Green Tip of The Day

Make your own dishwasher detergent. You'll save money, avoid harsh chemicals, and avoid the plastic bottles commercial detergents come in.

Mix the following together in a sealed container:

• 1 cup borax – available in the cleaning aisle of most grocery and hardware stores
• 1 cup baking soda
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1/4 cup citric acid – if you can't find food grade citric acid, you may substitute two unsweetened lemonade packets

For each load (make sure the machine is full each time), put a tablespoon of this mix into the detergent compartment and fill the rinse dispenser with white distilled vinegar.