What is the difference between Pure-Castile Liquid Soap and Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner?Updated a year ago

While our Pure-Castile Liquid Soaps and Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner* can be used interchangeably in many applications, they have some key differences. 

The biggest difference between the two is that our Castle Soap is a "true soap" while our Sal Suds is a mild detergent with some synthetic ingredients. 

Our Pure-Castile Soaps are castile soaps made from pure organic plant oils without synthetic detergents. They are extremely versatile as they are gentle enough to wash your face and body but also effective enough to clean your laundry, dishes, floors, pets, countertops, etc. If you have a unique surface, we always recommend spot-testing with Sal Suds first. Otherwise, check out Lisa Bronner’s blog Going Green with Lisa Bronner for the best tips and recipes. 

Any true soap, like our Pure-Castile Soap, can react to hard water, and even soft water, potentially leaving behind a thin film of minerals that appears as residue or “soap scum.” This does not happen every time and is easily cleaned with quick vinegar dilution spray and a towel. 

On the other hand, Sal Suds is a mild detergent, consisting of some synthetic ingredients. This makes it a great cleaner for almost any household purpose with the only notable exception being that it should not be used in the dishwasher, unless you’re hosting a bubble party in your kitchen! It also doesn't react to hard water the way our Pure-Castile Soap can and is a bit cleaner rinsing.  

Please note that some customers choose not to use our Sal Suds due to the inclusion of synthetic ingredients and we completely understand. This is a decision that we respect, and for those who want to clean completely organically, we recommend our Pure-Castile Soaps.

However, for truly tough grease-cutting jobs, we have found that nothing is quite as effective as the combination of surfactants in Sal Suds (sodium lauryl sulfate, lauryl glucoside, sodium coco sulfate). These surfactants are all made using simple chemistry and come from agricultural (not petrochemical) feedstock.

To learn more about our Sal Suds Biodegradable Clearner, head over to our Sal Suds 101 page.

*Sal Suds cleaner shows >60% biodegradation after 28 days per ISO 14593.