Update May 2022 —I’ve added a few uses to both the Sal Suds and Castile Soap Cheat Sheets. Plus: All four Cheat Sheets are now available in Spanish! (See the side bar to download or print.)
Dilute! Dilute! OK!* But how much? Here is a quick reference. None of this is a hard and fast rule. If your stuff is really dirty or your water is really hard, then you may want to use more than the recommended amount. However, this should get you started. You’ll notice that for some applications, I recommend pre-diluting the Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap—combining the soap with water in a container. For other applications, the soap is diluted by the water present in the situation. It’s a matter of personal preference. Keep in mind that if you predilute, you are also diluting the preservation system (tocopherols – vitamin E), so the shelf life drops. Use within a couple weeks. And yes, there are 18+ uses here.
* Long time Dr. Bronner’s users will remember this expression from the old labels.
Body Uses
Face: 2-3 drops on wet hands, applied to wet face.
Body: One small squirt on wet hands or washcloth, applied to a wet body.
Foaming Pump Dispenser: Dilution of one part soap to 3 parts water.
Wipe-Off Castile Body Wash Spray: Use when running water isn’t an option due to illness, large cast or bandage, or when hiking, camping, etc. Combine 1 ½ tsp. (7.5 mL) soap and 1 c. (240 mL) room temperature water in a spray bottle. Spray body wash lightly on skin, and wipe with a wet (not dripping) cloth. Dry skin.
Makeup Removal: Wet face and lather several drops of soap into hands. Massage into skin. Rinse.
Hair: A couple drops for close-cropped hair or up to ½ Tbsp. (7.5 mL) for long hair, either worked directly into very wet hair or pre-diluted in a cup of water. Follow with a capful of Dr. Bronner’s Citrus Organic Hair Rinse diluted in one cup (240 mL) of water or dilute apple cider vinegar in half with water.
Bath: Completely depends upon water amount, but approximately 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) soap in an average sized tub. (Doesn’t bubble, but still cleans.)
Shaving: Face—10 drops; Underarms—3 drops; Legs—½ tsp (2.5 mL); Work to a lather in wet hands, apply to area.
Teeth: 1 drop on a toothbrush. (Yes, it tastes like soap.)
Oral Appliances: Removable retainers, nightguards, etc. & dentures: Wet device. Add 1-2 drops of soap to a soft toothbrush. Brush gently, then rinse.
Foot Bath: ½ Tbsp. (7.5 mL) in a small tub of hot water.
Clearing Congestion: 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) Peppermint or Eucalyptus Castile soap in a bowl of steamy hot water. Breathe in mist with a towel draped over the head.
Household Uses
Dishes (Handwashing): Pre-dilute 1:10 with water. Squirt on a scrub brush. Alternatively, add 1-2 Tbsp. (15-30 mL) Castile Soap in a large sink of water. Use a small squirt of soap for one pot, or more if needed. To avoid water spots in hard water conditions, dry dishes by hand.
Laundry: 2–4 Tbsp. (30–60 mL) for HE washers. Add ½ c. (120 mL) vinegar to the rinse cycle. Optional: For whitening/deodorizing, add ¼ c. (60 mL) baking soda to wash cycle. Double these amounts for standard washers.
Handwashing Delicates: 1 capful (1 Tbsp. or 15 mL) Castile Soap in about 1 gallon (4 L) cold water. Swish gently. Let soak 10 minutes. Swish again. Rinse with clean water. Gently press out excess water with a towel. Hang or lay clothing flat to dry.
Mopping (Wood, Laminate, Vinyl, Stone & Tile Flooring): 2 ½ Tbsp (38 mL) of soap in 1 gallon (4 L) of hot water. Dunk mop (microfiber, preferably) and wring thoroughly. On wood and laminate, avoid excess water and mop up wet areas.
For smaller areas, add 2 tsp. (10 mL) Castile Soap to a quart (1 L) of water in a squirt bottle.
All-Purpose Cleaning Spray: ¼ c. (60 mL) soap in a quart (1 L) of water in a spray bottle. Optional: For extra microbial punch, add ¼ tsp. (1.25 mL) tea tree essential oil. Use on any surface that is safe in contact with water-stone countertops & tile; wood (painted or sealed, not waxed); plastic toys and such; stainless steel; sinks & toilets; and more!
Windows: 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) soap in a quart (1 L) of water in a spray bottle. Spray and squeegee. Follow up with pure club soda, or half vinegar/ half water and squeegee.
