If you’re familiar with any of the homemade cleaning and laundry solutions I’ve posted here on the blog, then you may have noticed that many of them have Dawn dish soap as an ingredient. My Armpit Stain Remover, No-Grate Laundry Detergent, and Homemade “Shout” are just a few of the recipes I’ve posted over the years that include Dawn soap.
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We all know that Dawn dish soap is great for washing dishes, pots and pans, flatware, and crystal. But I think all the REST of the stuff it does is what makes it really extraordinary!
Here is MY list of the “best of the best” ingenious uses for Dawn dishwashing liquid, painstakingly collected just for you. :-)
1. Bubbles
According to Bubbles.org, Dawn dish soap makes great homemade bubbles. Here is a recipe for “giant bubbles” used in bubble makers at many children’s museums.
Mix together 1/2 cup Ultra Dawn soap, 1/2 gallon of warm water, and 1 tablespoon glycerin, which should be available at any drug store. (White Karo syrup works in place of glycerin, if you have that on hand!) Stir gently. Skim the foam off the top of the solution, as too much foam will break down the bubbles. Dip your bubble wand and get ready for some good, clean fun!
Related: Treat Yourself to This Magical DIY Aromatherapy Bubble Bath
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. Greasy Hair Mishaps
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.
4. Hair Product Build-up
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.
Related: “Dry Clean” Your Oily Hair with This Simple Recipe
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5. Sparkling 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.
6. Sidewalk De-Icer
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. Manicure Secret
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.
8. Cleaning the Kiddie Pool
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. Multi-Purpose Cleaner
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 Top 10 Must-Have Homemade Cleaners
10. Repel Pests from Houseplants
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. 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. Driveway Cleaner
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.
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13. Pest-Free Pets
Use Dawn dish soap to bathe the dogs. It kills fleas on contact and is much cheaper than expensive dog shampoos.
14. Pool Cleaner
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. Clear 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. De-Grease Your 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.
17. Pre-Treat Oily Stains on Clothes
For oil-based stains such as 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. Non-Toxic Lubricant
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. 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.
20. Remove Paint and Grease from Hands
Dawn soap combined with corn oil makes for the perfect paint or grease 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. Keep Fruit Trees Aphid-Free
Mix two tablespoons Dawn soap to a gallon of water and put in your sprayer. Try to get spray both sides of the leaves, branches and the tree trunks. Let sit for about 15 minutes and then rinse the trees THOROUGHLY!
22. Tub and Shower Cleaner
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. Allow to sit for a few minutes and rinse away. It will totally melt all the gunk, slime, sludge and other stuff that builds up including a bathtub ring.
Related: This Powerful Homemade Cleaner Will Clean Your Shower in No Time
23. Repel Ants
Spray counter-tops, cupboards and any other area where you see 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
Add a tiny squirt of original Dawn dish soap to your washer and run a hot wash, then rinse until there are no more bubbles. (Be careful not to overdo it with the soap, we don’t want any sudsy flooding incidents!) Dawn is a degreasing agent and helps to strip cloth diapers by removing oily residue. Be sure to rinse, rinse, rinse 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!
Related: Unclog Your Toilets with This Secret Plumber’s Trick
26. Oily Skin Cleanser
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. Shower Floors
Cover greasy footprints on shower floors with a coating of Dawn soap; let sit overnight. Scrub away the gunk in the morning with a stiff brush.
28. And Finally…
Here’s a brilliant idea! Need a hostess gift when visiting friends and family? Print off this post and include it with a bottle of Dawn dish soap! Talk about USEFUL ! :-)
how do u print this off
There is a green button towards the bottom of the post that says “print friendly.” Once you click it, you’ll get a preview where you can deselect anything you don’t want to print :-)
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.
Don’t understand why you shouldn’t use Dawn to wash your pets. They use it to clean oil spills off wildlife.
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
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!
Great ideas…also good to mix with water and it will keep stink bugs away.
Also takes hair dye off your skin..
Really?!?! I’m always stained a day or two after every die job!! Can’t wait to try it (Next week)
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.
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.
I use dawn in washer when I have something that needs oil removed. Never had a problem.
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.