The Soap That Changed My Life! Or At Least My Dishes!

Y'all have I got something to share with you! Ooooh, this is goooood! If you read my blog much AT ALL, then you know I am on a mission to rid our house and yard of chemicals. That means I am on the lookout for products that will not only be safe for my family, but that will actually work, too.

In this post I told you about a book I have been reading, "Clean Home, Green Home", and it mentioned Castile soap. Evidently, it is a purely vegetable based soap that bonds to dirt on a molecular level and actually dissolves it. Dr. Bronner started making this soap in the late 1800's. It has 50 gazillion uses so I decided to find it and give it a try. I found it at Meijer in the aisle where the bar soap and body washes are located. I thought the price was a little steep at $10.00 for a 16 ounce bottle. But, once I got it home and read the bottle I realized that it is concentrated. You dilute 1 1/2 teaspoons to a gallon of water. So, now I'm thinking, "Wow! What a value!"

I had read that you can make it into dish soap. So, I just put a squirt of it into my dishwater. No other cleaners - just Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap. It didn't suds - at all. This was little weird for me. I grew up thinking that I had to see suds to know something was working. I'm learning that the suds don't do the cleaning. So, I just kept going. Keep in mind that I have been a Dawn fan every since I have lived on my own. I also grew up using it. Nothing cuts grease like Dawn, right? That's what I thought, too. But, I was amazed at how this stuff was cleaning my dishes. My plates were actually squeaking! SQUEAKING, I SAY! I have NEVER had plates squeak from being clean. Even tough stuff that I usually have to work at to get clean was just coming right off. I even had a jar that I had just emptied of pizza sauce and it came right off.

Another thing I noticed was that my water was staying clean and the dirty gunk was clinging to the sides of my sink and my rag. See what I mean?

Believe it or not, my sink was clean before I started the dishes. And that rag? It was perfectly white. Well, except for the red stripe on the sides. But let's not get hung up on the details, OK?

After I took the nasty pictures so you could take a look-see, I cleaned my sink...again. Then I realized something. My hands were actually softer. Could it be that it was because they had just experienced a spa-like dip in a mix of natural oils and lavender essential oil? Hmm....I wonder.

I am going to look for the actual recipe to make dish soap with the proper proportions. I am also looking forward to seeing what other small miracles this stuff can perform. I think it has actually changed my life. Yes, I know. How pathetic. But I am a homemaker.

If a soap product has ever changed your life...you might be a homemaker.

If you can't remember the last time you used the toilet by yourself...you might be a homemaker.

If you have to sneak off and lock yourself in a closet for "me" time...you might be a homemaker.

If you've ever been peed on by a potty training two-year-old and considered it an occupational hazard...you might be a homemaker.

We could probably go on with those for days. But, I'll be nice and spare you. But seriously, you need to give this stuff a try. I have been, once again, amazed by a natural cleaner. If you know of any other great uses for Castile soap - drop me a comment and let me know what they are.

Have a great Thursday!