Toilet: Predilute 1:4 with water in a squirt bottle. Add ¼ tsp. (1.25 mL) tea tree oil. For best results, empty toilet. Spray or squirt 2-3 drops of Castile Soap directly on toilet brush. Sprinkle baking soda on the brush, scrub bowl, let sit 10 minutes, turn water on, flush.
Other Uses for Liquid Castile Soap
Fruit & Veggie Wash: 1 dash (approx. ¼ tsp.) in a bowl of water. Dunk produce and swish. Then rinse in clear water.
Dog Washing: Wet dog thoroughly. Massage in enough soap to create a good lather. (Amount varies based on size, hair type, and overall dirtiness.) Really massage it in down to the skin. Your dog will thank you for it. Rinse thoroughly.
Cleaning Makeup Brushes: Wet the make-up brushes in water. Add 1-2 drops soap to the bristles. Massage in gently for 10+ seconds, then rinse. Repeat as needed until water runs clear.
Plant Spray for Bugs: 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) in a quart (1 L) of water. Optional: Add ½ tsp. (1.25 mL) cayenne pepper or cinnamon. Spray plants twice daily in the cool of the day until infestation clears.
Ant Spray (Not on plants): ¼ c. (60 mL) Tea Tree Castile Soap in a quart (1 L) of water. (This concentration will burn plants.)
I’ve tried to keep this short and sweet. If you have any questions, please ask away!
Not sure when to use Sal Suds or when to use Castile Soap? Head over to my blog post, Sal Suds or Castile Soap—Which to Use?
If you’re interested in using the Castile Bar Soap for house cleaning, check out my Bar Soap Dilutions Cheat Sheet.
Further reading
- Sal Suds Dilution Cheat Sheet
- Sal Suds or Castile Soap – Which to Use?
- GIY All-Purpose Cleaning Spray
- Bar Soap Dilutions Cheat Sheet
This dilution and many more are in my book, Soap & Soul: A Practical Guide to Minding Your Home, Your Body, and Your Spirit with Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, available now in hardback on DrBronner.com or at your favorite bookseller, and as an eBook and audiobook (read by me!) from wherever you download or listen.
Hi, I was told I could use this to clean my makeup brushes and makeup sponges. How would you recommend I use this to clean them? I just bought the eucalyptus liquid soap. Thanks!
Hi Andrea – Wet the brushes and put one drop of soap on each. Work it through the bristles and then let them sit in some water for a few minutes. Lay them down in the water so that they don’t sit on their bristles, which can damage them. Then rinse the brushes thoroughly. With brushes used for liquid makeup, or if it’s been quite some time since they’ve been cleaned, you may need more than one drop. Add a few more and repeat the soak and rinse. Squeeze out excess water in a towel, and let them air dry. You may have to fluff them occasionally to get them to dry fully.
How much to use in a carpet cleaner machine. Like the one you rent from home Depot?
Hi Julia – The issue with the castile soap in a carpet cleaner is that it can react with hard water and not rinse cleanly from the machine. Use distilled or Reverse Osmosis filtered water to fill it, and then use about 1 Tablespoon/gallon of water in the solution container.
Bear in mind, as I say in my carpet cleaning post, https://www.lisabronner.com/cleaning-carpets-with-sal-suds/, that using anything other than their brand of cleaning solution may void the warranty, so do take that into consideration.
Hello I have my good old trusted magic soap, I have a question I mixed some nice hot spring water to it now it’s about 2 months old can I use still and was it OK to mix either spring water
Hi Tamera – If the solution still smells good and cleans, it is fine. The issue with leaving dilutions sitting around for a while is that the preservative in the soap (natural tocopherols) are also diluted, which can cause a shorter shelf life. However, you would notice this because it would smell bad.
Hi Lisa! I have been using Dr. Bronner’s for 6 months now. I love the cleaning solution, but I am having a hard time finding spray bottles that last. What spray bottle do you recommend?
Hi Kari – I buy mine at home improvement stores like Home Depot or Lowes, and I buy the more expensive heavy-duty ones, which are usually still less than $3 each. Zep is one brand in particular, but there are other good ones. They last about 3 years under normal household use.
Hi Lisa,
I am new to castile soap. Looking to use it for shampooing my oily hair. Thought about using tea tree castile. Is it safe for color treated hair? I thought i’ll do 1/2 cup of castile soap and 1/2 cup water.
Thanks.
Hi Parul – We do not recommend soap for color treated hair. The alkaline pH of soap can cause color to fade more quickly. However, you will see that other commenters have had success with the soap despite their color treatments.
Hi!
