix well the 4 ingredients below and store in a container. Use 1 rounded tablespoon of this homemade detergent per load. If you feel it necessary because your dishes are not getting clean… you may use a heaping tablespoon.

Note: You can find citric acid online or at your local brewery or specialty beer store. If you cannot find this you can substitute Lemi Shine. If you do not use some form of citric acid… you will most likely have the cloudy residue left that most "green" cleaners leave. The ingredients in Lemi Shine are "real fruit acids, natural citrus oils, fragrance." It can be found in the laundry aisle at the supermarket.

(Cascade contains sodium carbonate, sodium silicate, and enzymes)

• 1 cup borax, such as 20 Mule Team Laundry Booster (sodium tetraborate)
• 1 cup washing soda (sodium carbonate), such as Arm and Hammer (you could use baking soda; however, washing soda leaves less of a “cloudy” residue)
• 1/2 cup citric acid or Lemi Shine (see note above)
• 1/2 cup kosher salt

Fill rinse agent compartment with white vinegar. You can also add lemon juice as a rinse agent.

Each batch yields 20 ounces (enough for 40 loads of dishes) of resulting product which you should store in some type of container you were going to dispose of. I [Matt Jabs] suggest something 1 gallon size or smaller so you can fit it under your kitchen sink; old coffee cans work great. Feel free to double the batch, or multiply it accordingly to create any amount you’d like.

This detergent will clump together but it doesn't matter… just scoop out your tablespoon & forget about the clumps! It clumps because of the citric acid.

Purpose of the different ingredients:

• Sodium carbonate (washing soda) - dissolves easily in water and maintains an alkaline pH. The carbon in sodium carbonate also allows it to act as a water softener.
• Borax (also known as sodium borate decahydrate; sodium pyroborate; birax; sodium tetraborate decahydrate; sodium biborate)
  - 20 Mule Team Borax (Sodium Tetraborate) is an effective, natural laundry additive that removes stains, freshens laundry and helps detergent and bleach work more effectively.
  - Borax has many chemical properties that contribute to its cleaning power. Borax and other borates clean and bleach by converting some water molecules to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This reaction is more favorable in hotter water. The pH of borax is about 9.5, so it produces a basic solution in water, thereby increasing the effectiveness of bleach and other cleaners. In other chemical reactions, borax acts as a buffer, maintaining a stable pH needed to maintain cleansing chemical reactions. The boron, salt, and/or oxygen of boron inhibit the metabolic processes of many organisms. This characteristic allows borax to disinfect and kill unwanted pests. Borates bonds with other particles to keep ingredients dispersed evenly in a mixture, which maximizes the surface area of active particles to enhance cleaning power.

Cost: