If you’re familiar with any of the homemade cleaning and laundry solutions I’ve shared here on my site, you may have noticed many of them feature Dawn dish soap as an ingredient. Over the years, I’ve used it the classic blue Dawn dish soap to remove yellow sweat stains, make no-grate laundry detergent, and much more — it’s even in my trusty Ultimate Stain Remover Spray!
Related: This One Easy DIY Will Save You a Fortune on Cleaning Products
As a dish soap, Dawn is certainly great for washing dishes, from pots and pans to flatware and crystal, but it’s all the other things you can do with it that make it truly extraordinary! Without further ado, here’s my list of the “best of the best” uses for Dawn dishwashing liquid.
28 Amazing Uses for Dawn Dish Soap
1. Making Bubbles
According to Bubbles.org, Dawn dish soap makes great homemade bubbles, including “giant bubbles!” To make a bubble solution, combine 1/2 cup of Ultra Dawn soap, 1/2 gallon of warm water, and 1 tablespoon of glycerin. (White Karo syrup works in place of glycerin, if you have that on hand!)
Stir gently, then skim the foam off the top of the solution (too much foam will break down the bubbles). Dip your bubble wand and get ready for some good, clean fun!
2. Saving Wildlife
Ever wonder why Dawn soap is the wildlife cleaner of choice after an oil spill? According to the International Bird Rescue Research Center, Dawn effectively removes grease but does not cause harm to the skin of the birds. It’s also biodegradable and contains no phosphates.
3. Removing Gunk From Hair
Kids get the darnedest things in their hair, like Vaseline, baby oil, gum, Silly Putty, etc. Dawn dish soap is mild enough to use on their hair and strong enough to remove the most stubborn grease.
Related: This DIY Dish Spray Makes After Dinner Cleanup so Easy
4. Removing Hair Product Buildup
Once a month use Dawn dish soap as you would shampoo. It will remove excess oil from your hair and scalp and strip away any build-up of styling products without any damage. Perform this once a month and you won’t have to buy expensive salon products that do the same thing.
5. Cleaning Windows
Try this recipe from Merry Maids: mix 3 drops Dawn dish soap in 1 gallon of water and fill a spray bottle with the solution. Spray and wipe as you would with any window cleaner.
Related: 7 Things You Should Never Clean with Dish Soap
6. Deicing Sidewalks
For icy steps and sidewalks in freezing temperatures, mix 1 teaspoon of Dawn dish soap, 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol, and 1/2 gallon hot/warm water and pour over walkways. They won’t refreeze. No more salt eating at the concrete in your sidewalks!
7. Softening Cuticles for Manicures
Soak your fingers in a dish of Dawn dish soap. It makes the cuticles soft and easy to work with. And it removes the natural oil from the fingernails, which allows the polish to adhere better.
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8. Cleaning Plastic Kiddie Pools
Plastic wading pools can get very gunky, very fast. Dump the water, then scrub the pool with Dawn dish soap and a sponge. More potent cleaners like bleach will weaken and dry out the plastic in the sun.
9. Making Multi-Purpose Cleaners
Merry Maids recommends using a drop of Dawn soap in 8 ounces water to clean ceramic tile and no-wax/linoleum floors. You can also use the spray on:
- Bathroom and kitchen counters and sinks
- Woodwork, like baseboards, shelves, and wainscoting (Make sure to dry as you go; wood doesn’t like prolonged contact with water.)
- Tubs and toilet seats
Related: Check Out My 21 Favorite Homemade Cleaners
10. Repelling Pests from Plants
This is a safe, effective way to repel insects from your houseplants, including aphids, spider mites and mealy bugs. Put a drop of Dawn dish soap in a spray bottle, fill the rest of the bottle with water, shake well, and mist your household plants with the soapy water.
11. Relieving Poison Ivy
Poison ivy spreads through the spread of the oil within the blisters. Washing the affected area with Dawn soap helps dry up the fluid AND keep it from spreading. This is especially effective for children who keep scratching the blisters open.
