Ever since I made the mistake of looking up the composition of dust, I consider it an icky four-letter word. I had assumed dust was just really fine dirt. Like super ground up rock particles. Yeah, no.
People who study dust—
Let me pause right here and say that I am extremely grateful for such researchers and doubly glad that I am not one of them.
—have found that dust is made of an overwhelming cocktail that includes shed human skin, animal dander, insect parts, food particles, fibers from textiles, soil from outside, soot, particles from combustion in gas and propane appliances—and here we get to the really disturbing stuff—heavy metals, microplastics, endocrine disrupting phthalates, flame retardants, synthetic fragrance compounds, highly fluorinated compounds (the PFAs and PFAs, aka “forever” chemicals), and phenols. This isn’t dust from obscure places. These chemicals, which are increasingly linked to a swath of maladies from infertility to diabetes to neurological issues to cancer, are in 100% of dust samples analyzed in a nationwide U.S. study over 16 years.
Stay with me here. I’m not done convincing you dust is bad.
What could be worse than dust? Dust mites
As if that list isn’t bad enough, then comes the knowledge that where you have dust, you have dust mites. Dust mites, which are a type of arachnid (think spider cousin), are something I really don’t like to think about, especially not in the context of their residence in my house. As disgusting as dust is, it is actually the mites that pose the greater problem to people with allergies or asthma. Dust mites, or to be more specific, the parts and poop of dust mites, are a more common trigger of allergies and asthma than the dust itself. I know you didn’t want to know this, but we’ll be brave and face it together.
With this knowledge, I have now bumped dust, and its mite-y companions, up near the top of my list of concerning contaminants in my house. They have joined VOCs (volatile organic compounds), or airborne contaminants, in my cleaning prioritization. (Learn more about VOCs and their hazards in my article, “When Good Smells Are Bad Signs”.) The reason these two rank near the top of my list of concerns is not because they pose the most danger, micron for micron. Viruses, bacteria, and fungi (so-called “germs”) can do more harm if we compare the threat of equal amounts, but because dust/dust mites and VOCs are far more ubiquitous, voluminous, pervasive, and seemingly innocuous.
Where dust and dust mites are the most concentrated
The biggest concentration of dust and dust mites is in our carpets, our bedding, and our fabric upholstered furniture. And who can blame them? It’s cozy, it’s protected, and bedding contains lots and lots of shed skin particles, their favorite snack.
The problem is, these exact places are where people like to spend a lot of their time, too.
If your kids are anything like mine were, they spend a whole lot of time in full body contact with the floors, and when it comes to bedding, it is the very young and the infirmed who spend the most time in them as well. What does this add up to? The most vulnerable among us are the most exposed to the highest concentration of dust and dust mites.
22 ways to reduce and eliminate dust and dust mites
- Wash sheets weekly with hot water and dry in a hot dryer. As you might imagine, with the 8-ish hours we are spending between the sheets each day, they collect a tremendous amount of shed skin cells, otherwise known as dust mite food. This is why it is essential to launder sheets and other bedding that is in direct skin contact weekly, and pillowcases possibly twice a week. Purchase sheets with a thread count of 300 or higher so they can withstand the frequent washing. Use a soap or detergent that does not leave residues such as fabric softeners on the fabrics, which can contribute to dust. Fluff pillows, comforters, and other bedding in the dryer weekly and give a full wash seasonally.
- Wipe down all surfaces with a damp, absorbent cloth once or twice a week. There is no need to use any chemical dusting spray which adds VOCs to the air and residues to the surfaces. A damp cloth is sufficient to pick up dust and not leave any residues behind.
- Vacuum once or twice a week using a vacuum with a HEPA filter. Invest in a high-quality vacuum. Read reviews because expensive does not necessarily equal effective. A good vacuum saves money in the long run because it lasts longer and does a better job, which protects your health. Consider the attachments in your purchasing decision too as they can help clean furniture, lamp shades, pet beds, window AC units, baseboards and crown moldings.
- Mop hard floors once or twice a week with a damp microfiber mop. Use a mophead that is detachable and washable so that you remove all the debris you pick up each week. Also use a clean-rinsing floor cleaner that does not add VOCs to the air or residues to the floor.
