12 Things You Can Clean With Castile Soap

If you haven’t heard of Castile soap, let us introduce you to the new MVP of your cleaning ingredient list. It’s a naturally derived formula that’s tough on grime, gentle on skin, and biodegradable unlike the detergents that many of us have come to refer to as soap. Because Castile soap has a high pH-level, care should be taken to ensure it’s properly diluted before use. Once you nail your formulas, though, get ready for a DIY cleaning spree featuring the new golden child of your under-sink stash: Castile soap.

What is Castile Soap?

Castile soap gets its name from Castile, Spain, where the soap has been made for hundreds of years. It is traditionally made from olive oil but has evolved over the years to include other plant oils like hemp, coconut, sunflower, jojoba, walnut, and avocado. The natural oils are then mixed with either potassium hydroxide to create a liquid soap or sodium hydroxide to create a solid soap. The resulting formula is a gentle and effective cleanser with a host of benefits that have its eco-friendly suds making a splash within the beauty and environmentally-conscious household cleaning spaces alike.

Benefits of Castile Soap

Many of Castile soap's benefits are due to its environmentally-friendly nature. Authentic Castile soap is free of artificial ingredients and highly concentrated so you can make it stretch. While prolonged exposure to Castile soap (think jobs that require your hands to be submerged in Castile soap formulas for an extended period of time) can cause skin irritation and dryness, the gentle, fragrance-free formula typically doesn’t cause irritation when used properly. It can sometimes even act as an anti-inflammatory, all while also maintaining its effectiveness.

Figuring out the best way to put the benefits of this naturally derived cleanser to use in your routine starts with taking stake of all the ways you can use these natural suds in your home. Once you find a match, refer to your Castile soap’s brand website to find the corresponding recipe that’s suited for your soap’s unique formula and dilution levels.

Items You Can Clean with Castile Soap

Countertops, Tubs, Sinks, Walls, and Backsplashes

You can use Castile soap and distilled water to create an all-purpose formula that’s ideal for everyday jobs like wiping down countertops, sinks, and even your tub. To give your solution a pleasant scent, you can opt to add in a few drops of your favorite essential oils.

The spray can be used to clean up messes on your most frequently used surfaces without fear of damaging their protective sealants due to being too harsh or abrasive. This formula will also be gentle on your hands as you scrub away any residue.

While it can be a solution for your daily sink and tub wipe-downs, an all-purpose spray likely isn’t tough enough for more stubborn soap scum and mildew deposits. For those types of jobs, a gentle scrub made with liquid Castile soap, distilled water, and baking soda will be best.

Laundry

That’s right, you can make your own homemade laundry soap with a little Castile soap, baking soda, sea salt, and water. Because Castile soap has a naturally high pH, this soap is probably not going to be the best choice for delicate materials like wool and silk where a detergent with neutral pH levels is recommended. That being said, it is a great option for washing everyday items and can contribute to a lower-cost and more eco-conscious laundry routine as just one cup of liquid Castile soap, when combined with other ingredients like baking soda, sea salt, and water, can create a gallon of laundry soap.

Floors

Whether you have wood, vinyl, or tile floors, you can use a Castile soap solution to get them to sparkle with a combination of hot water and liquid Castile soap. Just remember that when you’re working with a wood floor, you’ll want to squeeze or spin most of the moisture out of the mop head before applying to the floor and follow up with a dry rag to quickly wipe up any leftover moisture.

Fruits and Veggies

For a quick produce wash, mix liquid Castile soap with cool water. Stir your fruit and/or veggies around in the mixture to loosen up leftover dirt and impurities. Pour the mixture into a colander and rinse with cool water. To get your produce nice and dry before storing it in the fridge, use your trusty salad spinner to toss off any excess moisture. 

Makeup Brushes, Skin, and Hair

Castile soap isn’t just for household cleaning use, it’s also a beloved ingredient in the beauty space. Use it to clean makeup brushes and sponges both gently and effectively. One more benefit? It won’t leave behind artificial fragrances that could aggravate your skin the next time you go to sweep on some blush.

You can also use diluted Castile soap as a hand soap, a natural facial cleanser, or even as a shampoo. Because of its high pH level, it can help with scalp issues like dandruff, though it will likely leave your hair in need of conditioning to tame the follicle, smoothen, and detangle.

It’s important to remember that Castile soap should be properly diluted before use, particularly if you’re opting to try it as a face wash. It’s also best to read through the ingredient list to ensure it doesn’t contain any additional ingredients that you’re allergic to or tend to cause your skin irritation. As always, be sure to consult your dermatologist before switching up your skin-care routine if you have skin sensitivity issues or concerns.