What was used to was dishes prior to 1945 when powdered laundry soap start being used for dishes?
In the 1970's liquid dish soap became available although some of it contains formaldehyde.
Laundry soap was used on laundry prior to powdered detergent but that does not work to wash dishes with unless I did it wrong.
I should clarify in our family we switched from powdered laundry soap to liquid dish soap to hand was dishes in the 1970's.
I have tried using lye soap to wash dishes and it made the sink and the dishes greasy.
Maybe I used too much.