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 has been used to clean wildlife after an oil spill for years.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The Dawn bath for dogs with fleas, would this be effective on cats as well?
My cats hate the alcohol smell of the chemical treatments plus I really dislike putting the chemicals on them.
Dawn is used on all types of wildlife for oil/gas spills, so shouldn’t Dawn be safe for cats especially for termination of unwanted intruders(!) ?
Thanks to Jillee’s great tips, we’re a complete natural cleaning home and some other added bonus tips!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes, you can use it on cats. The most important thing to remember, though, is that you must rinse very well, as the cat will lick itself and if their is a soap residue, may throw up. I have found that taking a twenty ounce cup and putting about three ounces of vinegar in it, and filling it up with warm water makes a good rinse to insure all soap is gone.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great tips, however poison ivy is not spread by the fluid in the blisters. This is a common misperception. The rash itself is not contagious, and the fluid in the blisters does not spread the rash. Poison ivy dermatitis appears as soon as four hours or as long as 10 days after the exposure, depending on individual sensitivity and the amount of exposure. As the rash appears, any sensitivity a person had begins to increase. One starts to react to the slightest traces of a few molecules on the skin. This causes the rash to appear to be spreading, even after treatment has begun. The oils from the poison ivy plant would be removed from the skin by the dishsoap so it would still be helpful in that regard if used soon after exposure.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have used it on my hair (the blue formula only) and it is great for getting rid of all that build up of styling products. I follow with a conditioner, too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When I have used Dawn on hair, I followup with my usual conditioner.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love these tips, there were actually a few I’d never seen! Does anyone know if these uses apply to ANY of the Dawn dish soaps, or just the blue one?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My eye glass practitioner told me about cleaning your glasses once a week with Dawn, but it had to be the original blue formula. Works great!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The blue stuff is best!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love your ideas but they are not print friendly, I had tried a few times to print them and you get all the
Please log in or create a free account to comment.comments with the information and it takes up a lot of paper.
If you hit the green PRINT FRIENDLY button. It should love your problem.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It will also SOLVE your problem
There is a green button that says “printer friendly” towards the bottom of every post! You won’t get any comments or ads, and you can choose whether or not to include photos. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve tried several of these in the past, and they work! I especially love the toilet unclogging trick. It works for tubs and sinks as well.
I have to laugh about the bubbles recipe. My father, a retired science teacher, just sent me this very recipe last week and I had forwarded it on to my boss (yes, we have occasion to play with bubbles at work!) Glad to see verification that this is a good recipe, and very glad to see that Karo syrup can be substituted for glycerin as my store was out of glycerin.
Keep the cool tips coming. This list is definitely a keeper.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi! Thank you for all these great suggestions. Although I haven’t tried it yet, my daughter daughter swears by the bathtub cleaner. She had the best results for her fiberglass tub / shower enclosure. Also, thank you Victoria for your suggestions! Blessings to all. Christina
Please log in or create a free account to comment.There is NOTHING worse than fleas on your pet. However, Dawn didn’t help much with our runaway flea infestation on 9 cats and everywhere. We used flea drops. Dawn is a known flea bath, but it won’t eradicate an infestation in the house. If there is a next time, I would use Dawn in a spray and spray the carpet, corners, everything.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Untrue. My groomed and vet both recommend Dawn to get rid of fleas. I have done so for over 20 years without problem.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Be careful with the bubble mixture. If you spill any in the grass you will have a dead spot for YEARS.
Also, if you have an infected cuticle soaking it in dishwater will actually draw the infection and pus out.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Kills grass huh? That’s good to know. Maybe I’ll try that on my garden paths to kill the grass I hate to see. Wonder how it works on weeds.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Clean make-up sponges. Combined with olive oil (1 part each), Dawn is a very effective cleaner for make-up sponges. Get the sponge very wet and dip it in the solution. Then work it in by rubbing vigorously between your two palms. Finally, rinse it under the tap til the water runs clear. Works with make-up brushes, too. There are several YouTube videos that describe the process.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great idea!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi, I live in South Africa, unfortunately we cannot find Dawn dish wash here. Anything similar you can suggest?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Bee KILLER
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Buy a $3.00 spray bottle from a big box store. They spray about 10 feet. Fill with the dish soap. The bees fall right to the ground every time. Also use a super shooter kids toy for hive up high. This is much safer for the environment than the canned spray killer.
I wouldn’t be so fast in killing bees. We already have so much problems in beneficial and pollinating insects dying. Bees usually leave people alone unless they’re provoked.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Bees are pollinators and under great danger of extinction. Dawn would be preferable to a poison spray, of course.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Unless you have a MAJOR problem, not a good idea! Bees are an integral part of the ecosystem.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Perhaps Jennifer means wasps or yellow jackets – which are not good pollinators. I’ll keep this in mind now that wasp season has arrived in New York. Thanks for the suggestion.
Great ideas. I love the laundry uses idea. It’s great for tough stains like blood. Use the dawn with a little baking soda, peroxide and an old toothbrush. We’ve done the bubble recipe before. It’s great.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Myth: Scratching poison ivy blisters will spread the rash.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Fact: The fluid in the blisters willl not spread the rash. Before blisters form, the rash can only be spread by unbound urushiol. Avoid scratching of blisters. Fingernails may carry bacteria that could cause an infection.
We don’t have Dawn here in the UK, so do you think Fairy liquid would be as good?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I was thinking the same
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Fairy liquid is the closest I have found to Dawn, almost exactly the same. So I think it might be ok. But that is just my guess. I am going to give it a try.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We don’t have Dawn in New Zealand… what would be a good substitute?? Palmolive dishwash??
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks.
No. Dawn dish washing detergent is really powerful in dissolving oil. It’s a lot more powerful than Palmolive. It appears that Proctor and Gamble markets it as Fairy dish washing detergent in the UK. Is that sold in New Zealand?
Another use for Dawn is to clear out a slow running drain. First run hot water. When its drained away, squirt a bit of soap in the drain and then run more hot water. Clears the drain immediately.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I think that by now everyone knows I think the world of your blog, Jillee. But…Using Dawn on my hair to eliminate product build up? That sounds a little dangerous that it might fry my hair out and strip too much of the natural oils. Combine that with the fact that rinsing off the suds from my scalp in the shower might afford some of this soap product unwanted entry into one of the tender mucous membranes below my waistline, and I will just as soon skip item #4 on your otherwise ingenious and clever list!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Recall that this is THE product used to de-oil sea birds etc because it is so mild and doesn’t harm them
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have actually done this before. Back in college when I was single I used a lot hair “stuff” (spray, mousse, synthetic and natural silica products, etc) and so I had to always wash my hair really good to prevent build up. I also have very sensitive and stubborn hair (I’m Asian and European by descent, very straight and very thin-strand hair, so my hair gets damaged easily). One time I just had to wash my hair at the University library bathroom. I had no choice but to use Dawn from the custodian’s closet. My hair was so clean after and got the same effect as the expensive shampoo I used 1-2 times a month to get rid of build up. A little goes a long way. And make sure to put a bit of coconut oil on your hand and rub it and massage it on your scalp and damp hair. It really is great.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Excellent! I knew I used Dawn for a reason.
As always, I appreciate your suggestions, Jillee, very much and will try several, definitely.
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