- Place floor mats outside and inside every door. Wiping shoes twice before entering the house is one way to catch debris before it gets tracked indoors. Vacuum or wash these mats often.
- Use washable throw rugs wherever possible and wash regularly. Take advantage of the availability of rugs that are easily washed in a washer.
- Have indoor house shoes, and don’t wear your outside shoes inside. I am a constant shoe wearer even indoors, and this is one habit I have come to realize the wisdom of. Having indoor shoes helps keep outdoor debris from being tracked through your house.
- Wash filters on your vacuum, stove hood, and other appliances that air passes through. Filters need to be cleaned regularly to be effective. Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds and hot water is what I use.
- Install air filters with a MERV 13 or higher rating on your HVAC system (check your system’s capability). Regularly changing your HVAC filters reduces strain on your system and produces better filtration. I know there is a vast range of cost of HVAC filters, but this is one spot that is worth the extra cost. Consider purchasing in bulk to reduce the price.
- When the Air Quality Index (AQI) in your area registers over 100 (or over 50 for sensitive individuals), keep your windows closed. Most weather apps include a daily AQI reading. It is not a perfect system, but it is a good indicator on what the particulate level is in your area.
- Use ventilation fans in the kitchen and the bathroom. When actively cooking, showering, or using the bathroom, turn on the available vents and open windows if possible. This will help capture any food or combustion particles emitted during cooking, and will help reduce humidity levels in the bathrooms.
- Use an effective air purifier in bedrooms or other high-occupancy spaces. An air purifier is an electric appliance that trap pollutants and operate independently, as opposed to an air filter which attaches to an HVAC system. These are especially needed if you can’t open windows, or if the outdoor air quality is worse than indoors due to smoke, pollen, or other contaminants. There are many air purifiers on the market with a range of quality, so do your research. Identify one appropriate for the size and use situation. Keep up with the filter maintenance.
- Declutter surfaces. Having less stuff out means fewer places for dust to hide and less stuff to dust around. Dusting will seem like less of a chore.
- Reduce the number of stuffed animals, and wash or at least fluff them with the no-heat dryer cycle regularly. I know this can be a tough one for kiddos. My own kiddos have definitely sworn that all 43 stuffed animals are beloved and meaningful. However, plush toys hold on to a lot of dust and then get cuddled and nuzzled offering prime exposure to dust and mites.
- Fluff curtains and throw pillows on the no-heat setting on the dryer. It is amazing how much dust curtains and pillows gather. Just running them through the air fluff cycle in the dryer will pull a tremendous amount of dust out. If they can withstand washing, then do so, and if they can take a little heat, that will help, too.
- Keep the humidity inside your home below 50%. Dust mites thrive in high-humidity environments. HVAC systems often dehumidify when they are running, but you can also look into a specific dehumidifier to bring down the moisture levels, especially if you live in an area of high humidity.
- Install allergy covers on mattresses and pillows. These have come a long way recently. This does not mean encasing your mattresses in crinkly plastic. There are soft but effective coverings that keep dust and mites out of mattresses and pillows and are easily washable.
- Wash and brush pets regularly. Furry friends deposit a lot of debris in our house not only from their own shedding, but also in the dirt that they carry in their fur and drop on carpets and furnishings.
- Wash pet beds regularly. Keeping pets clean is not very effective if their beds are still harboring lots of dirt, hair, and debris. Purchase beds that can be easily washed, and wash them regularly.
- Exfoliate. This may sound like a funny house-cleaning tip, but it was pointed out to me in Taryn Maria’s dusting video and makes perfect sense. If dust is made up partly of sluffed-off skin cells, then if we reduce the skin we’re sluffing-off, we’ll reduce the dust. Therefore, exfoliate ashy skin in the shower and stop the dust at its source. A GIY Sugar Scrub either with a coconut oil base (if you need extra moisturizing) or a simple soap base is a great way to do this.
- When purchasing new flooring, consider hard surface. I know this is a big, long-term consideration, and of course super pricey. But if you are at a point of re-flooring your house, it is easier to keep dust off hard surfaces rather than carpeting.
