Try These 26 Alternative Uses for Original Blue Dawn Dish Soap
Original blue Dawn dish soap is great for washing dishes, but there are so many more frugal and practical uses for it! Save money and stay within your budget with these 26 alternative uses for original Blue Dawn dishwashing soap, which is biodegradable and gentle for the environment.
Hey y’all, Tiffany here, with some great alternative uses for Blue Dawn Original dishwashing soap.
I’m all about saving money on food and my groceries. That’s why I am so excited to have these alternative uses for Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid!
Blue Dawn Alternative Uses
1. Wildlife protection
Ever wonder why Dawn Dish Soaps is the wildlife cleaner and cleaning agent of choice after an oil spill?
According to the International Bird Rescue Research Center, Dawn effectively removes grease but does not cause harm to animals or the sensitive skin part of the birds. This is due to the quality of its formulation, which includes sodium laureth sulfate, an effective surfactant.
It’s also biodegradable and contains no phosphates!
2. Bubbles
Dawn dishwashing liquid makes great homemade bubbles! Bubbles are one of our favorite free activities to do at home.
This is the Giant Bubble Recipe used in bubble makers that sell at many children’s museums:
- 1/2 cup Ultra Dawn
- 1/2 gallon warm water
- 1 tablespoon glycerin (available at any drug store) OR White Karo syrup
If you want different recipes, here’s a post about how to make soap bubbles with a variety of different methods – including one with sugar!
Stir gently. Skim the foam off the top of the solution (too much foam breaks down the bubbles). Dip the bubble wand and get ready for some good, clean fun!
A way to make this even more fun is with this DIY Bubble Wand for Kids to Make
3. Greasy hair
Kids get into the darnedest things! Like Vaseline and baby oil rubbed into their hair! Blue Dawn dish soap, with its original formula, is not only mild enough to use on their hair but also offers the best performance in removing even the most stubborn grease. Its gentle yet effective formula ensures thorough cleansing without causing any harm, making it a trusted choice for parents dealing with such mishaps.
4. Hair product buildup
Once a month, use the original scent of Dawn, enriched with lauramine oxide, as you would shampoo for effective cleansing. It will remove excess oil from your hair and scalp, as well as strip away any build-up of styling products, without causing any damage. By incorporating this into your routine, you can avoid the need to purchase expensive salon products that offer similar fragrances.
5. Manicure
Soaking your fingers in full-strength Dawn Free & Clear not only makes the skin and cuticles soft and easy to work with, but it also effectively removes natural oils, ensuring that nail polish adheres well. Additionally, Dawn Free & Clear is gentle on the skin and does not trigger allergies, making it a suitable choice for sensitive individuals.
6. Houseplant insects
A safe, effective way to repel insects from your houseplants, including aphids, spider mites, and mealybugs, forever. Put a drop of Dawn Dishwashing Liquid in a spray bottle, fill the rest of the bottle with water, shake well, and mist your household plants with soapy water spray.
If you want to remove harmful insects, bacteria, and animals from your house, lawn, and garden, we have six helpful tips for you here.
7. Fleas
Use it to bathe the dogs and rid them of fleas effectively. It kills fleas on the animals in contact with soap and is much cheaper than other brands of expensive dog shampoos that often contain fragrances.
We have used this trick multiple times, and it works amazingly well! It’s a great alternate use for Blue Dawn!
8. Automotive tools
After you have finished your automotive repair project, soak your dirty tools in Dawn before you put them away to remove all the oil and grime. Dawn also helps prevent rust from forming on the tools. It’s a great alternate use for Blue Dawn!
9. Ice pack
Partially fill a strong zip-type sandwich bag with Dawn dishwashing liquid, containing sodium chloride, close, and freeze. The liquid dishwashing dish soap also stays cold much longer due to the presence of sodium chloride, and it can be re-frozen many times. It will conform to the place where you need an ice pack.
10. Tub/shower cleaner
Take a spray bottle and fill it halfway with white vinegar, known for its ability to combat bacteria. Heat in the microwave. Fill the rest of the way with original-scented blue Dawn. Put the lid on and shake to mix well. Spray on your tub and shower walls. Allow to sit for a few minutes and rinse away. It will melt all the gunk, slime, sludge, and other stuff that builds up, including a bathtub ring.
Cover greasy footprints on shower floors with a coating of Dawn; let sit overnight. Scrub away the gunk in the morning with a stiff brush.
This is a great hack to go along with these 25 free printable spring-cleaning checklists.
11. Ant repellant
Ants have been a nightmare in our home lately, causing concerns. This did the trick!
Spray countertops, cupboards, and any other area where you see ants with a solution of Dawn and water. Wipe dry.
