kitchen Archives < From Under a Palm Tree

DIY Lemon Dishwasher Pods

May 25, 2018 by Lisa 6 Comments

Since I love my DIY laundry pods, I decided it was time to make my own DIY Dishwasher Pods. They’re super simple to make and just as cost effective. Of course, I love them too! If you want to cut back on or eliminate toxic household cleaners from your life, give these DIY Lemon Dishwasher Pods a try!

DIY Dishwasher Pods Ingredients:

1 C. Baking Soda
1 C. Washing Soda
1 C. Salt
¼ C. Citric Acid
1 C. Water
20 Drops Lemon Essential Oil
½ C. Vinegar (for each load)
Silicone mold tray or ice cube tray

Related: 10 Eco-Friendly Laundry Tips

DIY Lemon Dishwasher Pods Directions:

Stir all dry ingredients (baking soda, washing soda, salt, and citric acid) in mixing bowl.
Add water to dry ingredients. The mixture will start fizzing. Wait until fizzing subsides (about a minute or so) before stirring.
Add essential oil and stir thoroughly.
Scoop 1 Tbsp. of mixture into tray compartments. Tap lightly to even out the mixture. If you do not have a silicone or ice cube tray, you can scoop 1 Tbsp. of mixture onto a foil or parchment paper covered cookie sheet.
Let pods harden for several hours or overnight before removing them from the tray and/or using them.
Pour ¼ C. vinegar into the rinse compartment of your dishwasher with each load. This helps prevent streaking.

*Store in an airtight container. Makes 36 pods.
Related: 10 Uses for White Vinegar

All of these ingredients are easy to buy at your local grocery store except citric acid. In the past, I looked all over for it and never did find it locally. Finally, I had to buy it online from Amazon. The citric acid helps keep hard water stains at bay so I wouldn’t leave it out. Citric acid is also a must-have ingredient if you’re going to make homemade bath bombs—so there’s something fun to do with the leftovers!

Are you a fan of cleaning pods and homemade cleaning products? What’s your favorite?

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How to Cut Back on Paper Towels

March 2, 2018 by Lisa 6 Comments

Using too many paper towels around the house is my biggest vice when it comes to lowering my carbon footprint. Every time I swear I’m going to do better, I end up slipping back into my old bad habit. Then I give up for a while and concentrate on other eco-friendly practices that, for me, seem easier to adopt.

I don’t really know why the paper towel habit has been so hard to kick. Years ago I practiced eco-friendly habits like using cloth napkins and canvas grocery bags before it became popular. Then owning and running a business along with raising three kids consumed all my physical and mental energy and those practices got put aside. While I’ve gotten back to my old eco-friendly practices, this paper towel thing has been, I like said, a hard habit to break.

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DIY Coffee & Tea Bar

May 1, 2017 by Meagan 2 Comments

Coffee Made Me Do It! It’s true, there’s something about the way it smells, tastes, and makes you feel. The instant “ahh” moment right after you take a sip will have you slurping lattes all day long. Before you know it, you’re 10 cups deep, on edge like a junky looking for [Read more…]

Crispy Parmesan Snow Peas

December 28, 2016 by Lisa Leave a Comment

After the holiday season, with its sweets and treats, we’re probably all going to be thinking about cutting back on the calories for a while. We are, after all, going to have to fit back into our skinny jeans! We might be cutting back on sweets, but this recipe is full of flavor and is a really tasty and healthy treat.

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