Dish soap has a reputation as the one bottle that fixes everything. Your mother probably wiped down the counters, the car and maybe even the carpet with it.
The trouble is that dish soap is built to cut grease off plates, not to be a cure-all. Cleaning experts and home publications have pointed to 10 places where it can leave a mess, a film or real damage behind.
Two sources are used below: a Hunker guide on what to avoid cleaning with Dawn dish soap, and an AOL.com feature that gathers advice from professional cleaners. Each tip is credited to whoever said it, and none of them is a reason to throw out your bottle of dish soap, since it still does its main job beautifully.
Hardwood Floors Can Lose Their Shine When Dish Soap Strips The Finish
According to Hunker, dish soap strips the protective oil or wax finish on hardwood, dulls the shine, and can lead to warping if water seeps in. Hunker points readers toward a purpose-made product, Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Spray, instead.
Nishant Prasad, a co-founder at Clean Fanatics, told the AOL feature that hardwood floors have “a delicate finish that dish soap can strip over time.”
Leather Couches And Bags Can Turn Stiff And Cracked
Both sources warn that dish soap pulls the natural oils out of leather. Hunker says that can leave leather dry and cracked.
Delah Gomasi, CEO at Maid for You, put it this way in the AOL piece: “This causes stiffening and cracking.” Hunker suggests a leather-specific cleaner, naming Leather Honey Leather Cleaner.
Granite And Marble Counters Pick Up A Dull Film Or Stains
Hunker says dish soap leaves a dulling film on natural stone, can cause etching, and can wear down the sealant. The guide names Weiman Stone Care as an alternative.
In the AOL feature, Prasad says soap residue dulls the stone, while Forest Weber, owner of Bear Brothers Cleaning, says residue on porous stone can make it more prone to stains.
Your Cast Iron Pan Loses The Seasoning You Worked So Hard To Build
Hunker explains that dish soap strips the seasoning that gives cast iron its non-stick surface. Its advice is to clean the pan with hot water and a stiff brush.
Gomasi agrees in the AOL feature, saying “soap is going to strip the coating off.”
The Inside Of Your Coffee Maker Was Never Meant For Suds
Hunker says the internal parts of a coffee maker are not built for foam and are hard to rinse. The guide recommends distilled white vinegar and water for the inside, while noting that the outside can be washed with dish soap.
The AOL feature adds that a sudsy mess can affect the taste of your coffee, and it also points to white vinegar for descaling.
Windows And Mirrors End Up Streaky Instead Of Sparkling
Hunker says dish soap can leave a hazy film and streaks on glass that take a lot of water to rinse away. A spray made with distilled white vinegar is the guide’s suggestion.
Gomasi makes the same point in the AOL piece, saying soapy solutions do not leave a clear, streak-free finish and can leave a film after rinsing.
Carpets Can Get Grimier Faster After A Soapy Scrub
This one surprises people. Hunker says leftover foam can form a sticky film in carpet fibers that attracts dirt and makes the carpet look grimy sooner.
If you have ever scrubbed a spot and watched it reappear a week later, that sticky residue is the culprit Hunker describes.
Phones, Tablets And TV Screens Can End Up Permanently Cloudy
Prasad of Clean Fanatics told the AOL feature that soap can ruin the delicate coatings on electronic screens. The result he describes is streaking and permanent cloudiness.
It is a high price to pay for a quick wipe, especially on a device that cost hundreds of dollars.
Houseplants With Bugs Need The Right Kind Of Soap
Hunker notes that dish soap does not reliably get rid of plant pests and can cause phytotoxicity, which means damage to the plant itself. The guide recommends a true insecticidal soap used according to the manufacturer’s directions and names Bonide as one brand.
Check the label on whatever you buy, because the directions are there for a reason.
The Dishwasher And Washing Machine Can Overflow With Suds
Hunker says you should never put dish soap in a dishwasher, because the excess suds can flood the kitchen and damage the appliance. It names Finish Quantum dishwasher pods as the product to use. For clothes, the guide says suds can clog the pump and drain and leave clothes soapy, and it names Tide Free and Gentle liquid detergent.
Weber of Bear Brothers Cleaning told the AOL feature that dish soap is too sudsy for both machines and can leave residue that damages internal parts and potentially causes expensive leaks.
The bottom line from both sources: dish soap is wonderful at its day job on greasy plates and pots. For floors, leather, stone, screens and appliances, the right product for the surface will usually serve you better, so check the label on the item you are cleaning before you reach for the Dawn.
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