- When purchasing new furniture, consider leather or other less fuzzy coverings. As with flooring, I know this isn’t something you can run out and do every day. However, if you happen to be looking for new furniture, and especially if you have allergy or asthma considerations, look for easier to clean surfaces. Also, opt out of flame-retardant coatings, which produce many of the hazardous chemicals that have been found in dust.
How residues contribute to dust
One of my biggest peeves with conventional cleaners is that most are designed to leave residues on surfaces. Whether it’s fabric softeners on laundry or shine on furniture or scent on counters, all of these are residues that are sitting on the surfaces after we have supposedly cleaned them. The purpose of these residues are to bring you, the consumer, instant gratification and joy. They do not add to the cleanliness of the surface, but they supposedly make you feel better.
You know what makes me feel better when I clean? Knowing that the surfaces are indeed getting clean and free of any substance on their surface.
Of the many problems with residues, the relevant one to the topic of dust is that residues grab hold of other particles and can even become particles themselves. This keeps dust around and creates more dust.
This is why it is super important to avoid products that leave residues. It is one of the primary reasons I recommend Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Magic Soap and Sal Suds. They are clean rinsing, have no ingredients designed to remain on surfaces, meaning they do not leave residues.
As you evaluate the cleaning products you use around your house, think beyond the immediate usage, and choose ones that leave less residue behind on surfaces and are better for you, your loved ones, and the planet.
While this list of 22 may seem like a lot, choose just a few to implement first and you’ll notice a difference. I hope these tips help you stop dust at its source and clean up what is left.
Further reading
- Sal Suds Dilution Cheat Sheet
- Dilutions Cheat Sheet for Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap
- 13 Essential Green Cleaning Ingredients
- Cleaning Upholstery with Dr. Bronner’s
Sal Suds cleaner shows >60% biodegradation after 28 days per ISO 14593.
what does the pre-dilute 1:10 mean for dishwashing. is that one drop of castile soap to ten drops of water? What would be the measurements if I want to fill a dishwashing soap bottle with castile soap and water?
What I would like to know is why you use Dr. Bonners Liquid Castille Soap for your bedding and not the rest of your laundry? I have been using a cold water wash for my dark clothing and All for the rest of my laundry and whites. I am interested in going green and having to purchase so many different chemicals so I would like to be able to make my own laundry soap, one that I could use on all chlothes not just whites. The apartment building I moved into has new HE front load washers and dryers. I am looking for something that rinses well and does not make spots on the clean clothes. Please let me know. I will be awaiting your answer. Thank you in advance.
This is probably a crazy question: I’m guessing when you say to use vinegar, you mean white vinegar?
Lisa, I am curious as to whether or not Dr. bronners Castile soaps (peppermint, tea tree, etc.) will work as effectively at home cleaning as Sal Suds? I am highly allergic to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate which is the second ingredient in Sal Suds, so I wanted to just use the liquid Castile soaps for everything including laundry and floors… Please let me know if this will work?
Thanks
Veronica
Hi Jessica,
I’ll leave the questions about Dr. Bronner’s to Lisa, but for the health problems you are describing, you may find GAPS helpful. There is lots of info out there, but here is where I am organizing my notes: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0ByNo0knYDwScLWJlOUFzSmQ5aE0&usp=sharing#list. Best wishes.
