Ask the Soapman

Are the liquid Castile soaps antibacterial? Hey Roxxie, Thanks for the question. ALL real soaps wash away germs. That is why the Vermont Sate Department of Health says to wash your hands well with soap and water after you potty; dry them, and go off to flip burgers without starting an epidemic. The anti-microbial ingredient in soap is usually triclosan, a molecule that is only one carbon atom away from being Agent Orange defoliant. This product is suspected to be linked to meteoric rises in autism and depression today, an accusation for which there is ample anecdotal, but little clinical…

How long do natural bar soaps last in storage? Organic bar soaps should be viable for 3 years from manufacture. As with all natural products; heat and ultraviolet light break down organic soaps. Store your organic bar soap in a cool dry place away from sunlight if not in active use. Put a piece of plastic wrap over the top of your naked bars and seal the box with tape for best results. For long term storage organic bar soaps can be sealed in plastic as if they were food and frozen.

Hi, I am using your liquid sunshine for house hold cleaning and it works great! I wanted to ask you how to use this liquid in dishwasher? Today I used it straight from the 1 gallon bottle in dishwasher and after washing there was a white layer on all my dishes. Please let me know which product I can use for my dishwasher and how to use it. Thanks, Anamika Hi Anamika, Thanks for switching to Liquid Sunshine organic cleaner! The white layer on your dishes is “soap scum”. From Wikipedia: “Soap scum is an informal term for the white…

Thank you for the most complete information for making potash! What I can’t find on-line is, can you use commercial potash to make a BAR soap? (plenty of info on liquid soaps) My friends who use their grey water for their garden told me that my CP or HP soaps which contained sodium hydroxide added too much sodium to their plants and I read that a potassium hydroxide would actually benefit a garden. So in effort to create a “environmentally compatible” soap I am looking for the answer to that question. Soap calculators have KoH but no one can tell…

What is the difference between castile soap and liquid sunshine? The ingredients are the same. Hey! You’re right! Liquid Sunshine is a type of castile soap. We tweaked it’s formula to be degreasing without drying- – a fine line! Actually it’s pretty amazing how many things can be made from the same dozen main ingredients we use here. We make one castile base for cleaning and for hands and feet, and another for body care shower gels. Then we thicken or thin and add botanicals and essential oils to change the characteristics of the product we are making. All the…

I have seborrheic dermatitis due to Parkinsons disease. Can you tell me if any of the bar soaps would help this. Bar soap rather than liquid soaps were recommended as I have it in scalp (hair cut like a man’s  cut to allow soap to get to scalp), face ears, neck and chest. The last soap for this had sharp pieces of oats that my 72 year old skin could not tolerate. Hi Julie, Thanks for contacting us here at Vermont Soap. According to the Mayoclinic.com website: Seborrheic dermatitis is caused by A yeast (fungus) called Malassezia. This fungus is…

Is there any soy in the soap?? Nope. The Soapman does not like the way soy oil foams when it is turned into soap. There is no soy used in ANY Vermont Soap product. Best!

I absolutely love your soap, but I am starting to feel guilty about using so many bottles. Is there a way to get bottles refilled? Or can I return the empty bottles to you to be reused? Thanks Hey Adam! You can buy gallon refills at our store in Middlebury (cheap) or online and refill those bottles. Always rinse a bottle several times in super hot water to remove any soapy residue inside. The shelf life of the product equals the shelf life of the oldest molecule of soap in the bottle. Thanks for keeping it natural! Soapman

Hi Larry, Is there any harm in using a solution of diluted Liquid Sunshine to wash produce? I noticed that LS has the same ingredients as the Fruit and Veggie Wash. Thanks, C.L. NOT AT ALL! And yes – BOTH products are castile liquid soaps.  

I am looking for a bar cleansing soap in the 4.5 – 5.5 range. Do you have any? thanks Hi Nancy, There are probably some types of synthetic detergent products that have been altered to foam at this pH range. One of the Alkylethylbenzylsulfonate industrial degreasers or their derivatives perhaps. You can also try Soap Nuts. They do not foam much but if you have a rare illness that requires that you use a specialized low pH cleaner on your skin this is what I would recommend. If you do not have a rare illness I recommend the Butter Bar…