How do I use Pure-Castile Soap for laundry?Updated 2 months ago
Our Pure-Castile Liquid Soaps works wonderfully to wash clothing by hand and in regular or high-efficiency (HE) washing machines. However, please note that while our products are not HE-certified, we do receive a lot of positive feedback from our customers that use our soaps in their HE washers.
To wash your laundry in an HE washing machine, you will only need ¼ cup of Pure-Castile Liquid Soap (any scent). If you have a regular washing machine, you can double this amount, using ⅓ – ½ cup of Pure-Castile Liquid Soap.
If you choose to use our Pure-Castile Liquid Soap and have hard water, it is possible to encounter some mineral build-up on clothes. Rest assured that this is completely normal as the interaction of hard water, and even soft water, with any true soap (not synthetic detergent-based soaps), can leave behind a thin film of minerals that appears as residue or “soap scum.”
But this residue can easily be washed off most items by utilizing one of two methods. The first would be to wash the affected items with our Pure-Castile Soap as usual, but also add ¼ - ½ cup of baking soda to the load and ¼- ½ cup of vinegar into your fabric softener compartment (or rinse cycle). The baking soda works to brighten, deodorize, and scrub during the wash while the vinegar breaks down any residue and naturally softens your fabric during the rinse cycle.
The second method is to wash your items with Sal Suds, instead of our soap. Sal Suds is a mild detergent meaning it is gentle enough to wash your clothing, but it does not interact with hard water the way Pure-Castile Soap can. It is also excellent at breaking down and cleaning any residue caused by our Pure-Castile Soaps. For the best clean, you can utilize both methods, washing your items with Sal Suds while adding baking soda and vinegar.
If you have any delicate garments such as silk, vintage items, or even waterproof materials, we recommend doing a spot test first, to make sure this product will be okay to use. Our products are intended for general use and can be used for many different purposes. However, because they are not specifically formulated for laundry, we have not tested them for all types of fabrics. When washing items by hand you may add a few drops of soap as needed.
To find all this information and much more, check out Lisa Bronner’s blog post, Green Laundry Care With Dr. Bronner’s.