There’s a reason why dish soap is a household staple. Besides tackling greasy dishes and cleaning dirty pans, dish soap has proven to be a reliable cleaning tool. From spring cleaning to laundry, dish soap has you covered in more ways than you think.

1. Pre-Treat Stains

It’s no secret that dish soap is a powerful grease fighter, which means there’s no need to fear when you get a grease stain on your favorite shirt. Before throwing your grease-stained clothes into the washing machine, ensure that the stain is lifted by following these easy steps:

1. Blot the stain as soon as you can with a clean cloth or paper towels.
2. Rinse with cold water and a little dish soap.
3. Treat the spot with a stain remover and let it sit before laundering.

You can also use dish soap to get stains out of your carpet. Dissolve one tablespoon of dish soap into two cups of warm water. Dip a clean cloth into the solution and blot the stain. Repeat until the stain disappears, then rinse with cold water and blot dry.

For more stain removing tips, click here.

2. Clean Patio Furniture

Patio furniture goes through a lot over the course of a year, and no one wants to sit in a grime-covered chair. Easily clean your patio furniture by mixing a bit of dish soap into a bucket of warm water. Wipe down the furniture then rinse with the garden hose – now your patio furniture is squeaky clean!

3. Wipe Down Kitchen Cabinets

Dishes and pans aren’t the only things that get greasy when you’re cooking. Clean grease-covered cupboards with a solution of dish soap and warm water. Either mix the solution in a spray bottle for a quicker clean, or simply dip a washcloth in a bowl of the solution and wipe down the cabinets. Rinse with a damp cloth and dry to reveal sparkling cupboards.

When Not to Use Dish Soap

Even though dish soap is an adaptable cleaning solution, it has its limitations. Never use dish soap on your hair, your face, your dog, hardwood floors, leather or cast-iron pans. Finally, you should never use dish soap in the dishwasher.