If you’re cleaning a particularly dirty load of dishes, you may want to bump the soap up to four or five drops.

To avoid spilling baking soda all over the interior of the dishwasher, use a spoon to carefully fill the detergent cup rather than pouring the baking soda straight from the box.

If you only have sea or kosher salt, you can substitute either for the table salt.

Not only is this dishwasher detergent easy to make, it’s cheaper than store-bought versions. Most people usually have dish soap, baking soda, and salt in their kitchen, so it’s a convenient alternative to the usual dishwasher detergent.

Borax is a natural mineral that is often used in cleaning products. You can find it at most grocery and big box stores in the aisle where laundry or cleaning products are sold. Washing soda is a water-soluble sodium salt of carbonic acid that works as a natural cleaner or cleaning booster. You can find it at many grocery and big box stores in the laundry or cleaning products aisle. If you can’t find it locally, it’s also available at online stores. Citric acid is a natural compound found in citrus fruits that is an ideal disinfectant in cleaning products. You can find it in many grocery stores where canning or brewing supplies are sold, or at health food stores and pharmacies.

The detergent may clump if it’s exposed to moisture, so try to keep in a cool, dark closet or pantry with low humidity.

The recipe should make enough detergent for 48 loads of dishes.

If you don’t have sea salt, you can substitute kosher salt.

If you live in an area with high humidity, place 2 tablespoons (30 g) of powdered bentonite clay inside a piece of cheesecloth or pantyhose. Secure the fabric so the clay won’t spill out, and throw the packaged clay into your container of detergent. The clay will absorb the excess moisture so the detergent doesn’t clump.

You can substitute baking soda for the washing soda. When you mix in the vinegar, there may be some slight fizzing. That is normal.

If you pack the trays the right way, you’ll use up all of the detergent mixture.

Make sure that the lid fits tightly on the jar that’s holding the detergent tabs. You want the container to be airtight.

If you’re washing a particularly dirty load of dishes, you can add three drops of dishwashing liquid into the detergent cup with the tab to boost the cleaning power.