Dishwasher Soap Experiment

[Susie]

You use that in the dishwasher, or in the sink?

 

[ronrho56]

I use this in the dishwasher. For dishes that I hand wash, I use my own homemade dish soap.

 

[PrairieLights]

While still researching, I ran across this:

http://practical-stewardship.com/20...detergent-rinse-aid-cleaning-your-dishwasher/

I am going to try it with my liquid 100% CO dishwashing soap tomorrow.(I found it right after starting the dishwasher.) Maybe I can get it to work and go from there.

And? How did it go? I made my first 100% CO liquid soap yesterday and the paste turned to a rock... Trying to dilute it now.... Hope it works - and hope to hear good news from your most recent experiment, Susie. :razz:

 

[Susie]

It really did not work well. I am going to have to buy more vinegar for the rinse aid thingie. Lots of residue.

 

[BubblesandBlends]

Hmm I will have to try adding CO to a new batch of dishwasher soap tomorrow. I have found with the borax, washing soda, and citric acid its am matter of tinkering with it. I use 1 cup borax, 1 cup washing soda, 3/4 cup citric acid. rinse agent of vinegar and I throw a lemon in the bottom of the dishwasher. That lemon makes a huge difference. I do have very hard water so it took me some tinkerin to work it out.

 

[Saponista]

Could you fill the rinse aid up with a citric acid solution rather than vinegar? Then you could make it more acidic than vinegar and it may rinse better?

 

[LBussy]

Good automatic DW detergent (commercial) is highly caustic ... I would suggest a tiny lye surplus might be needed.

If you ever burn something in a pot, get a decent detergent (I know Cascade works) and boil water with detergent for a while. Turn it off and leave it overnight. Most times your troubles are gone.

 

[Susie]

Good automatic DW detergent (commercial) is highly caustic ... I would suggest a tiny lye surplus might be needed.

If you ever burn something in a pot, get a decent detergent (I know Cascade works) and boil water with detergent for a while. Turn it off and leave it overnight. Most times your troubles are gone.

I do this with my 100% CO paste. You just need an hour or so.

I checked my commercial dishwasher detergent(Member's Mark from Sam's) for pH- it was 9.7. My 100% CO liquid laundry soap is 9.0. Does anyone use Cascade that has an accurate pH meter?

 

[LBussy]

I can try to remember ... at work now.

Another thing to consider is pH is not the same as titratable alkalinity. There's got to be enough "capacity" in the caustic to continue doing the work.

 

[DeeAnna]

Cascade powder:
pH: 10.7 - 11.3

Cascade gel
pH: (1% solution): 10.5 – 11.5
pH: (neat): 12.5

Source: http://www.pgproductsafety.com/prod...ade&category=msds&submit=Search&submit=Search

 

[lsg]

My recipe for automatic dishwasher soap calls for about 6% sodium silicate, which raises the pH.

 

[LBussy]

My recipe for automatic dishwasher soap calls for about 6% sodium silicate, which raises the pH.

Interesting ...

It also flocculates particulates and is what they use most often as an adhesive to make cardboard. I use it to harden paper tubes for pyro work. It's called "water glass" in some applications because of hit's hardening properties.

 

[Dorymae]

Interesting ...

It also flocculates particulates and is what they use most often as an adhesive to make cardboard. I use it to harden paper tubes for pyro work. It's called "water glass" in some applications because of hit's hardening properties.

Water glass- the same stuff you preserve eggs with?

 

[LBussy]

Yep. Looks like it has a bunch of uses.

 

[DeeAnna]

This excerpt goes to show there's nothing new under the sun:

"...The raw materials employed in the manufacture of soap, therefore consist, on the one hand, of fats, fat oils, fatty acids and rosin and, on the other, of alkalies. To these have to be added as auxiliary raw materials: Water, lime, and common salt.

"Besides the above-mentioned materials which are indispensable for the manufacture of soap, foreign substances are frequently incorporated with the soap, chiefly with the object of cheapening the cost of manufacture. These substances are known as filling materials, soda ash, silicate of soda (water glass or soluble glass), glue, starch, etc., being used....

"Soap moderately filled with silicate of soda has the advantage over one not thus treated of better retaining a smooth, pleasing exterior and possessing a better feel. If, however, too much silicate of soda has been used the soap, when stored for some time, becomes hard as stone and presents a bad appearance...."

The soap maker's handbook, Carl Diete, 1912.

 

[lsg]

Instead of sodium silicate you can use Sodium Metasilicate Pentahydrate, which is cheaper and raises the pH. I am going to use sodium metasilicate in the next recipe to see how it compares with the recipe using sodium silicate.

 

[jnl]

What about using grated 100% CO bar soap? I dont want to have to deal with paste.

I think i will try making a recipe tomorrow.

This page tested a number of recipes:
http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/green-living/which-homemade-dishwasher-soap-recipe-best/


so maybe i will try something like this (just adding some soap to an existing recipe):
1/2 cup grated CO soap (1% superfat - just because thats what i have)
1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
½ cup citric acid
½ cup sea salt

i will grind it up so its all a super fine powder. i dont see why everyone adds coarse salt....why would that make a difference? i do have coarse salt, but im going to grind it up.

any suggested tweaks to my recipe before i try it? should i add 1 cup grated soap instead of half a cup?