10 Uses For Castile Soap

10 Handy Castile Soap Uses

 By Lori, Health Extremist http://healthextremist.com/10-handy-castile-soap-uses/

You’re really missing out on something great if you haven’t tried castile soap.  It’s wonderful because not only is it all natural and gentle, but it can be used for multiple purposes, everything from face soap to laundry detergent!  Castile soap is a great natural alternative to many of the products that contain harmful chemicals. The list ofcastile soap uses is virtually endless because you can use it to clean practically anything!

I’m always discovering a new way to use castile soap! Just today, my lhasa apso, “Pouchy”, went on his usual exploration of the woods near our home and came back like he took a mud bath.  I whipped out my castile soap and a large tub of warm water before he could escape into the living room to rub himself all over the couch cushions! A wash cloth and the castile soap worked perfectly!  Now I can add pet cleaner to my list of uses, too!

In this post, I have written down 10 castile soap uses; these are just a few of the many ways to use it!  It’s great because you can replace it for all of the toxic household products.

What is Castile Soap?

Castile soap is made from 100% pure plant oils. It is all natural and does not contain any chemicals or toxic preservatives as commercial soaps do.

There are several different varieties of castile soap, each with different scents, most are made with essential oils, such as lavender or tea tree oil. Also, there is, my favorite, a non-scented soap which is called Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild. A lot of people I talked to prefer the non-scented because they feel the scented is somewhat strong, but it depends what purpose you use it for.

Here are the ingredients you would find in Castile soap (the Baby Mild kind):

Water, Saponified Organic Coconut + Organic Olive Oil, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Citric Acid, Tocopherol  (Vitamin E).

It is great because it doesn’t contain any harmful ingredients and is also bio-degradable.

Where to Find It:

I was surprised how easy it was to find castile soap in my area.  Places I’ve seen it include the local health food store, Target, and Walgreens. If you aren’t able to find it locally, you can also get it online. For me, I often opt to get it online because it is quite a bit cheaper.

Castile Soap Uses

1. Hand Soap – The soap lathers very well and all you need is a small squirt to wash your hands. I have read that you can make a foaming hand soap by mixing water and castile soap and putting it in an empty  dispenser (I haven’t tried it myself yet).

2. Face Wash- The soap is very gentle and can be used for your face. I put a few drops of the soap in my hands and add a few drops of water.

3. Shampoo- You can replace your shampoo for castile soap.  Some say to dilute it to the ratio of  50%water and 50% soap, but I usually just wet my hair and then apply a small amount directly. This makes it easy, especially if you’re in a rush in the morning and are crunched for time.

4. Dish soap– It can be used for hand washing dishes and I have heard some people use it for their automatic dishwasher (although I haven’t yet). When washing by hand, I first wash the dishes with the soap and then use white vinegar as a rinse to remove any film left behind.

5. Carpet Cleaner-Mix half castile soap with half water for a floor cleaner. I have one room with carpet in my home and just a small amount of this mixture was able to remove a stain.

6. Body Wash- Apply to skin and it will form a lather.  It makes a great body wash as it is very gentle on your skin.

7. Veggie Wash- Most recipes call for using a tablespoon of castile soap to 2 cups of water. You can leave it in a container next to the kitchen sink or put it in a spray bottle.

8. All Purpose Cleaner for your home- You can use it for cleaning pretty much anything in your home. I have used it for cleaning my kitchen counter tops, the bathroom tub, tile floors, bathroom sink, and so much more.  For cleaning purposes, you can use half water and half soap, but use it full strength to clean up grease or other tough areas.

9. Laundry soap -This is one of my favorite castile soap uses! Most of the recipes for natural laundry soap contain borax, but you don’t need it when using this soap. Add ¼ cup to 1/3 cup to a load of laundry. Optional- add a teaspoon of baking soda.

10. Shaving cream/soap- Squirt a few drops on to your skin and mix with water. The soap will lather and make shaving a breeze.