{{Short description|Detergent used for cleaning dishes}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}} {{Use American English|date=April 2021}} thumb|Dishwashing liquid in use thumb|Dishwashing liquid with different dyes/scents'''Dishwashing liquid''' ('''washing-up liquid''' in British English), also known as '''dishwashing soap''', '''dish detergent''', or '''dish soap,''' is a type of detergent used in dishwashing. It is usually a foamy mixture of surfactants with low skin irritation that consumers use primarily for washing glasses, plates, cutlery, and cooking utensils. Dishwashing liquid can be used for other purposes, like creating bubbles, washing clothes, and cleaning wildlife affected by oil spills. Detergent for dishwashers is also available in non-liquid forms, such as cartridges, gels, packs, powder, and tablets.'''''<ref name="consumerreports-2014">{{Cite web |date=2014-01-10 |title=Top Dishwasher detergent Ratings {{!}} Dishwasher detergent Buying Guide – Consumer Reports |url=http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/dishwasher-detergents/buying-guide.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110042516/http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/dishwasher-detergents/buying-guide.htm |archive-date=10 January 2014 |access-date=2024-04-06}}</ref>'''''
Dishwashing liquid has been in use for a long time in various compositions and under different conditions.<ref name="pubchem">{{PubChem|sodium_carbonate|Sodium Carbonate}}</ref><ref name="Balderston-1921">{{cite book |last=Balderston |first=Lydia Ray |year=1921 |title=Housewifery: A Manual and Text Book of Practical Housekeeping |publisher=J.B. Lippincott |page=23| url=https://archive.org/details/housewiferyaman01baldgoog}}</ref><ref name="American Cleaning Institute">{{cite web|url=http://www.cleaninginstitute.org/clean_living/soaps__detergent_history_3.aspx|title=Soaps & Detergent: History 3 – Clean Living|publisher=American Cleaning Institute|access-date=10 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109153237/http://www.cleaninginstitute.org/clean_living/soaps__detergent_history_3.aspx|archive-date=9 January 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Most modern dishwashing liquids function best with hot water. However, there are dishwashing products designed to work well with cold water or seawater.
==History== Household dishwashing predates modern detergents by many centuries. Before the development of synthetic detergents and liquid dish soaps, crockery and utensils were usually scrubbed with hot water and abrasives such as sand, ashes or washing soda (sodium carbonate), or with the same bar soaps and soap flakes used for laundry and personal washing.<ref name="Iberchem2">{{cite web |date=2025 |title=Home care – Dishwashing |url=https://iberchem.com/home-care/ |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=Iberchem |publisher=Iberchem S.A.}}</ref><ref name="CompleteHome2">{{cite web |last=Roy |first=Karen |date=3 April 2025 |title=The History of Dishwashers: From Handwashing to Modern Convenience |url=https://www.completehomewarranty.com/the-history-of-dishwashers-from-handwashing-to-modern-convenience/ |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=Complete Home Warranty}}</ref>
In the early 20th century, chemists developed the first synthetic detergents, initially in Germany, as substitutes for soap in situations where shortages of natural fats and the tendency of soap to form insoluble “soap scum” in hard water limited its usefulness.<ref name="Arndt2">{{cite web |last=Arndt |first=Gary |date=2024 |title=A History of Soap and Detergent |url=https://everything-everywhere.com/a-history-of-soap-and-detergent/ |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=Everything Everywhere}}</ref><ref name="Kogawa2">{{cite journal |last=Kogawa |first=Ana Carolina |last2=Cernic |first2=Beatriz G. |last3=do Couto |first3=Leandro G. D. |last4=Salgado |first4=Hérida R. N. |year=2017 |title=Synthetic detergents: 100 years of history |journal=Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal |volume=25 |issue=6 |pages=934–941 |doi=10.1016/j.jsps.2017.02.006|doi-access=free |pmc= |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsps.2017.02.006}}</ref> During the 1930s and 1940s, companies such as Procter & Gamble commercialised household synthetic detergents for laundry, including ''Dreft'' (1933) and the heavy-duty powdered detergent ''Tide'' (1946).<ref name="ACS-Tide2">{{cite web |date=25 October 2006 |title=Development of Tide Synthetic Detergent |url=https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/tidedetergent.html |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=American Chemical Society |publisher=American Chemical Society}}</ref><ref name="CleaningCollective2">{{cite web |date=5 February 2024 |title=A Brief History of Laundry |url=https://www.thecleaningcollective.co.uk/news/cleaning-tips/a-brief-history-of-laundry |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=The Cleaning Collective}}</ref> These low-suds synthetic surfactants could be formulated as liquids and performed better than traditional soaps in hard water, paving the way for specialised dishwashing detergents.