I’m a new (but big!) fan of Dr. Bronner’s! I can’t say how thankful I am that I found this extremely multi-functional, non-toxic option. I’m currently in the process of replacing every product in my home with it! My question pertains to hand washing dishes. I saw the recommended dilution of 1:10 but this seems so watery to me. I can hardly work up enough of a lather to scrub the dishes. Part of the problem may be that I put the diluted product in a normal pump dispenser on my sink as opposed to a foaming dispenser. Should I alter the dilution and change the dispenser or should I switch over to the pump soap version for this purpose? I wasn’t sure if the pump soap was only for body cleansing or if it worked just as well for washing dishes. Thank you!
Hi Maggie – I’m so glad you discovered us! All these dilutions are recommendations, and it is perfectly fine to adjust them to your washing needs. Keep in mind that other water present in the situation – on the washcloth, from the sink, etc – will further dilute the soap. Our soaps are not recommend in traditional pumps because they tend to dry out in the pump and cause soap to shoot out in unexpected directions. A foamer is a better option, or I keep a dilution in a spray bottle under the sink and spray dishes as needed. The Pump Soaps are not the best option for dishes. They are really formulated exclusively for the body. Our Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner is another great option for around the house and especially dishes. It is even more concentrated, and so you use about half the amount.
Hi Lisa,
Is your castile soap safe to use on garments with moisture-wicking properties (specifically those that explicitly state they should not be exposed to fabric softeners)?
Additionally, may the castile soap be used in an HE washer? Must vinegar be used in the rinse cycle if I have soft water, or is this step optional?
Thanks!
Hi Jennifer – I would opt for the Sal Suds for moisture-wicking fabrics. The Sal Suds is super clean rinsing in all manner of water, where the Castile can leave a film behind if the water is hard. For moisture-wicking fabrics to most effective, they need to be absolutely free from residue.
Regarding the HE washer, I’ve heard mixed reviews about castile in them, and I don’t have one myself. Again, the issue with HE is residue, and if your water is hard, you’ll need the vinegar to cut through it. The Sal Suds is a failsafe option with HE machines.
Hello,
I read an article about night guards (for your teeth) that suggested you can clean your night guard with a little Dr. Bronners Castile Soap and a soft toothbrush. Would the ingredients in this product be abrasive, staining, or unsafe for a night guard that you put in your mouth?
Thank you!
Hi Lynn – I actually have direct experience with this as I wear a nightguard. I use the Dr. Bronner’s Tea Tree Castile and my toothbrush for cleaning it. I have had my nightguard for quite some time – going on four years now – and it is still in good shape. No abrasions or other wear.
I need something very mild to hand wash my new bras with. How much unscented Dr. Bronner’s would you recommend for a sinkful of water? Some people say to not use soap at all, but I’m a sweaty person with oily skin. Soap is a necessity for me!
Hi Lindsay – The unscented Castile is a great option for handwashing. I’d use one capful in a sink of water. Swirl the soapy water through the clothing and let it sit for ten minutes. Then swirl them again and rinse them out. If you do need something stronger, our Sal Suds is also a really great mild option. The issue generally is the impact on the elastic in the bra, but cold water, mild soap or detergent, and line drying is a good route.
Lisa, hi. I’ve been using your peppermint soap since 1972. Great stuff. Quite a few years ago I bought 6 one gallon jugs of it to save some money going forward. I finished the last of them a few weeks ago. I’ve noticed with my new jug, you have changed the label to include the word, hemp. Has hemp oil always been in the “recipe”? I do not recall ever seeing the word hemp even mentioned before. Can you explain?
Thank you,
Bill
Hi Bill – Wow! It’s great to hear from such a long time customer! We added hemp to our soaps in the year 2000 to pair with the jojoba oil as a superfatting agent. It makes the soap much creamier and leaves a softer after-feel on the skin. For more info on the benefits of hemp in personal care products, I wrote up this article: https://www.lisabronner.com/9-ways-to-use-hemp-oil-in-body-care-and-why-youd-want-to/
Could Almond Castile soap be used in a garden as an insecticide soap or will the sweet almond smell actually attract garden pests?
Hi Terri – While I think the Almond would work, I’ve not tried it and I don’t know if it would attract pests. I’ve always used the Peppermint, which also is a natural repellent.
Hi Lisa, I love Dr. Bronners and have used it as a body wash for years. I’m expecting a baby and want to wash his clothes in it as well. I see that you recommend using 1/3 to 1/2 a cup in a normal load and then adding vinegar to the rinse cycle. Two questions about this: 1. Does the vinegar give the clothes a vinegar smell? I’ve found with using vinegar in my household cleaning products things do not end up smelling very good. 2. This may sound dumb, but I can’t imagine standing in the garage by my washing machine waiting for the rinse cycle to happen and then pouring in the vinegar. Is it possible to skip the vinegar part? Thanks so much!