Hi Lisa! I have been doing a lot of researching, book buying and countless hours on the internet but cannot seem to find the answers to some of my questions so I figured I’d go right to the source. I have 10 month old twin girls who are constantly getting diaper rash (we use cloth diapers) and other random bumps on their bodies. I have very sensitive skin and am 26 years old and fighting acne almost like a teenager, I also get really bad dermatitis on my hands and they crack in the winter. I have fallen in love with Dr. Bronner’s soaps just from reading about them and how natural they are. I finally went to Whole Foods and went bizzurk and bought almost every scent in the liquid (that’s all they sell, besides the bars) My husband and I are currently using a bar for our body wash and I am using the baby mild for the twins’ body wash as well as their wipe solution (I make my own wipes, 2-3 tbs of liquid to 2 cups of water, does that sound right?) I am also using the liquid for hand washing, all-purpose cleaner, laundry detergent and dishes (I wash my dishes by hand, mostly because our dishwasher is junk but also because it saves money) I need help and clarified information and recipes for these things I’m using it for because some of it does not make sense to me. When I wash the dishes, the water is cloudy and not sudsy at all and I have realized the liquid leaves a residue on our dishes, very spotty almost like watermarks but I have never had a problem with using any other soap in the past except for the obvious, it’s not healthy. I have a front loader and I thought I mixed according to what I have read (1/4 bar lavender, 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup washing soda, 10 cups of water in a gallon jug, sound right or no? I found it in a book I ordered.) but nothing smells clean and or like lavender. This recipe said to add the vinegar and baking soda in the same jug as everything else, I think that is what I am doing wrong but you tell me? As far as the hand washing goes, I just need to use literally drops correct? (I’ve tried using a pump and it kind of works but I found out after I did it that the liquids aren’t meant for pumps) I also need help with the shampoo, conditioner and face wash usage (I’m sorry if I’m being a pain the butt, I just really want to use what is best for my family and Johnson’s baby wash with formaldehyde and Clinique face wash with ingredients you cannot pronounce are not!!) I have really long (mid-lower back range) and it’s thick and would like to use the same bottle for everything (probably the tea tree because of my acne) How do I dilute the liquid for my shampoo and what do I do for a face wash, just drops, or what, and do I absolutely need the rinse and creme and how long does a bottle of that stuff typically last for? PLEASE DO NOT HATE ME AND ONCE AGAIN IM SORRY THIS IS SO LONG AND PROBABLY VERY IRRITATING ON YOUR END BUT I HAD TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION! Thank you so much for your time and helping make my family healthier!
Hi Audrey – Yes, the vinegar goes where the fabric softener goes. That way, it gets added during the rinse cycle. Throw the baking soda in with the castile soap at the very beginning.
All the best,
Lisa
Hello! I have a front load washer and have seen using vinagar and baking soda in combination with the castille soaps – in the instructions it said to put vinegar in the rinse cycle. Does that mean the vinegar goes where the fabirc softner normally goes? Or the bleach? And where does the baking soda come in? THANKS!!
Hi Arti – With spray bottles, you want to spend the little extra on the more durable ones. I go to home improvement stores (Lowe’s/Home Depot) and get the most heavy duty ones they have.
All the best,
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
I absolutely love all of Dr. Bronners products and enjoy reading this website for new uses! What brand of squirt / spray bottles do you use – as with everything there are a million options so your recommendation would help?
Hi Liz – I highly recommend the Sal Suds for the diapers. It is very clean rinsing and will leave the diapers still very absorbent. If you wash with the Sal Suds, perhaps adding some vinegar to the rinse, and the dry them in the sun, they will be in great shape.
All the best,
Lisa
Hi Lisa, I have a question in regards to the use of the soap for laundry. We use cloth diapers in our home, and I am wondering if you have any suggestions for us. I am hesitant because cloth diapers need to be cleaned very well and thoroughly rinsed of all residue. Would you recommend the castile soap or Sal’s suds? I currently have both the peppermint and the baby varieties of the castile soap in our home.
Thanks!
Liz
Hi Joel – We have yet to land upon a way to use our products in dishwashers. It is something that my brother David Bronner is working on and hopefully we’ll have a break through soon.
Hi Evelyn – Most likely, we are not listed as vegan because our lip and body balms contain beeswax. This is a sustainably harvested ingredient where the queens of the colonies are not harmed during harvesting, which ensures the longevity of the colony. However, this is probably what trips the PETA classification. All of our other products, including the soaps and Sal Suds are vegan. We also are certified cruelty-free with the leaping bunny logo. Thanks for asking! I’m glad you’re looking into this and sharing our products.
All the best,
Lisa
Hello Lisa:
I very much enjoy using Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap as well as Sal Suds for cleaning purposes. They are both fantastic cleaning products. I was wondering why PETA has Dr. Bronner as non-vegan? I’m thinking of giving gift samples to a friend who is vegan so I just wanted to make sure. I looked at the ingredients in Castille Soap & Sal Suds and they seem to be “vegan” products unless I missed something. Peta has the company listed as cruelty free (which is great) but not vegan. I realize this might be an error. Or…perhaps Dr. Bronner has another product line that might contain lanolin or beeswax or some other animal byproduct in it that is causing the “non vegan” label to appear. Please let me know. Thanks so much for your great products.
