Can baking soda be used in the dishwasher?

soda and dishwasher Many housewives use soda, adding it when doing laundry and washing dishes, as well as to clean various surfaces from dirt and limescale. This is a truly universal remedy with many ways to use it. With the advent of the dishwasher, many people had a question: is it possible to put baking soda in the dishwasher instead of powder? Let's figure it out.

Using baking soda in the dishwasher

Soda is the common name for the chemical compound sodium bicarbonate. Soda is alkali, and as you know, most dishwasher powders, as well as tablets and gels, contain alkalis. It is alkalis that help break down dried dirt and fats on pots, pans and other utensils.

Therefore, answering the question whether baking soda can be used in the dishwasher, we will say that it is possible. You just need to know how to do it correctly, because soda alone will not give a positive result in washing dishes. Soda ash or baking soda cannot completely replace special dishwashing products, including powders or tablets.

For your information! Soda ash, unlike baking soda, is stronger, so you need to wash dishes with it carefully, thoroughly rinsing it off the surface.

Despite the fact that soda is included in many detergents, some service center technicians do not recommend using pure soda in the dishwasher. This is explained by the fact that soda does not completely dissolve when interacting with water and a precipitate forms. You can easily verify this by dissolving a little baking soda in a glass of water.

The resulting suspension does not immediately clog the circulation pump, rendering the machine inoperable. Therefore, think for yourself whether it is worth replacing special powders with completely improvised means. Repairs will cost more. It is possible if homemade soda-based products are alternated with specialized products, as well as clean the dishwasher regularly, then nothing terrible will happen.

Ways to use soda

You can use dishwasher soda either as an ingredient in homemade dishwashing powder or as a dishwasher cleaner. The second option is the most popular. Here are a few recipes for using baking soda.

You can wipe and wash the walls of the dishwasher chamber with a soda solution, as well as wash filters and dish baskets.
Vinegar combined with baking soda will help get rid of the unpleasant odor that appears inside the washing machine. To do this, first run the dishwasher on a long cycle without dishes, after placing a cup of vinegar on one of the baskets. And after that, they start a short cycle by pouring half a glass of baking soda, but not soda ash, into the machine.
For the next recipe you need to take one glass of soda, add 10 drops of any essential oil and 1.5 tbsp. spoons of hydrogen peroxide. After mixing all the ingredients, you need to dry the mixture and then pour it into the machine. Place half a glass of vinegar in the upper basket, and then turn on the washing program. Such cleaning of the washing machine will not leave a trace of plaque.
To wash kitchen utensils and dishes, you can make your own dishwashing powder. For the base, we use children's washing powder, which does not contain phosphates or fragrances.The powder is mixed with soda and used as a regular dishwasher detergent, at the rate of 25 g per wash.
Another recipe involves using soda ash. A small amount of soda ash is mixed with washing powder - the product is ready. If you don’t want to wash dishes with this powder in the dishwasher, then at least it is very suitable for soaking pots and pans, as it copes with complex stains.

Important! When using powders based on baking soda and soda ash, you need to rinse the dishes thoroughly, and also use rinse aid and dishwasher salt.

Making pills

Among all dishwasher detergents, tablets are in great demand. In order not to overpay for store-bought tablets, you can make them yourself. They are convenient to use, and they are not expensive, since one of their components is baking soda, which is quite cheap and accessible.

To prepare these homemade tablets, you will need:

250 g of magnesia (also known as magnesium sulfate);
100 g borax;
75 g regular baking soda;
diluted citric acid or squeezed lemon juice.

The dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed, and then lemon juice is added to them. When the reaction between soda and juice, accompanied by hissing, is completed, you can pour the wet mixture into small molds. Then you need to dry the molds, and the tablets are ready. They must be used together with special dishwasher salt and rinse aid, then the effect will be maximum.

For your information! If you dissolve the tablet in a small amount of water, you get a liquid product that can also be used to wash dishes.

What dishwasher manufacturers say

The instructions for dishwashers spell out the basic rules on how and what to wash dishes with. Most manufacturers recommend using commercial salt, powder and rinse aid. And some emphasize that special salt cannot be replaced with regular salt. The same applies to detergents. gels for dishwashers

In addition, do not forget that if the machine breaks down as a result of violation of operating rules, the warranty becomes invalid. Therefore, if you decide to wash dishes with soda or other improvised means, then be prepared for repairs at your own expense.

You can also wash dishes with combined tablets or capsules; they are easy to use. However, before you buy such tablets, find out whether your machine recognizes 3 in 1 products. After all, if it does not do this, then there is no point in such tablets; the maximum effect may not be obtained.

In conclusion, we note that you can wash dishes with soda, but it is not recommended to do this in the dishwasher all the time. As a last resort, you can alternate soda-based products with special products. In our opinion, baking soda is better for cleaning the dishwasher and eliminating odors, as well as soaking dishes with burnt food. Maybe user reviews will help you, but you shouldn’t trust them one hundred percent. Good luck!