This Post may contain Affiliate Links. Please read our Disclosure for legal jargon.
Dishwashing soaps/liquids/ detergent is a specialized kind of soap that contains a mixture of surfactants (have the ability to break the tension between solids). These surfactants form foam easily and are chosen because they do not irritate the skin.
If a Disney movie were to be made on cleaning then dish soap would either be a genie or fairy godmother, granting all your cleaning wishes.
Just because its called dish soap or dishwashing liquid doesn’t mean that the only thing its capable to do is clean dishes. It is a miracle worker and has many other uses than just cleaning the dishes. A simple reason for this because it is gentle, unlike harsh detergents and cleaners we buy from the market. It saves you from buying tones of costly cleaning products.
Why use Dish Soap?
As I said dish soap is made has a composition of surfactants that have the ability to break the tension between liquids.
Dish soap is so versatile because it is a pH neutral cleaner. This property of dish soap makes it gentler and better suited for cleaning any kind of gunk or grime without being damaging to the subject of use.
Dish soap has even been used to save birds badly soiled by ocean oil spilled in Lousiana and Alaska.
How to Make Your Own Dish Soap?
Dish Soap is a miracle worker and yes you can make your very own concoction. It is not difficult to make a liquid dish soap at home but what’s difficult is to make a liquid dish soap that is gentle. To get the proportions of ingredients just right can be a bit tricky.
In this recipe, we will be using ingredients like Sal suds rather than traditionally used borax/vinegar. Sal suds (concentrated natural cleaner) is a great substitute for vinegar as it doesn’t have vinegar’s overwhelming smell.
We also use essential oil to give our dish soap a fresh smell. Any essential oil of your choice can do the trick.
Ingredients:
- ⅔ cup of Sal suds (Increase or decrease the amount according to quantity)
- Any essential oil of your choice.
- 1 cup of distilled water.
- 1 tablespoon of washing soda (to give our dish soap a little boost).
- 1 tablespoon of kosher salt
- 1 large bowl for mixing
- A dispenser bottle to fill the soap into.
Recipe for making your very own dish soap:
- Mix kosher salt and 3 tablespoons of water and boil them. Keep stirring until everything is dissolved. If you use kosher salt it won’t completely dissolve. Simply strain the salt solution into a small bowl. Set the mixture aside.
- Repeat the process with washing soda and distilled water.
- Add into a large bowl washing soda solution, sal suds, and essential oils and give the mixture a stir.
- Start adding the salt solution to the large bowl one tablespoon at a time. After every time give the mixture a nice stir. The soap solution will start thickening once you get the consistency of your choice transfer the mixture into the dispenser.
- If the mixture gets thicker over time just add water to get the desired consistency again.
Note – It is a game of trial and error so if you like experimenting try to do change the amounts as per your choice. You may even get a better result.
Here are 35 other things you can do using dish soap. Try them yourself and you will think of this article as a godsend.
35 Dish Soap Uses:
Dish Soap for Cleaning:
1. Clean the Floors
And few drops of dishwashing liquid in a pail along with warm water. It doesn’t matter if your floor is made of hardwood, laminate, tile or even cement. The solution works on every kind of floor and leaves the floor sparkling clean.
2. Easy Blender Cleaner
Not cleaning a blender regularly and leave it very dirty. Fill the blender with enough hot water to cover a quarter of the blender’s length. Add a little dishwashing liquid. Plugin the blender and blend all the gunk away. Throw away the water and clean it once again with just water.
3. As a Shampoo
Oh yes, you heard that right. I just came to know about it too and it was a shocker. If you have way too greasy hair, take a very small amount of liquid dish soap on your palms and lather and rinse as you would with a normal shampoo.
Disclaimer! Disclaimer! I am not advising you to completely disown your shampoo this is just an alternative that you could use once a month to get rid of all the dirt accumulated on your scalp. Which reminds me, use it only on your scalp.
4. Get the Bling on Your Jewelry Back
Get your jewelry to shine as it used to. In a small bowl pour some lukewarm water and a few drops of liquid dish soap. Soak your jewelry in the bowl and leave it in for a few minutes.
Wash with soft bristle brush gently so that you don’t scrub away the coating. It works best for silver and gold. The coating on artificial jewelry may come off if you leave them for a longer period of time.
5. Get Rid of Oil Stains on Concrete Slabs
Concrete slabs or concrete floors on the garage/driveway can turn out to be very stubborn. Cover these stains with a generous amount of baking soda and then pour dish soap on top of it. Let it set in for a few hours and then scrub with a wire brush. Repeat the process until you are satisfied.
6. Cleaning Window Blinds
In a tub filled with warm water add a cup of dish soap and mix well. Soak your blinds in the solution for an hour. And wipe with a wet cloth and then with a dry one.
7. Cleaning Grills
Barbeque nights are fun but the cleaning that comes after is not. To clean your greasy barbeque grills can be a tough task.
