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I regret to admit that it took me a long time to figure out the power of Castile soap; it’s one of those green cleaning products that has so many different uses you absolutely need it in your cupboard if you’re planning to live more chemical-free.
In fact, in my post on How to Green Clean your Home Castile soap is a very prominent ingredient.
What is Castile soap?
It is named after it’s birthplace in Castile, Spain where Castile soap was first derived from olive-oil. There are plenty of different versions of Castile soap now and most of them are derived from vegetable oils such as olives, almond, avocado, sunflower etc. Castile soap is also available in a liquid or bar form.
Castile soap easily tackles grease and dirt with it’s sudsing action – don’t be surprised by how runny the liquid form of Castile soap is either. It is very concentrated and you rarely ever use it without diluting it.
Castile soap has a similar pH to baking soda; they are both alkaline products. Therefore it’s not recommended to blend Castile soap (nor baking soda) with Vinegar otherwise it cancels out the potency for each…despite what you may read on Pinterest or DIY recipes! (Research is important.)
I also mentioned this in more detail on my post for How to Green Clean Your Home
So… exactly how many uses of Castile soap are there?
According to Lisa Bronner (the granddaughter of the founder of Dr.Bronner’s) there are 18 different uses for Castile soap in your household; everything from personal care to home cleaning.
Uses of Castile Soap in Personal Care
There are some redundancies on the original list created by Lisa Bronner, so I’m going to sum up a few of the different uses. You can see the whole list here.
NOTE: your skin’s natural pH is slightly acidic (around 5.5) whereas Castile Soap’s pH is around 8.9. Therefore using it as a face/body wash may not be advised as it can throw your natural pH off balance.
- Face Wash. Dilute 1:3 mixture of Castile Soap and Water, wash accordingly.
- Body Wash. A few small squirts on your favourite scrubbie (also works for shaving.)
- Shampoo. Mix 1/2 Cup of water to 1 Tbsp of Castile Soap, rinse thoroughly. It is not colour-safe.
Toothpaste was listed in Lisa Bronner’s guide… but I don’t think anyone likes the taste of soap in their mouth, so I am omitting that use. I guess if you’re in a crunch it could work.
Uses of Castile Soap in the Home
I did mention a few of the things that I use Castile Soap for when cleaning my home in my How to Green Clean Your Home Post. Therefore I’m going to list some of the uses not mentioned there and link to the ones that are.
- Handwash + Dish Soap. Dilute a mixture of 1:3 Castile soap and water.
- Floor Cleaning.
- All-Purpose Cleaner.
- Toilets.
- Laundry Soap. I haven’t personally tried it and therefore think it’s best not to share any particular recipes (there are lots out there!) I prefer the powder laundry soap from J.R Watkins (Review Here)
- Dishwasher Soap. Again, there are many different recipes floating around out there but I have yet to try them – this is what I use.
- Fruit & Veggie Wash. 1/4 teaspoon of Castile Soap in a bowl of water, rinse.
My Favourite Castile Soaps
- Dr. Bronners is a well-known and loved brand, though I do find that their products can be a bit more pricey for Canadians than the alternatives.
- Dr. Bronners from Well.ca (16 oz for $16.79 CAD)
- Dr. Bronners from Amazon.com (32 oz for $15.99 USD)
- Green Beaver is a Canadian brand which makes their Castile Soap out of sunflower oil (you may also be able to find this at your local Homesense! 🇨🇦)
- Green Beaver from Well.ca (495 ml for $14.49 CAD)
Castile soap has a variety of uses, but it’s important to do your research and make sure that you find out if there’s any natural ingredients that do not work when mixed together before you decide to DIY (which is why I have yet to try making my own Laundry Soap and Dishwashing Detergent.) But when I do, I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes!
