10 Uses for Castile Soap | Home, Body, Pets and Plants
Castile soap is a staple in most eco-conscious, green-living, zero-waste home. It's uses are seemingly endless and it's a 100% natural product so no bad chemicals are being spread around you home, body, or flushed into the ocean. I love the stuff and have used it for pretty much everything you can think of. Here are 10 ways you can use the Dr. Bronner Castile Soap:
shampoo
If you're going no-poo or trying the low-poo method, Dr. Bronner Castile Soap is a great alternative to shampoos that are filled with harmful chemicals that strip your hair and irritate your scalp. Simply dilute the castile soap with water and wash (note: if you live somewhere with hard water this may leave a film in your hair).
soap
I love using castile soap to wash my body – you only need to tiniest amount to lather your entire body, it smells amazing and leaves you feeling super clean without drying out your skin.
veggie wash
If you buy non-organic food you may want to rinse them under a tap before eating to wash off pesticides from the skin. Castile soap is a great natural, chemical-free soap that'll thoroughly clean your produce without leaving a film of suds.
cleanser
Because castile soap doesn't strip the skin of its natural oils, it's a perfect gentle daily cleanser. It'll remove makeup like a champ, wash away pollutants and leave your skin perfectly clean without feeling dry or tight.
shaving soap
Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap is foamy and silky smooth so makes for the best shaving soap. A tiny amount goes a long way and doubles as a body wash so no need for a separate soap and shaving foam!
multi-purpose cleaner
Gone are the days I have separate cleaners for every household item... kitchen cleaner, bathroom cleaner, window cleaner, stainless steel cleaner, sink cleaner, carpet cleaner. It really is ridiculous that we buy so many items to do one job – clean. I mix together a bottle of castile soap diluted with water and a bit of vinegar (and lemon or essential oils if you want to get fancy) et voila, multi-purpose cleaner that actually cleans better than any shop-bought cleaner... and it wont fill your home and the ocean with harmful chemicals!
laundry soap
Speaking of multi-purpose cleaners... it also cleans clothes! I just add a small squitz of castile soap per load and it's super effective and gentle. You can add your own essential oils to a non-scented castile soap or buy one with a fragrance (lavender, tea tree and eucalyptus are my favourites).
dishwashing soap
Yup, you guessed it – it can also be used to wash your dishes. Such a little goes a long way, too. You can dilute it with water and add to a dispenser or use just a couple of drops straight onto your dish cloth.
pet shampoo
Traditional pet shampoos are actually quite harmful to animal's skin (despite their claims). Castile soap is 100% natural and wont strip the natural oils from the hair. There are tons of recipes online on how to create your own pet shampoo, all of which use different natural ingredients like vinegar and essential oils along with the castile soap, or you can just use it diluted with water as you would on your own hair. Either way, your pet will be happier with this gentle method that'll keep their hair and skin clean and moisturised.
plant cleaner (aphids)
Lastly, you can use castile soap as a natural and chemical-free insecticide for your house plants. Mix together 1 tbsp of castile soap in 1 litre of water and you're ready to go. This'll be double the strength of store-bought insecticides so if you want to make sure it's gentle on your plants (but may be less effective), half the quantity of castile soap. And to target powdery mildew, too, just add a tbls of apple cider vinegar to your mix. To repel chewing insects, add a tbls on ground black pepper.
Et Voila!
I love having a bottle of Dr. Bronner's castile soap around for any eventuality... it always seems to come in handy and can be used almost endlessly. Let me know in the comments what you use yours for and we can share some more ideas and recipes below.