If you're looking to go green with your cleaning, Castile soap needs to be on your radar. It contains no nasty chemicals and in its purest form, contains only vegetable oils and a simple alkali.
Originating in the Castilian region of Spain, this eco-friendly and exceptionally versatile cleaning agent is gentle on surfaces but tough on stains. Along with cutting through grease, it will also clear dirt, dust and more with no added synthetics or foaming agents.
Here, our professional cleaners share their Castile soap cleaning tips and how to put this brilliant product to work in your home.
Expert-approved ways to clean with Castile soap
Use it on your floors, face, home, pets and babies, this versatile organic and ethically sourced Castile soap will work just as well on your dishes as it would doing the laundry or washing your face. With no synthetic preservatives, detergents, or foaming agents, this one-stop hero is as kind on your skin as it is a stickler on stains.
All prices correct at time of publication.
Just like cleaning with vinegar or lemon juice, this planet-friendly, multi-use product has been used for decades for a variety of purposes.
Explaining why, Lisa Bronner, educator, author, and spokesperson for her family's longstanding Castile soap business, Dr. Bronner's says, ‘While mild enough for face and body cleansing, it is effective on any surface that needs to be clean, making it one of the most versatile cleaners available. This cuts down on both the cost and clutter of having a different product for each cleaning need.'
Here are our favorite ways to use Castile soap around the home.
1. Pet bowls and dog beds
Learning how to keep a clean home when you have pets will help you keep your shared space presentable and hygienic.
To do so, you’ll need to use pet-friendly products designed for use around animals or eco-friendly cleaning products that are chemical-free – which is where Castile soap steps up.
‘Castile soap is a natural soap traditionally made from olive oil,’ Carolina Kazimierski, president and co-owner of Sophia's Cleaning Service explains. ‘It’s vegan, free of synthetic additives, and typically scented with essential oils.
Just know, if you intend to use Castile soap around pets, Sophia warns that you’ll need to use the unscented version to 'avoid allergic reactions'. Walmart's Whole Natural Castile Soap is unscented, EWG Verified & certified palm oil free, and non GMO.
To clean your dog’s bowl, Carolina recommends adding a drop of unscented Castile soap to warm water, scrubbing the bowl, and rinsing well. ‘It cleans thoroughly without leaving behind harmful residue,’ she adds.
And for pet beds, mix unscented Castile soap with warm water, scrub the dog bed with a brush, and rinse well. ‘It lifts dirt while being gentle on fabrics,’ the expert adds.
If you like your Castile soap in bar form, look no further. This Castile bar has no-added fragrance, yet double-the-amount-of-olive-oil. ‘I love Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Soap, especially the unscented version for cleaning anything my dogs touch,’ Carolina says. ‘Their lavender and peppermint scents are great for general use because they leave a refreshing smell.’
2. Laundry
There’s nothing quite like the smell of fresh laundry at home. But, if you thought you knew how to do laundry the right way, think again! Lisa says Castile soap can be a gentle alternative to detergent, which makes it ideal for handwashing clothes that are delicates, too.
Lisa recommends using two to four tablespoons of Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Soap, available on Amazon, per large load in a High Efficiency (HE) washing machine. Or, double this amount for a non-HE washer. You then need half a cup distilled white vinegar in the fabric softener compartment.
'Optional add-ins include a quarter cup of baking soda for extra whitening and deodorizing,' Lisa says. 'Use one cupful in a gallon of water.'
Learn more laundry tips from our pros.
If you're hand washing the odd delicate item or two, a small foldaway over-the-door laundry rack like this will be useful. Often, delicate products such as silk can't take heat either, so letting them air dry will curb laundry mistakes.
3. Hardwood floors
The best hardwood flooring ideas can inject some character and ‘wow-factor’ into your home. However, just like most other flooring ideas, you will need to learn how to look after them to ensure longevity and adequate sanitation.
Thankfully, guidance on how to clean real wood flooring isn’t hard to come by. For example, along with vacuuming your floors, you’ll also need to scrub and polish your hardwood flooring to maintain its natural beauty. You’ll also need to deep clean them, and you can do so with gentle Castile soap.
