Dawn Powerwash Vs. Original Dawn Dish Soap: What's The Difference And Which Is Better?

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Dawn Powerwash may look like just a sprayable version of the original Dawn dish soap, but it's actually a totally different product. Dawn liquid soap is meant for traditional handwashing, while Powerwash dispenses ready-to-use suds meant for a dry dish. The spray begins loosening grease on contact and does not require water until it is time to rinse. 

But which bottle deserves the prime spot beside your sink? The answer depends on the type of mess and how much you are willing to spend for convenience. For particularly stubborn residue, you'll want to grab the Powerwash. This product generally has the advantage when you are cleaning burnt food, an especially greasy pan, or an awkward item that would be a total pain to scrub. Dawn recommends letting it sit for three to four minutes before lightly scrubbing away last night's dinner. And its uses go beyond the dishes, too. Cleaning stovetops, counters, and even car wheels are just a few ways you didn't realize you could use this dish soap spray. 

Despite that, original Dawn remains the more practical choice for routine handwashing, especially if you don't want to spray each time you wash a plate. A closer look at their formulas and overall value can help you decide which one you'd rather be armed with when facing a sinkful of gross dishes.

Powerwash and original Dawn use different formulas. Per the product labels, original Dawn dish soap contains surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate, while Powerwash uses a blend that includes amine oxide, lauryl glucoside, hexyl ethoxylate, and dipropylene glycol butyl ether (a grease-cutting solvent). This combination gives Powerwash the ability to remove grease and grime five times faster, according to the brand. Powerwash's formula is meant to be sprayed to coat a broad surface like large pans. On the other hand, original Dawn's thicker concentrate can be portioned by the drop and works great on a sponge. 

The specialized trigger is also part of Powerwash's overall appeal because it distributes foamy suds evenly. And once your bottle is empty, you can transfer its sprayer onto a Powerwash refill instead of purchasing another complete starter bottle, which will save you a little coin. Just make sure you're grabbing the refill and not a regular bottle of soap, as pouring diluted regular Dawn inside will not have the same effect. On Amazon, a 16-ounce Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray costs $4.94, whereas an 18-ounce bottle of original Dawn Ultra Dish Soap costs $2.78. As for Powerwash refills, you can find them for as little as $3.94 at Walmart. At the end of the day, owning both is a wise option because you'll inevitably encounter different kinds of wash jobs when doing the dishes.