Moms Aware Logo

Connect With Us

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Watch momsAWARE on YouTube

Share Us With Others

momsAWARE Badge

This content may include affiliate links. Purchases through these links earn us a referral fee at no extra cost to you.

12 Things To Do with One Bar of Soap

Because our Just So Clean Coconut Castile Soap is made with pure, all-natural ingredients, one bar of our signature brand will go a long way in your household. Here are a few suggestions for transforming your soap into something practical, creative, and fun!

12 Soap Products

  1. Download these recipes in PDF format:
    12 Things To Do with One Bar of Soap
    Powdered Laundry Soap
    • 1 c. washing soda
    • 1 c. borax
    • 4 oz. grated castile soap

    Combine and use 1-2 tablespoons per load. For more specific details, see our article on Homemade Laundry Soap.

  2. Liquid Laundry Soap

    Add warm water to 1-2 tbsp. powdered laundry soap and stir before adding to the washer, or make the liquid recipe found in our Homemade Laundry Soap article.

  3. Liquid Castile Soap

    Grate 4 oz. bar of castile soap and combine with 4 c. hot water. Stir until soap pieces dissolve. Add 2 tbsp. vegetable glycerin (available at health food stores or online).

    Transfer to glass jar and cover. This liquid soap can be used in numerous recipes, including those on this list.

    This version of liquid castile soap will be cloudy and will need to be shaken periodically. This is purely aesthetic and perfectly normal. (True liquid castile soap traditionally uses potassium hydroxide rather than sodium hydroxide, which mixes without clouding.)

  4. Dish Soap
    • 1 c. liquid castile soap (see recipe #3)
    • 1 tbsp. white vinegar
    • 1 tbsp. washing soda (to thicken mixture)
    • 5 drops tea tree oil or essential oil of choice (optional)
    • 5 drops grapefruit seed extract for added disinfection (optional)

    Combine in liquid soap dispenser. Dilute if desired.

  5. Soft Scrubber
    • 1/4 - 1/2 c. liquid castile soap (see recipe #3)
    • 1 c. baking soda
    • 5 drops tea tree oil or essential oil(s) of choice

    Combine in bottle and shake. Add enough water to make a thick liquid paste. Apply to sponge or directly to surface and wipe with damp cloth or sponge. Rinse with water.

  6. Hand Soap

    Combine 1-2 tbsp. liquid castile soap (see recipe #3) with 1 c. warm water. Add to foaming dispenser. (If foaming dispenser is not available, use more liquid castile soap.) Add 1 tbsp. vegetable glycerin, if available. Add essential oil of choice and enjoy!

  7. Herbal Shampoo
    • 1/4 c. favorite herbal tea (strongly brewed)
    • 8 oz. liquid castile soap (see recipe #3)

    Combine soap with tea. Stir over low heat until blended. Store in capped bottle. You can also infuse your favorite herbs (1 tbsp. dried or fresh herb soaked in boiling water, then strained).

  8. Car Wash

    Combine 1/4 c. liquid castile soap (see recipe #3) with hot water to fill bucket. Wash, rinse, and enjoy your clean car!

  9. Bug Spray
    • 2 c. witch hazel
    • 1 tsp. liquid castile soap (see recipe #3)
    • 20 drops citronella essential oil
    • 20 drops lemongrass essential oil

    Combine in spray bottle and shake vigorously before each use.

  10. Pet Shampoo
    • 10 oz. distilled water
    • 1 tbsp. liquid castile soap (see recipe #3)
    • 1 tsp. glycerin
    • 1 drop tea tree oil
    • 2 drops rose geranium essential oil (helpful for flea and tick protection) *

    Combine ingredients in a jar and shake to blend. Dampen your pet's fur and use only enough shampoo to create a lather. Work in with your hands. Rinse thoroughly.

    * Use essential oils sparingly. Pets (especially cats) can be very sensitive.

  11. Bubble Bath

    Combine 1 c. liquid castile soap (see recipe #3) with 10 drops essential oil(s) of choice. Add 2 oz. coconut oil and pour into running bathwater. Enter and exit carefully, as the coconut oil may cause the tub to be quite slippery.

  12. Hand-Milled Soap Bar

    Make your own soap without the complications of lye.

