Dawn Dishwashing Detergent: It's Not Just for Dishes Anymore!

Ton of emails circulate the Internet that offer hints, tips, suggestions, warnings, funny stuff, and information. Honestly, most of these emails are complete bunk, and you can often find out the truth to these myths, rumors, and information by visiting a site called Snopes.com.

However, one interesting email that has wandered into my inbox several times was one about alternative uses for normal household products. There were many suggestions for things like Bounce Dryer sheets being used to repel mosquitoes or tossed into a dresser drawer for nice fragrance and freshness. One of the suggestions in particular caught my eye, and that was alternative uses for Dawn dishwashing detergent.

The reason this one stuck with me over the others was because of the recent commercials that Dawn dishwashing detergent has had on the air about how Dawn is used for wildlife organizations helping to clean oil from birds using this liquid soap. This made me recall something my vet once told me when my cocker spaniel, Dani, turned up allergic to flea dip and medication: Dawn dishwashing detergent is effective at killing fleas, and can be used on very young animals that are not yet old enough or large enough to use flea medication.

Then I was reminded of the old Palmolive commercials with Madge. Any of you remember these? "You're soaking in it..."

So these things caused me to scour the Internet for other uses for dishwashing detergent, and in this instance, Dawn dishwashing detergent in particular. Below is what I found:

1. Dawn Takes Grease Out of Your Way!

Yes, this is a commercial tagline, but it appears that this is pretty accurate. According to the International Bird Rescue Research Center, Dawn dishwashing detergent has effectively been used to clean wildlife birds who have been exposed to oil spills. Apparently, other dishwashing and liquid detergents were tried but they were either not effective or they caused irritation to the birds.

2. Dawn Dishwashing Detergent Kills Fleas

Okay, my veterinarian specifically told me this, and I did find a few Internet users who said that Dawn was good for flea removal, but nothing 'official'. However, many professional pet care sites talk frequently about combing your dog or cat with a fine toothed comb and then dropping any fleas removed into a solution of soapy water, made from liquid dishwashing detergent.

These same sites also recommend washing the animal's bedding in soapy dishwashing liquid and warm water, for the same reason. Therefore, it seems logical that washing an animal in the same soapy water would have a similar effect. Additionally, Dawn dishwashing detergent would be much milder to your pet than flea and tick spray.

3. Dawn Repels Ants

Several pest problem websites have forums in which many users swear that a solution of Dawn dishwashing detergent and water, when sprayed directly on countertops and sinks in the kitchen and bathroom, leaves a safe residue for kids and pets. Ants, however, do not like it, and therefore, will not walk over. Also, spraying the solution directly on the ants will kill them.

4. Good For a Manicure

Okay, several years ago, I used to go weekly to have my nails manicured and painted at a local spa. The technician that performed my manicure would often, when my cuticles were very dry, have me soak my fingers in a solution of blue, thick, soapy like substance. I assumed that it was some expensive salon solution, until one day I asked her what was in the little bowl she had my fingers soaking in. Her reply? Dawn dishwashing detergent. She said that not only did it make the cuticles soft and easy to work with, but that Dawn dishwashing detergent actually helped to remove the natural human oils in the fingers and the nails, thus making the polish adhere better to the nail and spread smoother. Go figure.

5. Shampoo Buildup? No Problem!

We've all been told that if we use the same shampoo day in and day out that we can actually get something called, "Shampoo Buildup." Well, as a woman, I've read many women's magazines on how to combat this problem, including changing shampoos regularly or using a vinegar rinse on your hair. Now, I've discovered that if you use Dawn dishwashing detergent on your hair just like you would use shampoo, that you can remove excess oil from your hair and scalp (great if you have oily hair) and strip any buildup from your hair, without damaging your hair in the process. It is recommended that you do this about once a month.

6. Use Dawn As a Laundry Pre-Treater

It's amazing just how many stains we get on clothes that are oil based. Lipstick is an oil based stain, as is grease, butter, motor oil, cooking oil, and some pen inks. When faced with an oily stain on an article of clothing, simply apply some Dawn dishwashing detergent directly to the stain and scrub with a small brush or toothbrush until the oil is removed, and then launder as you normally would.

7. Dawn Is Fun to Play With!

When I used to work in child care years ago, we often had little science projects we would do with the children while trying to make it a fun learning experience. One of our projects was to mix Dawn dishwashing detergent with water to make homemade bubble blowers. I'm not sure exactly why, but we found that Dawn makes the best bubbles compared to some of the other detergents we tried.

8. Dawn in Your First Aid Kit?

This website revealed that Dawn dishwashing liquid makes an effective and less messy icepack than using ice. Apparently, you can pour Dawn dishwashing detergent into plastic baggies, seal it, and then freeze it. The cold effect lasts longer than using regular ice. Also, this type of ice pack is reusable, whereas ice melts and has to be replaced. Interesting concept.

9. Wash That Driveway

While there are many chemical solvents and degreasers on the market, most of these are not biodegradable, but Dawn dishwashing detergent is. If you have gasoline or motor oil stains on your driveway, you can use the kitty litter method to clean up the excess oil and then use a solution of Dawn dishwashing detergent and warm water to effectively remove excess motor oil from the pavement. Using a scrub broom and a little bit of muscle power, and your driveway will be once again oil-stain-free.

10. Soak your Tools

After you have finished your automotive repair project, what are you going to do with those dirty tools? Well, you can soak them in a solution of Dawn dishwashing detergent before you put them away to remove all the oil and grime from them. Apparently, many mechanics also claim that using Dawn dishwashing detergent also helps prevent rust from forming on the tools.

There you have it; ten uses for Dawn dishwashing detergent other than washing your dishes. If Dawn works so well on these tough and interesting tasks, then it probably does a pretty good job on those dishes too.

I'm not sure if other brands of dishwashing detergent can do the same things claimed here, but overwhelmingly on the Internet and from people I know in real life, I have found that many swear Dawn is better than other brands at the items listed above.