Sharon
Hi Sharon – Congratulations! About the laundry, vinegar is really only necessary if you have hard water. You can figure that out by this simple test: https://www.lisabronner.com/testing-for-water-hardness/. With hard water, vinegar prevents those precipitates (the whiteishness you see in your water in that test) from clinging to the clothes and causing a buildup. If you do need to add vinegar, the vinegar does not give the clothes a vinegar smell once they are dried. And by no means should you stand by your washer waiting for the rinse cycle. You have far better things to do! Most washers have a spot for fabric softener, which it releases during the rinse cycle. This is where you would want to put the vinegar.
Hi Lisa,
Is it safe to wash my cat using the baby/mild soap? It’s what I use and I don’t want to have to buy another, specialized product. Thanks a lot!
Hilary
Hi HR – Yes, the unscented Baby Mild pure castile soap is an excellent option for washing your cat. Cats can be sensitive to essential oils, which is why our Unscented Castile is the best one.
Hi Lisa,
I have a waxed canvas bag which got partially soaked in oil. To complicate things, the bag has a leather bottom and handles, so probably shouldn’t be submerged in water (or maybe that’s not so bad with Dr. Bronners?).
Do you have any suggestions in terms of whether I can use the Castille soap to clean it and what the best method is? I’ve seen other brands (Otterwax) that offer a citrus castille soap for cleaning waxed canvas, but I thought your product might be just as easily used.
Thanks!
Hi Ben – Bummer! Either our castile soap or our Sal Suds all purpose cleaner would work well. I would opt for the Sal Suds if this were my bag, but both would do it. Although leather can’t take a whole lot of water exposure, in this case it sounds like you either need to get the bag clean or throw it away, so let’s try to clean it. Make a solution of about 50/50 with castile and water or 25/75 with Sal Suds and water. Apply that to the part of the canvas that got oily. Rub it in and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then rinse it out well.
Hi!
I recently purchased my first real silk pillowcase and I want to hand wash it. I read on the instructions that I can use a detergent with a low ph level. I already own your rose scented 18 in 1 castille soap. But is there a particular soap from your line that you could recommend? Also, how much would you suggest? I can use all the instructions and help/advice you have!
Thank you!!
Hi Vanessa – If the directions said a low pH, that would be a strong acid. Our soaps are mild alkalis, which means their pH is around 8.9. I don’t know if strong acids are good for silk, but it doesn’t sound right to me. Did the directions say a neutral pH, which would be around 7? Pure water has a neutral pH of 7. If that is the case, then our soaps would be a perfect option. I have used them on washable silks and they work great. In a sinkful of cold water, but a capful or so of soap. Swish it around. Add the pillowcase and swish it around. Let it sit in the water for 10 minutes. Swish and rinse.
I use your bar soap & liquid soap in many of my products for my all natural beauty line. I am currently in love with a sugar wash that I created, however I am wondering if I can get the sugar to stay distributed throughout the wash. it is sinking to the bottom & although most of my customers find this product awesome enough to keep shaking & mixing before using, I would like for it to stay consistent. I found that one jar I left open kind of crushed over , then when stirred- stayed much thicker. no settling sugar. just wondering if you have any words of wisdom or experience here…. thanks!
[…] blend of detergents and possibly no soap at all, and is a great alternative. According to their website, it can be used for everything from bathing to shaving, plus washing dishes, doing laundry, […]
Hi Lisa, I am just curious if your soap is an anti-bacterial. I just want to make sure that it will kill germs when someone is sick or when handling raw chicken, or something like that.
Hi Amber – The short answer is, no. Soap does not work by killing bacteria. However, before you give up on soap, let me give you a longer answer on why you don’t want it to and what it does instead. Soap gets rid of bacteria because it attaches bacteria (or dirt or grime) to water so that it can be rinsed away. The problem with antibacterial products is that, to quote Jurassic Park, “nature finds a way”. This means that antibacterial products do kill bacteria but bacteria are adapting to be resistant to such products, giving rise to “superbugs”, which are bacteria that are really, really hard to get rid of. This is well-documented and has led to many recommendations away from antibacterial products in daily use. Here’s one of many articles on this: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/strange-but-true-antibacterial-products-may-do-more-harm-than-good/.
The recommendation to use good old-fashioned soap and water around the house and on the body still is best.
tea tree Dr. Bronner’s?
