What to Use if You Accidentally Run Out of Dishwasher Detergent (2024)

There's an inexpensive substitute already in your pantry.

Published on February 2, 2023

What to Use if You Accidentally Run Out of Dishwasher Detergent (1)

You've cleared the table and are pressing start on your dishwasher, only to discover that you're entirely out of detergent. Now what? You could always hand-wash your dishes, but that option gets a big pass from you. (You've already cooked, after all.) Instead, head to your pantry, and grab your trusty box of baking soda.

This ingredient is vital for achieving fluffy baked goods, and it pulls double duty as a seriously powerful detergent and DIY cleanser.

Open your dishwasher's detergent compartment. Squeeze in two to three drops of regular dish soap, the kind you'd use to hand-wash your dishes normally. Next, pour in baking soda until the compartment is full. Then run your dishwasher on the normal cycle.

Don't be tempted to use a compartment full of dish soap. This soap will produce too many suds and could flood your kitchen floor. Baking soda helps keep the suds under control, so the ratio is important.

Baking soda is a naturally mild and abrasive cleaning agent, so it, combined with the soap, does a wonderful job at removing food particles and germs on your dishes. If you've got particularly stuck-on food, you can add a bit of kosher salt for extra scrubbing power.

However, you don't want to use baking soda as dish detergent regularly. Baking soda is a bit gritty, so after multiple washes, you could start to scratch decorations off plates or etch glasses. Keep this secret ingredient in your back pocket for those moments you notice you're out of detergent and definitely can't make a quick run to the store.

What to Use if You Accidentally Run Out of Dishwasher Detergent (2)

3 More Savvy Ways to Use Baking Soda

Rid Drains of Foul Smells: Sprinkle baking soda down your sink drain, and pour in some white vinegar to make the soda sizzle and pop. The fizzy combination can help break up and eat away at lingering food particles that may be producing off-putting odors.

DIY a Degreaser: Got stuck on grease you can't beat? Combine equal parts dish soap (the kind you use to hand-wash dishes) and baking soda. Stir to form a paste. Paint the soap-soda mixture on the sticky surface, and scrub with a towel moistened with hot water.

Shine Stainless Steel: Sprinkle baking soda onto your sink's surface. Buff with a soft cloth, then wash with water. Repeat until your stainless steel is looking refreshed.