Dedicated dishwashing detergents emerged alongside these developments. Industry accounts describe liquid dishwashing detergents being manufactured in the United States from the 1930s and 1940s, while in Europe the synthetic detergent ''Teepol'', introduced in the United Kingdom in 1942, was promoted for washing dishes as well as industrial cleaning.<ref name="Iberchem2" /> Liquid formulations for hand dishwashing gradually replaced traditional bar soaps in many markets.
Commercially packaged liquid dishwashing detergents became widely available in the post Second World War period. In the United States, Procter & Gamble introduced ''Joy'' in 1949 as one of the first nationally marketed liquid dish soaps, promoted for fast foaming and grease cutting in household sinks rather than in mechanical dishwashers.<ref name="JoySuds2">{{cite web |title=Joy since 1949 |url=https://www.joysuds.com/history/ |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=JoySuds |publisher=JoySuds LLC}}</ref> Company and brand histories describe ''Joy'' as the first widely distributed liquid dish soap in the U.S. market and note that it remained an important brand for several decades.<ref name="JoySuds2" />
In the 1950s and early 1960s, liquid dishwashing detergents spread to other markets. Unilever’s ''Sunlight'' brand launched a dishwashing liquid in 1957, reflecting a wider shift from general purpose soap bars toward purpose made household cleaners.<ref name="GoToGuy2">{{cite web |last=Bekker |first=Charlene |title=Evolution of Home Cleaning Products (1920s–2020s) |url=https://www.thegotoguy.co.za/post/evolution-of-home-cleaning-products-1920s-2020s |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=The Go-To Guy}}</ref> In Europe, Procter & Gamble developed ''Fairy Liquid'', sold from 1950 in the United Kingdom and later in other European countries, advertising both its grease removal performance and its relative mildness on users’ hands.<ref name="Fairy2">{{cite web |date=25 May 2017 |title=Fairy Liquid: Advertising Value Since 1950 |url=https://brandsinsider.blogspot.com/2017/05/fairy-liquid-advertising-value-since.html |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=Brands Insider}}</ref>
By the 1950s and 1960s, dishwashing liquids had become standard household products in many industrialised countries, competing on lather, fragrance and convenience as part of a broader post-war boom in branded cleaning products.<ref name="Gastropod2">{{cite web |date=2020 |title=Dishwashing Debates (transcript) |url=https://gastropod.com/transcript-dishwashing-debates/ |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=Gastropod |publisher=Futura Media}}</ref><ref name="GoToGuy2" /> Colgate-Palmolive introduced ''Palmolive'' dishwashing liquid in 1966; company histories describe it as a liquid dish soap that was “tough on grease, soft on hands”, a positioning reinforced by long-running television commercials featuring the fictional manicurist “Madge”.<ref name="PalmoliveHist2">{{cite web |title=History |url=https://www.colgatepalmolive.com/en-us/who-we-are/history |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=Colgate-Palmolive}}</ref><ref name="PalmoliveSite2">{{cite web |title=Dish Soap & Dishwashing Liquids |url=https://www.palmolive.com/en-us |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=Palmolive |publisher=Colgate-Palmolive}}</ref>
In 1973, Procter & Gamble launched ''Dawn'' in the United States as a high foaming liquid detergent for hand dishwashing.<ref name="DawnHistory2">{{cite web |date=2021 |title=Did You Know Dawn Dish Soap Has Been Revolutionizing Clean for Over 40 Years? |url=https://www.sigfox.us/2021/04/did-you-know-dawn-dish-soap-has-been.html |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=Sigfox}}</ref> Trade and popular accounts describe ''Dawn'' as becoming the leading dishwashing liquid in the U.S. market over the following decades and note the later introduction of “ultra” concentrated formulations in the 1990s.<ref name="DawnHistory2" /> Other manufacturers likewise introduced concentrated liquids, color and fragrance-varied products and private-label alternatives, while continuing to market legacy brands such as ''Joy'', ''Fairy'' and ''Palmolive''.<ref name="JoySuds2" /><ref name="Fairy2" /><ref name="PalmoliveSite2" />
From the 1960s onward, environmental concerns increasingly influenced detergent and dishwashing liquid formulation. Synthetic detergents, including dishwashing products, frequently contained phosphate “builders” to improve cleaning in hard water, but phosphates were later linked to nutrient pollution and algal blooms in lakes and rivers.<ref name="Arndt2" /> As regulators restricted phosphates in household detergents in the 1970s, manufacturers reformulated products with alternative builders and enzymes and began to promote “phosphate-free” or “low-phosphate” detergents.<ref name="Gastropod2" /><ref name="Phosphates2">{{cite web |title=Phosphates in Detergent |url=https://www.lenntech.com/phosphates-detergent.htm |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=Lenntech}}</ref>
