Dilutions Cheat Sheet for Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Soap

Dilute! Dilute! OK!* But how much? Here’s a quick reference. None of these soap dilutions are meant to be exact amounts. If what you’re cleaning is really dirty or your water is really hard, then you may want to use more than the specified amount.

That said, these Pure-Castile Liquid Soap dilutions should get you started. You’ll notice that for some applications, we recommend pre-diluting the soap—which usually involved combining the soap with water in a separate container. For other applications, the soap is diluted directly by the water in the shower or faucet. It’s a matter of personal preference.

Keep in mind that if you pre-dilute, you are also diluting the preservative, so the shelf life will decrease. Use the pre-diluted mixture within a couple weeks. And yes, there are eighteen uses here!

* Long-time Dr. Bronner’s users will remember this expression from the old labels.

Face:  2 or 3 drops of soap on wet hands, applied to wet face.

Body:  one small squirt of soap on a wet washcloth, applied to a wet body.

Hair:  ½ Tbsp. in your hand, worked into wet hair, or dilute ½ Tbsp. in ½ a cup of water and work that into wet hair

Bath:  Completely depends upon water amount, but roughly 2 Tbsp. soap in an average sized tub. (Doesn’t bubble, but still cleans).

Shaving:  Face – 10 drops; Underarms – 3 drops; Legs – ½ tsp; Work to a lather in wet hands and then apply to area.

Teeth:  1 drop on a toothbrush (yes, it tastes like soap).

Foot Bath:  1½ tsp. in a small tub of hot water.

Clearing Congestion:  1 Tbsp. in a bowl of steamy hot water. Breathe in mist with a towel draped over the head.

Household Uses:

Dishes (handwashing):  Pre-dilute 1 part soap with 10 parts water. Squirt on a scrub brush and scrub dishes.

Laundry:  1/3—1/2 cup of soap for a large load in a normal washer. Add ½ cup vinegar to the rinse cycle. Use half of these amounts for High-Efficiency (HE) washers.

Mopping:  ½ cup of soap in 3 gallons of hot water.

All-purpose cleaning:  ¼ cup of soap in a quart of water in a spray bottle. Add ¼ tsp. tea tree essential oil if desired.

Windows:  1 Tbsp. soap in a quart of water in a spray bottle. Follow up with pure club soda, or half vinegar & half water.

Toilet:  Pre-dilute 1 part soap with 4 parts water in a squirt bottle. Add ¼ tsp. tea tree oil. Empty toilet, squirt bowl thoroughly, sprinkle baking soda on the brush, scrub bowl, let sit 10 minutes, turn water on, flush.

Other Uses:

Fruit and Veggie Rinse:  1 dash (approximately ¼ tsp.) in a bowl of water. Dunk produce and swish. Then rinse in clear water.

Dog washing:  Amount varies widely depending on size, hair type and length, and overall dirtiness. I wet my dog thoroughly, then start to work in castile soap up and down their body until I have a good lather. Really massage it in down to the skin. Your dog will thank you for it.

Plant spray for bugs:  1 Tbsp. in a quart of water. Add ½ tsp. cayenne pepper or cinnamon, if desired.

Ant spray (not on plants):  ¼ cup Tea Tree Pure-Castile Soap in a quart of water (this concentration will burn plants).

I’ve tried to keep this short and sweet. If you have any questions, please ask away! Oh, and if you haven’t purchased yours yet, we invite you to do so at our online store. Our top selling Pure-Castile Liquid Soaps are peppermint, lavender and baby unscented.

- Lisa Bronner

Brendan Klatt