Hi Lisa~Thank you so much for all the helpful infer about Dr. Bronner’s products. I would like to use Castile Soap for my baby’s laundry. According to your blog post, it says 1/3 to 1/2 C. of soap. Is this the suggested amount for baby laundry? How much is a C? Sorry I am from Asia and I am not familiar with all these measurement. Thank you so much!
Hi Vivica – The Castile soap would be a great option for baby laundry. These dilutions would still be great. In metric, that’s approximately 80 ml to 120 ml, depending on how heavily soiled the load is. You can pretreat stains by applying the soap undiluted to the stains. Thanks for the reminder that I need to convert the Cheat Sheets to metric for all our overseas customers!
Hi Lisa,
I am hoping to making my own baby wipes for the first time and wanted to use Dr Bonner as the cleansing element. As I wouldn’t be washing it off, what amount could you recommend I use for 1 cup of water? Was thinking perhaps 1 drop if it’s highly concentrated. I haven’t used your products before but after reading some reviews, am very interested. The product I will use for the wipes is the unscented baby.
Many thanks in advance.
Paulynne
Hi Lisa,
I forgot to note that I will also use about a tablespoon of organic coconut oil with the water and soap element. I look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers,
Paulynne
Coconut oil would be a fantastic addition!
Hi Paulynne – You could go with more than a drop. Start with 1/2 tsp./cup and if that doesn’t seem like enough, up it from there. Wellness Mama has some good recipes on her blog.
I use the soap in a foaming pump bottle. The one I keep in the shower never clogs. I guess that is because of the moisture. The ones at the sink do partially clog but I am aware of it and am careful.
HI, my niece has started using the Lavender liquid soap for shampoo and is saying her hair is now not greasy but dry and fly away. What do you suggest? I am thinking for her to dilute it the 1/2 tbsp in 1/2 cup water per your suggestion above and that would give her the clean, but lower the Ph.
Hi Marguerite – I apologize for my delay. I have a couple thoughts here: First, is she using an acidic rinse as a follow up to the castile soap? Apple Cider vinegar at a 50% dilution, or the Dr. Bronner’s Hair Rinse. Second, conventional conditioners often leave a silicone coating behind, which leaves the hair weighted down. Her hair might be more fly away because there’s nothing left on it. A styling agent like a bit of coconut oil, or the Dr. Bronner’s Leave-In Hair Creme would help with this. The Hair Creme was developed for just this reason. My hair is very lightweight, too, and I put about one pump on my hair (which is pretty long) right after I shower.
Just learned about Dr. Bronners soap. How can I use it for my 18 month old god-daughter instead of the soap we currently use?
Hi Amanda – I apologize for my delay. I wrote a post on how I used the Castile soaps on my children when they were babies: https://www.lisabronner.com/using-castile-baby-mild-soap-on-babies/. The soap is perfect for their skin. Very nourishing. However, it is not “tear free” because that can only be done with detergents or numbing agents, so you do want to take care to keep it out of their eyes. The best thing is to put a couple of drops on a washcloth. That’s all that is needed, resulting in less soap used, and less chance of soap running in her eyes.
I use the foaming soap recipe and have become annoyed by the residue that it leaves behind in my sink. Is there something that I can add to eliminate or lessen the build-up? Thanks.
Hi Susan – I’m sorry for my lateness here. With hard water, the soap is going to react and leave behind a film. One strategy is to use distilled or softened water (or I use my reverse osmosis water) in the pump, so at least there aren’t particulates forming in the solution itself. A weekly cleaning with a vinegar solution will clear it right up.
I am wanting to go natural in the laundry. So I want to know which product/s for washing clothes really clean and which product/s for getting rid of stains on clothes! Soapnuts and vinegar are just not doing it for me.
Hi Anna – I apologize for my delay. The Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner is great for the laundry. I’ve written about it here: https://www.lisabronner.com/sal-suds-in-the-laundry/. With stains, I apply Sal Suds directly to the stain and rub it in. Then either wash it right away, or for deeper stains, let it soak in water for a couple hours or overnight.
Hi lisa,
A long while ago, i seen a recipe for a wipe solution for baby bottoms on here, but i only had the peppermint at the time. today i finally bought a big bottle of the baby unscented and now i can’t find the recipe. could you please help me out?
Hi Christina – Here’s a recipe a friend shared with me:
Lavender ‘n’ Tea Tree
1/8 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lavender castile soap
4 drops tea tree oil
8 drops lavender oil
3 cups water
I never used it because I found out about it after my kids were beyond this stage, but my friend had great results with it.
