Great Value Ultra Dish Liquid, Original

This is a heavy-duty conventional dish soap powered by a potent anionic surfactant blend designed for maximum grease cutting and high-foaming kitchen cleanup.

Performance Rating: 9.2

The formula demonstrates exceptional cleaning efficacy driven by a potent multi-surfactant system. The primary cleansing agents, including sodium C10-16 alkylbenzene sulfonate, sodium laureth sulfate, and sodium lauryl sulfate, provide superior degreasing power and rich, long-lasting foam to easily lift baked-on food and tough grease. Cocamidopropyl betaine acts as a secondary surfactant to boost foam stability, while sodium xylene sulfonate enhances ingredient solubility. Additionally, tetrasodium EDTA serves as an effective chelating agent to combat hard water minerals, and citric acid optimizes the pH for maximum cleaning efficiency, ensuring consistently robust dishwashing performance.

Safety Rating: 5.8

The formulation presents a moderate safety profile due to several ingredients recognized as potential irritants and sensitizers. Surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate can cause skin dryness, irritation, and barrier disruption with frequent exposure, with ethoxylated compounds also carrying processing byproduct concerns. Furthermore, the blend of methylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone represents a well-documented potent skin allergen and sensitizer, capable of triggering contact dermatitis. The inclusion of unspecified synthetic fragrance and artificial Blue 1 dye introduces additional risks of allergic reactions and skin sensitivity, moderating the overall health rating.

Final Rating: 7.6

The overall assessment reflects a high-performing conventional dish soap that balances heavy-duty grease-cutting action against moderate health and environmental considerations. The heavy reliance on robust anionic surfactants and chelators ensures flawless cleaning results on stubborn food residues and greasy cookware. However, the presence of harsh sulfates, isothiazolinone preservatives, and synthetic additives detracts from its mildness, making it less ideal for individuals with sensitive skin without protective gloves. Ultimately, this product represents a dependable, highly effective cleaner best suited for consumers who prioritize maximum washing power and foaming over hypoallergenic or eco-friendly attributes.

Verdict

The primary strength of this formulation lies in its robust surfactant system, combining Sodium C10-16 Alkylbenzene Sulfonate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Working in synergy with Cocamidopropyl Betaine, this mixture creates rich, long-lasting suds that rapidly emulsify stubborn animal fats, cooking oils, and baked-on food residues. The addition of Sodium Xylene Sulfonate serves as a hydrotrope to maintain formula clarity and surfactant stability, while Sodium Chloride provides optimal gel viscosity. This combination delivers exceptional degreasing performance capable of tackling the toughest cookware with minimal manual scrubbing.

To ensure consistent cleaning across various household conditions, the formula integrates Tetrasodium EDTA and Citric Acid. Tetrasodium EDTA acts as an effective chelating agent that captures hard water minerals such as calcium and magnesium, preventing film formation and allowing the surfactants to perform at full capacity in hard water. Citric Acid serves as a pH adjuster to balance the formula and improve clean rinsing. These functional additives work together to deliver a streak-free finish on glassware, ceramic plates, and stainless steel utensils without leaving cloudy residue.

Despite its impressive cleaning capability, the product presents potential drawbacks regarding skin compatibility and allergenicity. Strong anionic detergents like SLS can strip the skin of natural lipids, leading to dryness and irritation during extended use. More significantly, the preservative system contains Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI), alongside added Fragrance. MCI/MI is a recognized contact allergen that can trigger cutaneous sensitivities or contact dermatitis in reactive individuals, especially when doing dishes without protective hand coverings.

Overall, this dish liquid represents an effective, traditional cleaning formulation engineered primarily for raw degreasing power and cost-efficient performance. It excels at cutting through heavy kitchen grease and delivering spotless cookware in demanding washing scenarios. However, because of the inclusion of isothiazolinone preservatives, synthetic fragrance, and Blue 1 dye, it is best suited for users who wear protective gloves or those without reactive skin looking for dependable, heavy-duty dishwashing power.

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Ingredient Evaluation

📁 Surfactants / 表面活性剂

🧪 Sodium C10-16 Alkylbenzene Sulfonate / C10-16 烷基苯磺酸钠

Purpose: Primary anionic surfactant that cuts through grease, lifts oily food soils, and creates cleaning foam.

