DIY Dawn Powerwash is easier to make than you’d think! Just a couple of simple ingredients you likely already have around your house, and you’re ready to go!
Ever since Dawn Powerwash came to the market, people have been raving about it. Video after video on TikTok and Instagram, showed amazing results, cleaning everything from dishes to laundry with this simple product.
I finally bought into the hype and bought a bottle during one of my weekly grocery runs.
I was really skeptical at first. How could a dish spray possibly work so well on so many things? But I after just a few uses on some really tough messes, I was totally sold. It really and truly worked!
Anyone who’s read my site knows I’m a huge fan of DIY and copycat recipes and hacks. I use my homemade upholstery cleaning solution all the time!
So it was a no brainer that I was going to figure out how to make DIY Dawn Powerwash!
I’m even adding a free printable recipe to this post so you can easily keep it on hand to whip up when you need a refill, but it’s just the basics. You’ll want to read the whole post first to get all the tips and tricks to get the solution right the every time.
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What is Dawn Powerwash?
Marketed as dish spray instead of a dish soap, Dawn Powerwash claims to cut cleaning time by eliminating the need to soak dishes. Just spray, wipe and rinse. It’s really that simple.
Dawn Powerwash also works well for a variety of purposes and on a variety of materials and surfaces. It really is an all purpose cleaner.
What are the ingredients in Dawn Powerwash?
Dawn Powerwash is actually a pretty ingenious solution.
It combines Dawn, water, and isopropyl alcohol to create a really effective cleaner!
How is Dawn Powerwash Different from Regular Dawn?
Dawn Powerwash works the same way as regular Dawn dish soap, but the addition of isopropyl alcohol.
The isopropyl alcohol enables the solution to break down other stains, like marker and ink.
Plus the foaming spray bottle enable you to use small amounts of the solution just where you need it, unlike the concentrated version of Dawn that comes in dish soap.
Is Dawn Powerwash worth the money?
I absolutely fell in love with Dawn Powerwash. And just to try it out, I absolutely felt like it was worth the money.
But since I was using Dawn Powerwash on so many things, I was rolling through it pretty quickly and the cost was adding up.
A 16 oz bottle of Dawn Powerwash was $4.99 at my local Target, with the refills costing $3.99 each.
A 28 oz bottle of regular Dawn dish soap costs $4.79, and only takes a small amount to really get some suds going. A 32 oz bottle of isopropyl alcohol (commonly known as rubbing alcohol) costs just $3.99.
With the small amounts needed to make up the solution, I knew there had to be an inexpensive way to make DIY Dawn Powerwash.
The copycat recipe I’m sharing with you here costs under $0.50 per 16 oz bottle to make!!!
How To Make DIY Dawn Powerwash
The process to make DIY Dawn Powerwash is so incredibly easy, it’s really going to make you laugh. It just takes three simple ingredients and a little time.
DIY Dawn Powerwash: Gather Your Ingredients And Materials
To make our copycat Dawn Powerwash, you’ll need three ingredients that you can easily find at your local big box stores or online.
The ingredients are:
You could technically use any type of dish soap you like for this solution, but I prefer to use original Dawn. I’ve found it really just does the job like no other product.
Just make sure you’re buying Dawn Dish Soap and not Dawn Hand Soap. There are some varieties, specifically the specialty scents, sold in the same section with the dish soap that are not quite the same product.
Isopropyl Alcohol is extremely easy to find. It’s commonly called rubbing alcohol, and you probably already have some at home.
Brand absolutely doesn’t matter here. You could cut your costs even more by purchasing rubbing alcohol at your local dollar store.
It’s also not important what percentage the isopropyl alcohol is. I’ve had the same results using 70% vs 90%. At the level the alcohol is diluted in this solution, it’s not going to matter which one you use.
Some people recommend using distilled water for this DIY Dawn Powerwash, but I’ve always just used regular tap water with no problem. If your local water is particularly hard or soft, you might want to consider using a distilled water.