12. Erasing Driveway Stains
If you have gasoline or motor oil stains on your driveway, first sprinkle kitty litter on the spot to absorb excess oil. Then use a scrub broom and a solution of biodegradable Dawn dish soap and warm water to safely and effectively remove excess motor oil from the pavement.
13. Killing Fleas
Use Dawn dish soap to bathe the dogs. It kills fleas on contact and is much cheaper than expensive dog shampoos.
14. Cleaning Pool Water
Squirt Dawn soap down the middle of the pool and all of the dirt, suntan lotion, etc. will move to the edges of the pool for easy clean up! AND it makes the pools sparkle.
15. Preventing Foggy Lenses
Simply rub a small drop of Dawn soap on eyeglass lenses, and wipe clean. It will leave a very thin film that will prevent them from fogging up.
16. Removing Grease from Tools
After you have finished your automotive repair project, soak your dirty tools in Dawn soap before you put them away to remove all the oil and grime. This also helps prevent rust from forming on the tools.
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17. Pre-Treating Oily Laundry Stains
To remove oil-based laundry stains like lipstick, grease, butter, motor oil, cooking oil, and some pen inks, simply apply some Dawn dish soap directly to the stain and scrub with a small brush or toothbrush until the oil is removed, and then launder as usual.
Related: How to Make My Ultimate Stain Remover Spray
18. Lubricating Moving Parts
Apply Dawn dish soap to sliding glass doors, door knobs, hinges etc. It lasts much longer than any aerosol type spray that I have tried, and it’s non-toxic. It does a great job of cleaning the parts that it’s lubricating as well!
19. Making a Gel Ice Pack
Partially fill a strong zip-type sandwich bag with Dawn dish soap, close and freeze. The liquid soap stays cold much longer and it can be re-frozen many times. It will conform to the place you need an ice pack.
Read More: How to Make a Pliable Homemade Gel Ice Pack for Pennies
20. Washing Paint & Grease off Hands
Dawn soap combined with corn oil makes for the perfect grease or paint remover. Simply combine a little bit of both in your hands then rub it over affected areas. The corn oil and the dishwashing liquid both help to dissolve the grease and paint – yet leave skin soft, unlike harsher paint removers.
21. Keeping Aphids Away from Fruit Trees
Mix two tablespoons Dawn soap to a gallon of water and put in your sprayer. Try to get the spray on both sides of the leaves, branches and the tree trunks. Let sit for about 15 minutes and then rinse the trees THOROUGHLY!
22. Cleaning Your Tub & Shower
Take a spray bottle and fill it halfway with white vinegar. Heat in the microwave. Fill the rest of the way with Dawn dish soap. Put lid on and shake to mix well. Spray on your tub and shower walls, then allow it to sit for a while before rinsing it off. It will totally melt all the gunk, slime, sludge and other stuff that builds up including a bathtub ring.
Related: 9 Surprising New Uses for One of the Best DIY Cleaners!
23. Repelling Ants
Spray countertops, cupboards, and any other areas where you’ve seen ants with a solution of Dawn soap and water. Wipe dry. The slight soapy residue that remains will not be a problem at all for kids or pets, but ants hate it. Should you see a trail of ants, go ahead and hit them with the Dawn soap spray.
24. Stripping Cloth Diapers
Here is another laundry tip — add a drop or two of original Dawn dish soap to diapers in your washer and run a hot wash, then rinse until there are no more bubbles. (Be careful not to overdo it, or you’ll end up with a terribly sudsy mess on your hands.)
Dawn is excellent at cutting through grease, oily residues, and the link, making it ideal for stripping cloth diapers. Be sure to rinse them thoroughly until the water runs clear!
25. Unclogging Toilets
Clear out a clogged toilet by pouring a cup or so of Dawn dish soap into the toilet bowl, and allow it to sit for 15 minutes. Follow with a bucket of hot water poured from waist height, and your toilet should be clog-free!
Read More: These Are the Best Ways to Unclog a Toilet in an Emergency
26. Cleansing Oily Skin
Dawn dish soap makes a surprisingly great facial cleanser for oily skin. A drop or two combined with warm water will do the trick.
