Natural Liquid Dish Soap
A grease-cutting dish soap made from castile soap and essential oils
5 min beginner Yields 16 oz bottle
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Liquid castile soap
- 1 3/4 cups Warm water
- 1 tbsp White vinegar
- 10 drops Lemon essential oil (or orange for a sweeter scent)
Steps
- Pour 1/4 cup of liquid castile soap into a clean 16 oz squeeze bottle or pump dispenser.
- Add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar slowly, swirling gently as you pour.
- Add 10 drops of lemon essential oil.
- Fill the rest of the bottle with warm water, leaving half an inch of headroom.
- Cap the bottle and turn it upside down a few times to combine. Avoid shaking vigorously.
- To use, squirt a small amount onto a wet sponge or into a basin of warm water.
Why It Works
Castile soap surrounds grease particles and lifts them off dishes into the rinse water. Vinegar cuts through food film and prevents soap residue. Lemon essential oil contains d-limonene, a natural solvent that boosts grease-cutting ability.
Alternative
- Replace lemon essential oil with 15 drops of sweet orange or grapefruit oil for a different citrus scent with similar degreasing properties.
- For extra scrubbing power on baked-on food, add 1 teaspoon of washing soda (sodium carbonate) to the mixture. This raises the pH and improves grease removal but may be too harsh for delicate glassware.
- If you prefer unscented soap, simply omit the essential oil. The castile soap and vinegar alone clean effectively.
Tips
- Less foam than commercial dish soaps does not mean less cleaning power.
- Shake the bottle gently before each use, as ingredients may separate.
- Works best in warm or hot water. Cold water reduces surfactant effectiveness.