Is dish soap a safe insecticide for the lawn?
On One Hand: Benefits of Dish Soap InsecticideUsing dish soap as an insecticide on your lawn gets rid of pests and can even increase water penetration. When a lawn has become hydrophobic, unable to absorb moisture, a mixture of diluted, mild dish soap applied to the grass can break surface tension and allow the water to saturate the soil. Recipes for safe concoctions are available in lawn-care manuals and on the Internet.On the Other: Concerns of Dish Soap InsecticideDry dish soaps and all laundry detergents are too strong and can damage your plants, including the grass. While dish soap in small amounts is not unsafe for humans, it is difficult to mix the right amount of dish soap and water to create an insecticide that will be effective and still be safe for the lawn environment. It is best to use biodegradable dish soap or insecticidal soap.Bottom LineIt is safe to use dish soap as an insecticide in small amounts, especially if the dish soap used in the insecticide mixture is biodegr