I would like to use the Castile liquid soap as a laundry pre spotter. What proportion to water would be good? We love it as foaming hand wash and produce wash.
Hi Martha – Depending on what sort of stains we’re talking about here, I would only cut the soap in half to use on stains. Or if the stains are really stubborn, but the soap on it straight.
Hi Lisa! We use the peppermint castile soap to bath our dog and he loves it! I just bought the tea tree kind for vacation. Is that safe for him too? Thanks!
Sure! Sounds good!
[…] You can use it as body wash, shampoo, laundry soap, brush cleanser, dish soap—just check out this post on its 18 uses! Dilution is key with this product, meaning you don’t need to use nearly as […]
Hi Lisa
I am a recent convert to DrB after a xmas present, which included a book by Clean Mama that speaks very highly of your products.
I am working towards a home with only DrB products and the other useful tools such as vinegar, bicarbonate etc. to clean everything.
I have been using peppermint, lavender and citrus for various tasks.
After watching your recent video blog I made up bottles of 1/4 Cup DrB to water in spray bottle, but I have noticed after a few days, the lovely fragrance is gone and the smell isn’t as good (and actually not very pleasnt) as a direct concentrate. Is this an issues of storage or ratio??? Please can you suggest a solution as I am not sure what is going on? I am currently using the citrus.
Hi Jac – As you can figure, when you dilute the soap, you are also diluting the essential oil that is giving it its lovely scent. The essential oil is present in the undiluted soap at a concentration of 2%. When you dilute the 1/4 c. of soap in 1 quart of water, the concentration drops to .125%. The soap is more than effective, but you definitely lose some of the scent. I recommend adding your own essential oils to the spray bottle to give you whatever scent you like. For example, 20 drops of pure peppermint oil – or lavender or sweet orange – would make a lovely spray.
Also make sure you use boiled and cooled water or distilled water, as there is less bacteria for long term storage.
How to do dilutions go for the bars? Do bars have to be diluted?
Hi Vanessa – No, you do not have to dilute the bars. The water that you use to wet the bars will also dilute it.
Hello Lisa, I’m kinda new to the game. 🙂 I had a question about using the foam dispenser not just for hand soap but also for shampoo. I haven’t tried it yet but I thought about diluting Dr. Bronners with a bit of jojoba oil and the recommended amount of water and using that as shampoo. Is this a good idea or no? Just experimenting over here…..thanks!
Hi Jennifer – That sounds like a good experiment. I think you should give it a try.
Thank you for that link Lisa. My first thought is, wow that is an expensive option! It seems more expensive than the Castille soap option per volume and that would be even before the Castille soap is diluted. Any particular explanation about that, are the ingredients really expensive? It seems like the pump soap should possibly be cheaper than the Castille soaps since it does not yield nearly as much product? Right now, at least for me in particular, it seems out of reach based on the cost. Let me know your thoughts and answers. Thank you again for your attention and care.
Hi Kas – You are right than when you look at dilutions, the castile is much less expensive. The reason for it is this – both soaps have the castile base. In addition to that, the Organic Pump Soaps contain organic sugar, organic white grape juice, and organic shikakai powder. This makes them much more moisturizing and able to work in a conventional pump. However, diluting them does not work well.
Hello, I bought 18-in-1 pure-castile soap. I want to make it as a hand soap. I know that I need to dilute it with water. but I don’t know what’s the proportion like how much water with how much soap? please let me know.
Thank you
Chenchen
Hi Chenchen – For hand soap, use only a foaming pump dispenser and not a regular pump. The soap always will clog a regular pump. In a foaming pump, dilute the soap at a ratio of 1 part soap to 3 parts water.
Lisa,
My son and husband have been using the bar soap for their hair and bodies for months and truly love it. I have been thinking about moving to liquid and trying it myself, but I have corn allergies. Two of the ingredients on the bar soap are keeping me from trying it because I have been told that citric acid and tocopherol are usually made from corn. Could you tell me more about these two ingredients in your bar and liquid soaps?
Thanks,
Ande
Hi Ande – Our citric acid is derived from tapioca and our tocopherols are derived from sunflower oil.
Lisa,
Thanks for getting back with me. 🙂 I will give it a try.
Ande
Hi Again Lisa,
Then I guess the half gallon bottle would be available on the Dr. Bronner website; if you can, please provide me with the link. If I end up liking the product, I would definitely want to buy it in higher quantities and I could see the demand for such a thing rising with all of the grey water systems going in and the convenience of having dispensers set up in shower stalls (especially on the commercial side with high end spas and such). Let me know your thoughts, thanks Lisa.
