Can Castile soap be used in HE washers without gumming them up?

July 9, 2013

I see on your site that you recommend using liquid castile soap for laundry. Can it be used in HE washers without gumming them up? If so, how much do you recommend using for either light or heavy soiled loads in an HE washer?

Hi Suzen,

Here it is fresh off the website:

Laundry: Use about 1/3 cup per load – a little more for hard water. Liquid Sunshine may be neutralized by detergent residues in the machine so use enough to get the barest start of foam on top. You may have to use a little extra the first time. Always mix into warm water before adding the clothes. Softens clothes with natural aloe! Also has a mild whitening effect. Great for silks and fine fabrics, wool and suede (may darken).

Before detergents were invented people cleaned their clothes with… natural soap! Do not be tricked into believing that only petrochemical companies know how to make cleaners – castile soap is what the wealthy and royal of Europe used for centuries before SLS was invented.

HE washers have a defect. Their feeder hoses are miniscule and eventually clog up. So:

  1. do not put your soap into the #2 cup – it has a long thin feeder hose that will clog
  2. dilute your soap 50% in water to thin it out (add soap to water – not the other way around)
  3. clean your feeder hose occasionally by pouring hot (not boiling) water through it.

Thanks for writing and HAPPY LAUNDRY!

 

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