It’s a kitchen staple we all rely on: dish soap. While, you may think it’s only good for washing your dishes, the best brands can also tackle all kinds of messes around the house.
Got hair dye on your skin? Grab a small amount of dish soap. Need to clean your makeup brush? Dish soap’s got you. Just add one part olive oil.
It even works wonders to reduce condensation on windows, stopping squeaky doors and clearing out clogged drains.
Dish soap can also kill those pesky bugs on your plants.
“A few teaspoons of dish soap with water in a spray bottle and it will work as a gentle and effective insecticide,” said Jodhaira Rodriguez with Consumer Reports.
With so many brands and formulations, Consumer Reports suggests one brand that stands out as top choice.
“The editor’s choice was Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid,” said Rodriguez. “Its rich suds have kept it ahead of the rest for years.”
But, despite the fact that dish soap is great for hand washing dishes, it should not be used in your dishwasher.
Some TikTok users have also suggested using dish soap to brighten your laundry and remove oil stains, but Consumer Reports said this could end up causing problems for your appliances.
“Using dish soap in a washing machine or dishwasher might seem harmless, but it creates way too many suds and can cause leaks, poor cleaning performances, or even damage to the machine over time,” Rodriguez said.
Dish soap is not designed to use on fabrics, the way laundry detergent is. A few drops as a spot remover is OK, just make sure not to use too much, as it can be hard to rinse out.
It’s also important to keep in mind that dish soap is made to cut through oil and grease, so it can strip away your skin’s natural oils.
The same goes for your hair, it should not be used as shampoo as it can cause damage to your hair and irritate your scalp.