27. Cleaning Grimy Shower Floors
Cover grimy footprints and other gunk on shower floors with Dawn soap; let sit overnight. Scrub away the gunk in the morning with a stiff brush.
28. Cleaning Stainless Steel Appliances
Start by wiping the appliance with a damp cloth so you can see the direction of the fine lines or “grain” in the steel. Put a few drops of Dawn on a wet rag, then lather it up and wipe the surface in the same direction as the grain. Wipe again with a clean, damp cloth, then use a dry microfiber cloth to buff it to a shine. No more grease or fingerprints!
Bonus: Giving It as a Gift!
If you should ever need a host or hostess gift when visiting friends or family, print out this list and bundle it with a bottle of Dawn dish soap and a few microfiber cloths! I can’t think of a more practical gift than that!
What’s your favorite way to use Dawn dish soap?
Dawn is full of horrible chemicals..It should not touch bare hands or animals..It is toxic.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love Dawn and have used it for many years. My favorite way to use it is as a laundry stain remover. I’ve yet to find a stain it won’t remove!! Even old stains!! Not just grease/oil stains!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great article! It’s amazing how versatile Dawn Dish Soap can be for everyday cleaning tasks around the home. At Able House Cleaning Perth, we always appreciate practical cleaning tips that help homeowners save time and keep their homes spotless. Thanks for sharing these creative ideas!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I USED THE CLEANING HACK TO CLEAN MY BATHTUB AND SHOWER.THIS WORKED GREAT JUST SPRAY AND RINSE.THANK YOU FOR GREAT TIPS.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My go-to all-purpose cleaner is orange oil diluted in water. I prefer to use naturally sourced products like that. But I do wonder how the Dawn all-purpose mix compares
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The only two cleaners I keep in my house, DAWN, and Windex All Purpose. If you have older vinyl floors just spray with Windex All Purpose, let it sit for 5 min or a bit more & mop floor. It is amazing how clean it will be. Love them both. Also love your site. Ontario, Canada.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you for this!! Today I have to put ice on my elbow and I’m going to use dawn in a zip lock bag instead of regular ice. This couldn’t have been any timelier for me to read.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Had my hair bleached trying to go from black to platinum. Had BLUE hair. Washed my hair twice in the shower letting it soak for just 3 minutes each time and it faded the blue, U can not use this with out giving your hair a good conditioner treatment (soak afterward for about 5 – 10 mins with conditioner in your hair, cause it makes your hair so dry). But as long as you soak your hair in conditioner to give it the nutrients back into it. ALL GOOD!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Can Dawn soap be used to remove SPF 50 sunscreen for the face and body
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great ideas, Jill!! Thank you :D
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Add one more DAWN SOAP miracle! Those nasty fly sticks that you only thing of getting rid of bothersome flies! 2 baby wrens got stuck to one I put on my patio, stupid me! But my son-in-law and friend had presence of mind to use DAWN SOAP to loosen them.! One flew away and one is being nursed hopefully back to health!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Those fly strips are meant for indoors! Outdoors you’re just attracting flies along with other flying things
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Even the company that makes Dawn wrote to NEVER use it on dogs. They do not have feathers and it was used for emergency oil spill clean up on birds. The list of toxic chemical ingredients is NOT for dogs.Dawn is the wrong pH for the dog’s skin. Dawn contains at least two known components that are linked to cancer. Dawn strips the dog’s mantle (outer skin) of natural oils and more and may leave the dog far more capable of getting skin issues based on diet and environment. Dawn is often not thoroughly washed out of dog’s hair/fur and from skin. This can leave the dog itchy and with irritated skin.
