What can replace dishwasher tablets?

replacing dishwasher tablets A few months after successfully purchasing a dishwasher, many begin to count the money spent on cleaning products. On the one hand, you need to think about this before purchasing and understand that you will have to buy powder, salt or tablets, but on the other hand, all these products, especially well-advertised ones, are really very expensive, sometimes unjustifiably. That is why we decided to find the answer to the question, is it possible to replace dishwasher tablets with something?

We study the composition of the tablets

To understand how to replace dishwashing tablets in the dishwasher, you must first study their composition. The composition of the first dishwasher tablets was very simple, some of them were no different from ordinary powder, others consisted of powder, salt and rinse aid. Today, tablets are a multifunctional product with a promising name: 3 in 1, 4 in 1, 5 in 1, 7 in 1, 10 in 1, All in 1 (all in one). Such tablets are designed not only to wash dishes and make them shine, but also to protect the dishwasher itself.

What substances may be included in the tablets, we will list them all, but keep in mind that some tablets contain them, while others may not.

Sodium citrate – necessary to stimulate foam formation, has antibacterial properties
Sodium percarbonate – has bleaching properties, necessary for breaking down dirt.
Sodium carbonate – softens water. It is also called soda ash.
Sodium bicarbonate – softens water. It is also called baking soda.
Sodium disilicate – softens water and binds tablet components into granules.
Sodium gluconate – fights scale, softening water.
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid is necessary for removing scale from the dishwasher.
Isooctyl glucoside is a tenside included in the mouthwash.
Sorbitol is a sweetener.
Rapeseed oil esters are necessary to reduce the surface tension of water and are part of the rinse aid.
Glycerin – necessary for viscosity, gluing of all substances
Amylase and protease – promote the breakdown of proteins and carbohydrates.
Subtilisin – promotes the breakdown of fats.
Surfactants for foam formation.

For your information! Some tablets may contain small amounts of phosphates for foaming and flavorings.

Having analyzed the composition of dishwasher tablets, without being a chemist, the question arises: why are there so many different substances for water softening, especially since water softening occurs in an ion exchanger. No matter how expensive the tablet is, if you have very hard water, you will still have to pour salt into the machine. The second point, in our opinion, such a substance as a sweetener seemed inappropriate, after all, it is a powder.

And the third, useless substance that is often added to tablets is flavorings. It’s one thing if they are contained in washing powder to add a smell to the laundry, but why the dishes need a smell, because they are then eaten from it, is also not clear. Substances that break down proteins, fats and carbohydrates are added, for example, to washing powders, but for some reason they cost much less, this once again suggests that we are being deceived. Thus, some substances can be easily excluded from the composition of the tablets or replaced, which will make them cheaper and more environmentally friendly, but not profitable for the manufacturer.

You can try making dishwasher tablets with your own hands, especially since now we know what components are needed and what can replace them. We offer a couple of recipes.

Recipe one - making tablets

soda ash This recipe cannot be called one hundred percent environmentally friendly. But on the other hand, all the substances included in such tablets are used by us every day, their concentration is negligibly small to cause serious health problems, unless, of course, you are allergic.

So, the substances necessary to create foam and break down fats, proteins and carbohydrates are contained in ordinary washing powder, so you can take any baby powder as a basis, preferably without fragrances and phosphates. We will use soda ash as a bleach and water softener. Well, you can take water as a binding element.

Mix the ingredients in the following proportions:

7 parts powder;
3 parts soda ash.

Add water to the dry mixture a little at a time until you get a thick paste. Then spoon the mixture into the molds. For example, ice cube trays or boxed candy molds. We wait until the mixture dries and the homemade tablets are ready.

Attention! If with such tablets it seems that the dishes do not shine well, then add rinse aid to the compartment separately. In any case, it will be cheaper than using special tablets.

Recipe two - making tablets

replacing dishwasher tablets This recipe is slightly different from the previous one. The binder you can use is not water, but gel-like dishwashing detergent or glycerin. We take everything in this proportion:

160 g powder;
36 g soda ash;
4 g glycerin (or dishwashing detergent).

Mix everything and put it into molds, let the mixture dry.

Important! When using baby powder, for washing dishes it is better to use the mode at 40-45⁰C, so that substances that break down proteins do not collapse.

Recipe three - making tablets

To prepare these tablets you need to take: borax

75 g soda ash;
100 g borax;
250 g of Epsom salts (magnesia);
20 g citric acid.

Dissolve the lemon in a small amount of water and mix the remaining ingredients well. Then add lemon juice solution. When the mixture stops fizzing, pour into molds and wait until the tablets dry.

The use of these homemade dishwasher tablets must be accompanied by the use of salt and, if necessary, rinse aid. Undoubtedly, such tablets will be much cheaper than the widely known and advertised ones. Of course, such tablets do not contain substances for washing silverware that prevent it from tarnishing, but not all factory-made tablets contain them.

You can replace expensive dishwasher tablets not only with homemade tablets, but also with ordinary ones. dishwashing detergents, which are sold separately. Yes, they are not so convenient when putting them in a washing machine compartment, but if the question of saving money arose, then why not pour in the powder? So, we have offered you options for replacing pills, experiment, choose what you think is better.