DIY Natural Dishwasher Rinse Aid

This simple DIY rinse aid recipe uses essential oil and vinegar and creates a mild solution for your dishwasher. This DIY natural dishwasher rinse aid is easy to make, uses just a few ingredients, it’s cost-effective, plus it works great! 

Natural Dishwasher Rinse Aid

Have you ever thought about all of the different products (natural plus non) you buy for your home with the intent of cleaning something?

\We buy so much laundry detergent, shampoo, soap, stainless steel cleaner, glass cleaner, dish soap, bathroom tile cleaner, and so many more job-specific cleaners that at the end of the month we spend a small fortune on cleaning products.

Now, of course, you want your home to be clean. We all know that lingering germs can cause illness and it’s nice to have a product specifically formulated to make quick work of a certain undesirable cleaning job. And if it saves you time it might be worth the added expense.

But some of the products we use in these situations don’t save time, and one in particular, is one of those products that we all use without even questioning if we need to bother with it.

Why Do You Need to Use a Rinse Aid?

Depending upon the type of water you have in your home, dishwasher rinse aid is a necessary evil. But do you really need to buy it? Let’s talk first about WHY you need it.

Do You Even Have Any Idea of What it is and why it works?

Have you ever pulled your glasses out of the dishwasher and wondered why there are spots or a cloudy haze on them?  That is why you need a rinse agent. 

Regardless of how WELL your dishwasher works, if you don’t use some type of rinse aid, your clean dishes will have those lovely tell-tale hard water spots.

Ok, you may not care WHY it works only that it does.

Rinse aid works because the ingredients that are in it help water to run off of the dishes during the rinse cycle so that there is very little water left on them during the drying cycle.

That sounds great, right?  Don’t get me wrong, I have used commercial rinse aids before and they do work just fine.  However, they contain citric acid and alcohol in addition to other chemicals.

So in my attempt to limit the chemicals that we are exposed to, I have started creating my own homemade dishwasher rinse aid agent.

Would this DIY Rinse Aid also work in Cleaning the Inside of my Dishwasher?

Yes, however, don’t use any essential oils. To clean your dishwasher naturally, all you need to do use put 1 cup of white vinegar in a glass measuring cup and place it on the top rack of your empty dishwasher.  Then run a regular hot cycle.

Once the cycle has completed, open the door and look inside the measuring cup.  Are there particles in there?  Yeah, that was inside your dishwasher.

This is the same process I do every time I open the dishwasher and smell that funky odd smell.  You know the smell that makes you wonder what is on the bottom of your dishwasher that shouldn’t be?

Once you start using a natural rinse aid, you will wonder why you haven’t been doing this all along.

How Much Does It Cost?

About $.30 per 8 oz bottle.  Considering you only use it every 30 days, isn’t this a great cost savings by making your own rinse aid?

Can I Use Apple Cider Vinegar Instead?

You can.  Let the bottom of your dishwasher fill with water, stop the cycle, then add 2 to 3 cups of vinegar into the bottom of the dishwasher.  Then let the dishwasher cycle continue. 

How Do You Use Essential Oils

Lemon essential oil has a strong, purifying citrus scent. This essential oil contains limonene which is an antioxidant. It works as a natural cleaner and is a safe alternative to harsh chemical cleaners. It will help freshen your dishes and dishwasher and may remove stubborn stains.

You could also use lavender, pine, cinnamon, Purification or Thieves oils. All have cleansing properties.  doTERRA makes a great beginners kit. 

Supplies Needed:

White vinegar – preferably with a 5% acetic value

Essential oil

Step by Step Instructions

Just add a few drops of your favorite essential oil into the rinse aid reservoir then add the white vinegar.