We’ve all experienced the frustration of pulling plates and glasses out of the dishwasher that are still covered in water spots and don’t feel clean enough to eat off. But, putting dishes through another round of the dishwasher or vigorously hand drying doesn’t solve anything and the spots will keep coming back.
Below we’ll explain why this happens, what you can do to prevent it, and other benefits of putting Borax in your dishwasher.
The spots left on dishes after coming out of the dishwasher aren’t water at all—they’re small deposits of minerals that exist in our water system. Calcium and magnesium are the usual suspects. As the water dries, these minerals aren’t able to be evaporated with the water, so they’re left behind.
(This happens on more than just your dishes. Mineral build-up also occurs in all of your water-using appliances, such as dishwashers, shower faucets and laundry machines.)
Give your dishwasher a boost with Borax. Fixing the problem for your dishes is also going to help with longevity and efficiency of your machine.
Borax is a naturally occurring mineral that is known for its water softening abilities. Water softening occurs when calcium and magnesium are removed from “hard” water by exchanging with sodium ions. By using Borax with each load of dishes, you’re able to use less dishwasher soap which has also been known leave behind unwanted residue like the spots.
Here’s how to start incorporating this into your regular routine.
The steps are simple. All you need is:
- Borax
- Dedicated sponge or toothbrush
- Auto dishwasher detergent
1. Clean off existing mineral buildup
With a combination of 2 teaspoons Borax and 4 cups of warm water, scrub the parts of your dishwashing machine where you’ve notice mineral buildup.
2. Add 20 Mule Team Borax
Pour ¼ cup of Borax powder in the base of your dishwasher.
3. Run the dishwasher
Add your dishwasher detergent and run your next load of dishes like you normally would.
It’s as easy as that! Continue to add Borax to all loads of dishes to keep them looking spotless!
Our fans are always finding more uses for 20 Mule Team Borax™. Check them out on Pinterest.