Liquid castile soap is one of the most versatile products out there! Although there obviously, more uses for castile soap than those listed, however, these ten are reason enough to stock up!
My favorite liquid castille soap is the Dr. Bonner’s brand. I am partial to the lavender, almond, and rose-scented soaps. There are several others too. This soap is good for everything from standard cleaning and mopping, to showering and bathing, and even doing laundry!
Castile soap is all-natural and 100% biodegradable. Castile soap got its name from olive oil-based soaps made in Castile, Spain. While not always strictly olive oil-based today, Castile is still only made with vegetable oils, meaning it’s completely plant-based and suitable for vegetarians and even vegan households.
Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap is made of a blend of coconut, olive, palm, jojoba, and hemp oils that are designed to be nourishing to the skin, making it an excellent choice for personal care. It is also a great cleaning product.
The only time Castile soap is not a good choice is when you have hard water or for recipes that contain acids. Since Castile is a “true soap,” it will react with hard water to form soap scum and may not be as potent in cleaning. Because of this, you should never mix Castille soaps with an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar. It’ll leave a soap scummy film and be a mess to clean up.
10 Ways To Use Liquid Castile Soap
- Laundry – Use 1/3 to 1/2 cup of soap for a large load in a regular washer. Use half those amounts for HE machines. Add 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle just to make sure the soap is fully removed.
- Toothpaste – I would suggest using either peppermint or wintergreen scents for this, and of course, try not to swallow the soap. It still will taste like soap, so keep that in mind. In a pinch, this would work. It only takes a small drop to get your teeth clean.
- Fruit and Veggie Wash – Pour about 1 teaspoon Castile soap in a large bowl of cold water. Dunk the produce and swish. Rinse in fresh water.
- Floor Cleaner – Pour 1/2 cup of soap in 3 gallons of hot water. If you have a steam mop that takes a cleaning solution, dilute one tablespoon of castile soap in warm water and add it to your machine. Mop as you normally would. (I prefer the almond scent for mopping.)
- Ant Spray – Make an “all-purpose” solution and keep it on hand. If you notice ants starting to congregate on your countertops, spray them and watch the ants disperse. A great all-purpose recipe is: Add 1 tablespoon Castile soap and 1 quart of water to a spray bottle and shake gently to combine.
- Cleaning Wipes – Mix 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons of Castile soap, and 5-10 drops of peppermint or lemon essential oil in a quart size mason jar. Cut up old t-shirts and towels to make 8-10 cleaning-sized cloths. Add the rags to the cleaning solution, screw the lid on the jar, and shake gently to saturate the cloths. Use these cleaning wipes as a grab-and-go solution to any mess. You can also use these to clean your hands! (Here is another great way to make your own cleaning wipes.)
- Toilet Cleaner – Mix Castile soap and water in a 1:4 ratio in a spray bottle. Add 1/4 teaspoon tea tree oil. Turn off the water to the toilet, and empty the bowl. Spray the bowl liberally with the cleaning solution, and sprinkle baking soda on top. Scrub with a toilet brush. Let sit 10 minutes, turn the water on, and flush.
- Baby and Kid Soaps – Unscented Castile Soap makes a great body wash and shampoo for baby and younger children! If you have older children, a few drops of lavender essential oil can add a little bit of a scent without it being too harsh on the kids’ skin.
- Face Wash – Many people love Castile soap for acne-prone skin. Put 2-3 drops on your hands, rub your hands together to form a lather, then apply to your wet face.
- Clear Congestion – When you’re sick, nothing feels better than quick relief from the congestion making breathing difficult and uncomfortable. You can actually relieve some congestion with the peppermint-scented Castile soap! Wintergreen would work great as well, but others could also do the trick. Put 1 tablespoon in a bowl of steamy hot water, then breathe in the mist with a towel draped over your head.
Those are only 10 of the many ways to use castile soap! Please share with Ready Nutrition readers who you use Castile soap!
This article was originally published at Ready Nutrition™ on March 11th, 2021