Sincerely…..Evelyn
What is the protocol for dishwashers, not hand washing, if applicable?!
I am very sorry for my delayed responses here!
Kate – The vinegar is a rinse agent that is more necessary in harder water. If your water is naturally soft, you don’t need to worry about it.
Dan – I love your story! Testimonies like yours is what sells our soaps. And “compromise” is not a word in our vocabulary!
Beth – I don’t think the lip balm would kill dustmites unless you absolutely smothered them with it and they suffocated. The castile soap is much more efficient. Showering with the Castile soap, rather than just peppermint oil, will be helpful. I hate to ask this, but are you sure they’re dust mites and not lice? Either way, you’ll need to wash your bedding and your clothes in hot water with castile soap (if it’s just dust mites) or probably something stronger if it’s lice. Another option with lice is to quarantine all the bedding and clothes you’ve been wearing in plastic bags for three weeks to stop the cycle. Any soft surface can harbor these guys. It is certainly a huge bother to get rid of them, but keep at it.
Melissa – The castile soap is the best option we have. I haven’t heard a testimony about how it works on mange, though. If you try it, let us know. The castile soaps are available in most natural products stores across the country as well as in Target, Walgreens, CVS, and others. You can order online from Frontier Natural Products or our website, http://www.drbronner.com, Amazon and elsewhere.
All the best,
Lisa
Hi, we’ll I helped out a stray dog and it turns out it had mange. So now I have mange. Is there anything you recommend to wash my bedding in to get rid of those mites? Also where can I get these cleaners? Thank you so much!
I need to add that I have them on my scalp and almost everywhere on my skin. They’re driving me crazy. I killed the adults by taking a peppermint oil bath, but now the eggs are hatching and there’s a TON. I’m taking 3 showers a day with shampoo that I put drops of peppermint oil in. I scrub my hair real well, and then I put the shampoo all over my body, face too. It must be killing them, as I’ve seen some dead bodies in the sink when I comb out my hair, and also I get a reprieve from as many of them for around an hour, when they begin to accumulate again.
The thing is, it’s drying out my face so terribly I finally caved and put lip balm all over for that, but now I’m wondering–would you know if lip balm could smother them, somehow kill the larvae once they hatch?
It would be SO helpful to know, either way. Thank you.
Beth
Can lip balm kill dustmites?
Beth
I have been aware of Dr. Bronner’s since I first discovered it in a friend’s shower 15 years ago, but as a struggling classical singer in NYC in my 20’s I figured there was no way I could afford to use it on a regular basis. I wish I’d known how very wrong I was back then. Over the years I would have occasional encounters with Dr. B’s (usually in someone’s shower or at their kitchen sink) each time I remember thinking how marvelous it felt and how much I loved the feel and smell of the peppermint oil. Showevering with it seemed so indulgent and luxurious; I felt guilty using it because I was sure it had to fabulously expensive! (In one friend’s bathroom I remember lighting matches to cover the smell so I wouldn’t be found out!)
Thankfully, my partner helped me come to my senses a few months ago . He called from a beauty supply store in midtown asking if I’d ever used Dr. B’s soap and if I liked it. I told him that I did and I had. He came home with a 32 oz. bottle of the peppermint which was a revelation in itself. Expensive things come in small bottles right? I asked how much and when he told me I thought, “Oh, well that sounds about right.” Because in my mind I was still equating it to regular liquid hand soap of which a similar quantity might be about 50% cheaper. So of course this marvelous, organic stuff would be twice as much; it just made sense,
Well of course I was clueless! The more I used it the more I loved it and he more I used it and the more I started reading about soap and it’s history and it chemistry and Dr, Bronner’s and its history and its ethics and philosophy. Long story short I am hooked! I use it in the shower, in the laundry, around the house, to mop the floors, to wash produce and as an effective treatment for fungus gnats in houseplants after buying a bag of potting mix laden with them,
Two months later we’re down to the last four or five ounces from that first bottle! But when I think of all of the other cleaners and bars of soap that I would normally have bought within that span… Well, there’s no question that Dr. B’s is both affordable and economical!
