The Best Dish Soap Hacks That Will Make Your Day

Optometrists usually recommend using a microfiber cloth for wiping down the eyeglass lenses to remove smudges, but sometimes this method just doesn’t work. Eyewear picks up all sorts of gunk and grime through your daily routines and it can take something with a bit more oomph to clean them up.

A single drop of dish soap on the front and back of each lens and a gentle rubbing with your fingers removes accumulated dirt. Afterward, rinse your glasses in warm running water and dry them with a microfiber cloth.

Dish soap cuts through grease, and hairbrushes tend to accumulate oils from our hair and scalps. To freshen them up, add a few squirts of dish soap to a sink of hot water and drop them in. Let the hairbrushes soak for a while, then rinse them well and lay them out on a towel to dry.

Plungers don’t always yield results and harsh chemical clog removers can damage pipes. To remove stopped-up toilets, pour a half-cup of dish soap into the toilet. You’ll see it sink to the bottom. Allow it to remain for at least 30 minutes. The soap will lubricate the trap and loosen any particles, making it easier for the clog to go down the pipe. Fill a stockpot with water and heat it while you’re waiting. Remove the pot from the stove before it reaches the boiling point. After the allotted time is up, carefully pour the hot water into the toilet. Repeat if necessary.

While most people may grab a spray-on lubricant to remedy an annoying door hinge, dish soap is a less expensive, safer option. Just rub a blob of soap on the squeaking apparatus and the noise will magically disappear. Not only will you avoid introducing harsh chemicals into your home environment, but you’ll save money, too.

Indoor plants lack the protection they’d have outdoors, like ladybugs, wasps, and lacewings that feed off insects who munch on greenery. To keep aphids, whiteflies, mites, and other unwanted insects away from your plant babies, create a homemade pesticide. Mix a half teaspoon of dish soap with a quart of water in a clean spray bottle and thoroughly spritz the foliage.

Homemade weed killers don’t contain all the dangerous and often toxic chemicals that store-bought versions do. For a safer and less costly solution, add 1 tablespoon of dish soap to one gallon of vinegar and 1 cup of salt and mix well. Spray the mixture directly on a single weed or weedy area, but be careful not to spray the plants or grass you’re trying to protect.

Use this concoction on patios and sidewalks where you don’t want plants to grow. This weed killer destroys the above-ground weed growth, but it won’t kill off the root system, so it may take a few tries to completely eradicate the problem.

We’ve all seen television shows and news reports where animal rescuers use a certain dish soap to clean animals caught in oil spills. Dish soap can also kill adult fleas, although it won’t prevent further infestations because it doesn’t eradicate them at other life stages. Animal health experts say dish soap will work when a pet has a severe flea infestation or if a puppy or kitten is too young for flea preventatives, but rinse well and watch for skin irritation. For long-term flea control, it’s best to use a year-round tick and flea prevention.

For the best barbecue flavors, starting with a clean grill is a necessity. To get rid of the cooked-on gunk, make a paste out of a cup of dish soap, one and a half cups of baking soda, and a quarter-cup of vinegar. Use an old paint or pastry brush and cover the grate with the mixture. Let it sit for at least eight hours, then scrub it off with a grill brush. This method removes the charred food and grease for a tastier and safer grilling experience.

Throw several ice cubes into your sink, then coat them thoroughly with dish soap. Turn on your garbage disposal and let them work through. The soap cleans the blades and the ice helps sharpen them. To freshen up your disposal, use this safe and easy cleaning method three to four times each year.

To get rid of soap residue and hard water buildup in your bathrooms or kitchen, make your own multipurpose cleaning solution using vinegar and dish soap. Heat one to two cups of vinegar in the microwave, then pour it into a clean spray bottle. Add an equal amount of dish soap and mix well. Spray it on shower doors, windows, and sinks and allow it to sit for up to an hour. Scrub the areas clean, rinse well, and watch your surfaces sparkle.