Dishwasher powder - greener, cheaper

Initially published on 23/08/2011

You're concerned about environnment, lucky you, dishwashers use less water and electricity than hand washing: hand washing with open tap can make you spend up to 100 liters water!

To sum up dishwashers are more ecological... depending on what you use as a cleaning powder, which necessarily has to be strong enough to compensate mechanic action. These chemical products that replace the movement on your arm can be very polluting and end up in the environment.

That is why it is important to choose your powder carefully. You can find "svanemerket" products but as many ecological products, this has a cost.

Here is a solution, based on this kind of powder, but that you will need in less important quantities.

It is a recipe I found on the French blog http://untrucparjour.blogspot.com/ :

- 30% krystall soda (supermarket)

- 30% sodium bicarbonate (natron) ; if someone knows where to find it at a reasonable price...

- 30% dishwasher powder (buy the refill is enough -->less plastic)

- 10% sodium percarbonate (not mandatory but it helps taking off residue) ; I use it for laundry as a bleaching agent.

All these powder must be perfectly mixed; shake it in a jar where you have enough space or use a blender. But be careful with the dust, which I guess is not so good to breathe.

If you need rinsing liquid (which I don't), you can use white vinegar.

And that's a new step towards green living!

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