Mix together liquid dish soap, baking soda, and warm water into a spray bottle. Spray the solution generously on the grills. Let it sit for a day. If the grease seems to come off easily wipe it off with a wet cloth or use a scrub for stubborn grease.
8. Cleaning Your Delicates
I learned the hard way that delicates need to handled delicately while washing. And hence liquid dish soap is the way to go. Find the most gentle liquid dish soap you can get your hands on.
In a pail/bucket of warm water add a few drops of it. Soak all your delicates in the bucket. Leave for about half an hour and give them a gentle handwash.
9. Clean Your Stainless Steel Appliances
I know there are separate cleaners for your stainless steel pots and pans but they are just so unnecessary and also put a hole in your pocket even if not a large one.
Dishwashing soap and water works well for cleaning these stainless steel appliances. If you want to give them some more shine you can even use a bit of baby oil and wipe the appliances with lintfree cloth/paper towels.
10. Cleaning Natural Stones
Natural stones like marbles and granite are hard to clean. And how many types of specific cleaner are you going to buy really? Just use a solution of dish soap and water and save a burning hole in your pocket.
11. Cleaning Kitchen Cupboards
Kitchen cupboards go through a lot, an oil spill here and a sauce spill there. These can get stick in the crevices of your kitchen cabinets and make them nasty. And your kitchen is the last place you need to get nasty.
Dishwashing soap is at your service again. Add a little of our grease fighter in a bucket of water and clean with wired scrub. You can also use a mixture of dishwashing soap and baking soda to get rid of more stubborn grime stuck in the nooks and corners of your cabinets.
12. Clean Your Microwave
Let it be a cooking experiment gone wrong or just a regular cleaning that your microwave needs dish soap is idle for any situation. For normal cleaning just use a sponge/cloth dipped in a solution of liquid dish wash and water and wipe it clean.
For any stubborn mess use a mixture of dishwashing liquid, baking soda, and water. And scrub gently with an old toothbrush. Wipe it clean with a dry sponge.
13. Cleaning Soap Scum or Lime Soap
When soap is used with hard water it can form a hard residue over the surface. This is unpleasant to look at and can build up on your clothes, sink, bathroom floors, and bathtubs.
Put together a mixture of dishwashing liquid and baking soda. Soak the affected surface in the mixture and let it sit overnight. Wipe it clean the next day. This does not apply to clothes since a lot of materials can lose color if left in the mixture for this long.
14. Cleaning the Air Filters of Your Air Conditioner
Use a solution of dishwashing liquid and water to clean the air filter. Pour the solution on air-filters or spray it using a spray bottle. Use a soft-bristle brush to gently clean them.
15. Bathroom Cleaner
Don’t let cleaning your bathroom become an arm workout session. Put together a solution of dishwashing liquid and white vinegar.
Pour the solution into a spray bottle and shake well. Spray the solution on the walls and floors of your bathroom. Leave it for half an hour and rinse away with water.
16. Windows
Seeing fingermarks and dirt on your glass windows can be irritating. Just like stainless steel you do not need any separate cleaner to shine your windows if you have dish soap on hand.
Just add into warm water a few drops of dishwashing liquid. Wipe the windows with a sponge dipped in the mixture and then wipe them again with a lint-free cloth.
17. Cleaning Vinyl Sliding Tracks
Now that we talked about cleaning windows. Let’s talk about cleaning vinyl sliding tracks that most of our windows have. The small tracks can become home for a lot of dirt and grime.
Put together a solution of water, baking soda, and dish soap. Simply pour the solution on the tracks and let it sit for a while. Scrub with an old toothbrush later. The mildness of dish soap doesn’t damage anything.
18. Oil-stain Miracle Worker
It is just heartbreaking to see your favorite shirt/dress ruined by your favorite gravy. It could just spoil your mood for the day. This is where dishwashing liquid comes into the picture. Yes, you may ask why not use a detergent made for clothes. Because a mild dishwashing liquid made for getting rid of grease is better than harsh detergents which can cause discoloration of your clothes.
They work best if the stain is from food-based oils and can be even used on table cloths and couch covers. Dishwashing liquid is gentle for natural delicate fabrics like silk and wool. Mix dishwashing liquid and lukewarm water in a ratio of 1:3. Soak the stained part in the solution and wash it as usual. You need to keep in mind different fabrics and there washing instructions.
19. Clean Fireplace Facings
As winter walks away, thorough cleaning of your fireplace is what you need to keep that fireplace clean and your air in your home cleaner. Use diluted dish soap to simply make your fireplace shine again before using it next winter.
Clean the facings by gently scrubbing it with a toothbrush or a scrub. If you have brick facing do not scrub roughly as brick facing can get weaken and start crumbling.
20. Cleaning Birdbaths and Patio Furniture
Birdbaths and patio furniture in your backyard tends to collect a lot of dirt. So as winter leaves and you get your house ready for springs. Don’t leave behind these beautiful house accessories. Use a mixture of dish soap, baking soda, and lukewarm water.
Dip a scrub in the solution and gently scrub the surfaces of the furniture. Wipe the furniture again with a dry cloth.