In addition to the ingredients, you’ll need a few other items.
While you could order a foaming spray bottle online, I like to reuse my original Dawn Powerwash bottle for this purpose.
As far as a mixing vessel goes, I like to use a large glass jar to mix up my solution. That way if I have too much, it’s easy to store for refills.
DIY Dawn Powerwash: Mix Your Ingredients
Once you’ve gathered everything you need together, it’s time to mix them up to make our magic solution.
Measure out 13 ounces of warm water and pour it into your mason jar.
Next measure out two ounces of Dawn Dish Soap and pour it into the water. Gently stir the water and the soap together with a spoon, trying not to create suds, until the mixture is completely dissolved.
Finally, measure out one ounce of isopropyl alcohol and pour it into the mixture, again stirring it gently to combine.
Once you’re mixture is nicely combined, you need to let it sit. This give the solution time to fully combine and be most effective.
I like to make my DIY Dawn Powerwash in the evening, let it sit overnight, then fill my spray bottle in the morning.
You’ll find that by letting the mixture sit, you’ll get more even and effective spray from the solution.
After letting the solution sit for some time, transfer it into your spray bottle, and clean until you’re little hearts content.
For the printable version of these steps, scroll down to the bottom of the post.
How to use DIY Dawn Powerwash
This copycat Dawn Powerwash recipe can be used just the same way you use regular Dawn Powerwash.
Spray, scrub, and rinse.
There’s no need for soaking, but you can let it sit for a few minutes if you have a particularly stubborn area to clean.
Other Uses for DIY Dawn Powerwash:
Part of the appeal of using Dawn Powerwash is how many things you can use it on. Here are just a few of the places we’ve used it with great success.
- Remove grease stains from clothes
- Cleaning the mirrors in the bathroom
- Spiffing up those grates on the barbeque grill
- De-greasing some nasty tools
- Cutting that stuck on grease off the air fryer
- Getting those whiteboards gleaming again
- Cleaning some types of shoes
- Getting that glass, flat surface stove top to sparkle again
- Removing spills from the inside of the refrigerator
- Make your stainless steel sink sparkle
- Break up the grime on the wheels and tires of your car
- Clean your Crocs
Where Can You Use Dawn Powerwash?
The official Dawn website lists the following hard surfaces as SAFE to use Dawn Powerwash on:
- Corian solid surfaces
- Porcelain enamel
- Granite
- Quartz
- Glass
- Plastic
- Stainless Steel
- As a pre-treater on clothing
Where You Should NOT use Dawn Powerwash
While there are tons of places where it’s safe to use Dawn Powerwash, there are a few that you should avoid using the product on.
It is NOT recommended to use Dawn Powerwash on ANY type of marble.
The company has NOT tested the solution on wood and does not recommend using it on wood surfaces.
You should NOT use Dawn Powerwash on cast iron.
While you can use it to clean stove glass, enamel, or stainless steel on the exterior of a stove, because it has to be rinsed, you should NOT use Dawn Powerwash on the interior of your stove or oven.
Do NOT use Dawn Powerwash inside your dishwasher.
As with any chemical solution, you should not let children use Dawn Powerwash.
If you’re using Dawn Powerwash on any surface you’ve never used it on before, it’s always recommended that you test it on an inconspicuous area before using it on the entire thing. Better safe than sorry!
DIY Dawn Powerwash
Make your own copycat Dawn Powerwash with this easy recipe
Materials
- 13 ounces Warm Water
- 2 ounces Dawn Dish Soap
- 1 ounce Isopropyl Alcohol (Rubbing Alcohol)
Tools
- Foaming Spray Bottle
- Measuring Cup
- Spoon
- Mixing Vessel
Instructions
- Gently mix together all ingredients until well combined.
- Let mixture sit for several hours.
- Gently stir ingredients again.
- Pour solution into foaming spray bottle.
Notes
Do NOT let children use this solution.
DIY Dawn Powerwash