Introduction - Natural Dish Soap
This post is all about some of the best natural dish soap for your health and the environment’s.
You already know the conventional dish soaps are bad. You know it, I know it, I know you know that I know it. So let’s dump the synthetic chemical dish soaps once and for all, and replace them with something that works (and doesn’t slowly mangle us to death).
In this post I’ll detail the top 3 natural dish soap alternatives (that actually work).
All of the methods are for use with a dishwasher!
The Problem with Conventional Dish Soap
Ingredients: Sodium Carbonate, Trisodium Dicarboxymethyl Alaninate, Sodium Sulfate, Sodium Carbonate Peroxide, Isotridecanol Ethoxylated, Copolymer of Acrylic and Sulphonic Acids, PEG/PPG/Propylheptyl Ether, Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Subtilisin, DL, Tolyltriazole, Fragrances, Glycerin, Benzotriazole, Amylase Enzyme, DL, Transition Metal Catalyst, Acid Yellow 17, DL, Acid Blue 182, Acid Blue 3, Acid Red 33, Polyvinyl Alcohol Polymer.
(Need I say more?)
These are the ingredients in a very popular dishwasher pod. Many of the ingredients are toxic to both our health and the environment. Many of the chemicals are known to irritate the skin, eyes, and respiratory system and they are extremely harmful if ingested. Additionally, fragrances and synthetic polymers are not biodegradable, leading to long-term environmental effects. These compounds enter our water systems and disrupt natural processes in aquatic ecosystems, harming wildlife in reverberating echoes across the planet. Eventually we’ll see the backlash from the environmental damage in our own lives in a major way; but for now we and our loved ones only suffer in a multitude of minor, not-yet-understood ways.
Another issue (with the pods especially) is the residue left behind on the dishes from the chemicals and plastic coating. The plastic coating is designed to dissolve in water (leading to microplastics in the water system), but there is a growing concern of residues remaining on the cleaned dishes. Cleaning the dishes off with vinegar will not remove the microplastics stuck to it, not much will! So the main issue, besides the environmental ones, is that plastic and toxic chemical residues are not completely washed off of the cleaned dishes, and will likely be consumed upon using the plates / cups / dishes.
Moral of the story is: at the very least switch to a powder / liquid detergent rather than the convenient pods. The plastics are probably the most dangerous component to our short-term health, because it practically cannot be washed off without mechanical exertion.
3 Natural Alternative Dish Soaps
1) Simple Home-made Formula
We turn again to the two heroes of natural cleaning agents: Vinegar and Baking soda. Like all formulations for cleaning (e.g. washing fruits and vegetables), one should never combine them, as vinegar is acidic and the baking soda is alkaline. Combining them nulls the cleaning powers of both, in exchange for carbon dioxide (bubbles) and a useless salt. Never combine baking soda + vinegar!!
And yet, we need both. Luckily there are two compartments within a dishwasher: a Main Detergent compartment, and a Rinse aid compartment. The main detergent compartment releases its contents earlier in the dish-washing process, does some cleaning and gets drained; then fresh water once again enters the machine, this time with the contents of the rinse aid compartment. By this common mechanism of dish-washing machinery we can utilise both acidic vinegar and basic baking soda.
How to Use this Formula:
1) Place 1½ tablespoons of baking soda in the Main detergent compartment.
2) Fill the Rinse aid compartment as needed (most dishwashers require them to be refilled every few weeks) with vinegar and an herbal essential oil (the e.o. is optional for scent and anti-microbial action) (e.g. peppermint, lemon, lavender).
The baking soda will act as an abrasive and do the majority of the cleaning in the main rinse cycle, and the vinegar (acidic, de-greaser, de-scaler, anti-microbial) will be released later in the final rinse cycle. By keeping them separate in this manner (though somewhat imperfectly), we get the cleaning power of both baking soda and vinegar.
How it compares: This formula is not as powerful as the conventional/demonic formulas, but it is effective so long as any greasy dishes are pre-washed by hand.
2) Sonett Dishwashing Liquid
(The ingredients in this formula include: 5-15% non-ionic surfactants (Sugar surfactants), 1-5% anionic surfactants (Coconut oil alcohol sulfate), 1-5% vegetable alcohol, <1% citrate, salt, essential lemon grass oil, and balsamic additives.)
This is considered a “natural” dish soap, as it has no enzymes, raw petrochemical ingredients, or nanotechnology. It is also mostly composed of almost-natural ingredients, the surfactants being produced from corn and coconuts, though the anionic surfactants introduce synthetic chemicals and are a bit harsh on skin, with a slight profile of risk for health. But still a night and day difference.
How to Use this Formula: This is one of the more effective commercial alternative dish soaps with much fewer health and environmental effects than standard dish soaps. Start by purchasing it on Amazon, then use as directed. It will only require you to input the liquid into one of the dishwasher compartments.
How it Compares: Due to the presence of surfactants, the grease-cutting ability of this formula is superior to the baking soda + vinegar technique (above). It is also 100% biodegradable, so the effect on the environment isn’t bad compared to the conventional soaps. Overall this is a good option for ease of use and effectiveness, but slightly less natural than option 1 with a potential for health/skin irritation.
3) Advanced Home-made Formula (Best Option)
The reason that Option (2) is superior to Option (1) is due to the surfactants (which cut grease and oil). In this formula, we’re taking the recipe from the first formula and souping it up with a natural surfactant, bringing it up to the level of the commercial soap wash (2), but with a more natural and health-conscious formula.
How to Use this Formula: In the Main Detergent compartment, add 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of Soap Nut Powder (or liquid if you can find it). In the Rinse Aid Compartment, add the vinegar + essential oil (e.g. lavender, tea tree, lemon, peppermint). For a heavier clean, double the amounts.
The addition of Soap Nut Powder introduces a natural surfactant (due to saponins), which lowers surface tension and helps break up oil, grease, and grime. Soap Nut Powder and baking soda will act in synergy for an effective rinse, and the vinegar and essential oil will finish the job.
How it Compares: This is a strong strategy for light-medium grease and grime. With the addition of an essential oil (like Peppermint) you gain an edge over the competition in terms of both fragrance and for feeling like a noble being. Will it be as effective at cleaning grease as the conventional toxic brands? No, but it’s still better.
This Post was all about The 3 Best Alternative Natural Dish Soaps..
