I recently subscribed to the HGTV Magazine, and I love it. There are many good tips for the money-saving do-it-yourselfers.
In the magazine, there is a "How bad is it..." section. One of the tips involved using laundry detergent in your dishwasher when you are in a pinch. Never use laundry soap in the dishwasher. Doing so could damage your machine and possibly void out your warranty. Your dishes are far dirtier than your clothes, so using laundry soap probably won't have any washing effect anyway.
I have a homemade dishwasher detergent recipe within my blog. Scan though my postings to get the recipe.
