Don’t Try to Hack a Virus Dishwasher
I hate washing dishes and buying dishwashing detergents. Two types of soap may seem like overkill, but keeping a kitchen clean is impossible without dishwashing detergent (for hand washing) and dishwashing detergent (for the dishwasher). If you feel the same way, you might be tempted to try this viral dishwashing liquid hack , but please don’t.
The trick, which has been around for a while but was recently shared by the popular Instagram account @brunchwithbabs ( which I usually do! ), involves mixing three drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid with three tablespoons of baking soda to create a surrogate laundry detergent. . However, this is a terrible idea.
On a chemical level, Dawn and dishwashing detergent work in completely different ways. Dawn (and other similar liquids) rely on manual cleaning and neutral pH surfactants, while dishwasher-grade detergents rely on enzymes and a bit of bleach to sterilize dishes.
Four years ago, when this hack first became popular, The Kitchn approached Travis Robertson, Knowledge Manager at Sears Home Services, and Dirk Sappock, Head of Product Development at Miele, for their input:
“Dishwasher detergents are designed specifically for washing dishes in the dishwasher,” says Robertson. “They should break down fat and edible oils, and have very low foaming. They contain high pH chemicals and often small amounts of chlorine bleach.” This means that these detergents do a great job of washing dishes, but they are too aggressive for hand dishwashing… Sapok further explains: “The mixture of surfactants and enzymes varies significantly between the two. When you wash with your hands, there is a mechanical effect. In the dishwasher, enzymes are critical to breaking down dirt in the absence of mechanical movements.”
Then there’s the foam problem. Even a small amount of Dawn can create a large amount of bubbles, and these bubbles can fill the washer, making it difficult (or impossible) for spray mechanisms to completely flush out the surfactant. Foam can leak out of the machine, leave marks on dishes, or in the worst case, damage the dishwasher and void your warranty.
Luckily, the “hack” here is simple: just buy and use dish soap instead of trying to make it yourself. The chemistry is real, pH matters, and not all surfactants are created equal.