12 Frugal Uses for Castile Soap
Castile soap is made from plant oils. It is a true soap and not a chemical detergent. Sometimes it’s called Olive Oil Soap or Marseille Soap. It comes in bar and liquid form and is a versatile product to keep on hand. It comes scented and unscented. Some scents are better suited for certain tasks; for example, you might prefer citrus scents for cleaning in your kitchen versus on your body, where you might prefer floral scents.
Keep in mind that if you’re using scented in the recipes below, there’s no need to include the optional scented essential oils.
One brand of Castile Soap is by Dr. Bronner’s. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap is popular, so I’ll share a bit of his history. According to Drbronner.com, Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps are synonymous with Old World quality and time-honored simplicity, which can be traced back to the family’s German-Jewish soapmaking tradition. Born in 1908 to a Jewish family that had been making soap since 1858, Emanuel Bronner was the third generation certified as a master soapmaker under the guild system of the time. In 1929, he brought his formulas for high-quality liquid and bar soaps to America, starting Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps in its current form in 1948.
Here’s an interesting podcast about David Bronner. But there are other brands and uses for Castile Soap available such as Desert Essence, Dr. Woods, Kiss My Face, Natural way Organics, Oregon Soap Company, Shadow Lake, Vermont Soap Organics, Carolina Castile, Kirk’s Natural, and Whole Foods Organic.
Uses for Castile or Olive Oil Soap:
Shampoo:
Use it as shampoo. Mix castile soap with water at a ratio of 1:3.
Castile Soap Car wash:
Castile liquid soap and water will work for a home car wash. Mix two parts water with one part soap.
Laundry:
Try Castile soap instead of Zote or Fels-Naptha in homemade laundry soap recipes.
Powdered Laundry Soap
2 cups finely shredded Castile soap
1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax
Combine ingredients and store in an airtight plastic container. Use 2 tablespoons per laundry load.
Castile Soap Floor Cleaner:
1 gallon hot water
2 tablespoons liquid Castile soap
15 drops orange essential oil
10 drops lemon essential oil or 1/4 cup lemon juice
Blend all ingredients in mop bucket. Mop floor as usual. No need to rinse.
Dish Soap I:
2 cups of liquid Castile soap
A few drops of essential oil
1/2 cup water
Save a store-bought dishwashing liquid bottle. Combine liquid soap with warm water. Add a few drops of essential oil for scent. Mix ingredients and pour into a bottle.
Dish Soap II:
3 tablespoons lavender liquid Castile soap
2 cups hot water
2 teaspoons vegetable glycerin
2 tablespoons white vinegar
10 drops lemon or lavender essential oil
Combine all ingredients in a squeeze bottle. Shake well to blend.
Dishwasher soap:
1/2 cup liquid Castile soap
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 drops tea tree oil
1/2 cup white vinegar
Stir all ingredients together until blended. Store in a squirt top bottle. Use 2 tablespoons per load of dishes, shake well before use.
Fruit and Vegetable Wash:
Add a teaspoon to a spray bottle full of water and spray as needed. Rinse and pat produce dry.
Shaving Lubricant:
Mix with a bit of water and rub onto skin, lather and shave as usual and then rinse.
Counter Cleaner:
1 teaspoon liquid Castile soap
1/8 cup vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cups water
6 drops citrus essential oil
1 teaspoon borax
Combine in a spray bottle. Label. Shake before using.
Natural Scrub Cleanser:
2 cups baking soda
1/2 cup liquid Castile soap
3 teaspoons vegetable glycerin
A few drops essential oil
Mix together and store in a sealed glass jar. When cleaning areas such as a bathtub, spray the area with vinegar to loosen dirt, apply natural cleaner, use a luffa sponge to scrub and rinse with water.
Bubble Bath:
5 drops essential oil
1 ounce liquid glycerin
1 ounce coconut oil
4-ounce bar Castile soap, grated
4 cups distilled water
Mix ingredients together. Store in spill-proof container. Add to bathwater.
Body Wash:
2 cups Castile soap, grated
1/2 gallon distilled water
2 tablespoons vegetable glycerin
15 drops skin-safe essential oil
Mix grated soap, water and glycerin together in a large pan. Warm on the stove using low heat. Stir until the soap dissolves. Add essential oil and mix well. Transfer to a jar with a tight lid. Can be used for shaving or to bathe dogs, too: Use the above recipe or simply use two parts water to one part liquid Castile soap.
You can make your own Castile or Olive Oil Soap or , too:
Do you have any uses for Castile soap?
