Living plastic-free: Dishwashing Liquid

Hi EnviroWoman! Just found your blog yesterday and I'm really inspired by it.

I have a book which claims that pure soap and hot water works on dishes, but I haven't tried it out yet so don't know if it's true. They talk about pure vegetable soap. I don't know if this would be the same as the soap flakes I've in cardboard boxes seen in some shops with the laundry detergents? (Like these: http://www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk/soap_flakes.htm) That's what I'm planning to try when my current washing up liquid dies, anyway.

This book also recommends having a bowl of rinse water with some white-wine vinegar in to give glasses a shine. I'm not that hot on chemistry so I could be making up rubbish here, but maybe that would help with the film you've been getting from the dishwasher powder?

Alternatively, if your LUSH shampoo is too expensive, I think the soaps they sell are cheaper?

Have you tried washing soda for your dishes? It's cheap and comes in a cardboard box.
Just discovered this blog a few days ago, and I love it!

There is a company called "Downeast" that sells dishwashing liquid in bulk where I live(Nova Scotia). It is available in the sort of eco-grocery store we have. You just bring in a container and turn a little knob and liquid dish detergent comes out. Usually gets all over you.

PS. I am inspired by your mission and hope to join you later this year!

Check out the 'learn-how' section of ChangeEverything.ca. There is a section on how to make your very own non-toxic cleaners. I bet you could store them all in glass jars!

Washing Soda. What a great idea!

Thanks Stronglight. I didn't even know they still manufactured it. I've always thought it was for clothes only, but hey, I'm willing to think and act outside the box (in more ways than one). I could totally see the white wine vinegar working on glasses and I'm definitely going to have to try that. Although, most vinegar comes in plastic bottles nowadays - except for the more expensive varieties.

I've already asked LUSH if they had any soaps that were good for cutting grease, and might be okay for dishes, but they didn't seem to have anything they thought would do the trick. But hey, sometimes ya gotta ask LUSHGirl#2, instead of LUSHGirl#1, to get the answer you want. I'll just have to ask again.

 Thanks for the great suggestions. And for reading my blog.

 EnviroWoman

Plastic free. Cruelty Free. Vegetarian. Chocoholic

Thanks Kate.

Although it was a fascinating read, there weren't any liquid dishwashing detergent recipes. Poop.

Hey, maybe I should go all Martha and Anita Roddick and just concoct my own, package it in non-plastic...and make millions and millions of dollars.

Dream on EnviroWoman. Dream on.

Plastic free. Cruelty Free. Vegetarian. Chocoholic

Soap Exchange! here in Victoria BC most enviro-friendly stores will re-fill your bottle with eco-friendly, biodegradable cleaners. if you don't have a bottle, they charge you a $1 deposit which you get when you bring it back (unless you refill and reuse)

here's the website http://www.victoriasoapexchange.com/

if you don't have something like this, it's about time you did!

Greetings Envirowoman,
I've been enjoying following your journey to live plastic free. I hope your blogs are a comfort in knowing you're not alone with this endeavor.

One suggestion about dishes. Dr. Bronner's can be used for anything. It makes great dish soap as well. Just rub a bar on your dish cloth...and let there be suds. If you can get bulk or glass bottled distilled vinegar, add that to the rinse water and they'll be spot free and squeaky clean.

I looked at the Lush products...they all contain lauryl sulfates. It's not plastic, but it's something unnatural and a lot of people are allergic to without knowing it. Again...Dr. Bronner's can be used as shampoo.

It's amazing how pervasive plastic is today. There are people alive now who remember when it was invented! So, we know it's possible to live without it.

Good luck.

Holy crap, you guys. YOU ROCK!!!

Look at all these great ideas to try. You are going to make it SO EASY to live plastic-free in 2007. I'm gonna shop for castile soap this weekend! And I'll check out Victoriasoapexchange to see if they know of a Vancouver locale that offers the same service.

Many Thanks.

EnviroWoman

Plastic free. Cruelty Free. Vegetarian. Chocoholic

Interesting problem.

I mostly use a dishwasher with powder that comes in a cardboard box. For dishwashing liquid I buy 4L, unfortunately plastic, bottles of it. But these last me a couple of years, so its a less-evil approach.

One possibility is that you buy dishwashing liquid from friends or a restaurant that buy it in bulk and could share some of theirs. Of course that liquid is probably packaged in plastic. But that is likely true of most other bulk sources that likely get their raw materials in plastic.

How far up the supply chain are you willing to go to avoid plastic?

Another interesting question is the issue of dishwashers. I run full loads and have been advised that this is more environmentally friendly in terms of water usage and energy consumption than hand-washing. But is that true? For that matter, at what point is that true 50% full, 75%?