Dawn is used in worst case issues on birds covered in oil because it is strong, because it is fast, and because it allow those trying to save animals from death to have the oil quickly removed (more animals can be cleaned) and then faster towards all efforts to deal with the animals’ feathers, skin and other animal’s fur and skin (additional treatments). Dawn is NOT a flea shampoo. Just because it can kill fleas, doesn’t make it safe or a good choice.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Okay, I so agree with many uses for Dawn; however, if you truly want to clean your home with just water have you tried Norwex products? I use one Enviro cloth and just water to clean my entire bathroom beginning with mirrors (they dry streak-free), then on to the sinks, then to the shower, and finally the toilet. This product is amazing and with just one cloth and water my bathrooms are sparkling, streak-free and disinfected. Give it a try.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Don’t understand why you shouldn’t use Dawn to wash your pets. They use it to clean oil spills off wildlife.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.CS wrote that while Dawn is good to remove oil from feathers, dogs don’t have feathers, and Dawn will strip the natural oils from the dogs skin. Pet shampoos do not make a lot of suds, so you are able to wash your pooch much more quickly and get all of the soap out. Dogs lick themselves and ingesting soap will make them very, very ill.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It’s used to clean oil off not because it’s good for wildlife
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have used Dawn for many years, I cleaned my glass shower door, use a scubbie sponge Put dawn on wet sponge clean doors let sit while you take a shower then wash clean. EASY
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I make my own scrubbies for my counter. Baked in pasta sauce? No problem!!! A squirt of dawn, lather your scrubby or sponge with hot water and it will come off with ease!! I use dawn for everything. Dawn is amazing! Thank you for such a helpful and useful article!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great ideas…also good to mix with water and it will keep stink bugs away.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Also takes hair dye off your skin..
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Really?!?! I’m always stained a day or two after every die job!! Can’t wait to try it (Next week)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Coconut oil is also VERY good for removing dye stains, and good for your skin
We have been dealing with an infestation of cockroaches for the past six months. They probably were brought into our home in a BOX, provided by the grocery store and used instead of a cloth or plastic bag to carry our groceries out.
I’m wondering if we used a Dawn spray solution in the areas where we think they are hiding (near the dishwasher and stove apparently) if it might work. It is worth a shot anyway.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes, Dawn and water will kill cockroaches. I use a spray bottle of Damn and water to kill stink bugs and in warm weather to kill fleas.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Dish soap should never be used in your washing machine. Especially if you have a front loader. It will strip the grease and void your warranty. Not to mention, dish soap will not strip your diapers. It should only be used to removed oily diaper creams from cloth diapers, and rinsed thoroughly before being placed in the machine.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use dawn in washer when I have something that needs oil removed. Never had a problem.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.There’s no grease to strip in the basin of a washing machine. If there is, clothes would become greasy. In fact, washing machine manufacturers make products to fully clean the inside that would also remove any grease
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I cringed at the suggestion to use this on a poison ivy rash! Poison ivy DOES NOT spread by breaking open the blisters. Poison ivy is a form of contact dermatitis. It is your skin’s reaction to the oils from the plant. One person cannot spread poison ivy to another person nor to another area of his/her body simply by touching the rash. The rash spreads from contact with the plant oils. Period.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am an Humane agent and we use Dawn (Blue Original) on the animals we work with to remove fleas. The fleas just fall away and the animals have never shown a problem. I have used it full strenght on my own dogs and never had a problem…….or a flea. It also keeps the ticks repealed. I also put a drop or two in the washer when I was animals bedding. Bugs hate Dawn
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Dawn will remove the oil that poison ivy leaves and you won’t spread it further.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I used Dawn to bathe my dog because he picked up fleas in a hotel while we were traveling. Dawn killed the fleas…however, my dog was on antibiotics for a couple of months due to the damage from the Dawn to his skin…..wouldn’t advise…
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It won’t be the dawn, more likely the flea bites he got have set up a skin reaction that has coincided with using it. Try a lukewarm bath for the dog with about a cup of white vinegar to relieve the itching and gently disinfect the skin.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Amanda you are correct one of my two dogs turned out allergic to the flea bites and thats where tge skin infection came in , i took her to the vet and they sold me a small bottle of shampoo (melaseb) it was so good i found it on amazon at a better price for quantity now i alternate between dawn and melaseb and for very dry weeks i even condition her coat with my loreal conditioner
I also have used dawn soap on animals. My dogs big and small. And my cats to. I even used it on 2 pigs I had. Never had a problem.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use the dawn in spray bottle to spray window screens from the inside to kill stink bugs and keep them away
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