I have been telling all of my friends about the 5:1 salary ratio between the highest and lowest employees at Dr. B’s. We all agree that in a world where the chasm between rich and poor threatens to devour us all, this along with the company’s commitment to fair trade sourcing and organic farming and sustainability are hugely important things the company is doing and should be shouted from the rooftops!
Which brings me back to Dr. Bronner himself and the importance of his universalist vision for mankind which is as critically important in our socio-religio-politcally-economically fractured world today as it was 60 years ago.
Thank you for the blog. Thanks to your family. Please don’t ever change and don’t ever compromise…..only grow.
Dan C.
New York, NY
Hi Lisa,
Is the vinegar necessary? What will happen if no vinegar is added?
Hi Alisha – Thanks for asking! With the help of an extremely talented friend, I made the quilt top and she quilted it. My inspiration, though, was that pillow sham which is from Company Kids. I bought that and one window panel, which I cut up and incorporated into the quilt so that it would all be tied together. (Note: I am not a “quilter” – not nearly that skilled – but I can follow directions reasonably well.) The fabrics were from my local quilt store.
All the best,
Lisa
Lisa, Where did you get your children’s cotton quilt bedding? Pottery Barn kids?
Hi Julie – Great! I love the smell of my linen cabinet now that I’m using the castile soap. Regarding using cold water, the castile soap does its job just as effectively in cold water. However, if you are looking for dust mite elimination, the hot water is helping with that as well. But if we’re just talking about clothes, the cold water is fine. You can still use added baking soda and vinegar on your clothes for extra cleaning power as well. Let me know if you’d like more details about that.
All the best,
Lisa
I’ve been loving your Castile soap. The recipe you published for dust mites made my sheets feel great and smell fresh (I used the lavender scented soap), and since my laundry room is on the main floor of my house, as a bonus my whole living area smelled like lavender for hours!
I’m just curious to know how well the Castile soap works on a cold wash/cold rinse setting. I try to avoid using hot water to do laundry because I find it sets stains rather than removing them, and it’s energy intensive.
Thanks for your great products and web site.
Hi Theresa – Great question, and I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to respond here. To get started, I recommend some Sal Suds and one Castile soap. Pick your favorite scent – mine’s the Citrus at the moment – or go for the Tea Tree with its extra antibacterial properties. If you can get a little more, pick up some olive oil and microfiber cloths. Lastly, if you have a little more to spend, go for the pure tea tree essential oil to add even more of an antibacterial punch to your cleaners.
Hi Candace – You can just use the soap. I add 1/3 of a cup to a large load in my normal top-loader. (If you have a high efficiency machine, use half that.) The baking soda and vinegar are optional. The soap does a great job solo.
Thanks, Johndaddy! I agree!
All the best,
Lisa
The Sal Suds is also completely safe for your skin, although it might be a little drying. Although it is formulated specifically for non-body cleaning, all the ingredients are thoroughly researched to be non-toxic and safe.
What’s not to love about Dr. Bronner’s magic castile soap? It has so many uses, smells wonderful, is highly concentrated and therefore inexpensive as well as..
Hello Iam knew to Dr. Bronner’s soaps. When washing clothes and sheets can I use just the soap? Or am I to include it in a natural laundry detergent recipe? Thanks
Lisa, I have recently found your blog and love it! I am very interested in getting started with some “green” cleaning. I am so jealous of your very organized cleaning pantry! What would you suggest as a good “starter” package of Dr. Bs products? I already use baking soda and vinegar for some things around the kitchen and the laundry, but want to expand my cleaning arsenal. 2 kid, 4 cats,a dog, and an outdoor-type husband tend to keep things on the dirty side around here! Thanks so much for any suggestions you may have and keep up the great job of providing useful info! Warm regards, Theresa
Hi Suzanne – Glad you found Dr. B’s! You definitely do not need to wear gloves with the castile soap or Sal Suds. The Castile soap is primarily a body soap, so getting it on your hands is what it’s made for. Its primary oils (before they’re turned into soap) are food grade coconut and olive oils. It is the amazing versatility of the castile soap that makes it good for both body and house.
