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How to make your own eco-friendly dishwasher tablets

These are so easy to make at home.
/ Source: TODAY

We customize our cabinets, fridges and ice cream cones (rainbow sprinkles, please!), so why not our cleaning supplies?

Thankfully, it's a DIY enthusiast's world out there and Pinterest fanatics across the country are eager to share their homemade recipes — like this idea for dishwasher tablets.

DIY dishwasher tabs
It's way less complicated than you'd think!Anna De Souza / TODAY

You may want to try it for the fun (because it really is), or maybe you're considering a change to avoid certain ingredients or want to become more eco-conscious and avoid plastic packaging.

Before diving into a new DIY idea, always check the ingredients for any potential allergies in your family. After that, the sky's the limit! There are many wonderful dishwasher tab recipes to try — including one that involves soaking lemons in vinegar for 14 days — but this is my personal favorite.

I love this recipe in particular since it's easy for a DIY newbie, and because it's fast, simple, fun and makes the whole kitchen smell like lavender!

What you'll need:

  • 1/2 cup borax
  • 1/2 cup washing soda
  • 1/4 cup Epsom salt
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 8-10 drops lavender oil
  • Measuring cup
  • Mixing bowl
  • Square silicone mold (make sure squares are small enough that the tab can fit into your dishwasher tab reservoir)

What you'll do:

1. Measure borax, washing soda, Epsom salt and lavender oil in a mixing bowl.

How to DIY dishwasher tablets
These ingredients are available in almost every supermarket.Anna De Souza

2. Mix in just enough water to dampen mixture. About 1/4 cup should do!

3. Pack the mixture into a silicone mold. You can also use an ice cube tray.

DIY cleaning supplies
You can also use an ice cube tray.Anna De Souza

4. Allow it to dry for 3-4 hours.

5. Pop tabs out of the mold and store in a pretty, air-tight jar.

Silicone mold
They dry pretty quickly!Anna De Souza

We were able to create 18 dish tabs with these measurements.

Talk about the ultimate way to keep tabs on what's going into your dishwasher!

This story was originally published March 16, 2018.