-Kas
Hi Kas – Here’s the link to our Organic Pump Soaps: https://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/category/ORGANICPUMPSOAP.html. Scroll down to the half gallon refill sizes at the bottom. We are still considering producing a gallon refill at some point.
Hi Lisa,
I just purchased the Hemp Rose castile soap and notices the ingredients state “natural rose fragrance” where does this fragrance derive from if not essential oils?
Hi Nou – The natural rose fragrance is made up of a blend of essential oils, like Geranium, Davana, Eucalyptus, rose otto and Orange, plus components of other essential oils that have been fractionated. There is a minimal amount of rose essential oil in our rose fragrance, since rose essential oil costs about $5000 a pound. However, everything is natural and has not been adulterated or synthesized in any way.
Hi Lisa, What are the differences with the Sal Suds and the Castile soaps? I have been using the Sal suds and love it but it is hard to get where I live but it is no problem to get the Castile soaps.
Hi Chris – The short answer is that the Castiles are soaps and the Sal Suds is a mild, non-toxic detergent. To explain a little further, the castile (with a base of saponified coconut, olive, and palm oils) is formulated first as a body soap, but its extreme versatility means that it can be used to clean an extensive variety of things. However, one area where it doesn’t do well is cleaning shiny surfaces in hard water. This means that if you live in an area with hard water, the Castile soaps do not work well on cars, glasses, mirrors, etc. Sal Suds is a coconut oil derived detergent that is not meant for the body because it does not have oils that nourish our skin. It would be drying if used regularly on the skin. However, it excels at cleaning anything else, and is no less effective in hard water.
Let me know if I can clarify further! I think I need a whole post on this topic.
Hi Lisa, I have Mirage hardwood floors and I am wondering if your product is OK to use on it -Thanks for your help and I am loving the peppermint scent,makes me want to clean!
Hi Jan – Either the Castile or the Sal Suds would work well. The issue with wood is that you don’t want to get them too wet, so use a damp mop (dampened with the soap solution) to clean them. Use the very diluted solution I mention in the Cheat Sheet of 1/2 c. of soap in 3 gallons of water, or 1/2 Tbsp. Sal Suds in 3 gallons of water.
[…] cleanser. And also my favourite body wash and dish soap. If you check out Lisa Bronner’s website, she provides a great list of uses and recommended dilutions. That is actually another reason why […]
Was wondering if you knew how safe your soap is to shower with when you have an ostomy (stoma)
Hi Shelly – I’m sorry, I don’t have any familiarity with that and do not want to misguide you. Quick healing to you!
Hello Lisa,
I am considering using one of the different liquid soaps I have seen at the market in the plastic containers with different color labels. Wow there is a lot of instructions on how to use this product. My direct question is that I have soap dispensers in my shower and bath stalls in my home; I simply wish to try the Dr. Bronner product in my soap dispensers for general washing of the body and face. What would be a good average dilution ratio i should use? I imagine I have to mix the water with the soap in a different container before pouring it in the dispenser but i am also concerned about it foaming up before use and not staying consistent in the dispenser etc. I just want a good and affordable and versatile natural product and it sounds like this can be it, let me know what you think about my situation. Thank you. (btw, after I wrote this I noticed that this issue came up in a previous question, sorry about the redundancy but I can tell you I have a Simplehuman wall mounted soap dispenser and I am not sure if that would be a regular pump or a foaming pump? I assume regular, if so then would the Organic Pump soap be the only option? I wonder if they carry that at the local Berkeley Bowl supermarket here in California and will I also be able to dilute that with water because cost is an issue for me..?).
Hi Kas – Thanks for your interest! You’ve pretty much answered your question – if your dispenser is not a foaming dispenser, then you should not use the Castile soap in it. The Organic Pump Soaps would work great, though. However, these should not be diluted. They are formulated to work best as is. If your dispensers are foaming, then dilute the soap at a ratio of 1:3 with water. You can do it directly in the refill container.
Hello Lisa, last question, is the Organic Pump soap available in the larger one gallon container? If I like it, I would want to purchase it in bulk because it seems expensive for me right now.
We have half gallon refills of the pump soap, but not gallons yet.
Hi Lisa, I want to make hand soap for a pump bottle. How much soap to water do I use. I was going to use distilled water. Also, should I add tea tree or orange essential oil to it.
Hi Nina – With the castile soaps, only a foaming pump dispenser will work. Use a ratio of 1 part soap to 3 parts water. You do not need to add any other essential oils to it.
