Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Magic Bar Soap has all the benefits of its liquid counterpart and even has it beat in some areas, like affordability, packaging, travel ease, and accessibility. While you do not need to dilute the bar soap for washing hands, face, or body, it's still a versatile real soap that you can use for home cleaning and beyond. Use this bar soap cheat sheet to assist you in utilizing the bar soap effectively and to spark new ideas!
Table of Contents
Castile Bar Soap: Quick-Use Chart
Do you need to dilute Dr. Bronner’s Magic Bar Soap? Not for washing hands, face, or body—just lather with water. For other tasks, start with the method below.
| Use | How to use |
|---|---|
| Hands, face & body | Whole bar: Lather on wet hands or a washcloth. Wash and rinse. |
| Shaving | Whole bar: Work into a lather on wet skin. Shave, then rinse. |
| Handwashing dishes | Whole bar: Rub a wet dishcloth or brush on the bar. Wash dishes and rinse thoroughly. |
| Mopping | Grated bar soap: Dissolve 1 tablespoon in 1 gallon of hot water. Wring the mop thoroughly; avoid excess water on wood and laminate. |
| Makeup brushes | Whole bar: Wet the brush. Lather soap in your hands and gently massage through bristles for at least 10 seconds. Rinse and air-dry. |
These directions are for Dr. Bronner’s Magic Bar Soap, not our bottled liquid soap. See the full guide below for more uses and instructions.
Creating "Soap Cream" for Cleaning
Some of the below dilutions call for the bar soap in grated or “soap cream” form. Here’s how to create these:
Grated bar soap: Grate bar soap with a medium-to-fine kitchen grater. Dissolves best in warm to hot water.
Soap cream: Dice bar soap into ½-inch cubes. Soak in 4 c. (960 mL) water for 24 hours. Blend in blender on lowest speed to create a foamy gel.
Alternatively, grate bar soap and blend with 4 c. (960 mL) warm (not steamy) water in blender on lowest speed.
Body Uses
Hands, Face & Body
Lather Pure-Castile Bar Soap on wet hands or washcloth.
Makeup Removal
Wet face and lather bar soap on to hands. Massage into skin. Rinse.
Hair
Rub wet bar soap into very wet hair. Lather and rinse. Follow with diluted apple cider vinegar.
Bath
Add 4 Tbsp. (60 mL) grated bar soap or ½ c. (120 mL) soap cream to running warm bath water. (Doesn’t bubble, but still cleans.)
Shaving
Lather bar on area to create creamy foam. Or, cut to fit as a shaving cake in bottom of shaving cup. Whip up lather with wet shaving brush.
Teeth
Cut a portion of bar to dedicate to toothbrushing. Swipe toothbrush on bar and brush to teeth. Rinse.
Foot Bath
Add 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) grated bar soap in a small tub of very warmwater. Swish to dissolve.
Household Uses
Dishes, Handwashing
Rub dishcloth or brush on bar soap. Or, add 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) grated bar soap or ¼ c. (60 mL) soap cream to about 1 ½ gallons (6 L) very warm running water. Swish to dissolve.
Laundry
Recommended in hot and warm water only. Not recommended for HE. Use Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile or Sal Suds in cold water and HE.
- Grated bar soap: In a food processor, combine one grated bar of soap with 4 c. (960 mL) baking soda. Pulse to blend. Use ¼-⅓ c. (60-80 mL) per large load.
- Soap cream: Use ½ c. (120 mL) for a large load. Add ½ c. (120mL) baking soda to wash cycle.
For either method, add 1 c. (240 mL) vinegar to the rinse cycle.
Handwashing Delicates
- In 1 gallon (4L) cold water, lather bar soap with hands until the water is slightly soapy. Swish garment gently. Let soak 10 minutes. Swish again. Rinse with clean water. Gently press out excess water with a towel. Hang or lay flat to dry.
- Mopping (wood, laminate & stone flooring): Add 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) grated bar soap or ¼ c. (60 mL) soap cream to1 gallon (4 L) hot water. Dunk mop and wring thoroughly. On wood and laminate, avoid excess water.
All-Purpose Cleaning Spray
Dissolve ½ c. (120 mL) soap cream in 3 ½ c. (840 mL) warm water. Whisk to blend.
Windows
Dissolve 1 tbsp. (15 mL) soap cream in 16 quarts (1 L) warm water in a spray bottle. Spray window and squeegee. Follow with spray of club soda or vinegar/water. Wipe dry.
Toilet
Spray toilet bowl thoroughly with All-Purpose Spray (above) with optional ¼ tsp. (1.25 mL) tea tree oil added. Sprinkle baking soda on toilet brush, scrub bowl, let sit 10 minutes, flush.
Other Uses
Dog Washing
Wet dog thoroughly. Massage bar in fur to create good lather. Rinse thoroughly. As with people, avoid soap in eyes and water in ears. Note: Tea Tree is not recommended for pet wash.
Cleaning Makeup Brushes
Wet makeup brush thoroughly. Lather soap in hands and massage gently through bristles for 10+ seconds. Rinse and air dry.
Ant Spray (Not on Plants)
Dissolve ½ c. (120 mL) soap cream in 3 ½ c. (840 mL) of water.
Descargue la hoja de dilución en Español aquí.
Castile Bar Soap FAQs
Does Castile bar soap need to be diluted?
Dr. Bronner’s Magic Bar Soap does not need to be premixed with water for washing hands, face, or body. Simply lather the bar on wet hands or a washcloth, wash, and rinse. Some household uses call for grated soap or prepared soap cream, so follow the directions for each task.
Can I turn Castile bar soap into liquid soap?
You can dissolve Dr. Bronner’s Magic Bar Soap in water to make soap cream—a thick, gel-like mixture. It is not the same as our bottled Pure-Castile Magic Soap. Follow the bar-soap preparation and dilution directions in this guide rather than substituting liquid-soap ratios.
Can I put homemade bar-soap cream in a foaming dispenser?
We don’t recommend it. Dissolved Magic Bar Soap can thicken significantly as it sits, making it unsuitable for a foaming pump. For a simpler handwashing setup, keep the whole bar in a draining soap dish beside the sink.
Can I use Castile bar soap in a high-efficiency washing machine?
We don’t recommend Dr. Bronner’s Magic Bar Soap in high-efficiency (HE) washers. Our bar-soap machine-laundry directions are for standard washers using warm or hot water. For HE machines or cold-water machine washing, follow the separate directions for our Pure-Castile Magic Soap or Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner.
How should I store Castile bar soap between uses?
Keep your bar on a draining soap dish and let it dry between uses. Avoid leaving it in standing water. This helps keep the bar from staying soft and dissolving faster than it needs to.
Further Reading
