Written by Bernie Carr
I use blue Dawn Dishwashing Liquid for washing plates and silverware, but it has so many other uses both for everyday use as well as emergencies. Try them and you may even find yourself saving money.
Stain remover
As soon as you notice a new stain, apply blue Dawn Dishwashing liquid to the stain. Add a little water and allow suds to form. Launder as normal. 99% of the time I have done this, the stain is gone after one washing. If the stain is still there, apply more Dawn and re-wash.
Tick remover
If you find a tick on your skin, place one drop of Dawn on the tick. Have a pair of tweezers ready. The tick will stick his head out from the skin and try to escape. Use the tweezers to capture the tick and dispose of it.
Insect spray
In a spray bottle, add water then add two teaspoons of Dawn dishwashing liquid. Shake well to mix. Spray on flies, wasps, mosquitoes, caterpillars, etc. It coats the bugs then dries them out.
Emergency shampoo
In an emergency and if you have nothing else to use, blue Dawn can be an emergency shampoo or body wash. This is not for everyday use, though, as it may dry out your hair and skin.
Hand soap
Reuse a liquid soap pump container, preferably the sudsing kind.
If you are using a regular pump container, fill 3/4 water and 1/4 Dawn liquid.
If you are using a sudsing container, add two to three tablespoons of Dawn liquid and fill the rest with water. Shake and use!
Car wash soap
Car aficionados may disagree with me on this, but in a pinch, I’ve used Blue Dawn to safely wash my car and get rid of grease stains. I washed immediately after to keep the shine.
Clear eyeglasses
To prevent your glasses from fogging up on a humid day, place a drop of Dawn on your finger and coat the inside of your glasses. Wipe clean.
Survival ice pack
Need an ice pack for an injury? Make one:
- Pour a cup of dish soap into the sandwich bag.
- Seal the sandwich bag.
- Flatten the sandwich bag, removing any air. Double bag it to prevent leakage.
- Lie flat in the freezer. Freeze for two hours or until it has a gel like consistency.
- Place on the sore area for 10 minutes at a time.
Mirror or glass cleaner
Fill a spray bottle with water and add two tablespoons of Dawn. Shake to mix. Spray on mirrors or glass windows and wipe with a paper towel or soft cloth.
You can also mix in Dawn and vinegar (50/50 proportion) and use this mixture as a shower cleaner.
Help unclog a drain
I’ve used Dawn to help unclog a drain or toilet by pouring around a quarter cup and following with hot water.
Hopefully, you got a few ideas to try out. It may not have to be Dawn brand, but since it’s the one I’ve been using at home for years, it’s the one I can recommend. This list is just a start – what are your favorite emergency uses for dish liquid? Please share in the comments!
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About the author:
Bernie Carr is the founder of Apartment Prepper. She has written several books including the best-selling Prepper’s Pocket Guide, Jake and Miller’s Big Adventure, The Penny-Pinching Prepper and How to Prepare for Most Emergencies on a $50 a Month Budget. Her work appears in sites such as the Allstate Blog and Clark.com, as well as print magazines such as Backwoods Survival Guide and Prepper Survival Guide. She has been featured in national publications such as Fox Business and Popular Mechanics. Learn more about Bernie here.
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