    • Grate 8 oz. castile soap (2 bars). Place in double boiler or crock pot on low setting. Add 1-2 oz. of any liquid (green tea, coffee, kefir, herbal water, coconut milk, etc.). Sprinkle enough liquid on grated soap to keep from burning. Heat over low heat and stir occasionally. When soap is liquefied, remove from heat. It will be somewhat lumpy and translucent.
    • Add desired ingredients (natural colorants, essential oils, herbal powders, oatmeal, etc.).
    • Stir and spoon into molds (rectangular containers, candy molds, trays lined with parchment paper, etc.).
    • Cool the soap and remove from mold (place mold into freezer for up to 1 hour to make this easier).
    • Cure soap for 1-2 weeks.

Who would have guessed all the uses for one simple bar of soap? In the following video, momsAWARE founder Andrea Fabry demonstrates the 12 ideas outlined above.

To find out more about our Just So Clean all-natural soap, visit our Online Store.

Quotes

"We had some water leaks in our home... we never thought we needed to clean out and remove the floor, the ceiling, or the drywall... my two small children and I have remained constantly sick for years in this home."

– Mia

"I have been sick for almost 6 months now and doctors were not able to figure out why. I finally put it all together after going away for vacation for a week and suddenly my symptoms were going away."

– Anonymous

"We all suffered from headaches, hormonal body temperature fluctuations, brain fog, fatigue, difficulty breathing, thrush, rashes, and yeast infections... we vacated our home two weeks ago."

– Anonymous

"My daughter has had many blood samples taken to test for everything imaginable and her doctor just seems puzzled. Everything comes back normal."

– Anonymous

"I had been struggling with headaches, head fog, breathing difficulties (unable to get a full breath), constant scalp tingling, migraines, nausea, feeling spacey/detached, and severe itchy skin."

– Anonymous

"My daughter started having digestive problems... heart palpitations... coughing episodes... muscle/joint pain... asthma/allergies... Her doctor finally advised me to check for mold in our home."

– Anonymous

"My symptoms persisted and eventually turned into lethargy and depression. At the age of 26, I required a nap every evening after work."

– Jennifer

"I knew it was mold, but doctors kept telling me I had anxiety. I was sitting in my office and could not remember who I was talking to, or what we were talking about."

– Brenda

"We were having a lot of health problems and had been to the doctor countless times... we had large circles of slimy greenish-black mold on the bathroom ceiling, where it had caved in a few months before."

– C.

"...at age 35 or 36 I started to become allergic to everything, and I got asthma at age 36... I went to doctor after doctor after doctor and was desperate for help, but nobody could help me."

– Mia

"The entire time we lived in our (mold-infested) house the kitchen sponge would get musty smelling within 3-4 days. It was so strange. I had to buy a pack of sponges nearly every week."

– Anonymous

"I was skeptical at first that these (natural cleaning) products would work, but they work better than the stuff I buy at the store! We will soon be moving to the personal care products as well!"

– Jennifer

"Our family has been out of our home for 9 months due to mold... I am so scared and weak from all of this. We have lost friends; family members don't understand."

– Anonymous

"I've been living in a mold-infested home for 13 months... I was going CRAZY! Finally figured it out... Just a few days of recovering in a mold-free home and I feel AMAZING!!!"

– Lauren

"I'm new at this, but today I cleaned my bathroom with baking soda and vinegar. It's much better not having those strong chemical smells afterwards."

– Anonymous

"Both of my sons went downhill quickly and coughed for months... They both lost their ability to read, had profound vision disturbances, and had phenomenal gastric issues."

– Lee

"In my moldy home if I left the wet clothes in the washer they would get musty very quickly and I'd have to re-wash... Sometimes I'd run a load, go to work, and they'd be musty when I returned that evening."

– Anonymous

"The ERMI mold test as well as your helpful articles and Toxic Talk Tuesday programs have helped us avoid a terrible mistake in purchasing a new home."

– Angela

"I started finding myself sitting on the floor in rooms of my house and not remembering how I got there, what I was doing before, or how long I had been there."

– Brenda

This site is dedicated to a true friend and mother — Barbara Dell Kessel (1929-2009)