GO NATURAL: 10 harmful products to replace with castile soap

I got some information about Castile Soap from a wonderful website called The Kitchn. Yes, that’s the right name – I didn’t misspell it, though I had to check twice to make sure. See the things I do for you people?

Once you better understand what Castile Soap is and how it cleans, we can talk about how using it can replace a whole bunch of harmful chemicals you might currently be using.

What Is Castile Soap?

Named after the olive oil-based soaps originating in Castile, Spain, Castile soap can come in liquid or bar form, but it is made only from vegetable oils — i.e., no animal fats. Dr. Bronner’s, one of the most popular brands of Castile soap, is primarily made of coconut, olive, and hemp oils, but other oils like avocado, almond, and walnut can also be used.

Like most soaps, which are on the more basic or alkaline side of the pH scale, Castile soap registers at about 8.9 on the pH scale. This is around the same level as baking soda and slightly more alkaline than mild dish soap, although less alkaline than bleach or corrosive tile cleaners.

Castile soap and water can be used to clean counters, sinks, bathtubs, floors, or toilets; it can get rid of insects that infest houseplants and can even replace laundry detergent.

Because Castile soap is biodegradable and nontoxic, it’s safe to use on pets and around kids. You can even clean vegetables with it, so long as it’s diluted enough.

Pro tip: Don’t combine alkaline Castile soap with an acid like vinegar that you might also use around the house. The reaction cancels out the potency of both ingredients and can leave objects and surfaces with a white film that is difficult to remove.

Homemade Dish Soap

Simply replace your regular store bought dish soap with a squirt of Castile soap. It works better than any store bought alternative and it’s all natural!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Ingredients:

1 cup liquid Castile soap
1 cup baking soda
2 cups water
1/3 cup salt

Dissolve the baking soda and salt in the two cups of warm water. Pour into a gallon container, add the liquid Castile soap and fill to the top with water. Use 1/4 of a cup per load so this recipe is good for about 64 loads!

Homemade Dishwasher Soap

Mix 8 oz of Citrus Castile Soap with one cup of water and two teaspoons of lemon juice and shake gently.

To use add one tablespoon of the above mixture into the OPEN compartment of your dishwasher and add a cup of white vinegar to the CLOSED compartment. Add more vinegar if your water is hard.

Homemade All Purpose Cleaner

In a spray bottle, fill a quarter of the way up with white vinegar, add water to the top and then add a squirt of liquid Castile soap plus a few drops of tea tree essential oil.

Homemade Glass Cleaner

Mix half a cup of white vinegar, two teaspoons of liquid Castile soap and two cups of distilled warm water. Optionally, add a few drops of tea tree essential oil to the mixture. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle, shake and spray onto your windows and clean with newspaper for a streak free finish.

Homemade Tub Scrub

Fill a spray bottle with one third Castile soap and two thirds water. Spread baking soda liberally around the bath and spray the Castile soap mixture on. Scrub with a scouring pad or scrub brush.

Homemade Face Wash

In a foaming dispenser, add one quarter cup of liquid Castile soap, fill to the top with distilled water (approx one cup) and add five drops of tea tree oil. The tea tree oil is a great antibacterial and is particularly useful for acne prone skin.

Homemade Shampoo

Making your own shampoo with Castile soap is incredibly easy, it uses only one extra natural ingredient and it lathers unlike many other homemade shampoo recipes.

Simply mix together 1 Tbsp Castile soap with one tsp coconut milk for a single serving of shampoo. You can make this in larger batches by storing in the fridge. It will keep for at least a week.

Homemade Hand Soap

Fill a foaming hand soap dispenser with three quarters water (boiled or distilled) and one quarter unscented liquid Castile soap.

Optional: Add 1/8 of a teaspoon of essential oil – such as tea tree for its antibacterial properties, lemon for its odor killing properties or lavender for its fragrant scent.

Homemade Dog Shampoo

Make sure your dog is wet and then squeeze a couple of squirts of Peppermint Castile Soap and rub into your dog’s fur until you have a nice lather. Then simply rinse off with warm water. Be sure to keep the soap out of their eyes and water out of their ears.