The Sal Suds is also completely safe for your skin, although it might be a little drying. Although it is formulated specifically for non-body cleaning, all the ingredients are thoroughly researched to be non-toxic and safe. The ingredients for the Sal Suds are a little more “chemically” sounding, so if you have any questions about them, please let me know.
Regarding what to do with your old stuff, there are a couple of different ways of looking at it. One perspective would be to say that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” and you could easily give the stuff away. Another perspective would be to say that they aren’t safe and so no one should be using them at all. But then, what do you do with them? If you dump them down the drain or put them in the trash, they’ll end up in the ground and water. You can’t take them to a Hazardous Material waste site, because they won’t consider them to be hazardous material. So, I don’t have a cut and dried answer for you, but hopefully that helps. Good luck with your transition!
Please let me know if you have any further questions.
All the best,
Lisa
I just started using your Castile Soap products- Lavender, Peppermint and Citrus- and I love them! Found out about them in the Skinny Bitch book “Cutting the Crap out of Your Life”. I just have 2 questions: 1. Should I wear gloves while cleaning with castile soap (mixed with tea tree oil)or with Sal Suds? 2. Any idea what I can do with all my old cleansers? I hate to throw them out or dump them down the drain but I really dont want to use them again. Thanks for any info and for making wonderful products!
Hi Kathy – Great to hear you’ve been with us for so long! Regarding the lice, the soap may kill the live lice, but will not have an impact on the nits, which are what make lice so terribly difficult to get rid of. Good luck!
All the best,
Lisa
Your soap with the tea tree oil would probably be good to get rid of the head lice wouldnt it I love your natural soaps and have been using them for years now I esp love your rose soap for the face and body The smell isnt overwelming I love all the ingredients in them I love putting your soaps in my laundry with my other detergents and some baking soda and vinegar also take care keep up the good work Kathy M
The documentary (Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soapbox) is pretty interesting. Let’s you into some Bronner closets, but most families have amazing stories if someone takes the time to tell them.
Hi Carla – Theoretically, the castile soap would kill the hatched lice, but it wouldn’t have any impact on the nits (eggs). The nits are what make lice so extraordinarily hard to get rid of.
Please let me know if you have further questions!
All the best,
Lisa
Lisa, you mentioned that castile soap dissolves exoskeletons so will it work as a shampoo to get rid of head lice?
I forgot to say in my towels.
I love it. I had been having trouble with a smell that would not go away. I used the Dr. Bronner’s Almond scent and made my own laundry soap and I took the first load out and it smelled like my mom’s laundry when I was a kid a real clean smell she used Amway. I always saw the Dr Bronner’s in the store but never tried it until I watched the show about Dr. Bronner on Netflix. Thank You to you and your family for this great product.
Hi Lisa,
Thanks so much! I was thinking about just freshening once during the week before washing again. I appreciate all the info about this. If anyone can think of anything green and natural that would do the trick (no horrible things like the commercial spray ‘fresheners’ that would be wonderful.
Best to you and all at Dr. B’s,
jane
Hi Jane – Could you let me know what your purpose is with a bed spray like this? Bug killing? Scenting? Freshening? My first response is dampness – but that doesn’t seem to be an issue for you. My second thought has to do with soap residue – first of all if it got on the skin, it could be drying and irritating. If it got in the eyes, it would be painful. Also, soap attracts dirt. That’s why it cleans things. However, the soap left on bedding would then bind dirt on to it. All in all, I don’t think this is a great idea, but let me know what you were thinking to see if we can come up with something that would work.
All the best,
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
I live in a very hot dry climate. Wondering if it’s possible to make a spray with Dr B Castile soap that I can spray on bedding (lightly) and have it air dry on the bed (that would only take a few minutes with a light spray so mold wouldn’t be a problem.
If so, what ratio of soap to water would you recommend?
Thanks so much for this wonderful blog and all of the fantastic products!
Best,
jane
Hi Darleen – No, the Sal Suds is a synthetic detergent. Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap is made from coconut and olive oils. All the oils in it are saponified so that the soap in no way feels oily. I don’t know a thing about alpaca fiber, but if they recommend castile soap, you can check out: http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/LS.htm.
