When I realized I was spending almost $20.00 a week on dishwasher soap, I decided I had to figure something else to use. You guys have probably all figured this one out, but just in case, I am sharing it anyway.... Polomolive concentrate...1 tsp in each soap area, and 1/2 cup vinegar. This works as well as Cascade Complete for me.

-- Cindy in Ok (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), May 11, 2001

Answers

Alternative dishwasher,...I am married to one. She likes to do most anything (as an alternative to washing dishes). She does however have an intersting soap that she uses. It is Ivory (bar soap), followed by a hot rinse. No bad stuff in the Ivory as far as I know.

-- Ed Copp (OH) (edcopp@yahoo.com), May 11, 2001.

Cindy, When you say "concentrate", do you mean Ultra-type liquid dishwshing soap or powder dishwasher detergent? I would like to try this. Thanks

-- brenda in tn (garbren@centurytel.net), May 11, 2001.

Ultra liquid for doing dishes in the sink is what I put in the dishwasher. I have tried the Ivory in the dishwasher and it left a horrible scum on the dishes. I suppose Ivory liquid concentrate for dishes might not do that here though. Sure..I could do them by hand, but the trips to the dermatologist to put my skin back together makes for a very expensive thing to do.Not to mention the fact that I would never get out of the kitchen since we have a large family and there are always dishes to do. bleck We could use the family dogs...but they leave bits of tongue slime behind. ;-)

-- Cindy in Ok (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), May 11, 2001.

Cindy, I don't know if you make your own soap but, my wife, (Melitza) makes her own. After she makes a batch and pours it into molds, she will add a little water to the pot that the soap was in and let it set for a few days. The water and the residue of the lye soap mix together to make a wonderful dishwashing liquid! Sincerely, Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), May 11, 2001.

I do make my own soap..I will try that. Does she use it in the dishwasher? There is where I was having trouble with my own soap at. It would leave a scum on the dishes and the inside of the dishwasher.

-- Cindy in Ok (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), May 12, 2001.

Put the pots and plates on the floor, the dogs will have them squeaky clean in no time at all.

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), May 12, 2001.

This is true! ;-) That makes for happy dogs too.

-- Cindy in Ok (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), May 12, 2001.

We don't have dogs, we have dishwashing assistents! They do all the precleaning on pots and pans before the things are tossed into the dishwasher, at least when my husband (who does the dishes) doesn't think I'm watching. (Thank goodness the dry cycle kills everything)

Like the dog watching him walk into the kitchen after dinner, and then jumping up and running in when the pans start to clank isn't a clue. Yeah, right!

-- Marty (Mrs.Puck@Excite.com), May 13, 2001.

A large family is the perfect reason to do dishes by hand - you've lots of folks to help and take turns. Saves water, energy and is family time spent together.

-- kim (fleece@eritter.net), May 13, 2001.

I am also a recent dishwasher convert. If you don't have one you have no idea how much cleaner your stuff gets in a dishwasher. Bar- none it is the best for your canning jars! None of the old fashion rinsing of the dishes either, just a scrape into the dog/chicken bucket and into the dishwasher. Dishwashing when the kids were small wasn't that huge of a deal, but now with everyone older and everyone running, things to do, practice, college, and the farm...this like my bread machine is a must have! I will try your recipe Cindy, or better yet when you are here next week, you can try it for me! :) I am still using the intial box of soap that came with my dishwasher. I have also found that when the jet dry ran out, there was no difference in the dishes. I don't use the dry mode, as it pulls the most amps. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), May 13, 2001.

Cindy, Like an idiot, I thought I read TABLESPOON instead of teaspoon in your dishwasher soap suggestion. And then, just being me, I put in a little more. Suds everywhere!! At least the kitchen floor around the dishwasher got a thorough mopping. I will try it again using the proper amounts. It sure would be a money saver if I can get it to work in my machine. Mona Lea

-- Mona Lea (monalea@hotmail.com), May 13, 2001.

ACK!! I experimented until I got the soap at just the right amount..our kitchen floor was really clean that week while I worked it out. The amount looks like a dime sized glob in the container. I guess I should have warned about the rabid dishwasher syndrome that comes with that! :-)

I know, I have lots of helpers in the kitchen...makes sense we could all work together to wash the dishes...but..we all have lupus which makes our skin very prone to dry out quickly. So..we use the dishwasher, leaves more time for board games. :-)

Cindy

-- Cindy in Ok (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), May 13, 2001.

I just read about another recipe for dishwasher soap: 1/4 tsp. liquid dish soap, 1/2 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1/2 c. warm water. I have not tried this but plan to try it plus the ones above. DW

-- DW (djwallace@ctos.com), May 14, 2001.

I will try that one too! I love trying new things!

-- Cindy in Ok (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), May 14, 2001.

Don't know if you guys are still interested in diswasher soap alternative a year later, but this is what i've discovered. I use pure borax to wash the dishes, which I put in the cup for the EXTRA soap. If you don't have, just put the borax straight in the washer. The secret to getting rid of the soap scum is to use citric acid as a rinse. You put the citric acid in the soap tray that closes(which would normally wash the dishes). The last cycle (which would normally coat your dishes with toxic jet dry) rinses the citric acid from the dishes. If you put the citric acid in the last rinse, your dishes will taste like it. I've tried a lot of things, like vinegar for the rinse, homemade soap and citric acid...and this one truly leaves my dishes spotless. One last thing, and i'll stop rambling on...coat your plastics with oil before putting in the diswasher. (I only had to do this once) I don't know why, but the scum stays on them if you don't. I've got a lot more uses for borax, if anyone's interested, write me.

-- Rebecca (rebeccaholzgang@yahoo.com), May 03, 2002.