Kathy’s Home & Garden Tips – More Uses for Wonderful Dawn Dish Detergent

Make your own carpet cleaning solution. Mix two ounces of hydrogen peroxide with one ounce of Dawn. Spray on carpet stains, then rub in with a microfiber towel. Follow with clean water and blot until all soap is removed.

Clean your grout and tile. Warm a cup of vinegar in the microwave for one minute. Add one cup of Dawn. Spray on tile lightly and let sit for a few minutes. Scrub with a brush and rinse.

Make your own bubble solution. Slowly add one cup of Dawn to six cups of water, stirring slowly to avoid bubbles. Then slowly add ¼ cup of light corn syrup. There you go! Now you have almost two quarts of bubble solution to last all summer.

Put a tablespoon of Dawn into a gallon of hot water. This makes a great degreaser, for everything from automotive to garden tools. Add another squirt to degrease barbeque grills and stove parts.

Diminish and eliminate concrete driveway stains with Dawn. Pour a large amount of Dawn directly on the stain. Scrub with a stiff bristle brush until you see the stain coming up. Rinse and repeat as necessary.

Unclog your toilet. Pour a pot of boiling water and a couple squirts of Dawn into the bowl. Plunge away then flush. Most minor clogs will wash away.

Hate your glasses fogging up, especially in summer? Keep this solution on hand for cleaning and defogging your glasses. Mix equal parts water and rubbing alcohol. Add one drop of Dawn. Spray on glasses and wipe with a microfiber cloth.

Dawn can also be a gentle flea remover for our dogs. Add one cup of Dawn to a warm bath. Soak for five minutes, then give them a good rub and scrub in the soapy water. After drying, brush well to remove fleas.

Dawn makes a non-toxic bug killer for the garden. This is great if you have pets or grow vegetables. Use a teaspoon of Dawn in a quart of water. Test first, as Dawn contains degreasers which may wash away beneficial wax on some plants. It works by smothering soft bodied insects like spiders, mites, and aphids. It doesn’t bother most beneficial insects.

Mix a teaspoon of Dawn with a tablespoon of rubbing alcohol in half a gallon of warm water. Pour over an icy sidewalk or stairs to prevent refreezing.

Make reusable ice packs. Use full strength Dawn. Fill a freezer Ziploc halfway, double bag. Freeze. It will stay flexible, unlike plain water packs.

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO