The BEST Homemade Dishwasher 'Booster' I've Ever Found

Okay, all you regular readers (lovingly known as Happy Slobs, or 'slobbos') know all about my ongoing trek to find the best way to get dishes truly, beautifully clean right out of the dishwasher.

I think many of us have a common complaint. Why even use a dishwasher, if you have to pre-scrub or scrub after the dishes come out! It's beyond frustrating.

So, I've been doing research, and experimenting with my old, beat-up dishwasher that we've had for many a year. And, I've finally found what really works.

Baking soda and/or kosher salt
plus
One teeny drop of dish liquid
...added to your regular dishwasher detergent

That's it! I half-fill the cups with regular dishwasher detergent POWDER. That's an important point, because my dishes come out far cleaner using the powder than they ever do using liquid or even those little tabby do-dads. (Which yes, is the technical term, thank you very much indeed.)

Then, in the open cup (the cup that doesn't have a little lid to close), I add one minute drop of regular dishwashing liquid that you'd use to wash dishes in the sink. TEENY drop of that - use too much and you'll have a sudsy disaster spreading all over your kitchen floor, and I don't want that to happen to any of you.

Then, finally, pour a few tablespoons of either kosher salt, regular table salt, or baking soda over top the teeny drop of dishwashing soap. It seems to prevent the problem of over-sudsing.

Then, turn on your dishwasher and prepare to be amazed!! Please post your comments - I think you'll be thrilled with how even once-murky dishes (and glasses!) come out crystal clear. And, like mentioned previously, this is in my old, old, old dishwasher - so it should work a treat in any dishwasher at all.