DIY Dishwasher Rinse Aid

We’ve always had a problem with hard water and spots on our dishes, but the last few months the problem has become progressively worse. We’ve tried to use store bought rinse aids but had little success. I read online that putting vinegar in the rinse aid compartment would help but that didn’t work either. I’ve also been told that adding lemon Kool-Aid to the bottom of the dishwasher before a cycle will help, but I didn’t try that. I seemed like a weird thing to do. Then a friend of mine shared her tried and true recipe that she had been using for year, and it worked!

Here’s what you need:

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1⁄4 cup rubbing alcohol
• 1⁄4 cup hydrogen peroxide (3%)
• 2 tablespoons citric acid

Just pour each ingredient into a squeeze bottle and shake gently. The citric acid dissolves right away. so no need to shake too much. I bought the squeeze bottle in the picture above specifically because of the long nozzle, it makes filling the rinse aid compartment much easier. The citric acid can be found in the canning aisle next to the mason jars.

I wish that I would have taken a before and after picture, I had so many failed attempts at rinse aids that I honestly didn’t think it would work. I was just about to buy all new glasses before I my friend shared this recipe, but now they look like they’re new again!