Testing DIY Cleaning Recipes - Foaming Pods

I always say how much I love a DIY! It's true! 

Today I tested some recipes for foaming pods to use in the toilet and dishwasher.   (Scroll to the bottom for my cleaning results and cost breakdown if you want to know how well they worked before trying the recipe.)

The first recipe is for the toilet pods. 

Recipe: 

1 cup baking soda

1/4 cup citric acid (I got mine at Amazon)

1 cap of Thieves Household Cleaner (THC)

1 tiny squirt of Thieves dish liquid

Mix the baking soda and citric acid first.  Then very slowly add the Thieves cleaner. I mean slow! If you dump it in you will fizz up your mixture and it won't work. You may get a bit of fizz when drizzling but it will be minor. Once the cap is empty squirt a tiny amount of dish soap. This helps binds. It will look dry and crumbly but hold together when pressed.

Then I pressed them into a silicone mold I have used for bath bombs. An ice tray would work, but the flexible molds are best because they don't break your bombs too badly when you remove them. 

Let them sit for a few hours in a dry place, then pop them out.

I have to stop and say. I am always happier if the finished item is cute. These are soooo cute!

Store in a container that will keep the moisture out. They will fizz on contact with any moisture!  

NOTE: Notice my fizzies are pure white. DO NOT add food coloring to make them cuter. The point is to clean and any colorant will stain or at least make cleaning harder. 

Dishwasher pods:

Full disclosure. You can use the recipe above in the dishwasher too! Free Tip:  I use Thieves Household cleaner in my dishwasher rinse aid dispenser with great results. :) 

But here is another option because who doesn't like options! 

 Recipe: 
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup citric acid
1 1/2 tsp Thieves dish liquid

The rest is just like above. Mix slowly!!! Press into molds, wait, pop 'em out...

Once I had made the first recipe I had some left in my bowl that didn't fit into my mold. I took a large spoonful and dropped some in each toilet. It fizzed up nicely and cleaned well. Plus it smells great and really helps kill any bathroom odors. 

I then took a little bit and put in on the refrigerator drip catcher thingy. You know. We have hard water and it crusts up so quickly. 

I drizzled a little in and sprayed my diluted THC on top. It fizzed right up. I let it sit for about 30 minutes, gave it a quick once over with a sponge and the scales were falling off!  Still some staining on there so not perfect, but much better.

Dishwasher: So here is where I really noticed a difference. My dishwasher is stainless on the inside. I always have a grody film near the door seal on the bottom after every wash. :P This time I had no yucky film to wipe off when the cycle was done. WHAT!? My dishes looked great! 

Look Ma, no weird film! 

Personally, I love the first recipe with the THC and dish soap and it will be my go to. I know it seems weird to think we are using the same thing in the toilet as on the dishes but really they are safe and clean well! 

A note of Thieves Dish Liquid. Like most Young Living products it is highly concentrated. Most people dilute it 4 or 5 times before using.

Cost break down:

Baking soda           .49

Citric acid            1.00

THC                      .36

Thieves dish soap .07

Total                  $1.88 for 16 bombs or 12 cents each

The cost could be less if you get a cheaper citric acid or use a different mold that makes them a bit smaller. I wouldn't go to small though so you get good cleaning action! 

Okay, one more thing. Young Living does have a dishwasher powder. So, consider that option three!

Happy toxin free cleaning!