Many of us don’t think too much about the soap that we use on our skin or for cleaning around the house. It gets us or our surfaces clean, and if it smells good that’s a bonus, right? But, when looking at things that we put on our skin or all around our home on a daily basis, it really is important to know what it is doing to our overall health as well. With that in mind, I discovered that castile soap is actually one of the best things you can use for a multitude of cleaning operations. Below are my top 10 uses for castile soap.
Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I recommend these products because they are products that I personally use or companies that I have found trustworthy.
Wait, What is Castile Soap?
Castile soap originated in the Castile region of Spain and was traditionally made from olive oil. Today, castile soap usually refers to any soap that is made with vegetable based oils, i.e. no animal products or synthetic detergents. You will see castile soap made from vegetable oil, coconut oil, castor oil, hemp, almond, avocado, or the above mentioned olive oil. You can also find liquid castile soap, or also hard in bar form.
Best Castile Soap to Buy
There are a lot of different castile soaps that you can buy, but the mainstay is Dr. Bronner’s. Dr. Bronner’s is a well-known brand that you can pretty much find anywhere. It comes in either liquid or bar form. There are also several different scents so that you can mix things up. My favorites are the lavender, peppermint and the unscented baby formula.
Uses for Castile Soap
Body Wash and Shampoo
I actually use castile soap straight up as a shampoo and as a body wash. This really is one of the best uses for castile soap. I just put a small amount on a bath scrubbie or wash cloth or on my scalp and start to lather – perfect castile soap shampoo. There are a lot of different recipes online to add to the castile soap if you want something more soothing. Common add-ins are honey, coconut milk, vitamin E, other oils (like castor or olive), and essential oils for a scent. Side bonus, you can also use plain castile soap as a shaving cream since it lathers so well. (Check out my post How to Choose the Best All Natural Shampoo for more recommendations.)
Face Wash
Again, I buy the unscented baby formula from Dr. Bronner’s (other scents may sting your face or be a little harsher, like peppermint) and just put a small amount in my hands to make a lather and then wash my face. It is great for taking that initial layer of makeup and grime off. Sometimes I will even mix my usual face wash with a little Dr. Bronner’s. Like above, there are add-ins that you can use to make things more moisturizing or to help with different skin ailments. Tea tree essential oil fights bacteria naturally, which makes it a great addition to castile soap for a face wash.
Cleaning Spray
I really don’t even want to know what is in most commercial cleaning products. It is super easy and effective to make your own with castile soap. Simply mix together ¼ cup of castile soap with a quart of water in a spray bottle and you are good to go. You can use the Dr. Bronner’s tea tree oil castile soap to add additional disinfecting power to the mix. You can also use the unscented version and add in your own essential oils to get the scent you want as well.
Dog Shampoo
Using castile soap as a dog shampoo is a natural conclusion, and for good reason, it works really well. I would stay clear of the peppermint scent since it can sting eyes or sensitive areas, but then you can simply use a small amount and lather away.
Plant Spray/Ant Spray
Have an ant problem around the house or want to keep bugs away from your plants? Give them a spray of water and castile soap. Mix 1 Tbs. castile soap with one quart of water and spray it around your plants. For an ant spray, mix ¼ cup castile soap with 1 quart of water. The tea tree version of Dr. Bronner’s works really well in the ant spray. Don’t use the higher concentration of castile soap on your plants, or you could burn them.
Dish Soap
Just mix a few drops of your favorite scented castile soap into your sink and it will take care of the whole thing, just like regular dish soap, but without all the chemical residue.
Foaming Hand Soap
Buy or reuse an existing foaming hand soap bottle and fill it ¾ of the way full with water and then fill the remaining ¼ with castile soap. Buy a scented castile soap, or add in essential oils to get the scent you would like. I regularly use the lavender scent.
DIY Scrub Cleanser
Have a dirty sink or tub that needs a good scrub. Nix the chemical and bleach laden commercial scrubs and make one of your own. Liberally shake baking soda over the area you want to clean. Then fill a spray bottle 2/3 full with water and the remaining with castile soap. Spray the area with the baking soda and scrub away with a sponge.
Glass Cleaner
Mix 2 cups of water, 2 tsp. castile soap and ½ cup of white vinegar together in a spray bottle and use as you would normally. Wipe with a clean cloth got get a streak free shine.
Produce Wash
All of us are becoming more and more concerned with pesticides on our fruit and veggies. Buying organic is important, but the second most important thing is to make sure you wash them before eating. To make a chemical free fruit and veggie wash, fill a bowl with water and mix in ¼ tsp. castile soap. Drop your produce in a scrub them a little with your hands to get any grim off and then rinse with cold water. (Also check out my post 5 Healthy Food Swaps You Should be Trying.)
Castile soap is one of those amazing products that really does make living clean (at least 90% of the time) a little easier. There are so many castile soap uses and these ten are only scratching the surface.
