When you go shopping and buy Dawn dish soap, have you ever wondered who made it or how long it has been around? Most of us who use Dawn don’t even think about the beginnings of this wonderful product. The truth is that when Paul Andrecola invented Dawn in 1973, he had originally invented it to clean engines. However, this was a dismal failure as it took to long compared to other degreasers. Proctor and Gamble then bought the product and this marked the birth of
Dawn dish soap
Dawn joined the popular lemon-scented Joy dish soap in the Proctor and Gamble lineup and is the best selling dish soap around. But it’s fame does not end in the kitchen sink. Dawn went from the kitchen to a member of the environmental movement when it was found to be effective in cleaning up the mess left behind from oil spills. Birds, which were covered in thick black oil, were bathed in Dawn after the Exxon-Valdez spill in 1983 and after the oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010.
Dawn dish soap is made from a combination of vegetable and plant extracts which are mixed in a delicate balance. Although it is wonderful for taking grease off of dishes, it still retains a unique gentleness which makes it safe to bathe animals within small amounts. So how does Dawn dish soap actually work? It contains surfactant molecules which cling to the dirt and oil, surrounding it and thus removing it from clothes, dishes and, in the above case, feathers.
Dawn is also very good at getting rid of fleas. Dawn dish soap has been used for quite some time to get rid of fleas in the house but is also great for removing fleas from your dog as well. The soap thickens the water and the fleas drown. Of course, this only works with adult fleas and does nothing to kill or remove flea eggs.
Start off by wetting the dog’s fur using warm water. Apply Dawn starting with areas of the body such as the ears and face. Be careful not to get Dawn in the dog’s eyes, nose or ears. Work the soap down the dog’s neck and further down the body of the dog. Let the soapy lather sit for a few minutes then rinse with warm water.
Remove the dog from his bath and dry him off completely. Next, you should examine your dog’s coat very closely to make sure that the fleas are gone. If you do find more fleas, use tweezers to gently remove them from your dog. If the fleas have left bare or irritated patches on your dog, ask your vet for an antibiotic cream to avoid infection.
If you are bothered in your house by black gnats flying around, try mixing about a quarter cup of white vinegar and a tablespoon of Dawn dish soap. The gnats will be attracted to the vinegar and will become stuck in the dish soap. This really does work!
