As a general rule, the less soap the better. ;) For what it is worth, my recipe has ALWAYS been 1 tablespoon (or less) per gallon and that is the standard recipe that often comes up for discussion here. There is no standard recipe for making it in quarts and that is where much of the confusion comes from - that and the fact that many confuse the abbreviations for teaspoon and tablespoon. Personally, I would never use anything stronger than the 1 tablespoon per gallon as even that mixture, if applied too heavily, can easily kill plants. As to the soap - plain old Ivory, when you can get it, is good, plain blue Dawn dishwashing liquid (the original) also works with no problems. But the best, IMO is Murphy's Oil Soap simply because it also contains some oil and so sticks better. So, I have often used as little as 1/4 tablespoon of Murphy's Oil Soap in 1 gallon of water effectively. If the infestation got severe for some reason I would up it to 1/2 tablespoon but never more than 1 tablespoon per gallon of water. Then just pour it into a quart sprayer if you wish but don't mix it in the quart sprayer. As with all such sprays - never in the heat of the day, never in the direct sun, lightly mist don't drench, and aim for the bugs not the plant as a whole. ;) And, if in doubt go with a commercially prepared spray. Hope this helps. Dave

The "soaps" in Dr. Bronner's liquid soaps, while made with vegetable fats and not animal fats, will work as an insecticide. I THINK Fels Naptha laundry soap is animal fat - if you find it, it's a bar, so you have to shave off the amount you want and dissolve it in the water - or Ivory Snow flakes (that one may be vegetable as well). I do not suggest anyone try to make their own as a one-off thing - you have to heat the lye and the fat before combining them, and hot, OR cold, lye is something to be VERY cautious with - lye burns badly. However, if you went on-line, or went to a few craft fairs, you might well find a soap made with vegetable fats and lye and maybe even with animal fats as well. I know of at least 3 brands/bars of soap made with olive oil, so vegetable fat soaps aren't unfindable. Dawn has been recommended to wash off Poison Ivy, but I don't recall reading about it as an insecticide - if it were, I think it would have been corrected, as now. And I will repeat Kimmsr's advice NOT to spray anything on a hot sunny day.