Since the late 20th century, dishwashing liquids have also been affected by broader trends toward milder and more environmentally benign household cleaners. Manufacturers introduced products advertised as gentle on skin, “biodegradable” or based partly on plant derived surfactants, alongside conventional petroleum based formulations.<ref name="Yeserchem2">{{cite web |last=Xie |first=Jun |date=2025 |title=Unlocking the Secrets of Dishwashing Liquid Formula: A Comprehensive Guide to Effective and Eco-Friendly Solutions |url=https://yeserchem.com/unlocking-the-secrets-of-dishwashing-liquid-formula/ |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=Yeser Chemicals}}</ref> Some dishwashing liquids incorporated antibacterial agents such as triclosan, but regulatory reviews in the United States and elsewhere concluded in the 2010s that such ingredients offered little benefit in consumer wash products and raised health and environmental concerns, leading to bans or restrictions and further reformulation of liquid soaps and detergents.<ref name="FDA20162">{{cite web |date=12 December 2024 |title=Skip the Antibacterial Soap; Use Plain Soap and Water |url=https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/skip-antibacterial-soap-use-plain-soap-and-water |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=U.S. Food and Drug Administration}}</ref><ref name="TriclosanReview2">{{cite web |title=FDA 2016 Decision and History: Triclosan |url=https://www.beyondpesticides.org/resources/antibacterials/triclosan/fda-2016-decision-and-history |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=Beyond Pesticides}}</ref><ref name="Yeserchem2" />
Dishwashing liquids have also found uses beyond domestic sinks. Wildlife rescue organizations and U.S. agencies report using diluted ''Dawn'' dish detergent to remove petroleum residues from birds and marine mammals contaminated in oil spills, a practice that has been widely publicised since the late 20th century and incorporated into cause-related marketing by the brand’s owner.<ref name="DawnWildlife2">{{cite web |last=Csulak |first=Frank |date=3 May 2018 |title=Oiled Birds and Dawn Dish Soap: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Cleaning and Rescuing Oiled Wildlife |url=https://blog.response.restoration.noaa.gov/oiled-birds-and-dawn-dish-soap-behind-scenes-look-cleaning-and-rescuing-oiled-wildlife |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=NOAA Office of Response and Restoration}}</ref><ref name="DawnRescue2">{{cite web |title=See How Dawn Helps Save Wildlife |url=https://dawn-dish.com/en-us/dawn-saves-wildlife/ |access-date=9 December 2025 |website=Dawn Dish Soap |publisher=Procter & Gamble}}</ref>
==Composition== Dishwashing liquid may contain bleach, enzymes, and rinsing aids.'''''<ref name="consumerreports-2014" />''''' The main ingredient is water and the main active ingredients are detergents. Dishwashing liquid uses detergent instead of soap because soaps are likely to react with minerals in the water to form soap scum. Dishwashing liquids also use thickening and stabilizing agents.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-10 |title=Dishwashing Detergent, Household Floor & Bleach Cleaner {{!}} Colgate-Palmolive, Murphy & Ajax Home Care Products |url=http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/HC/Products/Dishwashing/Ajax/Product-Ingredients/Antibacterial-Orange.cvsp |access-date=2024-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110191326/http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/HC/Products/Dishwashing/Ajax/Product-Ingredients/Antibacterial-Orange.cvsp |archive-date=10 January 2015}}</ref> Other ingredients may include hydrotropes, salts, preservatives, fragrances, antibacterial ingredients, and dyes. Preservatives prevent the proliferation of microorganisms within the liquid. Antibacterial ingredients make it difficult for bacteria to survive on surfaces.<ref name="Zoller-2008">{{cite book |last=Zoller |first=Uri |title=Handbook of Detergents, Part E: Applications |date=29 October 2008 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1-57444-757-6 |pages=39–65}}</ref>
