A lot of home hacks seem to involve Dawn dish soap. But it’s not only saved pots and pans from demise but wildlife as well. Of course, it’s not a natural product and those chemicals do leech into the soil, so we’re not saying it’s a miraculous product that should be applied to anything. But there are some problems only a grease-cutting agent like Dawn can solve.
Click ahead for 30 ways you can use it around the house.
Oil spills are devastating ecological events. And if you’ve ever read about one in the news, especially one close to shore, you’ve no doubt seen a photo of ducks and other birds being cleaned with Dawn dish soap. And that’s some serious muck to cut through! The company is so proud of this they even put a duck on some of their bottles and sometimes proceeds from their sales go to wildlife foundations.
Making bubbles is a blast. But if you’ve run out of your supply, you can simply mix one-half cup of Dawn with a half-gallon of water and one tablespoon of glycerin or Karo syrup. In minutes, they can continue making bubbles.
Depending on the job, some tools get greasy, such as those used by automotive mechanics. To make them look shiny and new but also to improve their functionality, Dawn works great. All you need are a little bit of the dishwashing soap on a rag – and a little elbow grease, of course.
Whether from your vehicle or one that another person drives, you could end up with oil stains on your driveway. Although this doesn’t cause any real harm, it looks terrible. With Dawn, a scrub brush, and water, you can remove them quickly.
Whether you got suntan oil in your hair or build-up from a hair mask gone wrong, Dawn can be a solution. Since it’s mild, it won’t cause much damage, but it will dry out your strands, so use sparingly. It will also strip your hair of any dye that’s in it – which can be a good reason to use it or a reason to avoid it.
Any oil from your hair transfers to your brushes, so they should be cleaned every couple of weeks. To clean them, remove the loose strands, then, soak your hairbrushes for about 30 minutes in a sink that contains one tablespoon of Dawn, one tablespoon of borax, and hot water. Then rinse thoroughly.
For this problem, Dawn works in two unique ways. First, you can clean your glasses by rubbing a small dab of soap onto the lenses and then wiping it off with a soft, dry cloth. Second, the invisible film will prevent your eyeglasses from fogging up again.
8. De-gunk fireplace brick
If you have a wood-burning fireplace, soot builds up over time. Rub a mixture of one-half cup of Dawn, one-half cup of salt, and just enough water to make a paste. Apply that to the surface, let it dry, and then scrub it using a soft-bristled brush. When finished, rinse the bricks with a sponge and warm water.
Rather than toss out a piece of clothing because you spilled red wine or spaghetti sauce on it, use Dawn. Just apply the dishwashing soap directly on the stain and with a toothbrush, then scrub. Now you can launder as usual and the stain should be history.
There’s nothing pretty about raggedy cuticles. And clipping them usually doesn’t make them look any better. Instead, soak your fingers in Dawn, rinse, and then gently push them back. Your nails will look fantastic in no time. Just make sure you don’t have any open cuts!
Whether you changed a wall color or worked on a craft project, it’s never fun to get paint on your hands. Usually, it’s hard to get off. But not when you wash your skin with Dawn! The same goes for those fun punky hair colors when you forget to use gloves.
Although there are some pretty good commercial window cleaning products on the market, most cost a pretty penny. If you don’t have any on hand, you can use Dawn. Just put three drops of dishwashing soap into one gallon of water, pour it into a spray bottle, and then clean as usual.
Between busy schedules, tight budgets, and the pandemic, a lot of people are now coloring their hair at home. But as non-professionals, sometimes the dye ends up on the skin. To remove it, a little bit of Dawn and warm water work wonders.
Few things are more frustrating than dealing with a clogged toilet, especially if you have kids and only one bathroom. Before you call a plumber, try pouring one cup of Dawn into the bowl and letting it sit for 20 minutes. Then, dump a bucket of hot water into the toilet.
Dawn is a great way to kill fleas on your pets. Just use the dish soap in place of shampoo. Even though this kills fleas on contact, it’s perfectly safe for the animals. Just remember that it’s not a guarantee, so your pet may need further care, so keep an eye on them and ask your vet before applying any foreign substance to your animal’s skin.
16. De-smudge stainless steel appliances
Today, a lot of people choose stainless steel appliances because they look so sleek, but they show dirt and fingerprints after about 5 minutes. To eliminate those, place a small dab of Dawn on a sponge and then wipe down the surfaces. When finished, spray the appliances with clean water and dry them with paper towels.
Most people have multiple cleaning products under the sink. But with Dawn, that’s all you need. It’s safe to use on any material, whether ceramic, glass, wood, or plastic. As long as surfaces are rinsed and dried, they’ll be clean and look amazing.
18. Apply to poison ivy rashes
The itching caused by poison ivy is enough to drive you crazy. But if you know you’ve touched some, treating the area with Dawn and water may just help you avoid the bad rash the comes after. If you’re too late, try it anyway as it may keep the rash from getting torturous.
Although this hack is ideal for any cabinets, it works particularly well on those in kitchens closest to the stove. When cooking, your surfaces become coated with grease over time. Using a little bit of Dawn and warm water will take it right off.
Ice-covered driveways, walkways, and other concrete surfaces are a hassle to clean and potentially dangerous. If you don’t have a de-icing product around, try pouring a mixture of one teaspoon of Dawn, one teaspoon of rubbing alcohol, and one-half gallon of hot water over the area you want to de-ice.
21. Get showers and tubs gleaming
It doesn’t take much time for showers and tubs to become incredibly dirty. In some instances, grime, sludge, and slime accumulate, making them more difficult to clean. But by microwaving a half-bottle of vinegar topped off with Dawn that you spray on the surfaces, you’ll never go back to conventional products again.
Summer is a great time of year for hanging out with friends, visiting the beach, and having family over for barbecues. But it’s also when ants invade. Spraying your cupboards, countertops, window sills, and other areas where you find these pests with a mixture of Dawn and water and they’ll disappear.
To clean tires and rims, you usually have to purchase two different products. But Dawn will get both of them sparkling clean. All you need is some dish soap and a wet rag, along with water for rinsing.
Aphids are a real pain for anyone with fruits trees. Not only are they destructive but also hard to get rid of. But by spraying the trees with a mixture of Dawn and water, you won’t have to worry about these nasty pests.
25. De-gunk and de-tangle hair
Kids have a reputation for getting things stuck in their hair. That includes suckers, gum, cereal, and more. An easy way to remove the goo and detangle their hair is by using your fingers to work a few drops of Dawn through the strands. Just add some conditioner after you rinse because it dries out delicate strands.
You can even use Dawn dishwashing soap to lubricate things like door hinges, window locks, doorknobs, sliding glass doors, and so on.
Whether you put a sticker on the back of your car or your child stuck a label on their bedroom mirror, it might’ve seemed like a good idea at the time. But when trying to take it off, well, good luck. Thanks to Dawn, you can remove anything sticky in little time and without much effort.
28. De-slime a kiddie pool
If you have kids but not a swimming pool in your backyard or access to one in the community, a kiddie pool will have to do. But these plastic pools get dirty and slimy. As you probably guessed, all you need to do is clean it with Dawn and water.
Similar to how Dawn works to unclog a toilet, it helps with clogged sinks, bathtubs, and showers. For this, pour one-half cup of dishwashing soap down the drain and then let it sit for about 30 minutes. After that, flush the drain with two to three gallons of hot water.
There’s nothing like freshly laundered clothes. But even if you have a top-of-the-line washing machine and use quality detergent, some stains are hard to remove. For those caused by coffee, wine, lipstick, cooking oil, butter, and pen ink, pretreat them first. You’ll be amazed at the results.
A lot of home hacks seem to involve Dawn dish soap. But it’s not only saved pots and pans from demise but wildlife as well. Of course, it’s not a natural product and those chemicals do leech into the soil, so we’re not saying it’s a miraculous product that should be applied to anything. But there are some problems only a grease-cutting agent like Dawn can solve.
Click ahead for 30 ways you can use it around the house.
