But, put simply, there is a secret ingredient. While the complete “recipe” is inaccessible for the masses, a Dawn spokeswoman has pointed the magic to uniquely powerful surfuctants—or, the chemical compounds that reduce the surface tension of a liquid when it's dissolved, aka the stuff that cuts the grease.
If you simply want the dish soap that cleans better than any other dish soap—all other factors be damned—Dawn Platinum Dishwashing Liquid is the best dish soap for you. This blue Dawn dish soap is very similar to the original Dawn Ultra formulation, and it's easy to confuse the two when shopping.
Here's why Dawn is the right choice, every time: America's Best Selling Dish Soap. Removes up to 99% of grease and food residue* Helps clean grills, greasy stains, and hard to clean kitchen accessories like air fryers.
It's not much of a secret that Country Living editors love Dawn dish soap. Besides being great at cleaning dishes, the classic blue squeeze-bottle stuff can get paint out of clothes, make porch screens look new again, and even unclog a toilet. It's great!
Why It Works. “Dish soap serves as a lubricant for clogs and helps them slide through the pipes,” explains Justin Cornforth, an experienced plumber and CEO at Ace Plumbing.
Expert cleaners at Classic Cleaners confirm that original blue dawn can be used for many things, not just the dishes, because of it's grease dissolving properties. It's also non-toxic, not harmful to your skin, it's biodegradable and it contains no phosphates.
The safest dish soaps are those free from harmful chemicals like SLS, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances. Look for products with certifications like MadeSafe, EWG Verified, or Leaping Bunny. Brands like Meliora, Dr. Bronner's, and Sonett are excellent choices.
Dawn is often more expensive but is justified by its strong performance and cleaning efficiency. Palmolive is generally more budget-friendly, with users appreciating its gentle formulas and environmental focus. Individual preferences and cleaning needs will help determine which brand provides better value for money.
While you can buy antibacterial dish soap from brands like Palmolive and Dawn, they really aren't necessary. The FDA has said that there is no concrete evidence showing that antibacterial soap is more effective at removing germs than regular dish soap and water. It's more about the actual physical action of washing.
If swallowed, it can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. If splashed in the eyes, it can cause eye irritation. Dish soap should not be mixed with other household products as this can produce dangerous fumes.
The Scientific Difference
While the complete “recipe” is inaccessible for the masses, a Dawn spokeswoman has pointed the magic to uniquely powerful surfuctants—or, the chemical compounds that reduce the surface tension of a liquid when it's dissolved, aka the stuff that cuts the grease.
Dawn is the only mission to orbit two deep-space destinations. Enabled by the exceptional efficiency of ion propulsion, Dawn became the first spacecraft to orbit two deep-space bodies. This is an exciting engineering feat, demonstrating the feasibility of multi-world exploration.
2. Use It as a Clarifying Shampoo Substitute. First, let's get this straight: replacing your regular shampoo with Dawn is definitely not recommended. However, some people swear by using a very small amount of the dish soap a couple of times a year to get rid of stubborn buildup that conventional shampoos can't touch.
Dawn and Fairy are both produced by P&G and are pretty much the same. The coloring doesn't mean anything, it's just dye. In the US, people specify the “blue Dawn” because there are other types with additives that Dawn produces, but they're made to be gentler on hands, and don't clean as well.
What the company doesn't advertise -- and these days is reluctant to admit -- is that the grease-cutting part of the potion is made from petroleum. "To make the best product out there, you have to have some in there," says Ian Tholking of Procter & Gamble. He says less than one-seventh of Dawn comes from petroleum.
Dawn Platinum Dish Soap
As for its effectiveness on dishes, it also powers through the toughest greasy messes, tackling the oily residue inside and outside of stainless steel cookware with very little effort during my tests.
Fairy is also sold in Germany: in 2000 it was briefly renamed Dawn (the brand used in the North American market), but, after sharply declining sales due to an unfamiliar brand, the Fairy name was revived in 2002. In Sweden and Norway, P&G premium dishwashing products are branded as Yes, as seen on the adjacent picture.
Many users appreciate its gentle formula that is easy on the hands and its ability to tackle tough stains on both dishes and laundry. However, a significant number of customers have expressed dissatisfaction with the recent change to the scent, finding it overpowering and unpleasant compared to the original formula.
In our test, Dawn Gentle Clean was less drying to the skin than others we tested, and it still did a great job cutting grease. Some testers reported that their hands felt softer, too, after using it.
Dawn is an American brand of dishwashing liquid owned by Procter & Gamble.
Applying dish soap before the night gives the solution ample time to work its magic. As the hours pass, the dish soap loosens and lifts away the grime that has taken residence on your bathtub's surface.
Not only has the bottle received an upgrade, but so has the formula. Dawn said that its soap has been updated to help cut grease and other messes more “quickly and easily,” Guerin McClure, vice president of North America dish care at P&G, said in a statement.
As it turns out, you can actually unclog a toilet with dish soap instead of turning to a harsh, toxic bowl cleaner. Just as natural dish soap helps break down dirt, grease, and food that may be stuck on dishes and utensils, it can help break down what's in your toilet bowl.