Alternatives to dishwashing detergents may be homemade, using ingredients such as borax, essential oil, eucalyptus oil, leftover cooking oil, and bar soap.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-01-13 |title=Essential Oils Guide: Reference for Living Young, Healing, Weight Loss ... - Grace Masters - Google Books |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mw9qBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT139 |access-date=2024-04-06 |last1=Masters |first1=Grace}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Evelyn |first1=Evelyn |last2=Saputra |first2=Edy |last3=Komalasari |first3=Komalasari |last4=Utami |first4=Syelvia Putri |date=2018-12-28 |title=Community training in dishwashing-liquid soap making from waste cooking oil |url=http://raje.unri.ac.id/index.php/raje/article/view/9 |journal=Riau Journal of Empowerment |volume=1 |issue=2 |pages=67–74 |doi=10.31258/raje.1.2.9 |issn=2623-1549|doi-access=free }}</ref>thumb|Water and dishwashing liquid mixing to form foam
Items that may be damaged by some dishwashing liquids (especially with used with hot water or put into a dishwasher) include household silver, fine glassware, gold-leafed objects, disposable plastics, and objects made of brass, bronze, cast iron, pewter, tin, or wood.'''''<ref name="consumerreports-2014" />''''' Dishwashing liquid components are harder to rinse off rough surfaces than smooth surfaces, which increases the risk of accidental ingestion.''<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bavcon Kralj |first1=Mojca |last2=Fortuna |first2=Anja |last3=Abram |first3=Anže |last4=Trebše |first4=Polonca |date=2019-07-31 |title=Dish handwashing: an overlooked source of contamination |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10311-019-00918-5 |journal=Environmental Chemistry Letters |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=181–185 |doi=10.1007/s10311-019-00918-5 |issn=1610-3653|url-access=subscription }}</ref>''
In hand dishwashing detergents surfactants play the primary role in cleaning.<ref name="Zoller-2008" /> The reduced surface tension of water and the increased solubility of modern surfactant mixtures allow water to run off dishes very quickly. Additionally, surfactants remove grease and food particles, and may provide foam.<ref name="Zoller-2008" />
===Surfactant design=== Surfactants reduce the surface tension of water: this reduction helps with the cleaning process.<ref name="Blagojevic-2016" /> Surfactants have been compared to determine which dishwashing liquid is the most efficient.<ref name="Blagojevic-2016">{{Cite journal |last1=Blagojević |first1=Stevan N. |last2=Blagojević |first2=Slavica M. |last3=Pejić |first3=Nataša D. |date=2016-03-01 |title=Performance and Efficiency of Anionic Dishwashing Liquids with Amphoteric and Nonionic Surfactants |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s11743-015-1784-5 |journal=Journal of Surfactants and Detergents |volume=19 |issue=2 |pages=363–372 |doi=10.1007/s11743-015-1784-5 |issn=1558-9293 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name="Jadidi-2013">{{Cite journal |last1=Jadidi |first1=Nazanin |last2=Adib |first2=Behrooz |last3=Malihi |first3=Farrokh B. |date=January 2013 |title=Synergism and Performance Optimization in Liquid Detergents Containing Binary Mixtures of Anionic–Nonionic, and Anionic–Cationic Surfactants |url=https://aocs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1007/s11743-012-1371-y |journal=Journal of Surfactants and Detergents |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=115–121 |doi=10.1007/s11743-012-1371-y |issn=1097-3958 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> One study showed that a combination of anionic surfactant and non-ionic surfactant worked better than other combinations.<ref name="Blagojevic-2016" /> Another found that a combination of cationic and anionic surfactants worked better than one of non-ionic and anionic surfactants.<ref name="Blagojevic-2016" /><ref name="Jadidi-2013" /> Anionic and amphoteric surfactants are a less effective combination.<ref name="Blagojevic-2016" /><ref name="Jadidi-2013" />
== Safety concerns == In 2010, the United States FDA raised health concerns over triclosan, an antibacterial substance used in some dish liquids.'''''<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-01-10 |title=FDA says studies on triclosan, used in sanitizers and soaps, raise concerns |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/07/AR2010040704621.html |access-date=2024-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110182256/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/07/AR2010040704621.html |archive-date=10 January 2015}}</ref>''''' Elsewhere, triclosan has been found to create problems at wastewater treatment plants; it can "sabotage some sludge-processing microbes and promote drug resistance in others."'''''