20 Uses for Castile Soap

Castile soap is an amazingly versatile vegetable-based soap that’s made free of animal fats and synthetic ingredients. This natural, nontoxic, biodegradable soap is available in bar or liquid form.

Castile soap was made in the Mediterranean area before its use spread to Europe. Traditionally, castile soap was made of olive oil. It gets its name from the Castile region of Spain.

While you can purchase castile soap in bar form or liquid, make certain to purchase what is the easiest way for you to use it. It’s not a bad idea to stock up on multiple types as you can certainly find uses for them.

Does castile soap kill bacteria?

Saying that it “kills” bacteria might be overstating it, but castile soap does remove bacteria and also removes germs as well. It’s a great way to get items clean and wipe away some of the grease and dirt.

What is special about castile soap?

Castile soap is made from vegetable oils and does a great job washing away the dirt and the grime. People love to use castile soap because it suds up and can be used in a wide variety of ways.

Castile soap is made exclusively with vegetable oils. There will be no lard, tallow, or other animal fats in a Castile soap. Traditionally, a Castile soap was made with 100% olive oil, but modern Castile-style soaps, including Dr. Bronner’s, blend in other vegetable oils, like coconut.

Does castile Soap go bad?

It may not necessarily go “bad”, but it does have a shelf-life to be aware of. People tend to say that after about three years’ time, it’s a good idea to get rid of it and get a new bar of soap or more liquid soap. Although, once you see it’s cleaning powers, it probably isn’t going to last that long for you.

Is castile soap bad for hair?

You can actually use it for your hair! Since many people are becoming more aware of chemicals that are in typical shampoo’s and conditioners, using castile soap for your hair will work. It may not give you that flowery smell like store-bought shampoo does but if you’re wanting clean hair, you’ll get it by using castile soap.

Now that you know a little bit about castile soap, let’s dive into the most popular uses!

Popular uses for castile soap

While there are many different uses for castile soap, the ones listed below are the most known and easy to do.

Get rid of bugs from your plants

If you notice a problem with bugs not leaving your plants alone, just mix a little bit of the liquid castile soap with some water and give your plants a quick spray. Those bugs won’t be bothering them after that! (1 T castile soap to 1-quart water is a good mixture to use) . This works especially well on roses that are often infested with aphids.

Household cleaner

Castile soap can really clean just about anything. The combination that you’re going to want is 1/4 cup soap to 1-quart water and once you have that mixture, you can clean literally most surfaces in your home. Countertops, appliances, floor areas…you name it.

Dish cleaner

Since castile soap cuts through grease so well, it just makes sense to use it as a way to wash your dishes. If you’re without a dishwasher in your house, castile soap can take away a lot of the scrubbing worries for you. It really does a great job of cutting out the grease and getting those dishes sparkly clean.

Wash your clothes

This isn’t really one of the most common methods but if you’re needing to get your clothes clean, castile soap can help. Make certain to find a good recipe online and try to find one that works with your washing machine. You don’t want to do anything that harms your washing machine or causes it to have issues.

Toilet cleaner

Mix 1 cup of soap and 4 cups of water and put in a spray bottle. Use this solution to clean your toilet.

Clean your pets

Do you have a dog that likes to roam around in the dirt and mud? Have no fear, castile soap can clean them up in a jiffy as well. Just wet their fur and add a little dab of the liquid form of castile soap. Your pup will be clean and new looking in no time at all.

Wound cleaning

Castile soap can be used to clean minor wounds. Add 2 teaspoons of soap to 2 cups of filtered drinking water to create a cleansing solution.

Face wash

Castile soap is mild enough to use on your face and strong enough to potentially prevent acne and kill harmful bacteria. Rub a few drops of soap onto your face and rinse as usual.

Makeup remover

Castile soap can be combined with witch hazel and a carrier oil to make a natural makeup remover. Mix equal parts of all three ingredients together and use a cotton ball to gently remove makeup. Then use a washcloth with warm water to remove any remaining residue.

Makeup brush cleaner

Remember to wash your makeup brushes every week if you can. Simply fill a cup with warm water and a few drops of castile soap. First rinse your brushes in water, then place them in the cup for about 10 minutes. Rinse the brushes again and allow them to air dry.

What to avoid with Castile Soap

There are a few things to avoid when using castile soap:

If you have hard water, it will react with castile soap and leave behind a white film residue. Install a water softener if it’s possible.
Combining vinegar with castile soap can also leave behind a white film. This is because the alkaline nature of the soap reacts with the acid vinegar, and they cancel out each other. This changes the soap back to its original oils.
Castile soap shouldn’t be combined with lemon juice for the same reasons it doesn’t combine well with vinegar.
Don’t use castile soap on color-treated hair as it may strip away some of the color.

Who knew that there were so many great uses for castile soap? Many people hear others talking about it but never really dive in to see what all it can do. Now that you know that castile soap is much more than just “traditional soap”, find ways to start incorporating it more in your daily lives. You just might be amazed at how well it cleans and makes things look new again!

Do you have any other uses for castile soap in your home? Let me know in the comments!

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