Insect Control: Soaps and Detergents by W.S. Cranshaw 1 Quick Facts... Soaps can be used to control a wide range of plant pests. Small, soft-bodied arthropods such as aphids, mealybugs, psyllids and spider mites are most susceptible to soaps. The ease of use, safety and selective action of soaps appeal to many people. Limitations of soaps include the need to wet the insect during application, absence of any residual effectiveness, and potential to damage some plants. Soaps or detergents used for control of insects are applied as dilute sprays, mixed with water to produce a concentration of about 2 percent. Soaps have been used to control insects for more than 200 years. Recently, there has been increased interest in and use of these products. This change is due to a better understanding of how to use soaps most effectively and a desire to try insecticides that are easier and safer to use than many currently available alternatives. How soaps and detergents kill insects is still poorly understood. In most cases, control results from disruption of the cell membranes of the insect. Soaps and detergents may also remove the protective waxes that cover the insect, causing death through excess loss of water. Soap-Detergent Sprays Soaps and detergents act strictly as contact insecticides, with no residual effect. To be effective, sprays must be applied directly to and thoroughly cover the insect. Several insecticidal soaps are distributed for control of insects and mites. Available under a variety of trade names, the active ingredient of all is potassium salt of fatty acids. Soaps are chemically similar to liquid hand soaps. However, there are many features of commercial insecticidal soap products that distinguish them from the dishwashing liquids or soaps that are sometimes substituted. Insecticidal soaps sold for control of insects: are selected to control insects; are selected to minimize potential plant injury; and are of consistent manufacture. Some household soaps and detergents also make effective insecticides. In particular, certain brands of hand soaps and liquid dishwashing detergents can be effective for this purpose. They are also substantially less expensive. However, there is increased risk of plant injury with these products. They are not designed for use on plants. Dry dish soaps and all clothes-washing detergents are too harsh to be used on plants. Also, many soaps and detergents are poor insecticides. Identifying safe and effective soap-detergent combinations for insect control requires experimentation. Regardless of what product is used, soap-detergent sprays are always applied diluted with water, typically at a concentration of around 2 to 3 percent (Table 1). Susceptible Insects Most research with insecticidal soaps and detergents has involved control of plant pests. In general, these sprays are effective against most small, soft-bodied arthropods, such as aphids, young scales, whiteflies, psyllids, mealybugs, and spider mites. Larger insects, such as caterpillars, sawflies and beetle larvae, generally are immune to soap sprays. However, a few large insects, including boxelder bugs and Japanese beetles, are susceptible. Insecticidal soaps are considered selective insecticides because of their minimal adverse effects on other organisms. Lady beetles, green lacewings, pollinating bees and most other beneficial insects are not very susceptible to soap sprays. Predatory mites, often important in control of spider mites, are an exception: a beneficial group of organisms easily killed by soaps. Application One of the most serious potential drawbacks to the use of soap-detergent sprays is their potential to cause plant injury -- their phytotoxicity. Certain plants are sensitive to these sprays and may be seriously injured. For example, most commercial insecticidal soaps list plants such as hawthorn, sweet pea, cherries and plum as being sensitive to soaps. Portulaca and certain tomato varieties also are sometimes damaged by insecticidal soaps. The risk of plant damage is greater with homemade preparations of household soaps or detergents. When in doubt, test soap-detergent sprays for phytotoxicity problems on a small area a day or two before an extensive area is treated. Plant injury can be reduced by using sprays that are diluted more than the 2 to 3 percent suggested on label instructions. To reduce leaf injury, wash plants within a couple of hours after the application. Limiting the number of soap applications can also be important, as leaf damage can accumulate with repeated exposure. However, because of the short residual action, repeat applications may be needed at relatively short intervals (four to seven days) to control certain pests, such as spider mites and scale crawlers. Also, application must be thorough and completely wet the pest. This usually means spraying undersides of leaves and other protected sites. Insects that cannot be completely wetted, such as aphids within curled leaves, will not be controlled. Environmental factors also can affect use of soaps. In particular, soaps (but not synthetic detergents) are affected by the presence of minerals found in hard water, which results in chemical changes producing insoluble soaps (soap scum). Control decreases if hard-water sources are used. Insecticidal soaps may also be more effective if drying is not overly rapid, such as early or late in the day. Soaps and detergents can offer a relatively safe and easy means to control many insect pests. As with all pesticides, however, there are limitations and hazards associated with their use. Understand these limitations, and carefully follow all label instructions. Table 1: Approximate mix to produce various dilute soap sprays. Percent dilution desired Approximate amount of soap to add to water to produce: Gallon Quart Pint 1 2 1/2 Tbsp (-) 2 tsp (+) 1 tsp (+) 2 5 Tbsp (-) 4 tsp (+) 2 tsp (+) 3 8 Tbsp (+) 2 Tbsp (+) 1 Tbsp (+) 4 10 Tbsp (-) 2 1/2 Tbsp (+) 4 tsp (+) (+) Will produce a solution of slightly higher concentration than indicated. (-) Will produce a solution of slightly lower concentration than indicated. 1Colorado State University Extension entomologist and professor, bioagricultural sciences and pest management. 12/96. Reviewed 3/08. Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Colorado counties cooperating. CSU Extension programs are available to all without discrimination. No endorsement of products mentioned is intended nor is criticism implied of products not mentioned. Go to top of this page. Updated Friday, August 03, 2012

But today I made a homemade insecticide and used dawn soap.... Realized it after I sprayed it all over my plants. ==>>> listen dud ... no one experiments.. by spraying ALL THEIR PLANTS ... that is where your potential failure is/was ...experiemnt first with a select few ... lets be a little more careful while experimenting ... and then you will avoid the panic ... you might also want to take a course in IPM ... wherein it is suggested.. that you ONLY react to a known problem ... rather than treating all your plants for the hell of it ... i note in your fact scenario.. that other than coming up with this new formula... you dont note that you actually had anything that was a target of your spray .. and many sprays are contact kills.. so spraying when there is nothing there.. is useless ... one might suggest.. you are about as far from organic as you could be.. especially in regard to spraying for no real reason ... mostly because.. you probably killed all the beneficials without having a predator target ken