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-10 |title=Another Reason To Avoid Triclosan And Anti-Bacterial Soaps – It's Messing Up Sewage Treatment Systems |url=http://www.inquisitr.com/1314977/another-reason-to-avoid-triclosan-and-anti-bacterial-soaps-its-messing-up-sewage-treatment-systems/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110203326/http://www.inquisitr.com/1314977/another-reason-to-avoid-triclosan-and-anti-bacterial-soaps-its-messing-up-sewage-treatment-systems/ |archive-date=10 January 2015}}</ref>''''' As of 2025, triclosan has been banned in the United States, the European Union, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere.'''''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Elchemy |title=Why Triclosan Was Banned: Key Insights for Chemical Buyers |url=https://elchemy.com/blogs/chemical-market/why-was-triclosan-banned-regulatory-reasons-and-what-it-means-for-chemical-buyers |access-date=2025-10-16 |website=elchemy.com |language=en}}</ref>'''''
Some dishwashing products contain phosphates. Phosphates make dishes cleaner but can cause harmful algal bloom as wastewater returns to the natural environment.<ref name="Kogawa-2017">{{Cite journal |last1=Kogawa |first1=Ana Carolina |last2=Cernic |first2=Beatriz Gamberini |last3=do Couto |first3=Leandro Giovanni Domingos |last4=Salgado |first4=Hérida Regina Nunes |date=September 2017 |title=Synthetic detergents: 100 years of history |journal=Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal |volume=25 |issue=6 |pages=934–938 |doi=10.1016/j.jsps.2017.02.006 |pmc=5605839 |pmid=28951681}}</ref> For this reason, many places have banned this component.<ref name="Kogawa-2017" /> Phosphates can also have harmful health effects when they come into contact with skin.<ref name="Zoller-2008" />
Many dishwashing liquids contain perfume, which can cause irritant or allergic contact dermatitis.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-07-06 |title=Contact Dermatitis. What is contact dermatitis? Treatment {{!}} Patient |url=http://patient.info/health/contact-dermatitis |access-date=2024-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706234330/http://patient.info/health/contact-dermatitis |archive-date=6 July 2015}}</ref> It can also cause hand eczema. People with sensitive skin are advised to use hypoallergenic gloves to avoid direct contact with the liquids.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ouh.nhs.uk/patient-guide/leaflets/files%5C110117handeczema.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211173651/http://www.ouh.nhs.uk/patient-guide/leaflets/files%5C110117handeczema.pdf | url-status=dead | archive-date=11 February 2014 | title=Protection for hand eczema | publisher=Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals | date=October 2009 | access-date=10 January 2015 }}</ref> Surfactants that are anionic showed promising results in preventing skin irritation.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Seweryn |first1=Artur |last2=Klimaszewska |first2=Emilia |last3=Ogorzałek |first3=Marta |date=July 2019 |title=Improvement in the Safety of Use of Hand Dishwashing Liquids through the Addition of Sulfonic Derivatives of Alkyl Polyglucosides |url=https://aocs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jsde.12299 |journal=Journal of Surfactants and Detergents |volume=22 |issue=4 |pages=743–750 |doi=10.1002/jsde.12299 |issn=1097-3958|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
== Primary uses == Dishwashing liquid is primarily used for removing food stains and grease from dirty dishes and tableware.'''''<ref name="consumerreports-2014" />'''''<ref name="Zoller-2008" /> Consumers usually scrape heavy soil (large food particles) from the dishes before applying the dishwashing liquid.'''''<ref name="consumerreports-2014" />'''''
=== Hand dishwashing === thumbnail|Dishwashing processConsumers wash by hand if they do not have a dishwashing machine or if they have large "hard-to-clean" items.<ref name="Zoller-2008" />
=== Automatic dishwashing === Automatic dishwashing means the use of a dishwasher or other apparatus.<ref name="Zoller-2008" /> It is generally preferred for convenience or sanitation.<ref name="Zoller-2008" /> The cleaning is less reliant on the detergent's surfactants and more on the machine's hot water as well as on the detergent's builders, bleach, and enzymes.<ref name="Zoller-2008" /> Automatic dishwashing detergents' surfactants generally have less foam, to avoid disrupting the machine.<ref name="Zoller-2008" />
== Other uses ==
