The $4 Cleaning Workhorse You Already Have at Home

Dish soap is the unsung hero of household cleaners: It makes diamonds sparkle, lifts caked-on Crocs stains, and cuts through grease so efficiently that it’s become the go-to cleaner after an oil spill, just to name a few.

The surfactants in dish soap—the chemicals that help water cut through grease by breaking oil down into smaller drops—are what make the cleaner such an efficient workhorse both in the sink and around the house. “Most dish soaps work generally the same way,” says associate staff writer and cleaning expert Ellen Airhart, “so you can use what you’ve already got at home to tackle most cleaning projects.” Here’s how to use dish soap to scrub clean stainless steel appliances, eyeglasses, and everything in between.

This efficient, effective dish soap has been our favorite since 2016.

Dish soap can make most metals, gems, and crystals sparkle again. Mix one drop of dish soap with a bowl of warm water, then let your jewelry sit in the mixture for several minutes to cut through oils and grime. Gently scrub solid gold and hard gemstones, such as diamonds and rose quartz, with a soft-bristle toothbrush. Make sure to clean the gem from both sides if it’s sitting in a pronged setting by using the flexible bristles to clean out the nooks and crannies. If you’re working with gold-plated or vermeil jewelry, skip the scrub: Bristles can leave behind scratches and strip plating. Rinse, then dry with a microfiber cloth.

For more ideas, see “How to Clean and Care for Your Jewelry.”

Though it might seem natural to scrub your dental pieces with toothpaste, dish soap is actually a better option since it’s less abrasive. Every morning, use a squirt of unscented dish soap on a soft-bristle toothbrush to gently scrub your guard or retainer. We recommend keeping a separate toothbrush on hand just for cleaning and some dish soap in travel-size containers to free up sink space. Thoroughly rinse your gear after brushing, and let it air-dry in its case.

For more ideas, see “How to Clean a Retainer or Mouthguard.”

Cleaning your radiators and all their dust-collecting crevices can be a daunting project, but at least it doesn’t require any special cleaning agent. Dish soap and two buckets can easily tackle the job. Fill one bucket with warm water and a few drops of mild dishwashing soap, and fill a second one with plain tap water. Use a soft sponge or dish towel to gently wipe down the radiator’s exterior with the soapy water, reaching as far inward as your hand allows. Follow that with a second swipe using just water to help remove any remaining soap. Dry thoroughly with a clean dish towel.

For more ideas, see “How to Clean Your Radiators.”

Dish soap, lukewarm water, and some vigorous scrubbing can eliminate almost any common Crocs stain. Use a sponge to clean things like red clay dirt, soil, sidewalk grime, and even dog poop off the outside of your crocs. Follow up with a toothbrush to get in between the grooves on the soles and under the rivets where the heel strap connects to the clog. If your Crocs are covered in grass stains (or sriracha), you’ll need a stronger cleaning agent, such as a mixture of baking soda and water or white vinegar.

For more ideas, see “How to Clean Crocs.”

When it’s time to clean up an after-dinner mess, pour water and a few drops of dish soap into the work bowl of your food processor. Run the machine for a few seconds so that the blades can whir through the soapy water. Use a bottle brush to clean around the feed tube, inside the food pressers, and along the sharp blades. Rinse, and leave each piece to air-dry on a dish rack.

Contrary to popular belief, scrubbing your cast-iron pans with dish soap won’t destroy their nonstick layer, as long as they’re well seasoned. Once you’re done cooking, gently scrub the pan with mild dish soap, hot water, and a nonabrasive sponge like the soft side of a Scotch-Brite sponge or a scrub brush. Rinse the pan out, then dry it completely with a dish towel or by putting it over low heat on the stovetop. Once dry, coat the pan in a thin layer of the same neutral oil that you use for seasoning the pan, and rub it into the surface of the pan using a paper towel or a clean rag.

For more ideas, see “How to Clean and Season Cast-Iron Cookware.”

You don’t need a special stainless steel cleaner to make your glossy appliances gleam; a little dish soap and a few microfiber clothes can easily cut through grease and leave your kitchen sparkling. First, wipe down the stainless steel with a damp microfiber cloth to wet it—this makes the dish soap easier to work with. Next, dampen a second cloth and add a small drop of dish soap, and slowly start to wipe down the appliance. The dish soap will lift caked-on oil and grease. Depending on the size of the appliance and how dirty it is, you may need to rewet the rag or add more dish soap. When it’s time to rinse off your appliance, use a wet, soap-free cloth to wipe away soapy residue. Be sure to occasionally rinse the cloth in clear water so you don’t redistribute the soap. When you’re done, wipe down the stainless steel with a dry microfiber cloth.

For more ideas, see “How to Clean Stainless Steel Appliances.”

A small squirt of dish soap is enough to degrease and de-smudge a pair of dirty eyeglasses. We recommend using any soap that’s free of additives such as skin softeners or grime-removing abrasives because they can ruin lens coatings (both our picks are free of these kinds of additives). To clean your eyeglasses, first rinse them for 15 seconds under a tap running warm water to dislodge excess grime. Then, squeeze a pea-size drop of soap onto the front and back of the lenses and lightly rub the soap in with your fingers. This works up a gentle lather you can use to clean the nose pads, hinges, and frame of your glasses before rinsing them thoroughly. Dry with a microfiber cloth.

For more ideas, see “How to Clean Your Glasses.”

It doesn’t take long for the lenses and sensors of outdoor security cameras to become speckled with dead bugs and water stains. Before busting out the dish soap, first try cleaning the lens with a damp (not wet) microfiber cloth. If stubborn dirt or debris persists, add a little dish soap onto the damp cloth. This can also cut through any pollen or sap caked onto the outside of the camera. Make sure to dry the lens after so it doesn’t streak, and avoid using paper towels, tissues, or rags, since they can leave behind lint and scratches.

This article was edited by Alex Aciman and Annemarie Conte.

Elissa Sanci

Staff Writer

Elissa Sanci is a senior staff writer for Wirecutter’s discovery team based in Denver. Her byline has appeared in The New York Times, Woman’s Day, Marie Claire, and Good Housekeeping. When she’s not testing TikTok-famous products or writing about car garbage cans, you can find her hiking somewhere in the Rockies or lying on the couch with a bowl of chips balanced on her chest. There is no in-between.

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