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Remember this post on everything you need to know about Dawn® Dishwashing liquid? Today I’m sharing the coolest things you can do with blue Dawn®!
Why blue Dawn®? I go into detail in this post why I use this dish soap versus others, so stop by there first to check on that 🙂
I have been trying out these things for years, many are my secret weapons when it comes to things around the house.
There are probably thousands of ways to use blue Dawn®, but I want to list my favorites for you today!
The Coolest Things You Can Do With Blue Dawn® Dishwashing Liquid
What Type of Dawn Is Best?
There are several types of Blue Dawn Dish Soaps to purchase. My go to is always the Blue Dawn Ultra for all of our DIY recipes. It has the most versatility. You can also purchase the Dawn Free and Clear without dyes. This one is the same concentration without dye, so it can be used just like the regular type. I recently bought some from Amazon, and it works just as well!
A few years ago (before this post was written) Dawn also released the Dawn Powerwash. I don’t like this one as much in DIY cleaners, but it is fantastic to use on its own. It is great for just spraying and cleaning certain surfaces. My mom swears by the power wash for her quartz countertops. She sprays, wipes, then buffs with a microfiber. No water needed!
I have tested dozens and dozens of dish soap formulas over the years. Dawn formulas had the best success for DIY cleaners and in the tips below. I compared Dawn to other mainstream dish soaps as well as plant-based options like 7th generation. Dawn performed the best, so it continues to be my go to for DIY cleaning hacks 🙂
1. Unclog a Toilet Or Kitchen Sink
All you need is some dawn and boiling water for this! You can use 1 cup of dawn to 1 bucket (about a gallon or so) of hot to boiling water. First, pour the dawn in the toilet or sink. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Flush with the hot water!
2. Clean Makeup Brushes
I have been using this solution to clean my makeup brushes for years, and it works so good. You can fill a cup with hot water add a few tsp of dawn, then soak your brushes. Get the full tutorial here.
3. Wash Your Dogs Paws
One of the coolest things you can do with blue dawn is wash your dogs paws! These DIY dog paw wipes are great!
4. Kill Weeds
Dawn is the key ingredient in this awesome weed killer! It does a great job of helping the solution “stick” to the leaves.
5. Kills Ants
Similarly, this DIY Ant Killer features blue dawn. The dawn not only helps this solution to also stick, but aides in dehydrating the bugs, killing them. This also works for small spiders and roaches!
6. Make a Homemade Ice Pack
Freezing dawn is a great idea because it doesn’t freeze solid like water will. This makes it more of a gel like solution. Fill a Ziploc bag about half full with dish soap. Make sure it has a good seal on it! Freeze for a few hours, then use it as an ice pack.
7. Get Rid of Fleas on Your Dog
This is a tip from my vet! You can clean your dog with diluted dawn dish soap and water, it deters fleas from their bodies!
8. Clean Your Car
If I need to clean my car interior, I always use a dawn, vinegar, and water. Mix up a few cups of water with a few tablespoons of dawn, then add a few tablespoons of vinegar. Scrub with a brush. Let it dry, then vacuum!
9. Remove Baby Poop Stains
Yes! Dawn is a key ingredient in this DIY baby poop stain remover! This also works for many other stains too.
10. Insect Repellent on Plants
You can use diluted dawn dish soap to keep bugs from outdoor plants. Dish soap dehydrates bugs which kills them!
11. Clean Paint Brushes
After painting, rinse your brushes out well. Then soak in hot water with dawn, it breaks down paint really well. Then rinse with warm water! I use this for all types of paint and different brushes!
12. Clean Rings
A friend of mine told me about this when we were in high school. Her class ring was always sparkling, and I asked her how?? She said she just soaked her rings with blue dawn and water. Her mom told her about it! This was back before I knew much about chemistry lol….all you have to do is add some warm water to a glass, then a couple of drops of dawn. Drop your ring in the glass and let it sit for 30 minutes or so. Remove ring, rinse, then dry with a microfiber cloth.
13. Wash Walls and Cabinets
Dawn is one of the best things for cleaning painted surfaces. It makes cleaning things like walls and cabinets really easy! Fill a large bowl with warm water, then a tablespoon or so blue dawn. You want there to be some soap suds, but not an overwhelming amount. Use a soft cloth to dip into solution, then wipe down the surface.
14. Clean Glass Shower Door
My favorite and super easy shower door tip is to use blue dawn. I have an detailed post on cleaning a really bad shower door here you can read, but a great way to keep up with a glass door is with dawn. I keep a diluted spray bottle in the shower with water and a few tablespoons of blue dawn. While I am taking a shower, I spray the door and wipe it clean. Then rinse with water. After the shower, I let it air dry. It is always sparkling clean!
15. Clean Glass Stove Top
Another tip is to clean a glass stove top quickly. I just use a little diluted dawn, scrub it, then wipe dry with a microfiber cloth.
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Alexis is an investigative chemist sharing her expertise in cleaning, skincare, gardening, and home hacks. She personally tests out products like the best skincare products or home products then shares not only the science behind how it works, but also her personal results. She is the mom of two living in Texas with her husband. Find her on Instagram for fantastic videos, tips, and behind the scenes.
Happy New Year, Alexis! These are great tips! I’m becoming a Dawn convert… I shied away from it because it would dry my skin out when washing dishes with hot water – duh, use gloves! Then came with your “Everything Cleaner”… game changer! I love that cleaner – I mark “my” spray bottle with a big red ribbon so hubby won’t mistake it for product “W”. I should change it to a pink ribbon in your honor… LOL.