Concerns: Can cause skin dryness or irritation with prolonged direct contact.

Notes: A linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) commonly used as the heavy-duty workhorse surfactant in household cleaning products.

🧪 Sodium Laureth Sulfate / 月桂醇聚醚硫酸酯钠

Purpose: Anionic surfactant that acts as a primary cleanser and creates rich lather.

Concerns: May cause mild skin dryness and can carry trace 1,4-dioxane impurities from the ethoxylation manufacturing process.

Notes: Milder on the skin and more soluble in cold water compared to unethoxylated sodium lauryl sulfate.

🧪 Sodium Lauryl Sulfate / 月桂基硫酸钠

Purpose: High-foaming anionic surfactant that emulsifies oils and lifts tough food soils.

Concerns: Known skin irritant capable of disrupting the skin barrier during prolonged exposure.

Notes: Typically blended with milder secondary surfactants to reduce overall skin irritation potential.

🧪 Sodium Xylene Sulfonate / 二甲苯磺酸钠

Purpose: Acts as a hydrotrope and surfactant processing aid to keep the formula clear, homogeneous, and properly dispersed.

Concerns: May cause minor skin or ocular irritation at elevated concentrations.

Notes: Increases the water solubility of other surfactants to prevent cloudiness or phase separation without lowering foam quality.

🧪 Cocamidopropyl Betaine / 椰油酰胺丙基甜菜碱

Purpose: Amphoteric surfactant that stabilizes foam, builds viscosity, and mitigates the harshness of anionic surfactants.

Concerns: Can trigger allergic contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals due to synthesis by-products such as 3-dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA).

Notes: Derived from coconut or palm kernel oil and widely used as a gentle co-surfactant.

📁 Solvents & Thickeners / 溶剂与增稠剂

🧪 Water / 水

Purpose: Serves as the primary solvent and liquid carrier for dissolving and dispersing all formula ingredients.

Notes: Constitutes the largest percentage by weight in liquid dish detergent formulations.

🧪 Sodium Chloride / 氯化钠

Purpose: Functions as an electrolyte to build viscosity and achieve desired product thickness.

Notes: Interacts with anionic surfactant micelles to thicken the solution effectively without requiring polymeric thickeners.

📁 pH Adjusters & Chelating Agents / pH调节剂与螯合剂

🧪 Citric Acid / 柠檬酸

Purpose: Adjusts and buffers product pH to maintain optimal surfactant stability, formula shelf life, and skin compatibility.

Notes: A naturally occurring organic acid that also provides mild secondary metal-chelating benefits.

🧪 Tetrasodium EDTA / 乙二胺四乙酸四钠

Purpose: Chelates calcium and magnesium ions in hard water to prevent interference with surfactant foaming and cleaning efficacy.

Concerns: Environmentally persistent and resistant to rapid biodegradation in aquatic environments.

Notes: Synergistically boosts preservative performance by destabilizing bacterial cell membranes.

📁 Preservatives, Fragrance & Colorants / 防腐剂、香精与着色剂

🧪 Fragrance / 香精

Purpose: Imparts a pleasant scent during use and masks base chemical odors.

Concerns: May contain undisclosed fragrance allergens that can trigger contact dermatitis or respiratory irritation in sensitized individuals.

Notes: Composed of complex proprietary mixtures formulated in accordance with International Fragrance Association (IFRA) standards.

🧪 Methylchloroisothiazolinone/Methylisothiazolinone / 甲基氯异噻唑啉酮/甲基异噻唑啉酮

Purpose: Broad-spectrum preservative blend preventing the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and molds.

Concerns: Strong potential skin sensitizer and a well-known cause of allergic contact dermatitis.

Notes: Highly potent at very low concentrations (parts-per-million levels) and restricted primarily to rinse-off formulations.

🧪 Blue 1 / 着色剂 CI 42090(亮蓝)

Purpose: Imparts a distinct blue color to the liquid dish soap for visual appeal and brand identification.

Notes: A synthetic triarylmethane dye (FD&C Blue No. 1) approved for broad use in cosmetics and household detergents.