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Field Notes

Hand Dish Soap

soap detergent
kitchen dish-soap castile washing-soda unprocessed
Mix 10 min
Yield ~16 oz
Keeps 1–2 months
Storage sealed dispenser
Notes Thinner than commercial dish soap — this is normal. Shake before use if it separates.

Ingredients

  • 1¼ cups water — distilled preferred — boil and cool tap water if no distilled available
  • ¼ cup liquid castile soap (unscented)
  • 1 tsp washing soda — the grease-cutting secret weapon
  • 1 tbsp vegetable glycerin — adds suds and moisturizes hands
  • 15–20 drops lemon or orange essential oil — citrus oils are natural degreasers

Overview

Castile soap on its own is a decent dish soap, but it struggles with heavy grease. The trick is adding a small amount of washing soda — just a teaspoon raises the pH enough to cut through cooking oils and food grease without making the formula harsh on your hands. The glycerin adds a bit of body and suds (homemade dish soap won’t foam like Dawn, but it cleans just as well), and citrus essential oils contribute real degreasing power on top of smelling fantastic.

The consistency will be noticeably thinner than commercial dish soap. This doesn’t mean it’s weaker — commercial soaps use synthetic thickeners for that gel consistency. A little of this goes a long way.

Important: Do not add vinegar to this recipe. Vinegar and castile soap react badly — the acid neutralizes the soap and creates a greasy, curdled mess. If you want a vinegar rinse for your dishes, use it separately.

Instructions

  1. Heat the water until warm (not boiling). If using tap water, boil it first and let it cool to warm — this reduces impurities that can cause bacterial growth.

  2. Dissolve the washing soda in the warm water. Stir until completely dissolved.

  3. Add the castile soap and glycerin. Stir slowly to combine — stirring too vigorously creates a lot of foam.

  4. Add the essential oil. Stir gently.

  5. Pour into a pump dispenser or squeeze bottle. Let cool completely before sealing.

How to Use

  • Squirt a small amount onto your dish brush or sponge — about half as much as you’d use with commercial soap.
  • For greasy pots and pans, sprinkle a pinch of baking soda directly on the surface before scrubbing. The mild abrasion plus the soap makes short work of cooked-on grease.
  • For soaking, add a generous squirt to a basin of hot water. Let dishes soak 10–15 minutes before washing.

Setting Expectations

This soap works differently than commercial dish soap:

  • Less foam. Foam doesn’t equal cleaning power — it’s mostly a psychological cue. This soap cleans effectively with minimal suds.
  • Thinner consistency. Totally normal. You can thicken it slightly by adding ½ tsp of kosher salt, stirred in while the mixture is still warm.
  • You may need to re-apply mid-session. For a sink full of greasy dishes, you might need a fresh squirt on your sponge every 4–5 dishes. Commercial soap has synthetic surfactants that persist longer.
  • No residue. Unlike many commercial soaps, this rinses completely clean with no film left behind.

Citrus oils do double duty — they smell great and they’re natural degreasers:

  • Lemon — the classic dish soap scent, excellent degreaser
  • Sweet orange — warm, cheerful, great grease cutter
  • Grapefruit — bright and clean
  • Lemon + rosemary — fresh herb kitchen scent
  • Tea tree — antibacterial, medicinal scent (some love it, some don’t)

Tips

  • Keep baking soda at the sink. It’s the best companion for this soap — sprinkle it on stuck-on food and scrub. Between the soap and the baking soda, you can handle anything.
  • Don’t use on cast iron. No soap should go on well-seasoned cast iron. Use coarse salt and hot water for cast iron cleanup.
  • Glass dispenser recommended if using citrus essential oils, as they can degrade some plastics over time.
  • If you get a filmy residue on dishes, you may be using too much soap. Cut back to a smaller squirt and rinse thoroughly with hot water.