Dish soap contains harsh chemicals that can harm your clothing. Using dish soap to wash clothes is a bad idea. It won’t clean them and the chemical residues left behind are likely to cause acute skin irritation for those who wear the clothing after washing it with dish soap. If you have run-of-the-mill grease or oil stains on your clothing, however, there are ways you can launder them using dish soap as part of the process. However, you must follow specific instructions in order to have these steps be effective at removing the stain and not damaging the fabric in any way. Read on to learn more about using dish soap when washing clothes.
Can You Wash Clothes with Dish Soap?
No, you should not wash clothes with dish soap. Dish soap is made for dishes and is very strong. It can damage your clothes and cause them to lose their color. You should only use dish soap on dishes. Use laundry detergent on your clothes.
What Types Of Stains Can You Remove With Dish Soap?
Grease and oil stains
Grease and oil are one of the most common stains found on clothes. If they are not removed quickly, they can cause the fabric to crack and become discolored. Dish soap is a good choice for removing grease or oil stains because it is gentle on fabrics.
Bloodstains
Bloodstains can be difficult to remove from clothes because blood does not easily dissolve in water. However, dish soap dissolves blood very well and is a good choice for removing blood stains from clothes. If you have used detergent on your clothes, wash them again with dish soap before washing them with laundry detergent to remove any detergent residue from the fabric.
Food stains
Food stains are also difficult to remove from clothing because they stain very deeply into the fabric fibers. However, dish soap can help dissolve food stains in your clothing by breaking them down into smaller molecules that will be easier for the laundry detergent to absorb into your clothing.
Coffee stains
Coffee is a very difficult stain to remove. However, dish soap can help dissolve coffee stains by dissolving the oils and caffeine in your clothing. This process also helps restore the brightness of your clothing.
Ink stains
Ink stains are one of the most difficult stains to remove from clothes because they are not easily dissolved by water alone. However, dish soap will help dissolve the ink and other types of stain residue in your clothing fibers so that you can wash them with laundry detergent again and make them look like new again!
Bloodstains on white shirts
Bloodstains on white shirts are easier to spot when they are on a light-colored fabric than on darker-colored fabrics because bloodstains reflect light in different ways depending on their color. Dish soap will help dissolve bloodstains on white shirts because it is gentle enough for this type of fabric.
Why You Shouldn’t Wash Clothes With Dish Soap?
Dish Soap Is Extremely Corrosive
Dish soap is typically a very harsh formula. It’s designed to get grease, food, and other types of stains off of dishes and other household items. While this formula is great for cleaning dishes, it’s not so great for your clothes. In fact, many experts recommend that you avoid washing your clothes with dish soap. This is because dish soap is extremely corrosive. It can wreak havoc on fabrics like cotton and silk, causing holes and tears that may make your clothes unusable. If your garment is delicate, you should avoid using dish soap because it is too harsh. It will most likely cause harm to your clothing, and you may need to replace it. If you have sensitive skin, you should also avoid washing your clothes with dish soap.
Dish Soap Isn’t Meant to Be Washed and Rinsed
Dish soap is made to get grease, food, and soap scum off of dishes. It’s not meant to be washed and rinsed off of clothing. While you may think that it’s okay to use dish soap on your clothing because you are rinsing it off afterwards, you’re actually not. Dish soap isn’t meant to be rinsed off of your garments. Not only does dish soap leave behind a film, but it also damages your clothes. Dish soap is made to clean hard surfaces, like your dishes. It is not formulated for fabrics. So when you wash your clothes with dish soap, you are essentially using a substance that is meant to clean a kitchen countertop on your clothes. You might think that you’re rinsing it off, but the film and damage remain.
