I sent out a few samples about a month ago and it was pointed out to me that I should probably update the website www.winkos.co.uk with all the new products we have. Today I can announce that I have pretty much updated everything, bar the formatting, adding pictures, checking for spelling mistakes not to mention grammar and punctuation, and all the other things that I am meant to get round to. If you happen to visit and would like to make suggestions or corrections then please do, I’m always open to new ideas and red crosses next to my work 
Better still go to www.zielonakoza.pl
So why am I posting about how to make dishwasher tablets? Because I foolishly mentioned on one of the pages on the website that I intend to add links to tips, tricks and other products out there that may help the planet out a bit, and for whats its worth I’m kicking off with how to make dishwasher tablets.
I wont get into the debate about which is best, washing up by hand or using a dishwasher as we do both in our house, but if you do have a dishwasher then making your own tablets will cut down on the number of harmful chemicals that you are adding to an already toxic world, and that alone can’t be a bad thing.
I just checked eBay and all the ingredients are freely available in the UK so I’m assuming that you can pick them up pretty much anywhere in the world. I would suggest at least a kilo of each, or 5kg if you are thinking about the economics of the process.
So here we go, on with the lesson.
You will need:
A big bowl
A spoon
1 x Salt
1 x Borax or Borax substitute (the latter is better)
1 x Bicarbonate of soda
1/2 x Citric acid
Silicone moulds or plastic tray at least 1cm deep
Choose your measurement, I just use a cup, any old cup. Of course you could get all organised and measure the total capacity of your moulds and then divide it by 4.5 to define your own unit of measurement, but like I said, a cup works for me.
Method
Mix it all together in the bowl with the spoon, once mixed well tip the mixture into your mould(s).
Thats it, well other than waiting for a day or so for the mixture to pull a bit of moisture out of the atmosphere which will turn the powder mix into a solid. It can also be used in powder form if you dont want to wait.
Next time you put the dishwasher on just chuck in a chunk (dont worry about the little draw thing, all that does is release the tablet about 30 seconds after you start the wash) and add you rinsing aide. And here’s the real secret of the whole process, get rid of your fancy coloured chemical laden rinse aids and use white vinigar, yes thats what I said white vinigar. YES VINIGAR! Any will do but white spirit vinigar works best from experience.
Be amazed by the results!
Thanks Eddy. I’m going to make some in the weeks ahead and see how they work out.
The key is the use of vinegar as the rinsing aid, although I’m not sure of the availability of 10% vinegar in the UK. As you will know its common in Poland 🙂
Hi Eddie! I would like to suggest another solution to the dishwashing task …. buy and use paper plates. Dispose of them when done. Or use them in the home heating furnace.
I suspect that it would only happen when it was my turn to do the washing up 🙂
…and they lived happily ever after; The End. This seems very suitable given I’ve spent the best part of the last week or so reading about your and your family’s adventures in Poland. I feel a bit like a stalker now so at least wanted to say ‘hello’ (I need to write this comment now, just as I have finished reading or else it will never happen as with so many comments I have never left on the blogs I follow!). So yes, a few days but what a great read it was! Amazing story of how your self sufficient way of living came about and as I didn’t know much about straw bale houses or dry toilets – very informative, but to some extend I could also relate a bit (and now comes the moment when the stalker relveals their identity) as we have too moved to Poland from the UK although rather recently (me coming back to my motherland, my husband, originally from the far south of the african continent, moving to a new country). And while we have not fully dropped our 9-5’s, our work is flexible enough to allow us to spend a lot of time in the countryside where we’re trying our luck with growing some fruit and veg, composting etc. So your blog’s a food for thought and very inspirational. I may go back to some old posts and comment as some were very interesting for aspiring ‘countryside dwellers’, us.
No dry loos in our household yet but we catch (and reuse) as much grey water as we can (washing dishes, showering etc). Thinking of how to make the system more efficient. Food preserves became a big thing this summer (this being the reason I found your blog in the first place – the courgette ketchup recipe, a quick Google search for an English version placed Winkos at the top of the list!) but equally I might have stumbled here looking for dishwasher tablets alternative as the shop bought stuff has become my pet peeve of late. Thank you for the recipe!
And I will definitely be checking out your soap business soon! Any thoughts (I don’t even know if possible with the technology you’re using) on making shampoo bars/soaps? Something I really want to see permanently in my bathroom replacing the plastic bottles but have had no luck with finding the perfect one yet.
Best wishes from northern Poland , the Brodnica Lake District.
Marysia
Hi Marysia, thank you for your wonderful comment, you are very kind 🙂 I hope your move back to Poland is a permanent one and that you can ‘make it work’ We consider it to be the best thing we ever did, although I should probably write the occasional post on the blog to bring it up to date 🙂
Please do check out the soap website, the English section is more up to date than the Polish, but neither have mention of our soaps bars, despite the fact that Gosia has being making them for a number of months now (you will be pleased to know) She sells little 40g sample bars for 10 zloty, which seem to be very popular, I know I wouldn’t use anything else, and they seem to last forever 🙂 The contact form on the website sends an email to me of Gosia, so please get in touch and I hope we will talk more.
Take care and thanks again for your comment.
Eddy
interesting info
will chk back again when i move to a place that has a dishwasher again
Vinigar is the key and its surprising how many other things it ca be used for 🙂
I put thoroughly rinsed dishes and silverware in the dishwasher, but not glasses or cooking utensils or anything plastic.
Its a good spot if you dont have the cupboard space 🙂
One day, when I start caring about the planet, I’ll have to try this (bookmarked it for later reference).
. . . as I don’t care about most of the people on it, it may be a while from now . . .
Not much of a people lover myself, but I go the extra mile for the planet, even though I know it will sort itself out long after we have died out, but maybe if I can make it last a bit longer for the kids.
I care about kids until they grow up . . . then they invariably disappoint me.
Animals are another matter . . . I might do it for the animals.
Dammit, no dishwasher here! Just me. I got a map of where I’m working today 😀
Thats it, we are tracking you 🙂 Or should I say Google.
Winko’s is watching you! 🤣
I clicked on ‘Friends of Green Goat’, and got a map of where I live in Beetley. 🙂
You are indeed a friend of Green Goat, although this is another project I’m working on, a register of local artisans and location map. Still trying to get a good Polish name for it 🙂
Now all we have to do is to buy a dishwasher, and find a place in the kitchen to install it. 🙂
Thanks for the tip, Eduardo.
Best wishes, Pete.
I forgot to ask, how did you find the sisal dishcloth thingy?
It is still on my desk, waiting to be tried out! Sorry…
(Your link on the soaps also goes to the feature I did on my blog.
You need a ‘shop’ page mate. 🙂 )
Did you click on the English link? Hopefully that will expand and allow you to explore all that Gosia has to offer 🙂
OK, will check it out. 🙂
OK, done that now, and it works well. 🙂