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Can I Use Regular Dish Soap in a Dishwasher?

No—But There Are Better Alternatives

Using liquid dish soap in the dishwasher is a bad idea. Dish soap and dishwasher detergent are different types of cleaners. Read on to learn the differences, why you should keep dish soap out of your appliance, and what to do instead.

Can I Use Dish Soap in the Dishwasher?

You may have wondered, "If I'm out of dishwasher detergent, can I use regular liquid dish soap in my dishwasher?" The answer is a big no—filling a dishwasher with dish soap can cause an overflow of thick suds. Even though dish soap and dishwasher detergent have a similar consistency or seem like they can do the same job, dishwasher detergent is specifically formulated with important enzymes to clean your items without creating suds. Thankfully, there are other alternatives you can use at home if you run out of dish detergent. 

Tip

Likewise, dishwasher detergent is not recommended for manually washing dishes. Although your dishes will come clean, the lack of suds may cause you to add too much detergent to the water, which will make it difficult to properly rinse your dishes.

loaded dishwasher

The Spruce / Lacey Johnson 

What Happens if You Use Dish Soap in a Dishwasher?

Ordinary dish and hand soaps are intended to create lots of foamy suds. If you fill the soap container in your dishwasher with ordinary dish liquid, the resulting suds will fill your dishwasher with suds and then overflow from the appliance to the floor.

Only detergents that are specially formulated for dishwashers should be used in these appliances. Dishwasher detergents will not create suds during the cycle. There are also ways to make dishwasher detergent alternatives right at home.

What to Do if You Put Dish Soap in the Dishwasher

If you have accidentally used the incorrect liquid detergent for a cycle, there are steps to take to minimize the mess:

  • Turn off the dishwasher and cancel the cycle.
  • Clean any water and soap that leaked onto the floor.
  • Run the dishwasher's drain cycle.
  • Take the dishes out of the dishwasher.
  • Pour 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar into the bottom of the empty dishwasher and run a quick cycle (vinegar will suppress suds).
  • Run a rinse cycle with just water to remove more of the dish soap. Repeat the cycle if necessary.
  • Clean and dry the inside of the dishwasher using towels.
  • Rinse your dishes well in the sink to clear away the soap suds and residue.
dishwasher overflowing
The Spruce / Lacey Johnson 

Safe Alternatives to Dishwashing Detergent

A straight substitution of even a drop of ordinary dishwashing soap for dishwasher detergent is a recipe for disaster. However, just a few drops of ordinary dishwashing soap combined with baking soda is actually a good recipe for sparkling dishes.

Here's how to make your own "emergency" dishwasher detergent:

  1. Fill your dishwasher's soap container about 3/4 full of baking soda
  2. Add a few drops of your favorite dishwashing soap (Dawn, Lux, etc.)
  3. Add 1/4 cup of salt if you have hard water
  4. Run your dishwasher
adding baking soda to the dishwasher
The Spruce / Lacey Johnson 

Baking soda helps reduce sudsing while it also improves your dishwasher's performance. You may even wind up with a cleaner dishwasher by using this method.

DIY Dishwashing Detergent Recipe

After discovering that it's cheaper to wash your dishes with baking soda, you may wonder, "Why am I spending so much money on dishwasher detergent?" If you'd rather do a little prep work than spend extra money on dishwasher detergent, you can have DIY dishwashing detergent that's ready to go whenever you have dirty dishes. Here's how:

Combine the following ingredients:

  • 1 cup washing soda
  • 1 cup baking soda
  • Optional: 3 packages of unsweetened lemonade drink mix
  • 1/2 cup of kosher salt (only necessary if you have hard water)
ingredients for diy detergent
The Spruce / Lacey Johnson 
  • Stir together thoroughly, and store in an airtight canister. You can use this powder just as you would use commercial dishwasher detergent, or keep it handy in case you happen to run out.
pouring dishwashing mixture into an airtight jar
The Spruce / Lacey Johnson 
FAQ
  • How much dish soap should I use in a dishwasher?

    Do not use any dish soap in the dishwasher unless it is specifically dishwashing detergent. When using dishwasher detergent, consult the package instructions and your appliance's owner's manual to determine how much to use. A general rule of thumb is to fill the detergent dispenser cup of your machine to the level recommended by the appliance's manufacturer.

  • Are dishwasher pods cheaper than liquid?

    Dishwasher pods cost more per load than gel, liquid, or powder dishwasher detergents. Pods are convenient and take the guesswork out of how much detergent to use, but producing them is more expensive.

  • Do pods clean as well as dishwashing liquid?

    Pods clean just as well as dishwasher liquid detergent. In addition, dishwasher pods are premeasured so you will never put too little or too much detergent in your load, which will reduce the film left on dishes and glassware. Pods may contain more ingredients than plain powder, liquid, or gel, giving the pods more cleaning power.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. The role of enzymes in detergent products. American Cleaning Institute.

  2. Can You Use Dish Soap in the Dishwasher? Maytag.

  3. Baking Soda: The Everday Miracle. University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension Oconto County.

  4. Understanding Dishwashers. American Cleaning Institute.