Do you have any tips for better, healthier household cleaning?

Hi!

I LOVE your soap products that I’ve bought so far. I especially love the unscented Aloe Castille Liquid Soap and am using it all over the house for cleaning, showering, shampooing, etc. A question. For my general kitchen countertop, stovetop, and bathroom fixtures I currently use distilled water, or half and half distilled water and white vinegar, and sometimes full strength vinegar. It works pretty well, however, the vinegar is not “organic” and I wonder how healthy that really is. Tell me if and why your new unscented Liquid Sunshine surface cleaner is a better, healthier choice.

Thank you so much!

Nancy

Hey Nancy,

Thanks for the kudos. We like our Unscented Castile Soap too! It really is the best liquid soap out there and you get to buy at factory direct and bulk prices.

Vinegar and distilled water is a good mix for many cleaning jobs including shining up those faucets. We use white vinegar here at the Soapworks to remove soap build up from our stainless steel work tables. Vinegar would be a good choice for attacking soap scum build up on bathtubs for example as it is an acid and thus the opposite of soap. Opposites clean opposites in this realm. It does not matter if you use certified organic vinegar or not for cleaning. However for eating, organic apple cider vinegar is so flavorful and yummy that the small amount you pay extra for it is well worth the gourmet appeal – let alone that it fosters responsible long term agricultural practices and a safe and sustainable food supply.

Vermont can get dusty faster than you could imagine. And if you heat with wood like we do in our home it is even worse. I use a 5% Castile or Liquid Sunshine spray (95% water) for pretty much every surface in the house from computer screen to window screen. Hint: First add the water THEN add the soap. Ball up newspaper and this mixture makes a very good window cleaner too. For oven cleaning, first knock off/brushoff/wipe off whatever you can. Make a 10% solution (double strength) and mark the bottle HEAVY DUTY. Let the mix do the work by applying liberally and letting it soap in, then wiping off and repeating. It might take 3-4 treatments to get things clean and shiny again depending on the condition of your oven. For regular surface cleaning just spray and wipe – which is what we call our pre-diluted spray cleaners for easy use.

As you experiment you will find that some things like woodwork and porous plastics respond better to your organic soap and water mixture. Others, like porcelain may sparkle better with vinegar or with a vinegar/baking soda paste that you rub on with a cloth.

Best!