What soap does, not just Dawn dish soap but even your soap you use in the shower, etc, is emulsifies the oil, enabling it to blend with water for a short time and be carried away when you wash with water. So basically, Dawn cleans oil off animals the same way your normal soap cleans you in the shower.

For over 40 years, Dawn dish soap has helped over 75,000 animals affected by oil pollution and given thousands of bottles of dish soap to wildlife rescue workers like The Marine Mammal Center. And together, with the P&G Good Everyday community, you can help Dawn and the Center do even more.

Dawn has helped non-profit organizations clean more than 150,000 marine birds and mammals in North America. Dawn has donated thousands of bottles to International Bird Rescue & The Marine Mammal Center. Dawn has invested a total of $4.5 million with our environmental advocacy partners since 2006.

She says the reason Dawn is so good at cleaning birds without hurting them is that it was designed to erase grease from dishes without harming hands. The exact formula is a secret, but she says the key is balancing the surfactants -- the chemicals that cut the grease.

11 Ways to Help Wild Animals

1. Plant native species.
2. Help the zoo or aquarium.
3. Make your yard a wildlife haven.
4. Avoid harmful chemicals.
5. Pick up trash.
6. Become a citizen scientist.
7. Learn about endangered species.
8. Adopt an animal.

Dawn soap is also toxic to wildlife, especially the aquatic community because it poisons the water. This liquid cleaning agent contains 1,4-dioxane, a substance renowned for polluting or contaminating the water. The chemicals in Dawn dish soap can also affect aquatic life, disrupting the balance of their habitat.

Dawn produces lots of long-lasting suds and holds grease in suspension so it doesn't redeposit back onto dishes. It's great for soaking and softening burned-on messes, and it takes only a little squirt to clean a big pile of dirty dishes.

10 Surprising Ways to Use Dawn Dish Soap - Beyond Cleaning the Dishes

• Remove grease stains from clothes.
• Clean stainless steel appliances.
• Degrease cabinets.
• Clean the oven.
• Clean grill grates.
• Clean outdoor furniture.
• Remove stickers and labels.
• Clean windows.

Dawn is designed to cut through kitchen grease, but it will also wash away built-up oils on your dog's skin and coat that can make your pup look and feel less than his best. In addition to washing away excess oils, lavender-scented Dawn dish detergent, which is available in stores, will repel fleas.

Dawn produces lots of long-lasting suds and holds grease in suspension so it doesn't redeposit back onto dishes. It's great for soaking and softening burned-on messes, and it takes only a little squirt to clean a big pile of dirty dishes.

Forests, wetlands, and other ecosystems act as buffers against extreme weather, protecting houses, crops, water supplies and vital infrastructure.

Our forests, rivers, oceans and soils provide us with the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we irrigate our crops with. We also rely on them for numerous other goods and services we depend on for our health, happiness and prosperity.