Dishwashing Liquid

Dishwashing liquid (BrE: washing-up liquid), also known as dishwashing soap and dish soap, is a detergent used to assist in dishwashing. It is usually a highly-foaming mixture of surfactants with low skin irritation, and is primarily used for hand washing of glasses, plates, cutlery, and cooking utensils in a sink or bowl.

The reduced surface tension of dishwashing water, and increasing solubility of modern surfactant mixtures, allows the water to run off the dishes in a dish rack very quickly. However, most people also rinse the dishes with pure water to make sure to get rid of any soap residue that could affect the taste of the food.

Notable brands of dishwashing liquid include Fairy Liquid, which is the bestselling brand in the United Kingdom, Dawn, which is the leading brand in the United States, and Joy.

Some brands offer special features, such as Dawn Hand Renewal with Olay Beauty or Ajax Triple Action, which offers cleaning, antibacterial properties, and can be used as a hand soap.