Listen and follow The Wirecutter ShowApple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube | iHeartRadioDish soap might be the most underrated cleaner in your home. It's cheap, it's safe to use with bare hands, and it’s the star of many Wirecutter cleaning tutorials — from how to clean wood floors to stainless steel appliances to laundry stains. It also makes a great alternative to “green” cleaners—cleaners that are marketed as less toxic, allergenic, or supposedly better for the environment.In this episode, we chat with senior staff writer Andrea Barnes about why dish soap is such a powerhouse cleaner, which brands actually work best, and the surprising places you can use it around your home (and when to reach for something else).This episode coversWhy "green" cleaners often underperform: Many eco-marketed cleaners aren’t good multitaskers, so you end up buying more products to compensate. A concept called the “Sinner’s Circle” explains why: cleaning requires some combination of time, heat, chemicals, and friction — reduce one, and you have to add more of another.How to make an all-purpose cleaner for pennies: Just two to three drops of dish soap in a large spray bottle of water works as an effective surface cleaner for kitchen backsplashes, counters, yoga mats, stainless steel, and more — for under 25 cents a bottle.Surprising uses for dish soap: It works on makeup stains, shoes, jewelry, mouth guards, retainers, outdoor security cameras, and even shower tile. If you've been exposed to poison ivy, washing the affected area with dish soap within 20 minutes may help break down the irritating oil.What to never clean with dish soap: Don't use it on your pets' fur, your own face, or — crucially — in your dishwasher, where it will cause a sudsy overflow.The truth about laundry pods and microplastics: Despite how they look and feel, pods do not shed microplastics. The film dissolves completely and is biodegradable. Experts are actually more concerned about the plastic containers detergent comes in.Products we recommendThe best dish soapPalmolive Ultra Pure + Clear Dish LiquidThis well-rounded, fragrance- and dye-free dish soap is an excellent cleaner, and it’s hypoallergenic.$4 from Amazon$8 from Walmart(pack of two)Best for household cleaning projectsDawn Platinum Dishwashing Liquid This electric blue dish soap excels at removing oil stains from fabrics and cleaning hard surfaces. But it has a strong scent and contains synthetic dyes.$6 from Amazon$5 from Walmart$6 from The Home DepotBest for (nearly) plastic-free packagingCleancult Dish Soap Lemon VerbenaThis plant-based, pleasant-smelling dish soap cleans well, and it comes in a reusable and recyclable aluminum bottle. It is dye-free, but it contains allergens that some may find irritating.$6 from AmazonBiobased detergentDropps UltraWash PlusThis powerful biobased dishwasher detergent pod cleans well and comes in plastic-free packaging. In tests, it fell a smidgen short of our picks in cutting grease.$35 from Amazon$35 from Walmart$25 from DroppsBest drugstore lipstickRevlon Super Lustrous LipstickWith a nice glide and a solid color payoff, this bullet comes in over 70 colors and a range of finishes. Some hues require a few layers to achieve full coverage, though, and the best shades can be hard to nab in person.$7 from Amazon$7 from Walmart$12 from Ulta