Lol that’s awesome Laurie!! I need to mark my spray bottles in some way because my husband always ends up using the wrong thing!
So many uses and such a great post
Thanks Jo-Anne!
Have you commented anywhere about how so many people are sensitive to sodium lauryl sulfate, a main ingredient of Blue Dawn. It makes my hands crack and bleed! It is the reason it makes such a good cleaner. I just think it should be mentioned as a precaution. I have learned that I have to wear gloves if using anything with SLS in it. I have to carry my own tested hand cleaners with me because so many soaps in bathrooms have SLS as an ingredient. It is easier to find products now without SLS, but I have to look carefully and read the ingredients of all products.
Hi Brenda! Yes, our readers know we always suggest using precautions on any cleaning items, natural or store-bought. It’s mentioned in the book too. Dawn has been the most gentle one we’ve tested, but we always suggest using gloves if you have a sensitivity. It’s not just the sodium lauryl sulfate( found also in shampoos and body washes!), but also the alcohols and surfactants. This can happen with natural things like borax and baking soda. In fact, one of my good friends breaks out when she touches baking soda! Everyone reacts differently to things, so always test and use precautions when cleaning 🙂 thanks for your comment!
Thanks so much for your reply. It took me forever to figure out the SLS connection. Even my dermatologist at the time did not think of it. I worked in a lab and was washing my hands often every day. Cracking and bleeding hands is not a good idea when working in a lab. Even though I was of course wearing gloves for all my tasks, it was the hand washing afterwards that was causing the problem. It was a difficult time for me, but after much research, I figured out the problem myself. I have just recently found your sight. Thanks for your hard work.
That’s tough to have to wash your hands and it be the very thing making them worse!! It’s also amazing to me how things impact everyone so differently. My mom has really bad asthma, so she can’t even be around any type of perfume or scent without an asthma attack. Even essential oils!
love blue Dawn but just recently read an article saying it has many toxins in it. I guess it shouldn’t surprise me as everything these days does, but perhaps you can come up with something that is toxin free but can do the job.
Hi Bonnie! I have an article breaking down all the components in blue dawn here. Unfortunately, even “green” dish soaps contain certain chemicals necessary to make them work efficiently. After testing out numerous dish washing liquids over the last few years, blue dawn worked the best. It’s toxicity level is relativity low compared to purchasing many store-bought all purpose cleaners. It has proven to be safe and efficient in our studies, so I continue to use it. I always tell readers to test things and see what works best for your family. There is no way to mimic surfactants at home which is why dishwashing liquids are so popular. I have an article coming up in a few weeks going into details about chemicals in the home, keep an eye out for it 🙂 It goes into detail on some of these subjects!
Thank you for your reply, a pleasant surprise these days. I will look forward to your article as I always find your info so interesting.
You’re welcome Bonnie! I am always here to help 🙂
Hello. I have problems with my joints so I appreciate your advice that allows me to accomplish tasks that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to anymore. I have a concern about your advice for unclogging a toilet. I have been warned by plumbers to put only tap water in a toilet because toilets are seated on a paraffin gasket (I’ve watched it done). This is why some chemicals that heat up for unclogging sinks are not appropriate for toilets; plumbing for sinks does not have paraffin. The paraffin seat can melt, causing the toilet contents to leak onto the floor. It may take a while to see the results, but heat always melts wax.
Yes there are many chemicals that can cause damage to that type of set up. My plumber said dishwashing liquid was safe, but definitely check with your plumber to be sure.
Hello, again. I meant that the problem is the use of hot water, not the soap. The heat will melt the parafin seal.
Hi, we look forward to your Newsletter and the jewels contained therein. My question is, is it safe to use the Dawn if one has a septic tank? Will it cut down the necessary number of bacteria needed to process its work?
Hi Suzanne! I have a lift station, similar to a septic system, and it is safe for us to use. I know people who have used dawn products with their septic system for many decades without issues too. I would definitely check with your plumber just to be sure though since I don’t have first hand experience with a septic system 🙂
Thanks for your reply! Love your stuff !!!
You’re welcome suzanne!
Thank you for your ideas. How can i remove tape stick from a wood headboard without damaging the piece? Thanks
Is the wood painted or coated? If it is, you can use warm water and dish soap to remove it. If it is plain wood, you can use some Murphy’s oil, then condition after cleaning
I love all your priceless information unfortunately I live in a country that does not sell Blue Dawn soap 🙁 can it be substituted for another detergent? For example fairy liquid?
Thank you! I would use the best quality dish soap you can find, something concentrated should work fine.
Thank you so much for getting back with the perfect answer. Can’t wait to get started. Cleaning my rings today!
Hope you enjoyed it!!
Great DIY recipes ! I love learning how to use everyday supplies, that most of us have at home already, to create cleaning methods for so many things you never dreamed would work from everyday supplies ! Thank u for your tips , you make alot of women proud !!!
Thanks Angela! I love sharing the science behind everyday items, it is amazing how useful they can be!
I’m excited to try this on my car’s interior, the walls/cabinets and rings, but mostly the glass stove since this is my first time owning one and I have no idea how to clean it 😂
I was highly impressed about all the things you can do with Dawn. The only piece of advice I can give you is that I strongly recommend no one ever pours a gallon of boiling water and let it sit in the toilet. I did this one time and it resulted in melting the wax seal under my toilet causing a massive flood. Do not do not do not pour boiling water in your toilet.
Yes, for a toilet warm water is okay, but never boiling. A kitchen sink does okay with boiling water as it is made for high temperatures.