What Happens If You Mix Dawn Dish Soap And Rubbing Alcohol?

You may have heard rumors floating around on social media that mixing Dawn dish soap with rubbing alcohol and water creates a homemade dupe for Dawn Powerwash. We get why this could pique your interest — the DIY version costs less and uses products you may already own. But is it a really good idea to mix Dawn and rubbing alcohol? 

The short answer is that yes, this could theoretically work, but it won't work the same as Powerwash. Dish soap cuts grease because it contains surfactants, which lift greasy residue and suspend it in water. Rubbing alcohol, meanwhile, is a fast-evaporating solvent that helps break down oily grime. When you mix them, the ingredients produce a degreasing cleaner.

The mixture will tackle greasy dishes and sinks, but don't expect quite the same cleaning power as the real Powerwash — the name sets a pretty high bar, after all. If you're comparing Dawn Powerwash vs. original Dawn dish soap, their formulas aren't interchangeable. Powerwash contains three cleaning boosters that its regular soap does not have, and Dawn recommends using the designated refills rather than filling the bottle with diluted dish soap. The DIY will still clean; it is Dawn soap after all, but the grease-cutting performance might be inconsistent. Your best bet is to try it for yourself and come to your own conclusion.

If you want to try the homemade version, the recipe is super simple. Mix 1/2 cup of regular Dawn dish soap, 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol, and 1 cup of water. Pour the water and rubbing alcohol into the bottle first, then add the soap last to avoid a sudsy eruption. The key is to save your old bottle for the mixture, since the sprayer is one reason Powerwash works so well. The solution will not be distributed as smoothly and evenly onto your pots and pans if you were to put it in a normal spray bottle.

This recipe makes about 2 cups of the solution, so it should fit in the entire 16 oz bottle. The combination needs to be handled carefully, as rubbing alcohol is extremely flammable. Don't use the spray near an open flame or hot stovetop, and never play scientist by making the mixture more powerful by adding bleach, ammonia, or another cleaner.

You can use the mixture like the regular Powerwash — try it on stubborn grease pans or presoak your dishes.  This DIY is a good way to make your home more sustainable and save you some coin, but in the long run, the original formula is best if you want your dishes to sparkle as they would with the Powerwash.