# What's the best substitute for dish washing liquid? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 26, 2018, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-substitute-for-dish-washing-liquid/816744 "2018-06-26T00:05:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-substitute-for-dish-washing-liquid/816744/21 "2018-06-26T18:07:18Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > I use Prell. (I use other shampoos from time to time, but mostly Prell.) It’s not hard to find at all. It even smells the same. It’s changed hands several times over the past 20 years. It was originally made by Procter & Gamble, but they sold it off in '99 – interestingly, it’s now owned by [Scott’s Liquid Gold](http://www.slginc.com/our-brands/) (a company mostly known for its eponymous wood-cleaning products). I knew that Prell was still around, but I don’t think I’ve seen it on a store shelf in years (admittedly, I haven’t been looking for it, either). ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-substitute-for-dish-washing-liquid/816744/22 "2018-06-26T18:55:39Z")
Not that I’ve made a careful study, but in my experience most women do not wash their hair every day, expressly so that it does not dry out. I don’t wash mine every day either but I have very little to begin with… ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-substitute-for-dish-washing-liquid/816744/23 "2018-06-26T19:02:04Z")
> [@TSBG](#): > > Not that I’ve made a careful study, but in my experience most women do not wash their hair every day, expressly so that it does not dry out. I don’t wash mine every day either but I have very little to begin with… I did a little googling on the topic yesterday, and it looks like it may be about 50/50 for women, on washing their hair every day, versus not. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-substitute-for-dish-washing-liquid/816744/24 "2018-06-26T20:10:30Z")
> [@TSBG](#): > > Not that I’ve made a careful study, but in my experience most women do not wash their hair every day, expressly so that it does not dry out. I don’t wash mine every day either but I have very little to begin with… Actually, once a week, or when it gets dirty is best. Allow the natural oils to get back in. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-substitute-for-dish-washing-liquid/816744/25 "2018-06-26T20:16:44Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > I use Prell. (I use other shampoos from time to time, but mostly Prell.) It’s not hard to find at all. It even smells the same. Me too… and I get it at Wal-Mart for somewhere around $2 to $2.50 per bottle. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-substitute-for-dish-washing-liquid/816744/26 "2018-06-27T00:48:47Z")
I tried the shampoo (pert) as the best bet. You won’t want to do it two days running is all I can say. The suds aren’t there with it, hard to feel the clean. I’ll use laundry detergent if I have to do it again. What about spic and span? It feels wrong. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-substitute-for-dish-washing-liquid/816744/27 "2018-06-27T01:34:09Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > I tried the shampoo (pert) as the best bet. You won’t want to do it two days running is all I can say. The suds aren’t there with it, hard to feel the clean. > > I’ll use laundry detergent if I have to do it again. > > What about spic and span? It feels wrong. My first thought is “If I’m going to accidentally eat something, I’d prefer shampoo over Spic and Span”. My second thought is “probably no suds with that either”. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-substitute-for-dish-washing-liquid/816744/28 "2018-06-27T01:56:56Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > I tried the shampoo (pert) as the best bet. You won’t want to do it two days running is all I can say. The suds aren’t there with it, hard to feel the clean. [Pert](https://www.pert.com/) is a two-in-one shampoo + conditioner; I’m not surprised that you didn’t like how the dishes felt with it, as I’d guess it left a bit of conditioner on the dishes. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-substitute-for-dish-washing-liquid/816744/29 "2018-06-27T03:48:58Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > [Pert](https://www.pert.com/) is a two-in-one shampoo + conditioner; I’m not surprised that you didn’t like how the dishes felt with it, as I’d guess it left a bit of conditioner on the dishes. It might have been better if I hadn’t recalled that, but they have never looked better. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-substitute-for-dish-washing-liquid/816744/30 "2018-06-27T07:43:27Z")
Not a woman, but I wash my hair every day that I leave the house just so it won’t look crazy. I use what I guess you could call “low detergent” shampoos. As far as dish washing liquid goes, if we are talking about dishwasher machine liquid then you can use a few drops of the (hand) washing liquid and fill the rest of the way with baking soda and a pinch of salt. I know, because I did this other day. It worked in a pinch but I bought some the next chance I had. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-substitute-for-dish-washing-liquid/816744/31 "2018-06-27T11:01:38Z")
I’ve used shampoo to wash the dishes. It doesn’t work as well. Better than nothing, though. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2018, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-substitute-for-dish-washing-liquid/816744/32 "2018-06-27T11:26:28Z")
> [@Weedy](#): > > I’ve used shampoo to wash the dishes. It doesn’t work as well. Better than nothing, though. Just remembered why I didn’t like it. The scent from the shampoo clings to the dishes even after you rinse them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-substitute-for-dish-washing-liquid/816744.md?page=1)