09 Jan 2026 6 Things Dish Soap Cleans Amazingly Well (Besides Dishes)
Yes, really—this humble cleaner has some surprising talents.
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There’s a true unsung hero for cleaning lots of things around your home, and you’re probably already using it every day: dish soap. “Dish soap is honestly one of those underrated cleaning heroes we all already have at home,” says Claudia Meneses, CEO & founder of Avanti Green Eco Cleaning. “It works wonders breaking down grease stains on all kinds of items and surfaces, especially when you use a gentle, eco-friendly one.” If you’re ready to use this old product in entirely new ways, here are six things you probably didn’t realize dish soap could clean.
Stubborn Clothing Stains
Did you spill some salad dressing on your outfit? What about oil while cooking? A little bit of dish soap will have you saying sayonara to that splatter while saving your shirt. Robin Murphy, chief cleaning officer at Maid Brigade, agrees: “People think dish soap is only for plates, but it’s actually a gentle degreaser designed to break down oils.”
So squirt a drop or two of dish soap on the stain and give it a few hours to absorb before tossing it in the wash. Just be sure not to overload your laundry with detergent when doing this, or wash a lot of items where you’ve pre-treated the stains with dish soap all at once, because the load can become too soapy. To make sure everything rinses properly, add an extra rinse cycle if possible.
Greasy Appliances and Cabinets
Is your multipurpose spray just not getting out that stuck-on grease? Try a rag or paper towels with some dish soap and water. “It’s great for cutting grease on kitchen cabinets, stovetops, oven hoods, and refrigerator handles, spot-cleaning carpets, rugs, and upholstery,” Meneses says.
Best of all, it’s a more eco-friendly approach. “A few drops in warm water remove sticky cooking residue and dull film without harsh chemicals,” Murphy says. Just be sure to wipe everything off with a wet rag when you’re done to rinse away any excess soap residue.
Soap Scum
Meneses reveals that dish soap does a great job tackling soap scum on sinks, tubs, shower doors, and faucets. This means there’s really no need to splurge on that expensive bathroom cleaner to tackle this problem.
Makeup Brushes
“Dish soap breaks down foundation and oil buildup,” Murphy says. Add warm water to a large cup, then add a drop or two of dish soap. Place your brushes in the cup, brush-side down. Soak just the brushes but not the metal part (aka the ferrule). Swirl them for a few seconds, then rinse thoroughly.