June 21, 2011

A Mix Up of Uses for Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap

I’ve been hearing of all the wonderful uses of Dr. Bronner’s over the years and finally decided it was time to give it a shot myself.
Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap is a “combination of organic extra virgin coconut, olive, jojoba and hemp oils, together with pure essential oils, creates a unique soap that cleans effectively without being aggressive and produces a velvety-lather that leaves the skin silky-smooth and refreshed.” This soap is all-natural and not harsh like most soaps that contain detergents instead of oils and natural fats.  
Now, Dr. Bronner’s claims 18+ uses for their “all-in-one” bottled castile soap. I chose to try only five of the uses as the others seemed a bit too sketchy to try after reading several reviews. I’ll share the 18+ uses quickly below, then, I will share how I have put Dr. Bronner’s to use in our home.
Below is Dr. Bronner’s Claim:
Dr. Bronner recorded the "18 in 1 uses" on his label, which we have left mostly intact since his passing in 1997; however, people have told us many, many more uses for it than that. Here is his version. A more paraphrased one follows.
Dr. Bronner's version:
  1. Always dilute for Shave-Shampoo-Massage-Dental Soap-Bath!
  2. Peppermint is nature's own unsurpassed fragrant Deodorant!
  3. A drop is best Mint Toothpaste; brushes Dentures Clean!
  4. A dash in water is the ideal Breath Freshener & Mouth Wash!
  5. Peppermint Oil Soap for Dispensers, Uniforms, Baby, Beach!
  6. Dilute for ideal After Shave, Body Rub, Foot Bath, Douche.
  7. Hot Towel-Massage the entire body, always towards your heart.
  8. Pets, silk, wool & body tingles head to toe - keeps cool!
  9. 3 dashes in water rinse most Sprays Off fruit & vegetables!
  10. 1/4 oz in qt H2O is Pest Spray! Dash, no rash Diaper-Soap!
Paraphrased:
  • For everyday body-washing: Get wet and pour soap full-strength onto hands-washcloth-loofah. Lather up, scrub down, rinse off, and tingle fresh & clean.
  • For other uses, dilute from one part soap into 40 parts water for light cleaning, to cutting it in half or using it full strength for heavy-duty grease-cutting jobs.
  • For shampoo, though we now recommend our new Shikakai soaps for this, many people are fond of using it as such. The method of application is to wet hair and scalp very thoroughly, squirt some soap into hands and work into a lather. Wash hair, then rinse well. Afterwards use our new citrus hair rinse and leave-in conditioners as directed.
  • For the laundry, use 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup for one regular load; adjust as needed depending on hardness of water. I've been told that adding a dash of baking soda makes it even better.
  • For toothbrushing, apply a drop or two of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap to a wet toothbrush. Brush as you normally would, rinsing accordingly. Be careful about using more than a couple drops of soap, as you might start foaming at the mouth. Many people with sensitive or softer teeth like to use our soap as a toothpaste because it lacks abrasives.
(NOTE: Please review all uses and decide for yourself what you will attempt and always remember to dilute it to the proper solution!)
Okay, I will now share what I’ve found to be helpful in my home. This is a product that really helps you to simplify your shower products, “under-the-sink” products, and much, much more!
The five uses that I have tested and loved so much to put into practice are:
·         Body wash – This stuff lathers like you wouldn’t believe, so it only takes 2-4 drops onto a wet loofah and it lathers so very well! It cleans well without over drying! I am pleased with it as a body wash.
·         All Purpose Cleaner – This is something I use to clean everything from kitchen counters, stoves and refrigerators to bathtubs and bathroom sinks! So it is a very inexpensive and eco-friendly way to keep things clean and also know you and your loved ones aren’t taking in harsh chemicals with each room you clean. The all-purpose cleaner requires 2/3 cup water to 1/3 cup of white distilled vinegar. By adding 2-4 drop of Dr. Bronner’s, you take away a bit of that vinegar smell and replace it with one of their many smell-a-riffic scents!
·         Pet Wash – This works very well on pets, especially if you have a sensitive puppy like I do. The oils in the soap will moisturize all while getting them clean as clean can be!
·         Shave Cream – 2 drops of this on wet skin lathers so well, it makes for a smooth, clean shave and doesn’t irritate skin. It actually leaves it moisturized and fresh!
·         Foaming Hand Soap – This requires the small purchase of a foam soap hand pump. I purchased the Method brand soap and once it ran out, I mixed the Dr. Bronner’s mixture in it and it works wonderfully. This saves SO much money as it’s 40 parts water to 1 part soap!  Simply fill the hand pump almost full with water, then add 1 Tbsp of Dr. Bronner’s, shake well and use as your hand cleanser for kitchen, bathrooms, etc. The estimates I’ve found are that this costs about $.20 a bottle! On top of all the other uses you will get out of Dr. Bronner’s, this is a major cost-cutter for your home and to top that, it’s a healthier form of cleansing!
Dr. Bronner’s can be found in many different scents at Trader Joe’s, Amazon.com, local health stores, Soap.com, Drugstore.com, etc. I love the Citrus scent for everything. It’s such an invigorating scent! The 16oz bottle ranges from $12-$15 depending on where you purchase it from and that $15.00 has already paid itself off in the above things I’ve used it for. I have had my bottle for over a month and have seriously only made a small dent in it. It could easily last me two years at this rate! So you see, this is a huge money saver, and it is a much less stressful way to keep up with the everyday household cleanings. One bottle takes care of it all!

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