Dish soap, also known as dish detergent or dishwashing liquid is everyone's go-to cleaner for dirty dishes. Not only is it a magical mix of ingredients that cuts grease and food particles, dish soap also comes in a ton of fun scents: New Zealand Springs, French Lavender, Refreshing Rain, Orange Clove, Hawaiian Pineapple Escape, the list goes on. Doesn't that make washing dishes a bit more fun?
Well, it turns out that this sink staple can do so much more than we think. Want to clean the cabinets? Use dish soap. Tired of grease staining your clothing? A drop of dish detergent will do the trick.
Let's take a look at all the different ways to use dish soap aside from washing dishes.
1. Remove Grease Stains in Clothing
Accidentally dripped some salad dressing on your favorite shirt? Don't panic! Rub a little liquid dish soap over the stain, let it sit, and toss in the washer. The soap is powerful enough to lift the grease from most fabrics.
My mom swears by this rather than expensive cleaning solutions because it really does work. Isn't that why they say always listen to your mother?!
Dawn Dish Soap
2. Clean Your Floors
A simple solution for sparkling clean floors doesn't have to be those expensive floor cleaners. Grab a bucket of hot water and a few drops of dish soap and mop away! This soapy water method works best for removing gunk from tile or vinyl flooring.
3. Clean Kitchen Cabinets
I know I often forget to do this, but when you think about it, your kitchen cabinets get pretty filthy with grease stains and buildup. Over time, that builds up and leaves a nasty film that can be hard to scrub of without ruining your manicure.
If you want something with more grease-cleaning power, try using a mixture of warm water and dish liquid to clean cabinets. It's gentle enough and won't ruin any finish on your cabinets. Plus you can use Dawn on your countertops as well!
4. Remove Carpet Stains
Getting rid of carpet stains can be a nightmare and some carpet cleaners just don't do the trick. Mix together any liquid dish soap you have on hand (Palmolive, Dawn, Mrs.Meyers, Seventh Generation, etc) with a few cups of warm water, blot the stain with a microfiber cloth. Repeat until the stain disappears and then finish off with some cold water.
5. Clean Stainless Steel
Stainless steel can be tricky and frustrating to clean, not to mention stainless steel cleaners are pretty pricey and some don't even work. A simple mixture of dish soap and water can clean your stainless steel appliances, just make sure to wipe with the grain using a soft cloth.
6. Shine Jewelry
One the best things about jewelry are how sparkly it can be. However, the grime and dirt can really take away from that. Soak your jewelry in a seltzer water and dish liquid mixture for about five minutes-the suds and bubbles will help loosen up the dirt.
Afterward, use a soft toothbrush to scrub away at the stubborn grime and then rinse in some cool water. Your jewelry will look as good as new.
7. Trap Fruit Flies
Those pesky fruit flies can be a huge problem in the kitchen, but there's an easy solution to get rid of them. All you need is a few drops of a fruity-scented liquid detergent (apple blossom, orange, citrus, etc) mixed with some white vinegar in a bowl or cup that's set out in the counter.
The vinegar will attract the flies and the liquid dish soap will keep them in the container.
8. Clean Patio Furniture
Your outside patio furniture can get pretty darn gross. Add a few squirts of dish detergent to a container with warm water, wipe away the grime with paper towels, and then rinse off with the garden hose. Breaking out the patio furniture was never so easy!
9. Remove Oil Stains from Concrete
No need to worry if you spot oil stains on the garage floor or driveway because there are two cleaning ingredients that'll do the trick.
First, you'll want to sprinkle some baking soda over the stain and then cover the baking soda with dish soap. Let it soak in for a few hours and scrub with a brush. Rinse with water and repeat if necessary if the affected area is still not sparkling clean.
10. Clean the Bathroom
Who doesn't love a squeaky clean bathroom? I know I'm a little obsessed with cleaning my bathroom and some of those commercial bathroom cleaners just don't do enough to scrub away at the dirt. A really easy cleaner to put together in a spray bottle to make is equal parts vinegar and liquid dish soap.
Spray this mixture over the bathtub, sink, and toilet bowl, let it sit for awhile and rinse. Even better, there's no scrubbing necessary.