21. Cleaning Kitchen Appliances
Kitchen appliances other than stainless steel can also be cleaned with the help of dishwashing liquid. Any large or small appliance starting from toaster to microwave oven can use dishwashing liquid to get rid of the gunk.
Appliances you can use dishwashing soap include an oven, griddles, cooktops, fridge, toaster, etc. Wipe these appliances with a cloth dipped in the mixture of dishwashing liquid and warm water. Then wipe again with a dry cloth.
22. Dish Soap for Cleaning Car Wheels
I am sure anyone who owns a car knows what a pain it is to clean those wheels. And small crevices on the wheels doesn’t help your case either. All the caked dirt and grime that the wheels accumulate are nasty to clean.
Dip a scour brush or sponge in the solution of dish soap and hot water. And scrub. For more stubborn gunk add baking soda to the mixture.
23. Cleaning Hairbrushes
Cleaning hairbrushes regularly is very important for your personal hygiene as they get greasy and dirty over time. A simple solution to this problem is again dishing soap.
In a mug of warm water, add a few drops of dishwashing liquid and a teaspoon of baking soda. This concoction will help de-grime your brushes and combs without doing any damage to the products.
24. Surface Cleaning
Dusting if done regularly keeps you healthy. Use dishwashing soap to wipe doors, countertops, walls and other surfaces after dusting. Simply mix the dish soap with warm water. Dip a scrub/old rag in the solution and clean any surface gently.
Other Uses of Dish Soap Around the House
25. Kill Pests:
- Ants and Cockroaches – In a spray bottle put together liquid dish soap, water, and baking soda. Shake well and spray on the nightcrawlers.
- On fleas – Spray a solution of liquid dish soap and water on your carpet and other affected areas to get rid of the fleas. Leave it for some time than vacuum the area.
- Keeping houseplants bug free – Put together liquid dish soap and water in a spray bottle and spray on your house plants to eliminate the bugs.
26. As a Facewash to Prevent Pimples
Dish soap is good at cutting grease and mild liquid dish soap can be used as a facewash. Do not try on dry skin. And moisturize your face after use.
27. Giving Pets a Bath
Itchy pets? Add liquid dish soap and a few drops of peppermint or rosemary oil to their bath and say goodbye to your pet’s nemesis.
28. As a Weed Killer
Unflattering weeds in your well-groomed garden are such a disappointment. Make your own weed killer get rid of these uninvited guests. In a spray bottle add water, dish soap, salt, and vinegar. Shake well. And spray regularly on the affected area of your garden.
29. Make Your Own Ice Packs
Pour liquid dish soap in a freezer bag and freeze it. The reason this works better than water is that they stay frozen longer than water would.
These Ice packs can even be used in a picnic basket and keep your drinks/beverages cold for longer.
30. Unfog Your Glasses
It can be very irritating when the steamy hot food fogs your glasses. Or while cooking you are blinded because of fogged glasses.
Use a drop of liquid soap and wipe off with a lint-free cloth. No more foggy glasses as you hold a hot cup of cocoa. This can also be done to sunglasses to prevent fogging.
31. Silent Your House
I do not mean that literally, I was referring to silence the squeaky door that you may have around your house. Dish soap can be used as a lubricant and is perfect for this task. Just pour some on the hinges such that it gets properly spread.
32. Lightening Hair Color
We tend to go overboard when coloring our hair at home sometimes. Next time such a coloring accident occurs use liquid dish soap to lighten your hair color a shade or two.
Just take a few drops on your palm and lather as you would with normal shampoo. Rinse as usual it should control the damage so that you don’t wear a hat for the next several days.
33. Make Bubbles
I am a full-grown adult woman and I still love to play with bubbles. It is a fun activity you can try with your family and make a day out of it.
Put together 2 tablespoons of glycerin, 4 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid, and 1 cup of water (Add some food coloring if you have it on hand).
There you have it a homemade solution of long-lasting bubbles. Make stencils out of a thin wire( keeping away from children till it is completely made). And blow away some steam as you blow beautiful bubbles.
34. Trap Fruit Flies
Keep a narrow mouth tumbler on your kitchen counter or wherever you want to catch the fruit flies. Pour in the tumbler vinegar and liquid dish soap. The flies will get attracted by vinegar and dish soap will not let them fly out.
35. Make Your Nail Polish Last Longer
Natural oils on your fingernails can make your nail polish comes off faster no matter how expensive your manicure is. Dish soap can prevent this from happening and make your manicure last longer (we all know they are not cheap).
Take a bowl of warm water (not hot, as warm as your skin can handle) and add a few drops of dish soap to it. Soak your hands in the solution before applying nail polish to eliminate the natural oils from your fingernails.
Dish soap is a staple in cleaning and it always has been. We do not tend to notice these small inventions while we are busy acknowledging big changes in technology but it does affect our day to day lives.
Not that we need to give any tribute but just a thought. Do try these hacks it will make a lot of cleaning easier than it is.
If you like the post, then help us by sharing the post!
