How to Make Your Own Dish Detergent

Which of these liquids do you think is potentially harmful to your respiratory, ingumentary (skin) and immune systems? Duh?

So, it's pretty simple for me. In my opinion you should wash your dishes in water. Let me tell you why and then I promise, since I know you will not be easily convinced, I will give you a compromise.

I do not use detergent. There are numerous chemicals (man-made) that we know beyond a shadow of a doubt are unhealthy. PCMX, DEA, DCM and APE's are part of almost every dish detergent on the market. Yes, they are regulated and supposed to be in quantities that are "relatively safe". If that's enough to satisfy you, then keep doing what you're doing.  But, even if we could bathe in dish detergent without harming ourselves, we still cannot use it without decimating fish populations and adding to the environmental nightmare that is slowly sneaking up on us (most scientists say it is already upon us).

I wash my dishes in water, with my nature-made Pot Scrubber. Grease? Oil? No problem. I scrub the dish clean and then dry it. I know you can do it too. However, if you are convinced that you NEED detergent then let's compromise. Here is how you can make your own AND make enough to give to friends or even label and sell.

2 cups water
1-1 1/2 TBSP of Borax. (Borax is a naturally occuring sodium based product collected from lake deposits you can find it in the detergent aisle at the store. It comes in a box and so you will have WAAAY more than you need. So, why not package it for family and friends).
1-1 1/2 TBSP of castille bar soap (or use Ivory soap if you cannot find the castille bar soap). Shave the soap off the bar with a potato peeler or similar.
A dropper full (15-30 drops) of your favorite essential oil if desired for fragrance.

Boil water and add ingredients. Let it all dissolve and then sit and cool all day. It will gel and then it's ready to go.

Tip: When I am in the woods I use the river gravel and mud to wash the dishes and then rinse them. Yes, mud. After rinsed and dried they are perfectly clean. NO harmful residues, no sick fish, no selfish, greedy use of synthetic chemicals that can harm others or myself.

Pot Scrubber

Among other things, you did not need to buy that pot scrubber.

If you get out hiking like you should, or if you live in a place like I do-where mountains, lakes and trees abound-then you can easily find many of these. Pine cones are excellent pot scrubbers. When you are done, throw them back in the yard. Much better than the gross diseased scrubby thing you keep using over and over. Yuck!

They are NOT dirty. They are as safe and clean as picking organic produce from your own garden to make a salad.  Remember this when a piece of cone is in your water. There are hundreds of unhealthy chemicals in everything you buy to do certain tasks. A piece of pine cone is NOT one of them. Change the way you see the world and your world will change.

(Yes, your water will look yellowish and you might even see some dirt. Just finish the freaking task and dry your dish. Now, look at it. It's CLEAN. Did you hear me? Look me in the eye, IT"S FREAKING CLEAN. Now put it back in the cupboard and do something else and stop being a puppet of economic consumerism and corporate/media propaganda.) 

I use the Blue Spruce as a regular scrubber and a firmer and harder Ponderosa Pine cone for getting tough eggs or potatoes off my pan after cooking. Some pine cones are sharp and will not work without using a glove. I have so many options I just don't use them unless they work well and easily.

It's one more way to minimize, and it's fun to work with nature to simplify and energize your life.

Tip: Collect a bunch of cones that work for you and set them on the counter in a nice wooden bowl. They look cool and might even offer a scent of pine.