You may already be familiar with how gentle and non-irritating our Castile Liquid Soaps are when it comes to hand washing, shampooing, and body cleansing, but you may be less familiar with its use in cleaning applications.
We are often asked if our Castile Liquid Soaps can be used for handwashing dishes. The short answer is “YES,” and this response definitely thrills our customers that have allergies and/or sensitivities to the ingredients commonly found in many cleaning products. The slightly more involved answer is the acknowledgement that our Castile Liquid Soaps works best in areas where the water is soft as the higher mineral content in hard waster can react with the soap. When a reaction occurs between the minerals and the soap, a feeling of a residue or a soap film can be detected on the dishes and/or in the sink. Fortunately, this can be resolved inexpensively and easily with a vinegar rinse should you live in an area with hard water. In our experience, it is easiest to use our Castile Liquid Soap for hand washing dishes. It can be used in the dishwasher, as well, but most people will either love using it in this application or be disappointed with same, (i.e. too many water spots left behind)… Again, the outcome seems to be dependent on the water in one’s area of residence.
When it comes to using Castile Liquid Soap in the dishwasher, we also always recommend checking to ensure that any warranty you have will not be voided by using a product not specifically recommended by the manufacturer. Once verified, it is also prudent to use a bit of vinegar in the rinse aid compartment to help combat spots. In our opinion, essential oils should not be added to the soap if it is going to be used in the dishwasher as essential oils could potentially leave marks or cause discoloration on the interior of the dishwasher.
CASTILE LIQUID SOAP RECIPE FOR HANDWASHING DISHES
INGREDIENTS
- 2 Tablespoons Borax
- 2 Tablespoons Washing Soda
- 1 Cup Distilled Water
- ¾ Cup Country Rose Unscented Castile Liquid Soap
- Optional: 15 – 20 drops of peppermint and tea tree essential oils or your personal favourite essential oil. We have suggested tea tree essential oil as this essential oil choice provides extra cleaning since tea tree is a natural antibacterial essential oil.
METHOD
- In a saucepan heat the water until it just reaches the boiling point. Then turn off the heat and add the washing soda and borax, stirring to dissolve fully. Let the mixture cool for 3 – 5 minutes so that it is just warm, but no longer hot.
- Add the Castile Liquid Soap and essential oils, (if using), to the water mixture. Vigorously whisk the ingredients together.
- Use a funnel to pour the dish soap into a soap dispenser. The soap mixture may have a tendency to separate after sitting, so vigorously shake the container before using should this happen.
- Hard Water Note: This formulation will clean and remove grease, but you may find your dishes are not 100% spotless. The borax in the recipe will help to reduce the amount of dry water spots, but if you are not completely satisfied the simplest option is to give our dishes a quick vinegar rinse: fill sink with clean water, add a bit of vinegar, and give your dishes a quick rinse off.
CASTILE LIQUID SOAP RECIPE FOR USE IN THE DISHWASHER
As previously mentioned, first confirm using castile liquid soap will not void any warranty you may have on your dishwasher. We have included an easy to make, simple recipe below.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 Cup Country Rose Unscented Castile Liquid Soap
- 1 Cup Warm Distilled Water
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
METHOD
- Measure ingredients into a bowl and whisk or stir to combine fully.
- Store in a repurposed mason jar or your preferred reusable container.
- To use, add 1 Tablespoon to the dishwasher’s detergent compartment.
- If desired, add 1 Cup White Vinegar to the Rinse Aid Compartment.
