Have you ever heard the old age myth that shampoo can be used to wash dishes? It's a common story, but is it true? On the surface, it makes sense—shampoo is designed to clean hair, and dish soap is designed to clean dishes. So why not just use shampoo instead of buying special dish soap? Let's take a closer look at this popular belief and find out whether its fact or fiction.

Does it work?

In theory, yes. Both products contain surfactants, chemicals that reduce the surface tension of water so it can remove dirt and grease more effectively.

Should you do it?

This is the trickier question. Although it should do a decent job, the balance of the surfactants with ingredients differs depending on their intended purpose. The surfactants in shampoo are designed to gently cleanse hair without drying it out, while the surfactants in dish soap are formulated to cut through grease more efficiently than shampoo does (which means that shampoo might not be quite as effective).

The second thing to consider is that shampoos also typically contain fragrances and other additives that make them appealing for use on hair. These ingredients can leave behind a residue on dishes, which could lead to an unpleasant smell or taste when you go to eat off your plates.

Finally, one has to consider cost efficiency when comparing shampoo and dish soap. In general, shampoos tend to be pricier than regular dish soaps due to their specialized formulations, making them less economical in terms of cleaning power per ounce. Unless you're looking for an expensive way to wash your dishes (or if you're simply desperate because you ran out of your regular dish soap), using shampoo probably isn't the best option for cleaning your dishes. They also tend to be packaged in single-use plastic, whereas there are some great eco friendly options out there for washing up liquid (if this peaks your interest, why not check out our Washupthings - the UKs first powder-to-gel washing up liquid).

The bottom line?

So there you have it—while using shampoo as a substitute for regular dish soap may seem like an attractive idea at first glance, there are some very good reasons why using hair care products on your dinnerware probably isn't such a great idea after all! Stick with products specifically designed for washing dishes (again… Washupthings is a great option); they'll do a better job at getting your plates sparkling clean without leaving behind any residue or causing skin irritation. And besides—your dinner guests won't appreciate finding traces of lavender scent on their potato chips!