Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
So many recipes for cleaners, insect control, plant food, etc and all-round-solutions-to-everything specifically recommend Dawn Dishwashing Liquid as one of the ingredients. Can someone tell me just what is so special about Dawn that it is recommended by name? What makes it superior to any other dishwashing liquid?
Several years ago after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, I was watching a news program when I noticed a bottle of Dawn on the cabinet in back of the people who were washing the ducks, otters and other animals damaged in that debacle. No mention was made at that time of the product, but I figured if it removed oil from ducks, it would do the same for my dishes and pans!
It has ammonia in it.
Personally, you can take your favorite detergent and add your own ammonia to it!
I don't know the ingredients but it is so highly recommended because it works so well while being safe. I live in Cincinnati (home of P&G who used to make Dawn) I remember a wreck a few years ago where an oil tranker lost it's load. P&G donated the Dawn to clean it up. With many products the of the generic will do but I've never found anything that is such a good cleaner--even all by itself.
In my opinion, the brand has just become a household name. Like, when you need to blow your nose, you reach for a "kleenex" and when you want an easy dessert you make "jello."
Several years ago my then 3 yr old granddaughter put a whole large jar of vaseline in her hair. Nothing seemed to get it out. They called the 800# on the vaseline bottle and explained their problem.
Dawn is the best for killing fleas also. Put water in a sprayer and spray the yard with it. My cat's come to me every morning and I use a flea comb on them and put a cup with one drop of Dawn and some water. Knock fleas in the water and in seconds they are dead
I am a real skeptic about 'brand names'. That doesn't convince me at all, but Dawn is everything it claims to be.
2-3 drops make swishy water for wiping down the kitchen.
I use it to remove lanolin from raw sheep fleece (I'm a spinner etc). It really cuts grease.
Now watered down versions are sold in discount stores and that's a different story. Buy the regular Dawn, full strength. Best if you have Costco, buy the big one and it will last 6 months.
I've heard that Dawn contains ammonia. Makes sense: that would explain why it cleans so well and why it says don't add bleach.
Wow! This is an excellent post. I have learned so much from reading all of these recommendations for Dawn. There is no higher praise for any product than the loyalty of its customers.
The comment of Dawn being used during the Valdez Oil Spill is true. Here in New Orleans when BP had an off-shore oil rig explode and thousands of oil messed up our whole Gulf Coast, many different kinds of animals were trapped in large pools of sticky oil. When they were rescued, they were cleaned with Dawn dishwashing detergent. I still remember seeing a bottle sitting on the beach during the newscast. I have been using Dawn ever since. I never thought about using it as a spot cleaner. Great idea!
PLEASE NEVER add bleach and ammonia together bc it make a poisonous gas and is harmful to breathe...It caused my newly married friend to have a miscarriage ...Very sad way to learn not to mix those together so please be very careful when mixing any chemicals together
There are lots of hints referencing Blue Dawn. Will other liquid dish soap work just as well? Why or why not?
Blue Dawn removes oil and grease the best. I don't substitute. They have sales and coupons often.
I don't see why one would not buy Dawn. It is fairly inexpensive and you can find it on sale or buy in bulk.
Some reasons why Original Dawn Soup is great!
Reference: classiccleaners.net/
I believe most people who really like to use Dawn will just say they like it better or it works better than other soaps. i like to use Dawn but I cannot truthfully state that it does a better job than some other soaps, although I have used some that I did not like and returned to using Dawn.
Consumers Report did a test on dish soaps and my son tells me that Dawn was the top rated but here is one article that supports that and may help to answer your question:
dawn is perhaps almost 1/7th petroleum which loosens up the grease. www.npr.org/
Not here they don't. :)
Marg from England.
Fairy is the same company (Proctor & Gamble) and is pretty similar. (For outside the U.S.)