Carolina advises mixing two to three tablespoons of Castile soap in a gallon of warm water in a bucket, such as the Rolling Bucket from Target, which is kitted out with a grip hand and pouring spouts to make cleaning easier than before.
She adds, ‘I use Castile soap on my hardwood floors regularly, knowing it’s safe for my dogs to walk on afterward,’ the expert adds.
Coming with an organic blend of argan oil, jojoba, almond and hemp oil, Whole Naturals five-star rated Castile oils gets a big thumbs up from us. Suitable for hypoallergenic skincare, this 64 oz bottle means less waste in packaging.
4. Makeup brushes
Experts tell us we should be cleaning makeup brushes used for dry, powder-based cosmetics every one to two weeks, while those used for liquid products should be cleaned after each use. But instead of investing in a chemical-heavy cleaner, try Castile soap.
‘One characteristic of Castile soap I value greatly is the lack of volatile organic compounds (VOCs),' Lisa explains. ‘These are some of the most dangerous components of many common cleaners – the amount of hazardous fumes they release into the air that can harm anyone who enters the space.’
However, as Lisa notes, ‘Pure Castile soap is free from VOCs.’
To clean your makeup brushes with this do-it-all cleaner, Lisa recommends wetting the makeup brushes in water, adding 1-2 drops of soap to the bristles, and massaging gently for around 10 seconds, then rinsing. Repeat until the water runs clear and allow to air dry.
5. Kitchen counters
According to professional cleaners, the first thing you should be cleaning in a kitchen is your countertops. While these might not be one of the dirty hidden areas of a kitchen we forget to clean, they are still often the dirtiest as they're in constant use.
You only need a mild agent so Castile soap is perfect for the job.
To do so, combine one tablespoon of Castile soap, like this Dr. Natural Castile Liquid Soap from Walmart with two cups of water in a spray bottle.
These 16 oz Refillable Amber Glass Spray Bottles from Walmart come in a two-pack so you can make up your own mixture for your kitchen counters, and other household chores. 'It’s my go-to for wiping down kitchen counters after mealtime,' Carolina explains.
You can never have too many microfiber cloths to hand when you’re cleaning. At under $2, this multi-purpose cloth is pocket-friendly and ideal for helping you wipe down surfaces without leaving a scratch. When washing microfiber cloths, skip the fabric softener as it will coat the small fibers and reduce absorbency.
6. Fruit and vegetables
‘Castile soap is incredibly versatile, meaning you do not need to purchase a wide range of products, nor do you have to store them,’ Lisa explains. So much so, the expert explains that the best way to clean your fruit and vegetables is to use this natural cleaning agent.
‘Because it is so safe, you can also engage children to clean alongside you, teaching them valuable life skills,' Lisa adds. 'The versatility of Castile soap means you can dilute it to your precise cleaning need and preference.'
The not-so-secret formula for washing your fruit and veggies with Castile soap is simple. Just add ¼ tsp of Castile soap in a bowl of water, dunk your produce and swish, then rinse off suds in clean running water.
7. Windows
Increase the amount of light in your home and make the most of your view with clean windows. Streaks are a pain, so learning how to clean a window properly is well worth it.
If you've used dish soap to clean your windows, swear by a magnetic window cleaning tool or use your own homemade window cleaner but you’re struggling to achieve that sparkly-freshly-cleaned finish, give Castile soap a whirl.
According to Carolina, it's the key to a streak-free finish. ‘A teaspoon of Castile soap in a spray bottle of water works wonders for streak-free windows,' the cleaning whiz says.
Head of Solved, Punteha van Terheyden makes her own cleaning sprays and uses durable amber glass spray bottles to house them. She says, 'Adding labels to your bottles will avoid cleaning mix ups. Plus, they look lovely enough to leave out and to hand.'
Meet our experts
For more ways to be sustainable at home, check out our expert-backed guide. Or, for everything you need to know about green cleaning, see what professional cleaners had to say.
