They say that lavender is the swiss army knife of essential oils and I would have to agree. Well, castile soap is the swiss army knife of cleaning products. You can use it in so many places around the home to do all sorts of cleaning jobs from cleaning your carpets to cleaning your body in the shower.
So what is castile soap exactly? It is a completely safe, natural, gentle soap made from pure vegetable oils. There are no synthetic detergents or preservatives. I use Dr. Bronner’s brand because I love the soap and the company. My personal fave is the peppermint but they have rose, baby unscented, citrus, tea tree, and almond.
My post on the many ways you can use castile soap outlines lots of the ways I personally use castile soap for ALL THE THINGS but this post has some DIY cleaning recipes to help you replace your current cleaning products.
DIY Dishwasher Liquid Soap Recipe
1/2 C liquid castile soap *do NOT use regular liquid soap!*
1/2 C water
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 drops tea tree oil, Thieves, or Purification essential oils
1/2 C white vinegar
DIY All Purpose Cleaner Spray
Fill a glass spray bottle with water, leaving about 1.5 inches of free space at the top. Add:
1 Tbsp liquid castile soap
10 drops essential oil (tea tree, eucalyptus, lemon, Thieves, or lime)
Spray liberally on just about every kind of surface!
Natural Carpet Cleaner Recipe
4 tsp castile soap
25-30 drops of essential oil (peppermint, lavender, or tea tree)
30-50 drops GSE (grapefruit seed extract)
1-2 scoops Oxyclean (optional)
Put this mixture in the soap receptacle of your carpet cleaner.
Natural Stain Remover Recipe
1 part castile soap
2 parts Hydrogen Peroxide
Mix together and pour or spray directly on the stain
Natural Furniture Polish
1 tsp Dr. Bronner’s citrus castile soap
1 C olive oil
10-20 drops lemon or orange essential oils (or 1/2 cup lemon juice)
Mix together in a spray bottle and shake before each application. Apply a small portion to a cloth rag and spread evenly over furniture. Use a clean rag to polish the surface dry.
