25 Remarkable Ways to Use Blue Dawn Outside the Kitchen

Take a look under the sink where you keep your cleaning products. See a bottle of Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid? Well, say “Hello” to a very versatile and surprisingly multi-purpose household product.

Original Blue Dawn

Original Blue Dawn, a product of Procter & Gamble, was introduced in 1972. Since then, it has gone through several tweaks, changes, and upgrades so that today we see a number of varieties including Dawn Ultra and Dawn Platinum, to name just a few. According to the International Bird Rescue Research Center, Blue Dawn is biodegradable and contains no phosphates. 

What is Ultra Version Blue Dawn?

 

The Ultra version is highly concentrated. Dawn Platinum contains enzymes to help break down tough, cooked-on foods and that “original” refers to the scent from the original 1972 product.

Does any of this matter when it comes to the amazing ways Dawn can be used so effectively outside the kitchen? Probably not. But does the color matter? I can’t prove it, but I think it does because its formula is a highly guarded and proprietary trade secret. And if it has “Ultra,” 2X or 4X or even 5X on the label, it’s highly concentrated so you can use less.

Blue Dawn is a highly effective degreaser.

Here’s the bottom line: If it’s Dawn and it’s blue, you can count on it to be an amazing product with tons of very effective if not ingenious uses!

Ice pack

Partially fill a strong zip-type sandwich bag with Dawn dishwashing liquid, close. Just to be safe, double bag it. Freeze. Dawn stays cold much longer while remaining flexible, which means it will conform to the place you need an ice pack. It can be re-frozen many times.

Tree sap

If you get tree sap on your hands, clothes or car, hit it with a bit of Blue Dawn. It will eat through the sap without harming your skin, clothing or the car’s paint finish.

Tub, shower, bathroom scum

Fill a spray bottle half full of white vinegar. Fill the rest of the way with Blue Dawn. Put the lid on and shake well. Spray on your tub and shower walls, allowing it to sit for a few minutes to an hour before rinsing away. This will even take care of the bathtub ring. Let it sit on the shower floor overnight, scrub the scum and gunk away in the morning. More here.

Laundry stains

For fresh or old oil-based stains such as lipstick, grease, butter, motor oil, cooking oil, and most pen inks—even stains that have made it through the washer and dryer multiple times—apply full-strength Dawn liquid directly to the stain. Allow to sit for a bit then launder as usual. For really tough challenges, apply Dawn then scrub with a small brush or toothbrush until the oil is removed.

Floor cleaner

Add 1 drop (just one, please!) Blue Dawn to each 1 cup warm water to clean ceramic tile and no-wax/linoleum floors. Seriously effective!

Bubble Party

Mix together 1/2 cup concentrated Ultra Dawn, 1/2 gallon warm water, and 1 tablespoon glycerin, available at any drug store. (Light  Karo syrup works in place of glycerin if you have that on hand). Stir gently. Skim the foam off the top of the solution, as too much foam will break down the bubbles. Dip your bubble wand and get ready for some good, clean fun! Makes big, strong bubbles.

Hand degreaser

Forget those pricey automotive hand cleaners. Full strength Blue Dawn cuts through grease and cleans hands and nails with no harsh chemicals.

Door Lubricant

An easy way to fix a squeaky door is with just a drop of Dawn on each hinge. Do the same to lubricate the tracks of sliding doors.

Unclog toilet

Pour a cup of Blue Dawn into the toilet bowl and let it sit for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour a bucket of super hot water from waist height into the toilet bowl to clear it out—an amazing trick!

Clean automotive tools

Soak them in a solution of Blue Dawn before you put them away to remove all the oil and grime. As a bonus Dawn will help prevent rust from forming on the tools. I don’t know why.

Manicure secret

Soak fingers in full-strength Blue Dawn. It makes the cuticles soft and easy to work with. And it removes the natural oil from the fingernails, which allows the polish to adhere very well.

Repel ants

Spray countertops, cupboards, and any other area where you see ants with a very weak solution of Blue Dawn and water—one spray bottle of water plus 3 drops Blue Dawn. Wipe dry. The slight residue of Dawn 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 Blue Dawn spray. You’ll see. It will kill them.

Kill wasps

Add 1 tablespoon Blue Dawn to a quart of hot water. Pour into a spray bottle and let those wasps have it. Instant annihilation!

Keep Bugs Away

A full water bottle with sprayer top and only one drop of Blue Dawn will act as a natural bug repellent for your plants both indoors and outdoors. A light coating will keep those pesky insects away.

Poison Ivy

If you have an unfortunate encounter with poison ivy, wash the affected area with Blue Dawn. It helps to quickly dry the blisters and keep it from spreading.

Pet shampoo

Use Blue Dawn to bathe the dogs. It kills fleas on contact, is much cheaper than expensive dog shampoos, and very gentle for their skin.

Window cleaner

Mix 3 drops of Blue Dawn in 1 gallon of water. Use this liquid to fill a spray bottle. Spray your windows and wipe just as you would with any window cleaner.

Driveway stain cleaner

If you have unsightly oil stains on your driveway, squirt a large amount of Dawn soap onto the oil stain. Use a stiff bristle brush to scrub the stain until you start to see the oil pulling out of the surface. Rinse off with a hose and repeat this until the stain is gone. OR …

Driveway clean-up

Ugly oil and grease spots on a concrete driveway are no problem if you know this secret: First sprinkling kitty litter on the fresh oil to absorb the excess oil. Next, cover the spot with warm water and a squirt of Blue Dawn and scrub with a stiff brush or broom. Allow to sit for a while, then safely rinse away with a garden hose.

Hair product buildup

Once a month use Blue Dawn in place of your regular shampoo. It will remove excess oil from your hair and scalp and strip away any build-up of styling products—without any damage. Perform this regularly and you won’t have to buy expensive salon products that do the same thing.

Pool cleaner

Squirt Blue Dawn full strength down the middle of the pool and all of the dirt, suntan lotion, etc. will move to the edges of the pool for easy cleanup and a sparkling pool.

Defog eyeglasses

To prevent your glasses from fogging up, rub a small drop of Blue Dawn on the lenses and wipe clean.

Stuff in hair

Kids get the darnedest things in their hair, like Vaseline, baby oil, gum, Silly Putty, you name it! Dawn dish soap is mild enough to use on their hair and strong enough to remove the most stubborn grease.

Repel insects

Put a single drop of Blue Dawn in a spray bottle with water. Mist household plants to repel aphids, spider mites, and mealybugs.

Gift idea

I got this clever idea from my friend Carolyn, who has a long list of friends and colleagues she likes to give a useful yet affordable gift to each Christmas. One year she created a list similar to the one above, printed it in a very attractive way and then attached it to a small bottle of Blue Dawn—one for each of her friends. Cool idea!

Where to find

Blue Dawn is readily available in supermarkets, discount department stores, warehouse clubs in the U.S. It is available online. Still, I get quite a few questions from people outside the U.S. and around the world asking where they can buy Dawn. Here is what I know:

• Proctor & Gamble sells Fairy brand instead of Dawn in Australia, France, New Zealand, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. It’s not blue, but give it a try! Experiment and let us know what you discover.
• Proctor & Gamble sells Dreft brand instead of Dawn in the Netherlands. It’s not blue.

 

First published: 12-11-17; Revised and expanded: 6-3-23

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