Make it Monday: DIY dishwasher tablets

WINTERVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) – Most of us know the feeling of taking dishes out of a dishwasher and realizing they still have spots or residue from detergent.

This week we’re showing you how you can make your own products with the help of Winterville mom, Jennifer Smith.

She’s demonstrating her favorite recipe for all-natural dishwasher tabs.

Here’s what you’ll need:

– washing soda

– baking soda

– kosher salt

– lemon juice

– Rosemary essential oil

– Citrus essential oil

– silicone tray

First, pour a half cup of kosher salt in a big bowl.

Then, add a half cup of washing soda. You can find this in the laundry aisle of your grocery store. It’s only a few dollars for a big box and will go a long way.

Add a half cup of baking soda to the mix too. Next, get your lemon juice.

“I start with about a third of a cup,” said Smith. “It’s going to bubble a little bit when you pour it in. You might need a little more than this.”

Stir it together until it reaches a lumpy paste texture. Smith suggests using your hands to mix it.

Get your essential oils for the next step. Smith is using 10 drops of Rosemary.

“I use a lot of rosemary in things that I clean with,” said Smith. “It has a lot of good properties for cleaning.”

She’s also adding 10 drops of a citrus blend oil.

Keep mixing all ingredients together until the mixture is a powder form that can be packed down.

Then, get a silicone tray.

“You’re going to take about a table spoon at a time. Put it in your silicone dish and pack it in there,” said Smith. “You want it to be packed down so when you pull them out they don’t crumble.”

Let them sit in the mold to firm for 24 to 48 hours. When you pop them out, store them in an air tight container. Use one dishwasher tab per load of dishes.