While homeschooling several children, we could have run the dishwasher up to three times on a normal day (normal -what is that?). Now, we usually run the dishwasher once a day which leaves us with minimal handwashing considering the amount of kitchen preparation, cooking and serving that comes along with a larger group.
"Where no oxen are, the crib is clean:
but much increase is by the strength of the ox." ~Proverbs 14:4
During our homeschooling years, I counted a dishwasher my dependable friend as it saved me such time with so many to teach. When the fifteen year old dishwasher in our house ran its final cycle, I said goodbye to it for a solid six month period. With no plans of finding another, a dear friend of mine from out-of-state sent me a gift – a check to use for a dishwasher purchase. The Lord used her to bless me in a great way! Yes, it is a tangible, earthly possession. Yes, it will be consumed one day. Yes, I can live without it. YET, God knows our frailty, our needs, our wants, and our need for human hands to act at His promptings on our behalf. We have now carried that gift across the country which replaced the one in the house we are currently living in. The blessing continues…
This began as a quick post to share my dilemma and solution of the Cascade that disappeared -it was all gone- from my cabinet in my time of need – a dishwasher full of dirty dishes and a trip to the store not scheduled.
Homemade Dishwasher Detergent:
1 cup Borax ($2.97/box) 1 cup baking soda ( $ .45/box) 1/8 cup Tang (I had left over from my recent dessert: Frozen Fruit Salad)
Mix together. Store in a sealed, labeled container. I used 2 tsp. and filled my rinse aid compartment with distilled white vinegar. My dishes came out sparkly clean – no residue!
-The citric acid helps do something, but since I'm not a scientist… I just used it. I have also used a pkg. of unsweetened Kool-aid mix which contains ascorbic acid. ($ .12/pkg.)