You might be surprised to find that your least favorite chore – the dishes – is the stuff breakthroughs are made of.

Dishwashing liquid is not just for washing dishes. It is a versatile cleaner that goes way beyond the kitchen, so stop paying for a cupboard full of cleaners that comes with a price tag to match. From clothes to cars, dish soap can go a long way to getting your home spotless, and here are just a few ideas.

. Seafood Stains – Did eating seafood leave a nasty stain on your favorite cotton shirt? With a few dabs of dish soap, you can dissolve that greasy mess. Rub the dish soap with cold water into the stain until the consistency becomes jelly-like, and rinse.

. Marble Tiles – Are you tired of looking at those yellowish stains on your marble tiles? Dish soap is an easy way to remove grease and oil from many surfaces including concrete, terracotta and brick. A bit of dish soap and water will have the stains gone in no time.

. Caravan Mouldings – If your caravan’s mouldings are covered in dust, simply add ½ cup of white vinegar and 3 teaspoons of dish soap to 9 liters of water. Scrub the dust with the mixture to revive the look of your caravan.

. Soiled Work-clothes – Grease and oil can be a problem for those who work in a workshop. If you have these stains on your clothes, rub a bit of soap and cold water on the grease until it changes texture to jelly-like and rinse to get your clothes clean again.

. Sunscreen Marks – Did that last trip to the beach leave sunscreen marks on your car’s vinyl? Rub a bit of soap into the sunscreen and remove with cold water to get your car clean.

. Melted Cheese – Dripping melted cheese can spell disaster for your couch. Just remember, dishwashing liquid is great for greasy stains, but not protein. When it’s a cheese spill, make sure to remove all the cheese first. After that, it’s as simple as rubbing a few drops of soap on the oil until it becomes jelly-like and wipe with a wet cloth.

These are just a few of the surprising ways dishwashing detergent can be used outside the kitchen sink.

You can also try it on bicycle grease, diesel, and butter.

So don’t spend a fortune anymore on unnecessary cleaning products and make the most of what you have right under your sink.