Did you know you can actually make your own dishwasher detergent tabs? I didn’t. This was an accidental discovery on my part, and in case some of you aren’t aware of this either, I’m passing this information on.

I found this HOW-TO on a clever and helpful site, Mom4Real: Home Tips and Tricks for Busy Moms (www.mom4real.com). Jessica, the site’s real mom and creator/author, had been making her own dishwasher tabs for a long time, but she says this latest recipe is the best of all she’s ever come up with.

These tabs are easy to make, will leave your dishes clean and sparkly, and will save you time and money.

You’ll need liquid dish detergent (any brand will do), baking soda, and citric acid (the familiar container you get when it’s time to can your tomatoes, usually found in the canning section of the grocery store near the canning jars).

Castile soap can successfully be substituted for liquid dish soap, by the way.

And if you’re wondering what the citric acid does for your dishes, Jessica explains that it contributes to the cleaning process by removing lime particles and helping with hard water buildup. (You can get 2 to 3 batches of tabs out of one container of citric acid.)

Besides these ingredients you’ll need silicone ice molds (any shape will work, but the squares seem to make sense). The recipe Jessica shares calls for two molds. However, if you don’t happen to have silicone ice molds, regular plastic trays will work just fine.

Something you’ll appreciate about this recipe: the cleaner leaves no film on your glassware, cutlery, etc. NO film since they don’t contain too many ingredients!

Be aware when making them, though, that the recipe foams quite a bit once the ingredients are mixed together. This makes it difficult to pack the mixture into the molds. Jessica suggests you just walk away while it is foaming and come back once it has stopped. She then wipes away the excess and uses it to fill another tray. Different dish liquids can foam more than others, so mixing and filling times may vary. It’s not rocket science, but does take experimenting.

You should also be aware that some molds produce tabs that won’t fit in the traditionally-sized dishwasher dispensers. So just know that if your molds make tabs too big to fit the dispenser, just toss a tab onto the dishwasher floor before you start your machine.

Here’s something else: Don’t forget the vinegar rinse. This simple household item does an amazing job of ensuring your dishes come out sparkling and spot-free. Fill your rinse cup with it or splash some onto the floor of your washer.

Finally, and still related to rinsing: The essential oil company, Young Living, has an oil that you can add to the vinegar rinse. It helps with spots and also helps clean your dishwasher. It is Jade Lemon. Other essential oil companies likely have something similar.

Do try this amazing money-saving recipe and report back. So far I’m pleased with these. I’d love to know what you think!

HOMEMADE DISHWASHER DETERGENT TABS (yield: 20-24 tablets)

1 cup baking soda

1/4 cup citric acid

1 tablespoon dish liquid (any brand will do)

Silicone ice cube tray

Airtight jar or container

1. Add baking all three ingredients to a large bowl.

2. Mix well using a whisk or your hands.

3. When mixed, push the mixture into your molds.

4. Wait about 10 minutes and level them using a butter knife or your hand (the tabs will slightly expand).

5. Let them sit for at least 4 hours or overnight. They will harden like store bought dish tablets.

6. Once hardened, just flip your molds over and push the tabs out.

7. Store in an airtight container and keep them dry until ready to use. They will stay potent for up to 6 months.

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