Dawn Dishwashing Detergent: Dawn Original, Dawn Oxi and Dawn Direct Foam

Proctor and Gamble has been a leading name in household products for many years and is responsible for a variety of different sub-brands that we see daily in our grocery stores or super marts like Target or Walmart. And while we might not always recognize these sub brands as being a part of Proctor and Gamble, we have come to recognize and appreciate many of them just by their logo, their TV commercials and more importantly by their excellence in quality. One such brand is Dawn dishwashing detergent. Dawn is primarily known for its dishwashing formulas and remains today one of the most popular and standard soaps of all that exist in this product industry. Most people tend to stick to the traditional Dawn antibacterial dishwashing soap as their cleanser of choice, for it is the kind that is most readily available and sounds the best, for we have been somewhat conditioned to believe that “antibacterial” titled products are ideal. However, many people do not realize that Dawn dishwashing detergent actually has a huge line of similar products, all designated for a different dishwashing need and due to that tendency to grab what you know from the shelf full of confusing product names, might very well be missing out on all that Dawn dishwashing detergent has to offer. So in an effort to promote a brand that has served me well and additionally to help others in making the most of their dishwashing experience and success, I will analyze and compare a couple of the latest Dawn dishwashing detergent products that are in existence today in the household item market; I will focus on the few that I use the most, personally.

When I was a little kid my mother used to always do the dishes with the Dawn dishwashing detergent, original soap. I remember it came in orange, blue and green liquid, all which seemed to smell identical in my opinion. Even though I didn’t particularly care for the smell, nor did I enjoy the particular dishwashing chore that came along with it, it definitely indented itself in my mind as a smell that reminded me of family and home. For after I moved out of my parents house and into my own apartment, I found myself selecting the very same Dawn Original dishwashing detergent that I used all those times with my mom. It was what I knew and what I was comfortable with. And until this year, that Dawn Original was always what I used.

The change came this year when I stopped being the main grocery shopper of the household and transferred that responsibility to a very trend conscious male roommate. My roommate is the type to buy whatever he last saw a commercial for, or the most commercials, to be more specific. Whichever product on the market seemed to be the latest and greatest- that is what he would get, regardless of price. So for the past year approximately, I have had the chance to experience various different dishwashing detergents thanks to him. And even though the specific types seem to change according to what is the most hip and most convenient for my roommate to buy, he must seem to have a similar cozy feeling toward the Dawn dishwashing detergent brand because all of the products are under that brand line.

The first obscure Dawn product that I encountered was the Dawn Oxi product. I have to admit that the first time I saw the light to medium blue bubbly bottled liquid on my sink counter, I was skeptical. When I read that its main distinguishing function was to release thousands of “active oxides” and the official title was “Dawn Ultra Concentrated Oxi” I figured it was another fad item that my silly roommate had decided out of the blue was the best. But then I used it to wash a couple of dishes and was honestly in shock at how well it worked. Not only did it clean the dishes well, but it had strong moisturizing power that left my hands softer than they even were before I began the dishwashing task. On top of that, the dishes, after being rinsed clean seemed to be soft to the touch too, which I can imagine might help preserve some of the more higher quality dishes and silverware. The scent of the Dawn Oxi is also good and it really smells, looks (bubbles) and feels like it is truly working. I highly recommend this Dawn dishwashing detergent product to anyone who has to do a lot of dishwashing at one given time, because it certainly makes the task less of a pain. When you can walk away from a chore with your hands feeling actually a bit pampered, that is a huge plus. And not something you will find often. The only reason I could see someone not enjoying this product is if they like a squeaky clean feeling to their hands and dishes after doing the dishwashing task. Sometimes, I will admit, with the Dawn Oxi it feels as if the dish isn’t clean because it is so soft. However, I have decided to have faith in the detergent and Proctor and Gamble, Dawn dishwashing detergent brand and just accept that while squeaky clean might be good for the dishes, it is not so for your hands and as long as the dishes get sufficiently clean, I opt for putting the comfort of my appendages first.

The next Dawn dishwashing detergent product to appear on my counter top (alongside of the still halfway full Dawn Oxi) was the Dawn Direct Foam dishwashing detergent. This happens to be one of Dawn’s latest products in the line and apparently my roommate was impressed once again. While the Dawn Oxi was primarily good for moisturizing the hands, as a specialty, the Dawn Direct Foam product is supposed to be known for its breakthrough means of cutting through grease. Apparently, according to Proctor and Gamble, the Dawn Direct Foam’s unique foaming technology can attack grease more than 10x the ability of other detergents on the market. What is even more interesting is the fact that little water is involved in the ingredients and hardly any needs to be added. The major point the brand wants to make about the Dawn Direct Foam product is that all it takes is one squirt of the foam onto a dish and no water should be added until the sponge appears to be out of soap. Then, a little bit of water should be added to the sponge, the sponge then squeezed and on to washing the dishes again. The great thing about this product is that since a little soap goes a long way, you save money. As for the hand moisturizing ability, this product doesn’t do nearly as good of a job as the Dawn Oxi for that, but still, it takes awhile to really make the hands uncomfortably dry. Also, the smell isn’t as fresh and natural seeming as the Dawn Oxi but it still carries the traditional Dawn dishwashing detergent comfort smell that I and many relate to our years growing up.

There are many different Dawn dishwashing detergent products to choose from, but in my experience, these types have proven to be the best. That is not to say, however, that some of the various other types of Dawn dishwashing detergent products aren’t just as awesome and may fit some individuals’ needs even more than the above described. However, I know that my roommate and I love the Dawn products we’ve been using and the Dawn Oxi and Dawn Direct Foam products will probably be a new staple for our dishwashing detergent needs.