Sweet orange dishwasher powder

Remember trying to pat your head, rub your tummy and stamp your feet at the same time? If you master one at a time, it's much easier to attempt the next thing. If you try it all at once, it all falls apart.

That's how I feel about running a home. I want to make my own sourdough so we can start getting away from yeasted breads. I want to look into sourcing proper grass-fed meats. I want to make yoghurt and cream cheese.

But I can't do it all at once. It isn't just a question of making something or finding out about it. It's a process. It's about getting into the habit of doing all these things so they become part of the head-patting, tummy-rubbing, feet-stamping ritual and you don't notice it. 

When I started making bread a few years ago, it felt like an effort. And it was until I found my groove. I tried a few breadmakers, then I invested in a Thermomix and I now mill my own flour. Making bread happens as naturally as brushing my teeth. It's a habit and I just do it. 

Thoughts of sourcing organic fruit and vegetables consumed me for months. Then I tackled it head-on and made a habit of driving into the country with Kian every Monday afternoon to the local co-op. I don't have to think about fruit and veg anymore.

So now I'm tackling other niggles. I mentioned laundry detergent once, but it doesn't niggle me as much as dishwasher powder. The conventional powders are full of chemicals, and the so-called green tablets are pricey.

I spotted a tub of borax recently and I started thinking about making my own (domestic borax is a naturally occurring mild alkali that cuts grease, absorbs odours and leaves everything glistening.)

I mixed up a batch this morning. A cup of borax, a cup of bicarb, a quarter cup of salt and a quarter cup of citric acid. I had a bottle of sweet orange essential oil in my bathroom cabinet, so I added 20-30 drops into the mix and gave it all a good shake.

It's easy to make, the dishes came out clean, I don't have to worry about poisoning my family anymore and we save a packet. I won't bore you with all the figures I worked out this morning, but it works out exactly half the price per kg compared with the main brand of powder and almost five times cheaper than the 'green' tablets on offer – although I didn't factor in the oil. It would still be cheaper.

Oh, and white vinegar works a treat as a rinse aid.

It hits home more and more every day: we don't need most of the stuff they're trying to sell us out there.

So, are you going to try it? What would you like to make a habit of? Can you pat your head, rub your tummy and brush the kids' teeth all at once?