Washing up liquid

Washing up liquid is a detergent used to assist in dishwashing. It is usually a highly-foaming mixture of surfactants with low skin irritation, and is primarily used for hand washing of glasses, plates, cutlery and cooking utensils in a sink or bowl.

Popular brands include Fairy Liquid (made by Proctor & Gamble, invented by Harry Galleymore in the 1950s on the basis of lanolin-friendly detergents) and Cif.

In the United States, where the detergent is commonly known as "dishwashing soap", "dishwashing liquid" or simply "dish soap," popular brands include Palmolive, made by the Colgate-Palmolive Company, and Dawn, Joy, and Ivory, all made by Proctor & Gamble.

There is an informal debate between Americans and Britons about whether one should rinse dishes after washing them with washing-up liquid (the former tend to rinse, and the latter do not).