I see you already got lots of great ideas to replace dishwashing liquid packaged in plastic. I just wanted to throw in my own 2 cents. As far as I know solid bar soap can be grated, mixed with some water, and heated, to make liquid soap. If you have trouble finding castile soap (or any other soap for that matter) in bulk to fill your own glass and/or metal containers, you could buy castile soap in bar form (wrapped in paper or not wrapped at all), and dissolve/cook it in water to make soap for dishes. You can even add lemon juice, vinegar, or essential oils to make the soap smell the way you want and get the "consumer experience."

Another alternative could be to make your own liquid soap. The ingredients for making soap are very corrosive (KOH or NaOH, potassium hydroxide makes liquid soap, sodium hydroxide makes solid soap, as far as I remember), but many people make their own soaps at home with care to stay safe. The other ingredient you need is a good quality oil. Coconut oil is great, so is olive oil, and if you use lard, apparently that's good, but I wouldn't use it myself. Palm fat is good... well, you can read up on it, there are many pages on the web explaining soap making. I believe you can buy all the ingredients wrapped in things other than plastic.

Here's a recipe I found

1/4Cup soap flakes (I assume you can just chop up your bar of soap finely)
2 Cups Hot Water
1/4 cup glycerine
1/2 tsp. lemon essential oil

You dissolve the flakes in the water and let cool to lukewarm. Then you add in the glycerin and oils and let cool. As it cools it will form a gel like substance in the water. Stir with fork to break up the gel. Once cool pour into container (glass bottle I would assume in your case).

I have not tried this yet, but it might work better than that nasty powder stuff.

Hi there, great initiative and resolution. I am slowly freeing my home from toxic chemicals: chlorine, phosphates, etc. and so dishwasher powder was also one of my challenges. However I see some solutions posted already. I have found that a combination of Borax and Baking Soda (both in boxes at WallMart and Superstore) does the job fine. The alternative is using Washing Soda (same stores). For replacing the 'crystal clear' junk products I am simply filling the dishwasher crystal dispenser with white vinegar.

I think this would be another new year resolution if you wanted to. It is also very tough and has potentially similar positive effects on the environment. Check the Georgia Strait Alliance for info on how our use of toxic chemicals is hurting us and the planet here: http://www.georgiastrait.org/curtoxic.php ; click on the 'what does clean really mean' link.

cheers

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Your great suggestions have lead me on a quest to find a solution that would work for me and I found it…

First I tried looking for dish soap in bulk in the Lower Mainland but came up with a big zero – you guys on the Island are so lucky!!!! 

You folks set me onto Dr. Bronner’s soap which I tried taking shavings of and melting with water in a tin can on the stove. It felt kinda primitive doing it, but I hoped it would work....It didn’t....I just ended up with a big gloopy gel of a mess, which produced no suds when added to dish water.

But at first you don't succeed...try, try again...So I resorted to just holding the Dr. Bronner bar under the tap as I filled the sink – and it worked great. Lots of suds that last for about 15 minutes. Another product by Soap Buds (drip.ca) produced similar satisfactory results.

I also tested Soapworks and BodyShop’s Satsuma soap – which didn’t work as well.

Both Dr. Bronner’s and Soap Buds don’t leave much of a film on the dishes either. Dr. Bronner's is a bit steep at $6 a bar, but the Soap Buds option is cheaper.

So now, I’m happy a dishwasher once again. And it wouldn't have happened without your great input and suggestions. Many thanks everyone.

EnviroWoman 

Plastic free. Cruelty free. Vegetarian. Chocoholic

For washing dishes, esp plates, cups and mugs use baking soda. Nothing is better for getting coffee and tea stains. I'm lazy and don't like to scrub. Borax is less abrassive and can be used on non-stick surfaces, like pans and pots. Baking soda also cleans silver.

For greasy surfaces, if baking soda alone doesn't do it, combine baking soda and white vinegar. I use this combination for my stovetop--no scrubing needed!

You do realize that "suds" do not mean clean, right? Suds are basically something that we have come to expect form commercial soaps. When you are making soaps, there are additives (i.e., castor oil) which will make suds to satisfy our need for those cute slippery little bubbles. The soap itself is what attracts the dirt, not the suds.

If you can find a soap shaker, grab it! These are wire mesh cages on a handle and you can put bitd of plain soap such as sunlight soap in there and swish it in the water.
The problem is that the soap shakers are incredibly difficult to find. Now they were around in the 1970s and 80s because my mother had one.

If you can't find a soap shaker, you can simply use the toe of an old stocking or a piece of cheesecloth (available at most dollar stores, wrapped, alas, in plastic).