=== Domestic uses === ''Reader's Digest'' notes that dishwashing liquid may be used to kill ants and weeds, to help spread waterborne fertilizer, and to wash human hair.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-09 |title=6 Extraordinary Uses for Dishwashing Soap | Reader's Digest |url=http://www.rd.com/slideshows/6-extraordinary-uses-for-dishwashing-soap/view-all/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109235359/http://www.rd.com/slideshows/6-extraordinary-uses-for-dishwashing-soap/view-all/ |archive-date=9 January 2015}}</ref>''Good Housekeeping'' suggests mixing it with vinegar to attract and drown fruit flies.<ref>{{citation|title=Ten Genius New Uses for Dish Soap|author=Lauren Piro|date=September 2014|publisher=Good Housekeeping|url=http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning-organizing/new-uses-for-dish-soap|access-date=9 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109235406/http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning-organizing/new-uses-for-dish-soap|archive-date=9 January 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Oregon State University's Cooperative Extension Service notes the use of dishwashing liquid to get rid of spider mites.<ref name="Lewis">{{cite journal |last=Lewis |first=Alvin C. |last2=Lewis |first2=Ernest |last3=Law Enforcement Standards Laboratory |last4=National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice |year=1979 |title=Guide to high speed patrol car tires |journal=Law Enforcement Equipment Technology |volume=33 |issue=480 |page=15}}</ref>[[File:Washing oiled Gannet–Close.jpg|thumbnail|Washing an oiled gannet with dishwashing liquid]]Some other uses of dishwashing liquid are:
* Cleaning mirrors and windows.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-02-23 |title=Great Cleaning Tips: How To Wash Windows, Mirrors Without Streaks |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/23/cleaning-tips-wash-windows_n_1298133.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150223001538/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/23/cleaning-tips-wash-windows_n_1298133.html |archive-date=23 February 2015 |access-date=2024-04-06 |website=HuffPost}}</ref> * Cleaning delicate clothing such as hosiery and lingerie.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Mendelson |first1=Cheryl |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6-gRK9HMQKoC&pg=PA79 |title=Laundry: The Home Comforts Book of Caring for Clothes and Linens - Cheryl Mendelson - Google Books |date=2016-01-13 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-1-4391-8856-9 |access-date=2024-04-06}}</ref>
* Making decals and vinyl graphics easier to position when applying.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decal Instructions |url=http://www.aerotech-rocketry.com/customersite/resource_library/instructions/Misc_Instructions/decal_instructions.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035205/http://www.aerotech-rocketry.com/customersite/resource_library/instructions/Misc_Instructions/decal_instructions.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=2024-04-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-09 |title=General Application - Graphic Products |url=http://www.orafol.com/gp/americas/en/faqs/articles/15712 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109234224/http://www.orafol.com/gp/americas/en/faqs/articles/15712 |archive-date=9 January 2015 |access-date=2024-04-06}}</ref> * Making homemade garden pest deterrents. * Removing coffee, tea, olive oil, soda and fruit juice stains from fabrics.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EosH1NBLcy4C&pg=PA186 |title=Householder's Survival Manual - Reader's Digest - Google Books |date=2016-01-13 |publisher=Reader's Digest |isbn=978-0-7621-0135-1 |access-date=2024-04-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-12-05 |title=Fruit juice (apple, grape, orange); Stain Solutions {{!}} U of I Extension |url=http://web.extension.illinois.edu/stain/staindetail.cfm?ID=43 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205030414/http://web.extension.illinois.edu/stain/staindetail.cfm?ID=43 |archive-date=5 December 2014 |access-date=2024-04-06}}</ref>
=== Industrial uses === Dishwashing liquid is used for inspecting equipment under pressure for leaks, such as propane fittings.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Propane Safety |journal=PopUp Times |date=7 July 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2014-12-31 |title=How to Leak Test a Copper Supply Pipe {{!}} Home Guides {{!}} SF Gate |newspaper=Weekand |url=http://homeguides.sfgate.com/leak-test-copper-supply-pipe-27797.html |access-date=2024-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231220520/http://homeguides.sfgate.com/leak-test-copper-supply-pipe-27797.html |archive-date=31 December 2014 |last1=Blakesley |first1=Kim }}</ref> It can also be used for inspecting pneumatic tires for flats, as well as for quality assurance during the installation process, and as a mounting bead lubricant.