Dish Soap Can Be Unsafe for Your Skin
Some types of dish soap can actually be unsafe for your skin. If you have sensitive skin, you may want to avoid dish soap on your clothing altogether. However, if you insist on cleaning your clothes with dish soap, you should wash them separately. If you have sensitive skin, you should avoid washing your clothes with dish soap because it is too harsh. It will most likely cause harm to your clothing, and you may need to replace it. If you have eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, or hives, you should also avoid washing your clothing with dish soap until your condition clears.
There Are Far Safer Alternatives
Since dish soap is so harsh and damaging, you may be wondering what you should use instead. There are actually many better alternatives to dish soap for cleaning your clothing. Some of these are even cheaper than dish soap! If you want to avoid using dish soap altogether, you can use a laundry detergent formulated for delicate fabrics. If you need to clean something that’s particularly dirty, try a stain remover spray or a laundry booster. Even if you do decide to use dish soap for your laundry, you can reduce the amount of damage it causes by using cold water.
How To Wash Clothes With Dish Soap
Sort Your Clothes
Before doing anything else, it’s important to sort your clothes into light and dark loads. This will make it much easier to avoid things like bleach or dye stains on light-colored clothing. Darks are best washed with a small amount of mild bleach, and lights should be washed without bleach to avoid yellowing. If you’re using a gentle dish soap, you’ll only need a small amount to avoid sudsing.
Add the Dish Soap
Depending on the size of your load, anywhere from a teaspoon to a tablespoon of dish soap is probably enough. It’s also important to choose a low-sudsing brand like Seventh Generation (our personal fav) or something similar. After you’ve added your clothes, stir the water a bit to make sure the soap is dissolved. You may notice a few bubbles rising to the top, but that should go away as your clothes soak. For large loads, mix the soap in a separate container beforehand or in the washer’s dispenser. You’ll want to be careful not to over-suds, especially with delicate fabrics.
Add Hot Water and Baking Soda
Next, add a half cup of hot water to the load while stirring again. Your goal is to create a gentle, even mixture of water, soap, and baking soda. This will help cut down on staining while keeping your clothes clean and smelling fresh. If you’re worried about staining, you can boost the effectiveness of your dish soap by adding a tablespoon of baking soda. This can help reduce the potential for staining and leave your clothes smelling fresh. You can also try adding a cup of vinegar to your cleaning regimen to cut down on static and soften your clothes.
Mix in the Bleach
Now for the fun part: adding the bleach. Most people recommend a tablespoon per regular-sized load or 2 tablespoons for large loads. If you’re using a very cheap brand, you might want to add an extra tablespoon or two. If you want to avoid a chlorine-y smell like the plague, try using a color-safe bleach like this one from Arm and Hammer. It’s designed specifically for cleaning fibers and won’t leave a harsh chemical smell behind.
Dry and Enjoy!
After your clothes are done washing, make sure you’re un-rinsing them properly by lifting the load out of the tub and letting the water drain out well. Then, toss them in the dryer on a low setting and enjoy your clean clothes! Let your clothes air dry whenever possible to reduce static and make them last longer. Also, make sure to fold or hang your clothes as soon as they’re dry so they don’t get wrinkled.
Tips To Remove Stains With Dish Soap
- Most people use dish soap to clean dishes. But there are other ways to remove stains from dishes.
- Add 1 cup of salt to a bowl of hot water. This will help to lift stains away from the dishes.
- Use a white cloth or paper towel instead of dish soap when cleaning dishes and glassware.
- A lemon juice can also be used to clean the dishes and glassware, but it is not recommended for stainless steel utensils and cookware because it may scratch the surface of the utensil or cookware.
Bottom Line
Dish soap is designed to clean dishes and nothing else. Using it to wash your clothes is a bad idea. It won’t clean them and the chemical residues left behind are likely to cause skin irritation for those who wear the clothing after washing it with dish soap. If you have run-of-the-mill grease or oil stains on your clothing, however, there are ways you can launder them using dish soap as part of the process. However, you must follow specific instructions in order to have these steps be effective at removing the stain and not damaging the fabric in any way.
