This post is part of a new series – Homekeeping Basics. In the series I’ll talk about ingredients, products, and some simple, basic homekeeping 101 sorts of things. I hope you enjoy it!

Let’s start with a product I think every one should have in their home – castile soap. Castile soap is an all natural, vegetable-based product made primarily of coconut and olive oils. Instead of using synthetic chemicals as ingredients, they use naturally found and sourced ingredients. A lot of soaps (dish and otherwise) contain petroleum and other toxic, caustic ingredients. By switching to castile soap for cleaning you’re using an effective and safe alternative.

 

My favorite is brand is Dr. Bronner’s – I love the citrus version. It smells fresh, clean, and citrusy. Dr. Bronner’s also comes in unscented, almond, lavender, tea tree, peppermint, and a few other scents. If you have never heard of Dr. Bronner’s you can purchase online through Amazon or I purchase at my local Wal-Mart, Target (in the natural beauty section), or Whole Foods.

What’s so great about castile soap? It’s affordable, extremely concentrated, natural, and gentle and it cleans beautifully! It’s a great multi-purpose cleaner. It’s so safe that you can use it to clean fruit and vegetables and to brush your teeth. One word of caution – castile soap and vinegar don’t mix. The acid in the vinegar mixes with the castile to make a sludge. I do use one or two recipes with a teeny tiny bit of castile soap and vinegar and haven’t had a sludgy reaction, but just be careful as you’re mixing up cleaning concoctions.

Here are some of my favorite ways to use castile soap:

How to Clean Window Blinds

How to Clean Window Tracks

How to Clean Hardwood Floors Without Vinegar

How to Clean a Glass Cooktop

3 Ways to Clean Baseboards

Marble + Granite Cleaning Spray

Nightly Sink Scrub

Soft Cleaning Scrub

Washing Windows – 2 Ways to DIY