Liquid Dish Soap

Before you read: When you buy through my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I'd be happy to use in my own kitchen.

Which one should you buy?

Mrs. Meyer's is a lovely soap to use every day, but if cutting grease fast matters more to you than scent, Method's dish soap is the stronger performer.

Pick	Why	Price
My pick Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day, Lavender (16 oz)	Cleans well and smells lovely. It's a little slower on heavy grease than the very best, and the scent is strong, so you'll either love it or not.	About $5 (October 2026) See it on Amazon
Step up Method Dish Soap	The one to buy if you want the quickest work on greasy pans.	Varies Check the price
On a budget Dawn Original	The classic blue bottle. Cheap, easy to find and good on grease.	Varies Check the price

Even if you have a dishwasher, some things should always be washed by hand. Good knives, wooden boards, cast iron and nonstick pans all last longer when they stay out of the machine. A bottle of decent dish soap by the sink makes that a quick job, not a chore.

And there's something quite calming about it. Warm water, a bit of music on, the pans from a good dinner. There are worse ways to end the evening.

How dish soap works

Water and grease don't mix. That's why rinsing a greasy pan with water alone just moves the grease around. Dish soap contains surfactants: molecules with one end that grabs onto grease and another that likes water. They surround the fat, lift it off the pan and let the water carry it away.

Hot water helps, because warm grease is softer and easier to lift. So does a little patience: a few minutes' soak loosens stuck-on bits so you don't have to scrub as hard.

All dish soaps do this, but some do it faster. The difference shows most on heavy, greasy pans, less so on a few plates and glasses.

Mrs. Meyer's dish soap at a glance

What	Detail
Size	16-ounce bottle
Scent	Lavender (other scents available)
Cleaning	Breaks down food well; a touch slower on grease than the fastest soaps
Use for	Hand-washing only, never in a dishwasher

What to look for in dish soap

Cuts grease. That's the main job. A little should go a long way in hot water.
A scent you like, or none at all. Strong fragrances divide people. If you're sensitive to smells, choose a fragrance-free soap.
Rinses clean. Leftover soap can dull wine glasses and flatten the head on a beer.
Kind to your hands if you do a lot of washing up.

Mrs. Meyer's is a pleasure to use and gets the job done. I'm happy to be honest that it's chosen as much for how it feels and smells as for raw grease-cutting power. If you want the fastest, buy Method.

Who it suits, and who should skip it

Good for you if

You enjoy a scented soap by the sink
You hand-wash knives, boards and pans every day
You want a soap that cleans well without fuss

Skip it if

You don't like strong scents: try a fragrance-free soap
You fry a lot and want the quickest work on grease: go for Method
You want the cheapest bottle that does the job: Dawn Original

How to get the best from it

Wash pans while they're warm

Scrape out the food, then add hot water and a little soap while the pan is still warm (not smoking hot; cold water on a very hot pan can warp it).

Soak, then scrub

Let stuck-on bits soak for a few minutes. Then wash with a non-scratch sponge or brush, rinse and dry straight away.

Knives: one at a time

Never leave a knife in a sink full of soapy water where you can't see it. Wash it, blade away from you, rinse, dry and put it away.

Cast iron

A little soap is fine on a well-seasoned skillet. Wash, rinse, then dry it over a low heat and wipe on a thin film of oil.

Glasses

Rinse wine and beer glasses really well. A trace of soap can mute the aroma of wine and kill the foam on a beer.

Cleaning and safety

Never put hand dish soap in a dishwasher. It makes a mountain of suds that can spill out across the floor.
A little goes a long way. Too much just takes longer to rinse off.
Keep it out of reach of children.

Questions people ask

What's the best dish soap?

For pure grease-cutting, Method. Mrs. Meyer's is a very good everyday soap that's chosen as much for its scent as its power. Dawn Original is a reliable budget choice.

Can I use dish soap on cast iron?

Yes, a little mild soap won't hurt good seasoning. Dry it over heat straight away and rub in a thin coat of oil.

Can I use dish soap in my dishwasher?

No. It foams far too much. Use dishwasher detergent only.

Why do my glasses taste of soap?

They weren't rinsed well enough. Rinse in plenty of clean, warm water.

Is scented dish soap a problem?

Not for cleaning, but some people find strong scents too much. Rinse well so the fragrance doesn't linger on glasses.

Wash these by hand

My Cast Iron Skillet, my Wooden Cutting Board and your good knives, like my Chef's Knife.

Updated October 2026. Prices change often, so check before you buy.