You’ve probably read dozens of articles and posts about the wonders of dish soap as a pesticide, fungicide, and surfactant in the garden. All of those posts are wrong.
How dish soap works
Dish soap, also known as dish washing liquid, is a detergent. Dish soap helps us get our dishes clean by cutting grease, oil, and wax. Dish soap generally contains colorants, fragrances, bleach, enzymes, phosphates, and rinsing agents. Insects and plants have waxy coatings that are also damaged by dish soap. When this protective coating is removed, infection, pest infestation, and dehydration all become more likely. Dish soap v. insecticidal soap Insecticidal soap is not a detergent. It is a soap made specifically formulated for use on plants. And it must be used properly to be safe for plants and effective against pests. While liquid hand soap is a soap and not a detergent, it contains fatty acids which are phytotoxic, or poisonous, to plants. Before trying a Quick Fix on your edible plants, take the time to research what is really going on. Your plants will thank you.
2 Comments
Kathryn B Hamilton
8/5/2019 12:07:56 pm
Does the same warning apply to castille soap?
Reply
Kate Russell
8/6/2019 08:03:47 am
Hi, Kathryn.
Reply
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