Green dishwashing liquid is one of the most common and beloved choices when choosing a cleaning agent. The color is well-associated with dishwashing liquid, but why is it green?
Today’s article will answer all things related to green dishwashing liquid and provide a simple step-by-step guide to creating your own green dishwashing liquid. Stay tuned to learn more.
Why is dishwashing liquid green? Some dishwashing liquids are green simply due to the mixture of color dyes or colorants during the blending process. In fact, color has nothing to do with the effectiveness of the process and is only used for the purpose of customer perception.
What Is The Color Of Dishwashing Liquid?
Dishwashing liquids are available in a variety of colors and scents. The range of the color also varies with different manufacturers. But, some of the most common dishwashing liquid colors are:
- Green
- Yellow
- Red
- Orange
- Blue
- Purple
- White
- Pink
Along with the use of different colors, the use of scent is also associated with the different colors. For instance, a yellow dishwashing liquid may carry the smell of lime.
Although there are different colors available, the effectiveness of the liquid is more or less the same. Hence, the yellow liquid will work as precisely as orange, pink, or green.
Why Is Dishwashing Liquid Toxic?
Chances are, you may have scanned the entire ingredient list of your washing liquid either out of boredom or interest.
This means you may have come across complicated chemical names. That is, if the manufacturers remembered to include all the ingredients.
Yes, that’s right. Some liquid dishwashing manufacturers never even bring up the toxic ingredients but instead focuses on false advertisements that promise over-the-top cleaning power.
Although these chemicals may aid in creating an effective wash, they can still be highly toxic for you. Here are some of the harmful chemicals to look out for:
- Phosphates: Consuming phosphates through dishes without a proper rinse cycle can result in long-term headaches, digestive issues, etc.
- Chlorine: AKA sodium dichloroisocyanurate, can be pretty toxic when released into the air while cleaning dishes. This, in turn, can induce breathing issues.
- DEA/MEA: Such compounds are often used as emulsifying ingredients in cleaning agents. But, the chemical is also linked with health issues like hormone disruption, etc.
- Triclosan: Although this is used as an anti-fungal & antibacterial ingredient, it serves to be more useful in plain soap as our bodies find it difficult to eliminate it.
How To Make A Green Dishwashing Liquid At Home?
Making a homemade dishwashing liquid might be by far the most challenging and trickiest cleaning product to craft by yourself. But that doesn’t mean it’s not doable.
So, if a handmade green liquid dishwasher has been on your DIY list, here’s how to get started.
First of all, you have to get the right materials. The ingredients used can be found across any general store, and you may even get them online through sites like Amazon. Here’s a complete list of ingredients needed for the project.
- Mc Gel
- Foam Booster
- Degreaser
- Colorant
- Scent
- Antibacterial
- Thickener
- Purified water
Now, with the materials all set & ready, you can follow the steps below to create your very own green dishwashing liquid.
Step #1: Add Gel And Thickener To The Basin
Get a tub basin and add about 1400g of gel surfactant into the basin. Next, add the thickener with the gel. Make sure to divide the 300g of thickener into two portions and add only half.
Thoroughly mix the two ingredients with a plastic spatula until a creamy texture is formed, and continue mixing.
Step #2: Add Water Into The Mixture
Once the mixture forms a creamy texture with opaque white color, add a liter of purified water to the mixture. Mix it thoroughly until the mixture starts getting creamy again.
When the mixture turns creamy again, add another liter of water into the basin and continue mixing. Keep repeating the process until the remaining water is emptied and keep mixing.
Note: The total amount of water used in the mixture is 14ltrs.
Step #3: Add The Rest Of The Ingredients
When a mountain of foam forms on top of the mixture, add 500ml of foam booster and continuously stir the mixture.
Next, add the desired amount of green colorant while stirring the mixture. Although optional, you can also add about 30ml of the scent of your choice (e.g. apple, lime, etc.) and then stir the mixture again.
Continue the process by adding 15ml of antibacterial into the mixture and stir it thoroughly. With the ingredients blended nicely, you can now add the remaking half of the thickener.
Step #4: Give It A Final Mix
Once the remaining thickener is added, the mixture will get heavier and thicker while stirring. Make sure to give it another stir to ensure all the added ingredients are appropriately blended.
Step 5: Wait For The Final Result
With all the mixtures blended properly, the last step is to wait a minimum of 24 hours for the final mix to cure. The bubbles formed at the top will begin to lessen after 12 hours.
By 24-hours, no bubbles can be seen, and you’ll have a smooth and thick green dishwashing liquid. You can give it one final stir and then transfer the content into a bottle of your choosing.
This is just a side note, but if you find the mixture too thick, there’s no need to worry. Simply add some water and stir until it reaches the desired consistency.
Final Thoughts
With so much debate surrounding whether cleaning products are harmful or not, it helps to be aware of what goes inside some of your favorite go-to cleaning agents.
After all, kitchen items such as liquid dishwashers are used on a daily basis, so it makes sense to be more cautious and perhaps even crafty around it by trying out some DIYs.
Who knows, it may end up saving your life as well. That said, we hope you can put our step-by-step homemade dishwashing liquid recipe into good use – be it for personal or business use.