All the best,
Lisa
Just wondering, starting to learn how to prepare Alpaca Fiber for spinning and someone mentioned to wash it in Castille Soap. I don’t understand since I’m reading it has oils in it, but is your Sal Suds the same as Castille Soap?
Thanks so much for this great information! I will use the baby soap next laundry time for the bed covers.
I just did my first loads of laundry using Sal Suds and all I can say is WOW!!! I had a few stains on things I’d never been able to get out and after using Sal Suds the clothes look perfect.
The washer here doesn’t have a place to add softener so I added the vinegar along with the Sal Suds. For the first time my clothes were not stiff as a board from the horrid water here. And like you say in ‘The New Smell of Clean” it also helped removed hard to remove odors.
I can’t say enough about all of the new products. I’ve used Dr Bronners since the early 70s when I lived in Santa Fe. The lip balms are the bomb! Healed a cracked lip I couldn’t get to heal up with anything in 2 days. I’ve given them out to friends and they all say they are the best lip balms they’ve ever used.
Just ordered a package of things to be mailed to my daughter. I’m sure she will be thrilled!
And thanks so much to Dr Bronners for making Fair Trade items affordable even for those of us on fixed incomes.
Fan for life!
Best,
jane
You’re welcome, Jane! Thanks for sharing and for your enthusiasm and long term support!
All the best,
Lisa
Thanks so much for this! We just had my son tested for allegies and he tested positive to all but 4. One of the worst ones was dust mites. So I will be washing his bedding in Dr. Bronner’s from now on!
I am thrilled to find your website. I am helping to develop the fair trade movement in our rural Upstate New York community. I love Dr Bronner’s and was drawn to it because the products have the Fair For Life seal indicating third world farmers were not exploited, were paid fairly, and therefore child slavery for labor is reduced. I would like to frequently post links from your blog both to my blog http://www.beckysfairtradelists.blogspot and to my face book page Fair Trade Movement, What’s New. This May 3rd entry is just the kind of thing my readers and the people in my community can benefit from. Good info, fun and easy to read!
Hi Becky – Thanks so much for your support! It’s great to hear that you’re in sync with what Dr. Bronner’s is doing.
Hi Holly – I hope your little guy feels better soon, and that the test results lead to some relief! Doctors also recommend dust mite barrier covers for pillows and even for mattresses. I’ve noticed a lot of variance in the texture of the pillow covers, though. Some are like having a plastic bag on your pillow, and they crinkle every time you move. It might be worth spending a little more to find ones that are more fabric-like.
All the best,
Lisa
I’m glad this information is helping!
Ryan – I wash my bedding weekly. I know this a bit rough on the bedding, but just think of how many hours we’re in it! I also do not have fluffy bedding on my kids’ beds because that’s not really washable. They have cotton quilts that wash really well.
Let me know if I can answer further questions!
All the best,
Lisa
is there a way to get rid of the dust mites out of the mattresses? our Family is suffering from a very bad case of it! Help
I was wondering, how often do you recommend bed sheets and comforter to be washed?
I began making my own laundry detergent some time ago because commercial preparations were irritating to my skin. At first I followed recipes I found online and added half a bar of grated Fels Naptha soap to the mix, but one day, finding myself needing more detergent and without any of the soap, I added a small bottle of Dr Bronner’s to the borax and washing soda and blended it according to the recipe. Not only does it work wonderfully well, but nothing smells quite so lovely as laundry washed in that soap and dried on the line in the sun.
I have used dr bs pepermint for 40 years I think ,whenever we started camping. At that time we only used it when we went camping. I started givving it away as christmas (the little bottles) and once you use it you never go back….Dust mites have been a real issue when were all thinking of being as clean as possible. I started using Dr B with borax in the washer. We came across this enzyme cleaner in a fla, flea mamket and have been using it in the washer also…. Kleen Green by http://www.naturalgenesis.com we use 3tbs in a large load . read the web and decide, The nontoxic part is great /with animal/and house….be well
Ironically, I am in the middle of washing ALL my families bedding and sleep stuffed animals for this very reason. I started yesterday, but now I know to switch soaps. Thank you!! I SO need to get rid of these critters! I’ve been reading online about allergen proofing my home. This is just another step! (: