Homemade washing up liquid

dniester007

I'm obsessed with homemade washing up liquid, but can't quite get the recipe right.

I live in a hard water area, so any natural soaps I use tend to leave lots of scum.

My current best recipe contains water (of course), salt, a natural soap (what is a natural, ecological detergent!), lemon juice, sodium bicarb, glycerine (the cake version) and some essential oil. It looks a bit like the Ecover version (Ecover are a bit of a con in my opinion).

Anyone else got any recipes?

I may try to sell some at a Christmas craft fair. I made lots of homemade ecological baths salts, shake and vac, bath oil etc last Christmas and did quite well at a craft fair.

GeDink

Anthea Turner's (perfect housewife) recipe for washing-up liquid:


2 ltrs boiling water
2/3 drops tea tree oil
8 gm soap flakes
8 gm of soda crystals
tsp vinegar

Mix and put in soap dispenser

Haven't tried it but hope this helps!

AussieLass

How much would 8gms be? a couple of tablespoons, teaspoons etc. I've looked it up but can't seem to find the answers.

System

Where do you get soap flakes from?

Quasar

AussieLass wrote:

How much would 8gms be? a couple of tablespoons, teaspoons etc. I've looked it up but can't seem to find the answers.

A little over a third of an ounce - I'd say a heaped tablespoon, but I'll be happy to stand corrected.

AussieLass

Judi wrote:

Where do you get soap flakes from?

We get Lux Soap Flakes here which are in the washing powder aisle. I presume this is what they are?

Thanks Q,

Quasar

AussieLass wrote:

We get Lux Soap Flakes here which are in the washing powder aisle. I presume this is what they are?

Thanks Q,

Or you can grate some neutral soap. I grate neutral soap when I want to wash delicate fabrics by hand, then I put a teaspoon of glycerine in the last rinse - but this is off topic, sorry...:o

AussieLass

I have sunlight soap. Would this be neutral soap? Usually soap kills suds when you wash dishes. I wouldn't think it would froth up like soap flakes would. But what would I know.

Quasar

AussieLass wrote:

I have sunlight soap. Would this be neutral soap? Usually soap kills suds when you wash dishes. I wouldn't think it would froth up like soap flakes would. But what would I know.

Oooppsss.. by neutral I mean no scent and no colouring. I've never grated soap for dishes, just for clothes, so I would not know.

Once in an emergency (had run out of washing up liquid completely), I just did my modest, one person's washing up with very hot water and quite a bit of vinegar. Splendid results, but then it was only plates, cutlery, glass. No pans.

AussieLass

This is a recipe for HM washing up liquid isn't it - not anything to do with clothes? Good tip about the vinegar. I ran out of dishwashing liquid the other week (hard to get to shops atm) and resorted to using some old bubble bath. Thought this would be good if it get's dishes clean as bought stuff for standby purposes. I have lux atm as I'm washing DGS nappies with it & have the other stuff.

Quasar

AussieLass wrote:

This is a recipe for HM washing up liquid isn't it - not anything to do with clothes? Good tip about the vinegar. I ran out of dishwashing liquid the other week (hard to get to shops atm) and resorted to using some old bubble bath. Thought this would be good if it get's dishes clean as bought stuff for standby purposes. I have lux atm as I'm washing DGS nappies with it & have the other stuff.

LOL yes it's for washing up liquid, but I briefly took it off topic, sorry.

I find vinegar excellent to de-grease dishes and glassware of any kind. Or even a slice of lemon passed on dishes and then rinsing, will take off any greasy film and leave them fresh smelling.