The way dishoap kills 1. Some soft shelled and soft bodied insects breath thru their pores dishsoap suffacates them. 2. Chewing type bugs and bugs that clean their appendages, the dishsoap gives them terminal dysentary 3. Soap also helps to wash the air polution off your plants. 4. Some bugs are repelled by the scent of lemon. If you don't like detergents, then substitute with baby shampoo or castille soap. I usually apply in the evening, after the sun is off the garden, It doesn't dry out as fast, and catches the bugs that are looking for a place to spend the night. Byron