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-04 |title=Tech FAQ: Zinn on Leaking Valve Stems, Chain Length - VeloNews.com |url=http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/12/mtb/tech-faq-zinn-on-leaking-valve-stems-chain-length_252110 |access-date=2024-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104153629/http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/12/mtb/tech-faq-zinn-on-leaking-valve-stems-chain-length_252110 |archive-date=4 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-21 |title=How to Mount an ATV Tire {{!}} Field & Stream |url=http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/gear/atvs/2012/08/how-mount-atv-tire |access-date=2024-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121001057/http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/gear/atvs/2012/08/how-mount-atv-tire |archive-date=21 January 2015}}</ref><ref name="Lewis" /> Dishwashing liquid can also treat birds in oil spills.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-01-10 |title=Dawn dishwashing detergent saves wildlife |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/15/AR2010061501694.html |access-date=2024-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110192140/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/15/AR2010061501694.html |archive-date=10 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-09-25 |title=South coast rescued oil birds set to be released - BBC News |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-21497436 |access-date=2024-04-06 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925215907/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-21497436 |archive-date=25 September 2015}}</ref>
== Market share == Market research companies like Euromonitor and Grand View Research collect data on different brands' market share.<ref name="www.euromonitor.com-2015">{{Cite web |date=2015-01-13 |title=Dishwashing industry market share, market research, trends |url=http://www.euromonitor.com/dishwashing |access-date=2024-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113185454/http://www.euromonitor.com/dishwashing |archive-date=13 January 2015}}</ref><ref name="www.grandviewresearch.com">{{Cite web |title=Global Dishwashing Detergent Market Share Report, 2028 |url=https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/dishwashing-detergent-market-report |access-date=2024-04-14 |website=www.grandviewresearch.com}}</ref>
Euromonitor International collects market trends of many big brands like Procter and Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, Henkel, Reckitt Benckiser, Unilever, and Ajax.'''''<ref name="www.euromonitor.com-2015" />'''''
For example, according to Euromonitor International, in 2013 Reckitt Benckiser held the highest retail value share percentages in nine countries:'''''<ref name="www.euromonitor.com-2015" />''''' Italy (31%) and Spain (29%) with the Finish brand; Australia (38%), New Zealand (38%), Austria (32%), Ireland (29%), and Israel (27%), and Denmark (30%) with the Neophos brand; and Portugal (22%) with the Calgonit brand.
As of 2025, the global dishwashing liquids market is valued at approximately US$18 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dataintelo |title=Dataintelo - Consulting & Market Research Company |url=https://dataintelo.com/ |access-date=2025-10-16 |website=dataintelo.com |language=en}}</ref>
==See also== * Dishwasher detergent * Cleaning agent ** List of cleaning agents ** List of cleaning products * Soap * Green cleaning * Washing {{Portal bar|Chemistry|Housing}}
==References== {{Reflist|33em}}
==Further reading== * {{cite magazine | url=http://www.cooksillustrated.com/equipment_reviews/1507-liquid-dish-soap | title=Liquid Dish Soap | magazine=Cook's Illustrated | date=1 April 2014 | access-date=10 January 2015}} * {{cite news | url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/business-news/columnsbusiness/a-war-for-your-kitchen/article1-1088836.aspx | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130709105440/http://www.hindustantimes.com/business-news/ColumnsBusiness/A-war-for-your-kitchen/Article1-1088836.aspx | url-status=dead | archive-date=9 July 2013 | title=A war for your kitchen | newspaper=Hindustan Times | date=8 July 2013 | access-date=8 January 2015 | author=Gurtoo, Himani Chandna}} * {{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/22/AR2007032201980.html | title=Maryland Takes Step To Clean Up Detergent | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=23 March 2007 | access-date=10 January 2015 | author=Rein, Lisa}}
== External links == * {{Commons category-inline}} * {{Wiktionary inline|dishwashing liquid}} * {{Wiktionary inline|washing-up liquid}}
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Category:Cleaning products Category:Dishwashing