To Lisa,
In regards to a comment left by Isadora April 2, 2016. She mentions Woolite drying out delicates with elastic bands and or materials. All soaps are bad for delicates due to the residue they leave in the weave of the fabric. Plain water is best to use and if soap is really needed use baby shampoo because it rinses totally out and it will not harm shiny or metallic materials. Human sweat wears out the fabric and elastic quicker than anything and should be rinsed out in tepid (not cold) warm water immediately and hung dry. The clothes dryer is the other enemy of elastic and will dry out and melt all types of rubber elastic, nylon, lycra, spandex and other synthetics. Rinsing/soaking with plain white vinegar and water tends to help with elastic longevity.
Why do you recommend only using a foaming container when using your soap for a pump container for hand washing?
Hi Dolly – Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap tends to clog regular pump dispensers. This is because the soap has just enough water in it to keep it liquid. When the soap sits in the pump device, the air evaporates some of this water and so the soap turns solid. What’s worse than a totally clogged pump is a partially clogged pump, where the clog causes the soap to shoot out in unexpected directions, most often up into the unsuspecting users face. However, this problem is averted with foaming pumps because the soap is so diluted. Diluting the soap does not work for regular pumps because it just becomes too thin and the pumps squirt it out too fast. It gets messy.
If you really want to use a regular pump, check out our Organic Pump Soaps: https://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/category/ORGANICPUMPSOAP.html. These were designed to work in regular pumps.
I would love to know a dilution ratio for the Teatree for cleansing make up brushes…
Hi Austyn – The soap works great for this. I clean my brushes by getting them wet, working some undiluted drops of soap into the bristles and then swishing them in a cup of water. I then let them sit in the water for 10 minutes, swish again, and rinse. Last step is to fill the cup with clean water again and swish the bristles to make sure you’ve gotten all the soap and makeup out. Gently squeeze the water out of the bristles and let them air dry.
Have you ever made a fruit and veggie spray or just made a rinse each time you need? I’d love to make a spray but I’m not sure how much a “dab” to a bowl of water would equate to for a spray bottle. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thank you!
Hi Amanda – Great idea! For a fruit and veggie spray, put 1 Tbsp. in a quart of water in a spray bottle.
Hi Lisa,
I LOVE your families soaps and the Sal Suds!
Wonderful products that cut down on harmful chemicals in my home. I have been using your products for 10 years have converted many family and friends to your soaps, and they all love them!
I wanted to inquire about dilution of your Castile. I know the pH is more alkaline ( which is true of all REAL soaps) but with dilution, the pH should be driven down right?
Hi Racheal – Thanks for all your kind words! I’m glad our products have such a help to you. Yes, diluting the soaps would also lower the pH. pH is the concentration of hydrogen ions or hydroxide ions. Adding water to an acid or a base would dilute the ions and bring the pH closer to 7/neutral. Isn’t chemistry fun?!
If making 6oz bottles of baby wash how much Dr. Bonners baby soap should you use per bottle?
Hi Kelly – Personally, I don’t predilute the soap for bathing, either for me or when my littles were littler. For babies, I just used a couple drops on a washcloth because I felt I could control where the soap went more easily. You can read more of my thoughts in my post here: https://www.lisabronner.com/using-castile-baby-mild-soap-on-babies/. I also find that prediluted soaps are, well, cold. However, if you would like to predilute in a 6 oz. bottle, add about 1 Tbsp. of soap to the bottle and the rest water.
I am just beginning my Dr. Bronner’s journey and I’m so excited! I just used the peppermint liquid soap to wash my hair. I have somewhat oily hair and right now my hair is so soft and fluffy. I’m looking forward to trying out the different scents and uses for the soap around the house.
Lisa, I have two questions for you.
1. Are the dilutions you provide the same for use on children? Say, for a bath?
2. My clothes dryer has a sticker that says not to dry anything that has been exposed to oils. Is the oil concentration safe for laundry use considering that statement? Just want to be as safe as possible. Thanks for a great product!
Hi Jaclyn – Welcome to the family! It’s great to hear that you’re checking out Dr. Bronner’s. In answer to your questions, yes, the dilutions are the same, but it is totally a matter of personal preference. If you would feel more comfortable with a more diluted solution, go for it. It’s not a matter of toxicity or anything. Just a matter of not using more than you need! Secondly, about the laundry, all the oils in the soap are saponified (chemistry-speak for “turned into soap”), so there aren’t any soap molecules left floating around in there. Naturally, though, you don’t want any soap to be left on your clothes, either, and if you think they might not be thoroughly rinsed, try that vinegar in the rinse water suggestion I made above. It’s really only a factor with hard water.