Dishwasher powder

Somehow it is not that simple. If you have sensitive silverware and dishes, it is better, you do not use this recipe. All dishwashers are different. What works with one of them, might not work with another dishwasher. The whole thing is an experiment.

I’ve tried some mixtures several years ago, but it didn’t work and I gave up. Now I’ve started it again. I’ve found some recipes. I didn’t want to make tablets, I don’t have patience to do those things. First thing I tried, was a mixture of washing soda, baking soda and citric acid. The result was rather hmmm than whoaa. I tried, tried and tried. Maybe the next one, but no.

Finally my husband didn’t look so happy about it. Little conversation between us:

Husband: Do you really think that the dishes are clean? This cup with the tea stains?

Me: What do you think? They are clean, because I want it, that they ARE clean.

Husband: But they are not clean.

Me: Yes, they are clean…I try and next time they will be better.

By the next time:

Husband wanted to drink coffee. He got a cup. Cup with the tea stains.

Husband: All cups are dirty. See!

Me: They are NOT dirty.

Husband: Yes, they are. See!

Me: You always get the very same cup from the kitchen cabinet. Why do you always need to choose the same cup, with the tea stains?

Husband: Still, it is dirty.

Me: Okay, I try it once again. By the way, as my father was here 4 days, he drank (black) tea from this cup, from the same cup and he didn’t let me clean it… Of course, there were tea stains! Give me that cup!

In the past we had this conversation, then we used dishwasher tablets.

It won’t be better, rather worse. The current dishwasher powder was now all used up.

I’ve taken out the baking soda and citric acid, just washing soda (2 teaspoons, it was not enough), the result was better, much better. Maybe a little bit grated curd soap? (Grating…, again) Better. Not 100%, but 90%. I’ve tried this combo with washing soda and curd soap for a while (I’ve taken 4 teaspoons of washing soda and 1 teaspoon of crud soap). Just 90% because of the silverware. They are not shiny. Clean, but not so shiny. And somehow after a while I didn’t like this mixture. It didn’t work anymore. So I just use washing soda (2 tablespoons). Better. Good, good, not really good, but I think I can live with it. I have to take care of the salt aid in the dishwasher. It has to be full of it, always, otherwise, the result is not so good. And it is important to load correctly the dishwasher.

So I have to make some compromises, to wash the really dirty bowls and the cups with tea or coffee stains by hand, a little bit. I’ve found a recipe with sodium per carbonate (it is a bleaching thing). I didn’t want to use it. After reading some blogs, the result with sodium per carbonate is supposedly better. But I leave it out.

And somehow after a while the washing soda wasn’t enough. So I use a mixture of washing soda, citric acid and sodium per carbonate. It works, for my husband, too…

And the dishwasher rinse aid? Now just vinegar. With citric acid, water, alcohol mixture the silverware was weird. So I took it out, completely. I know, vinegar and seals… As I wrote, we had lots of problem with our dishwasher. If we need to change some seals again, than we will do that. Yet it just works fine.

Lately:

My husband wanted to drink coffee. He took one white cup. He always takes a white cup. (I really think only to check the cleanness. And I really think, this one was from the back part of the cabinet kitchen, not used for a long time).

A little story:

My big son had a french kindergarten teacher. Her way of telling parents to change something used to be: That is not a critic against You….

Husband: This cup is dirty.

Me: No, it is not dirty

Husband (smiling): That is not a critic against you. I don’t want to question your capability and dishwasher mixture recipe, but this cup is dirty.

Me: You won’t get any cookies…