For many of us, cleaning the kitchen, scrubbing pots and pans, treating stains in the laundry room, and tackling the bathroom are things we'd rather put off until … later, at least. One reason is just that cleaning is a chore, full stop. Another reason is that buying multiple specialty products for different surfaces and tasks can quickly add up — in cost and clutter. 

The average American family of four can spend up to $680 a year on just cleaning products, according to a Verve estimate. And while dozens of TikTok creators have come up with homemade alternatives, ultimately many people are looking for the essentials to have on hand, like tons of Reddit users.

And believe it or not, a quality dish soap can actually handle over 100 household messes and stains, with Dawn's standing out as highly effective with minimal drops of product and water required to get the job done, making it a sneakily good choice. 

"Dawn can be used for so much more than just dishes," Morgan Eberhard, principal dishwasher scientist at Dawn's parent company, Procter & Gamble, told The Cool Down recently. 

The soap can be used for everything from polishing jewelry to cleaning kayaks, while also being effective for washing your hands and hair brushes. It can even spiff up a pair of gunked-up sneakers to extend their lifespan, whereas alternative cleaning methods might not cut it. 

Case in point: One Reddit user described Dawn as "everyone's holy grail for cleaning." 

How Dawn dish soap goes beyond the kitchen sink

Despite its name, Dawn's goal is for the dish soap to be used throughout the home — The New York Times even dubbed it the "best soap for household cleaning projects."

Why would this make a difference to the average user? It saves them money, because they no longer have to buy multiple cleaning products for different surfaces and textures. 

What separates Dawn from a basic dish cleaner is its "surfactants," which are molecules that reduce the surface tension between liquids and solids. This lifts dirt or stains more effectively, and promotes the brand's focus on gentleness. 

"No need for specialty cleaners," Eberhard said. "The gentleness makes it safe for many common household surfaces, like granite, quartz, porcelain, enamel, ceramic, stainless steel, tile, and laminate."

What of these benefits would most effectively motivate you to use fewer plastic-packaged cleaning products? Freeing up shelf space ✨ Avoiding toxins and microplastics ☠️ Saving money 💰 Not interested 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

In fact, ingredients are a huge factor in Dawn products. The company aims to be extremely open about every ingredient listed in its products, as well as what each ingredient's purpose is, which is explained on Dawn's website.

Further, options like Dawn Ultra's orange scent get an A rating from the Environmental Working Group.  

Unexpected uses for Dawn dish soap

"The surfactants that clean grease from your dishes so well are also great at cleaning other greasy soils, like for spot-cleaning grease stains in laundry, hand tools, and other garage grease, microwave splatters, and even build-up on your BBQ grill," Eberhard said. 

While not an exhaustive list, Eberhard mentioned that Dawn is great for cleaning things in your kitchen like air fryers, crockpots, blenders, and even lunch boxes.

In your bathroom, you can avoid buying separate cleaning products and use the dish soap for things like cleaning makeup brushes, manicure tools, tubs, tiling, and even toilets.

And in your backyard, try the dish soap to remove grime on bikes and basketball hoops, trash cans, coolers, and garden tools.

Bonus: Dawn's cleaning ability found a surprising use outside our homes

Dawn's focus on protecting aquatic wildlife and birds began early on in the brand's history when the International Bird Rescue organization found Dawn to be "the most safe and effective option" for cleaning wildlife after oil spills. 

In fact, it was after Dawn formed its relationship with groups like the International Bird Rescue, and when P&G donated countless Dawn products after the 1988 Exxon Valdez oil spill, that the two became synonymous with protecting the environment and wildlife — something that still holds true today. 

"Dawn has made a difference in helping us save countless birds and animals over the years," Jay Holcomb, International Bird Rescue's Executive Director, said in 2010.

Dawn has also partnered with the Marine Mammal Center, which prioritizes ocean conservation and has rescued more than 24,000 mammals along the California and Hawaiʻi coasts. 

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.