I just found this blog, and I realize it's a "plastic free" blog, but I have to point out that your dishwasher can be really damaged by putting the wrong stuff in it. Also, I'm more concerned about what's in the liquid rather than what it's packaged in. I can always recycle the container, but once I put toxic chemicals into the water supply, there's no good way to get them out. That's why I now use Palmolive's eco line, without phosphates.

I came upon this very late, obviously.

I make liquid castile soap in a glass bottle (unfortunately, with plastic cap) which is good for just about anything. It suds up beautifully when washing yourself, but for some reason, doesn't suds up in a sink or washing machine, but it still cleans!

For clothes washing, you can also grate a bar of my solid castile soap bar and mix in equal amounts of washing soda and borax (for hard water). For softer water, use half as much washing soda and borax as soap. You need only a tiny bit of this mixture for a load, perhaps 1/8 cup!

I reduce my use of plastic as much as possible, and the products I make are 100% natural, with NO chemicals or artificial ingredients. I also use organic ingredients when economically possible.

Jane
Smallbones Studio of Home Arts & Sustainable Living
www.smallbones.ca

Hi There,
have been reading your post and comments... I am searching for the same thing and have been trying for a few yrs now..

Washing Plates:
I have tried regular vegetable soap rubbed on the sponge but it does leave plates slightly streaky.

Washing Clothes:
I grate half a bar of cheap, uncented, vegetable soap into a pan, heat with some water until melted. I then add a cup of soda crystals (60p a kilo!) and add to load. For rinsing I add 2 part water/ 1 part white vinegar and my favorite oil such as eucaliptus or tea tree for freshness.
Clothes come out clean and softer than using nasty bleaches/phosphates etc.

For my hair/body:
I use lush body bar/ solid shampoo, which is great for travelling and the "liquid" restrictions at the airport.

If anyone has any good suggestions for Household cleaning, I love some ideas... Soda Crystals or borax just dont get my floors as clean as "flash" did...

Id basically love to be as environmentally green as possible and 100% plastic free.

Hi,
I have been using a lot of the recipies... but the one thing I am still struggling with to be plastic free is the washing up liquid??

Does anyone have any ideas? are there any solid soaps that you can reccomend?

I have tried Glycerin soap and it leaves terrible streaks, the best so far is plain white vegetable soap, but even that can leave streaks if the water is not hot enough.

Id love to eliminate the plastic from washing up liquid.

Thanks
Gabriella. London

Was reading on one guru's site recently (Hulda Clark?) that said it wasn't even necessary to use soap when washing dishes (except very greasy items -- use borax), I think she said just rinse most dishes with hot water. She warned that there's always residue and we're eating it (ick). I'm about to run out of my Mrs. Meyers dish liquid and I'm thinking about just filling that bottle maybe half full of my liquid Dr. Bronners (which I dilute for counters, hand soap, etc) and add few drops of essential oil. I also like to toss about 1/4 cup of borax in the water, really cuts the difficult stuff. An alternative to that would be just to use the borax in water. (Borax is non-toxic, many ppl even consume a tiny amount in water for healing purposes.) I admit, I miss the suds too, but trying to overcome that kinda brainwashing, ha ;) If we really think about it, where is soap in Nature? Think, good ole water :) Maybe we weren't meant to be so squeaky clean, and doing so may ultimately be detrimental to our health.

Peace,
Dove
Tarot with Love.com

Below is a link to an article that includes some information on dishwasher detergent:

http://www.greenlivingonline.com/article/six-household-chemi...

Excuse my ignorance, but what is wrong with using plastic if it is recyclable?

One of the earlier posts (from Kate) recommends storing non-toxic cleaners in glass. Glass takes about 1 million years to biodegrade, but like plastic, can be recycled.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080213062313AA...

I recall hearing and reading that most dishwashing liquids are not biodegradable and therefore contaminate our water, so the plastic bottle is only part of the problem. Clorox makes GreenWorks Natural Dishwashing Liquid, which is biodegradable, but comes in a plastic bottle. Please let me know if this information is incorrect and if you know of any other readily available biodegradable dishwashing liquids.

I don't know if someone has already posted a recipe, but here is a link to a natural cleaner recipe:

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/pre-2007/files/home/natural_cl...

I am new at this and appreciate any help you can provide in helping me to be more environmentally conscious.

Thanks in advance for any replies to my post.

DL

http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/take-action/greentips/ba...

DL

hi

for your plastic free dishwashing liquid, i recommend what you are doing already but with a a little alteration,

since you are using a powder and its a bit difficult for you, why dont you mix the poweder and water in a bottle and make your own liquid, like its ready for use, dont make it in big quantities, make for one week. see how does that go withyour life style, keep the mixture ready for use

If you are wanting to avoid plastics, you could always package your own dish soap in glass containers (mason jars).. with my business, i make laundry soap ect all natural.. my customers are also environmently friendly.. so what i do for them is refill their products at discounted rates