The slight residue of the new Dawn scent, that remains, will not be a problem at all for kids or pets, but ants hate it. Should you see a trail of ants, go ahead and hit them with the new Dawn to spray. The added benefit? It leaves a pleasant scent behind!
12. Cloth diapers
Add a squirt or two of original Dawn dish soap to your washer and run a hot wash, then a gentle rinse until there are no more bubbles.
Dawn is a degreasing cleaning agent and helps to strip the smell of grease by removing oily grease residue. Be sure to rinse, rinse, and rinse until the water runs clear.
13. Toilet clogs
A cup of Dawn dish detergent is poured into a clogged toilet, ensuring it coats the affected area thoroughly, and left to sit for approximately 15 minutes. This allows the Dawn to break down the blockage. Then, follow up by pouring a bucket of hot water from waist height into the toilet bowl. The force of the water should help dislodge and flush away the obstruction, effectively clearing the toilet.
14. Window cleaner
Try this recipe from Merry Maids:
- 3 drops Dawn
- 1 gallon water
Mix the Dawn dishwashing liquids into the water and fill a spray bottle with the solution. Spray and wipe as you would with any window cleaner.
15. Poison ivy
Poison ivy spreads through the spread of the oil within the blisters. Washing the affected area with Dawn, especially on children who keep scratching to break the blisters open, can be helpful. This gentle antibacterial can help dry up the fluid and keep it from spreading, aided by alcohol denat, an effective drying agent.
16. Driveway cleaner
If you have gasoline or motor oil stains on your driveway, you can use the kitty litter method to clean up the excess grease or oil.
Then use a scrub broom and a solution of biodegradable Dawn dishwashing detergent and warm water to safely and effectively remove excess motor oil from the pavement.
17. Oily skin
Dawn also serves as an excellent facial cleanser for those with oily and sensitive skin. Just mix a drop or two with warm water to effectively refresh and cleanse your skin, leaving you feeling revitalized with its original scent. This alternative use for Blue Dawn provides a simple yet effective skincare solution.
18. Paint/grease remover
Dawn ultra dishwashing liquid combined with vinegar and corn oil makes for the perfect paint or grease remover. Simply combine vinegar with a bit of both in your hands, then rub it over the affected areas.
The combination of corn oil and the dishwashing liquid containing sodium lauryl sulfate helps dissolve the grease and paint – yet leaves skin soft, unlike harsher paint removers.
19. Kiddie pool cleaner
Plastic-wading pools can get disgusting very fast. Dump the water, then scrub the pool with a little Dawn and a sponge. More potent cleaners like bleach will weaken and dry out the plastic in the sun. It’s a great alternate use for Blue Dawn!
20. Multipurpose cleaner
Merry Maids recommends washing and using a drop of Dawn in water to clean ceramic tile and no-wax/linoleum floors. You can also use the spray on:
- Bathroom and kitchen counters, wash dishes and sinks.
- Woodwork, e.g., baseboards, shelves, and wainscoting. (Dry as you go–wood doesn’t like prolonged contact with water.)
- Tubs and toilet seats.
21. Oily stains on laundry
For oil-based stains essential oils such as lipstick, grease, butter, motor oil, cooking oil, and some pen inks, simply apply some Dawn dishwashing liquid directly to the stain. Scrub with a small brush or toothbrush until the oil is removed, and then launder as usual.
22. Non-toxic lubricant
Sliding glass doors, door knobs, hinges, etc. It lasts much longer than any aerosol-type spray that I have tried in other countries. And It’s non-toxic! It does a great job of cleaning the parts that it’s lubricating as well!
23. Sidewalk ice
For icy steps and sidewalks in freezing temperatures, mix the following:
- 1 teaspoon of Dawn dishwashing liquid
- 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol
- 1/2 gallon hot/warm water
Pour the mixture over walkways. They won’t refreeze. No more salt eating at the concrete in your sidewalks!
24. Pool cleaner
Squirt Dawn down the middle of the pool, and it will effectively move all the dirt, suntan lotion, and other debris to the edges of the pool. This not only simplifies the clean-up process but also ensures that the pool is thoroughly cleaned and ready for use.
25. Glasses defogger
Simply rub a small drop of Dawn on eyeglass lenses, then wipe them clean. This will leave a fragile film that helps prevent the lenses from breaking or fogging up. It’s a great, gentle alternative use for Blue Dawn!
26. Aphids on fruit trees
Mix the following and put it in your sprayer:
- two tablespoons Dawn
- 1 gallon of water
Try to get spray on both sides of the leaves, branches, and tree trunks. Let sit for about 15 minutes and then rinse the trees THOROUGHLY!
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