20 Genius Alternative Uses for Dawn Dish Soap

There are many alternative uses for Dawn Dish Soap. Yes, you can use it for washing your dishes but it’s also useful for a ton of remedies around the home and garden. You can rid your pets of fleas, kill weeds, wash your hair, wash your car and make bubbles for your kids with soap. Read on to learn more helpful hacks!

What makes Dawn Dish Soap so great?

Dawn is a degreasing soap. The reason it works so well for cleaning dishes is because it cuts through the grease and leaves your pots and pans sparkling clean. The surfactants in Dawn are bio degradable so it is generally safe for the environment.

Dawn dish soap has been used to help clean animals who have been affected by oil spills. The soap was gentle on the birds and cleaned off the oil without hurting them.

Should you use Dawn on your pets to get rid of fleas?

This is one of the more controversial uses for Dawn. Yes, washing your pet with the dish soap will get rid of fleas on your pets, however it will dry out their skin if you use it too often.

Dawn dish soap kills fleas in two ways. The first way is that it strips the fleas of their wax coat making their exoskeletons vulnerable. The second way dish soap is effective at killing fleas is that it changes the surface tension of water, allowing the fleas to no longer repel the water and to instead sink down into it thus killing them by suffocation.

Only use Dawn as a flea treatment a few times per year and make sure you are treating your dogs and cats with flea medication from your vet. If you continue to have flea problems you will need to treat your home and yard to control fleas.

Can you use dish soap to wash your hair?

Yes you can- but should you? And why would you want to?

Using Dawn to wash your hair can be helpful when you have something nasty in your hair that requires something a little stronger than regular shampoo.

Get sticky goop out of your kid's hair

Have your kids put something gross and sticky in their hair? Use Dawn to help clean it out.

Fade hair dye with Dawn

Dawn can help fade hair dye quickly, so if you accidentally screwed up your DIY hair dye, use the dish soap to wash your hair a couple times to help strip out the color.

Clean hair product buildup from your hair and scalp

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. Do this once a month and you won't need to buy an expensive clarifying shampoo from the salon.

Clean your hairbrush

Dawn makes a great cleaner for hair brushes. If you have oily hair, wash your hair brush every few weeks with dish soap to deep clean your brush bristles.

Can you use Dawn Dish Soap to wash your face?

You can, but there are probably a lot better things to wash your face with.

The same issues that apply to washing your hair also apply to washing your face. If you are going to do it, do it infrequently and gently otherwise you can dry out your skin.

If your skin is super oily and acne prone then washing with Dawn once per week, max, can help you get control of your oily, acne prone skin.

Make Bubbles for your kids

You can make amazing bubbles that kids will love to play with this summer with a few simple ingredients.

Use the following ingredients to make Super Bubbles:

• 6 cups of water
• 1 cup of Dawn
• ¼ cup of corn syrup

Instructions for making Super Dawn Bubbles:

Stir together the water and Dawn gently without agitating too much and creating foam. Next, mix in the syrup. When it’s all mixed together, cover it and let it sit overnight.

In the morning you can use bubble wands and blow big, strong bubbles.

Can you mix Dawn Dish Soap with Vinegar?

Yes, Dawn and vinegar used alone are great for cleaning but you can mix the two together to make an incredible shower and bathroom cleaner.

Make a shower cleaner with Dawn and vinegar

If you have soap scum in your tub or shower, this duo is your new best friend. Add equal parts Dawn and vinegar to a spray bottle and shake gently to mix. If you have really tough deposits, you can heat the vinegar in the microwave before mixing for a little extra power.

Leave the mixture on the surface of your tub or shower for a few minutes and then wash off with a cloth or scrub brush.

Alternatively you can fill a dish soap wand and keep it in the shower for a quick and convenient scrub down.

DIY ice pack with Dawn Dish Soap

This is a great way to fill your freezer with extra ice packs for your kids lunches or for first aid when someone gets a bump or scratch. Fill a Ziplock about half-way with Dawn. Squeeze the air out and seal it. Pop it in the freezer until it’s like a gel.

Make a glass cleaner

Dawn works really well to clean your windows. In fact, you can also use it to clean your eyeglasses.

Glass Cleaner Supplies Needed:

• ¼ cup white vinegar.
• 1 cup water.
• 2 to 3 drops Dawn dish soap.
• spray bottle.

How to use Dawn glass cleaner

Combine the ingredients in the spray bottle and spritz it onto the glass. Wipe clean with a dry cloth or paper towel.

Eliminate oily stains on your clothes with dish soap

Dawn can clean your clothes and be used as a pre-laundry treatment. For the hard stains like lipstick, grease, and motor oil just put a little of the Dawn dish soap and lightly work it into the stain before you put in the washing machine. Wash as usual with the rest of your load.

Unclog your toilet with liquid soap

Now you can skip those harsh cleaners to unclog your toilet. First, pour a cup full of Dawn dish soap directly into your toilet and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Next, after 15 minutes follow up with a bucket full of hot water and the toilet will unclog. This also works with shower drains that are clogged with hair. For best results combine this with a toilet plunger for super-clogged drains.

Repel pests with dish soap

Protect your plants and repel pests with this homemade bug spray. First, pour one drop of the dish soap and mix with water in a spray bottle. Make sure to mist your plants and spray on ants. Spray on roses to get rid of aphids or any plants that are plagued with creepy critters.

Wash your car with Dawn

You don't need a fancy car soap to wash your car if you already have Dawn in your pantry. Simply squeeze a few tablespoons into a bucket and fill with warm soapy water. Wash your car and rinse with water.

Clean your feet with dish soap

Are your feet looking worse for wear after working in the garden or playing outside with your kids? Do you suffer from issues like athletes foot or nail fungus?

Try dipping your feet in a warm foot bath of Dawn soap and hot water. Add epsom salts if you like to help soften your skin. Use a pumice stone to scrape off dead skin and hard callous.

You may also like: Reuseable Swiffer Cloth Cover

Clean fireplace brick

Mix together a half cup of Dawn and a half cup of salt. Add enough warm water to make it into a paste.

Rub it into the brick, let it dry (only takes about 10 minutes or so) and start scrubbing with a hard bristle brush.

When you’re all done, wipe the brick down with clean water and a sponge.

Clean stainless steel appliances

Put a little bit of Dawn dish soap on a damp, soft sponge. Squish it with your hand until it looks soapy. Starting at the top, wipe the fridge in the direction of the grain.

When you’re finished, rinse it off. Use a spray bottle of clean water and a clean sponge. After you are done, dry it off with paper towels. Make sure it’s totally dry or you’ll wind up with spotty stainless steel.

Clean oil off your driveway

Oil stains look so yucky on your driveway and the oil can leak into the drains and harm the environment. Cover the spots with kitty litter. Once most of it is absorbed, scoop and toss the litter and apply Dawn dish soap, and hot water. Scrub away with a hard bristled brush.

Remove stickers and labels

When you want to reuse a cute glass bottle but there is a big sticker on the front you can use Dawn to remove it.

Cover the sticker or sticker reside with Dawn and let it sit. After a few minutes the sticker and residue with slide right off. Use a scouring pad and hot water as well to get rid of stickers and labels if necessary.

De-ice your sidewalk

To make homemade sidewalk de-icer mix 1 teaspoon of Dawn dishwashing liquid, 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol, and ½ gallon of warm water. Pour this mixture over your walkways. This will keep them from refreezing in the winter.

What did I miss? Leave your best alternative uses for Dawn dish soap in the comments!