This Lemon Dishwashing Paste is a natural, plant based dishwashing soap. I decided to make it in the form of a paste and not a liquid because I did not want to include any preservatives in the formula. I also like that a little bit of this dishwashing paste goes a long way. It is made with plant based ingredients that is gentle on hands but tough on grease and grime.
The all natural dish paste is stored in a reusable glass jar that makes it last longer and zero waste.
Table of Contents
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Packaging a Natural Dishwashing Paste
I use a glass jar for my Natural Dishwashing Paste. The glass is reusable and has zero waste.
Along with the packaging, I like to use a Luffa Sponge to wash the dishes. The luffa is made from a plant and is compostable when you are done using it.
Washing Dishes with a Luffa Sponge
I use a luffa sponge to wash the dishes because I wanted a zero waste alternative. Luffa sponges come from the fruits or the luffa plants. They are a member of the gourd family. When you dry out and peel the luffa fruit, you are left with the fibrous material; the luffa. Loofahs are biodegradable, so when the sponge reaches the end of its life you can toss it in the compost.
I was surprised at how well the luffa sponge was able to clean the dishes. To use it, place a small amount of the Lemon Dishwashing Paste on your luffa. Wet the sponge and wash your dishes.
How to care for your Loofah
- After using the loofah, rinse it out and place it somewhere it can dry out completely.
- To eliminate bacteria the sponge can be washed in the washing machine (on a hot temperature) or boiled in water.
- As with all things, it can’t last forever. I have found that a month is the longest that I will keep a loofah for my dishes. After that I toss it in the compost and grab a new one.
How can I make my own eco-friendly dish soap?
Surfactants – Cleansing Dishwashing Paste
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate is a gentle anionic surfactant, this is sulfate free. Although it is gentle it is very effective at cleaning. You can get in in needle or powder form. The powder form is easier to heat up. It is naturally derived from coconut. Since all of us have different water I wanted to use this surfactant as it is hard water tolerant.
Cocoamidopropyl Betaine
Cocoamidopropyl Betaine is a surfactant that is derived from renewable, natural resources. It is compatible with anionic, cationic, and nonionic surfactants. We use this because it is a good cleanser & foam booster.
Degreaser / Fragrance Agent
D limonene is an eco-friendly detergent. It is used to remove dirt, grease and food from our dishes. It is also used as a fragrance agent due to its lemony scent. It is made from pressing the peel of citrus fruit and then distilling that to get D limonene.
Chemistry of Cleaning
It is easy to be confused about surfactants and how they work. The easiest way to explain how surfactants work is to think of water that is sprayed on a window. The water will naturally bead together. Adding a surfactant to the water and spraying it on the same window will make the water not bead up.
This is because you have lowered the surface tension of the water. Surfactants have 2 ends, one that likes water and one that does not. Basically the surfactants will create a micelle (ball shape) around dirt and oil and carry it away when rinsed.
This is a very broad overview of surfactants but you can learn more in my Surfactants Explained Post.
How to Make Dishwashing Paste
Mix the SCI and cocomidopropyl Betaine together in a heat safe container.
Place on a double boiler until the SCI is melted and remove from heat.
Add d limonene and mix well.
Package in a glass container.
Lemon Dishwashing Paste – Plant Based – Sustainable – Super Concentrated
Equipment
- Scale
Ingredients
- 2.48 ounce | 62% Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
- 0.96 ounce | 24% Cocoamidopropyl Betaine
- 0.56 ounce | 14% D limonene
Instructions
- Mix the SCI and Cocomidopropyl Betain together in a heat safe container.
- Place on a double boiler until the SCI is melted and remove from heat.
- Add d limonene and mix well.
- Package in a glass container.