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?
The Rubbing Alcohol is what stops it from freezing.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.In all the research I hv done, poison ivy is not spread by the blisters, but only the oil from the plant. Used lots of your suggestions with good success
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The ice packs don’t freeze entirely – they get really cold but are still “shape-able.” :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The rubbing alcohol keeps it from refreezing?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes but any fluid added to water will raise the freezing threshold temperature, meaning it will need to be colder than 32F to freeze.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Maybe you could order some Dawn online. It is an amazing product!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I absolutely enjoyed reading your tips!! This was my first time and I am already a dawn user. I switched to dawn permanently about 2 years ago when I noticed how good my hands felt when I finished washing dishes. I also appreciated the shower tip especially because I have been trying to figure out how to clean the floor mats? It did not make sense that you have to keep purchasing floor mats for the shower every 2 months. This will be my first experiment! Thank you .
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love all the ideas. I will only use dawn! Buy it at dollar General in small bottle for $1! It works wonders on fleas for cats too! I’ve rescued several and it’s so much better and safer than pesticide flea dips
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have used the dish detergent remedy on tough stains since I was in highschool. Peroxide and dawn for blood. Mentraul periods were unpredictable so an old toothbrush and my peroxide and dish dawn mixture worked better than bleach.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Please don’t ever use dish soap on your dog. There is nothing worse for their skin and it will dry their skin, until scratching becomes frequent. Dish soap was not made to wash your dog in. For Dawn dish soap that was a cheap and heartless advertising tactic.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I had a black lab & the only thing that got thru her oily coat was Dawn. She came out so shiny after her baths! I had tried everything then went to the breeder & she told me the Dawn tip was the best and she was right. Always make sure to stay away from their eyes & ears, that’s all.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sorry, I disagree with your comment. I have been a dog groomer for 20 years and have used dawn often. It kills fleas instantly, therefore avoiding the use of harsh chemicals. It degreases filthy dirty dogs and gets the crud off of scaly ones. Also works great on skunked dogs. I do finish with a gentle biodegradable pet shampoo. I wouldn’t recommend just only using dawn. But as a pre-wash it is fantastic.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You must not ever watch how ducks, etc are cleaned after an oil spill. Dawn is used by all the vets that take care of these animals.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My Vet recommended the blue Dawn dish soap for a major fleas infestation on my Cocker Spaniel, Said to lather him up for head to toe, leave on for 5 minutes and rinse real good. It only takes one bath to kill the fleas. You do not want to to frequent or repeat baths with it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I used number 25 in my toilet to unclog it. It worked like a charm!! Had to leave it in for a while and that can be a little unpleasant to look at sometimes, but…
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Back when I was a kid and before all these fancy dog soaps came out, we used dish soap to wash the dogs all the time. Never had problems!! As a society we have become so product oriented. I think my mom started with a bucket of water and dish soap for everything!! HaHa!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have washed every pet I’ve ever owned (even cats) with Dawn to get rid of fleas. It works amazingly well!!! It has never caused any damage to their skin.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Have you never seen commercials where wildlife that was affected by major oil co spills were cleaned with Dawn??? That should show you just how gentle it is for animals, but yet how effective it is at getting through grease.
I clean houses, Thank You for the Dawn cleaning recipes.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If they change the ingredients to all organic, (which is a good thing) then they wouldn’t have DAWN anymore.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Make a new product of all organic ingredients for those who want to use all organic and keep DAWN just the way it is for those of us who like it just the way it is.
Thanks for the tips!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Linda Byrd Says Dawn is Fabulous. This product is the Best killing Wasp treatment you can buy. If you have Wasp problems No matter how High the nest is take a water hose drain it at the end fill it with about a 1/4 cup of Dawn Dish Liquid attach a Straight Shot water nozzle on your hose on off position stand back point BOOM DEAD. DO NOT RINSE OFF NEST wasp will Not return. They do Not like this Sticky, Smell, of Dawn.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use it to bathe my dog. And it definitely does work for fleas. Lets face it, no matter how clean you keep your dog, if she/he goes outside at all these days, it is impossible to keep them off of them. Dawn dishsoap really works. I like most folks cant afford to take my dog to the groomers every week. This is always in my kitchen. So its nice to have something at home that works great for this.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.On the de-icing of sidewalks tup, it works great on the rough, semu-porous concrete surface; HOWEVER, it’s worth mentioning that neither straight nor diluted form of Dawn dish soap should be applied to clean or de-ice the surface of pvc or composite decking boards and steps. It’s nearly impossible to rinse off and the residue it leaves behind is dangerously slippery. This tip I received from deck installer.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Jillee~
WOW!!!!!!
The heated vinegar and dawn soap really CLEANS in the tub/shower/tiles!
I have to admit that I didn’t think that it would clean.
It did….
Please log in or create a free account to comment.and ALL I did was follow your instructions on making the vinegar/dawn solution.
I mixed it well and sprayed everything and I waited five minutes…and then I waited another five minutes..
(sorry to doubt you).
It was absolutely AMAZING how it cleaned.
All the yucky bath tub ring…shower walls and doors are now very clean and actually sparkling! :)
It wiped away without any effort on my part.
Thank you for posting this and I recommend it to everyone to try it and be ready to be amazed!
Perfect! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m not surprised at #22–I have a tub that I couldn’t ever get really clean until I cleaned my mini-blinds–a capful of Dawn and a half gallon of white vinegar. I hosed them off outside, hanging from the clothes line and they were like new. But I was REALLY amazed when I got back in the house to clean out the tub. The blind-cleaning solution had loosened the grunge in the tub–a little more soap and some elbow grease and the tub has never looked so good!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Please, DO NOT give this or other cleaning product as a hostess gift to a foreign person, for some cultures, it could be regarded as very, very rude……
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Dawn soap plus Windex can conquer the world!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m sorry, but spraying dish soap on a icy sidewalk does not seem like a good idea to me. I will attest to using on dogs as a flea bath, though. They scatter like…well….like little bugs
I’ve also heard that it’s good for treating lice but I haven’t tried that
Please log in or create a free account to comment.wow i hope I can get this dish washer..it is indeed multipurpose…! thanks for sharing…
Please log in or create a free account to comment.And… a tablespoon mixed with water in a spray bottle acts as roach killer. i believe it suffocates them.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Is Fairy liquid the British equivalent of Dawn dish soap?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wow! Where’s my favorite use? I make laundry soap every week with 1/3 cup borax, 1/3 cup washing soda and 1/3 cup or 3 good squeezes of Dawn dish soap in one gallon of hot water. It’s cost is about 50 cents a gallon.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How much do you use per load?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.what is washing soada
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You can learn about making your own washing soda here: http://jillee.co/2c4Wxec
I always love your newsletters, so much information!!! Thanks so much!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love your newsletter, especially this post on the uses for Dawn dish soap! Thank you for posting, Jillee
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