Don’t tell the others, but this recipe’s my favorite of all my Green-It-Yourself (GIY) concoctions made with Dr. Bronner’s products. Now mind you, this shouldn’t be your very first GIY—that place belongs to the All-Purpose Cleaning Spray, which if you haven’t yet made, you need to go do right now. But this one is the most fun. It is the mesmerizing magic of chemistry right before your eyes.
What is GIY Soft Scrub good for?
The beauty of the GIY Soft Scrub is that it clings to vertical surfaces, so it is a great aid to clearing away soap scum off shower walls, rings around the tub, mold in grout, stubborn water spots on glass. This is also great for toilet bowls and shining up kitchen sinks. You’ll probably find a bunch of other uses, too.
And it’s really fun to make. You get to see a simple and safe acid/base reaction (respect pH!) and you get to run your hands through some soft and sudsy foam. Therapeutic indeed!
The chemistry of GIY Soft Scrub
I first learned the basis of this recipe from Karen Logan’s pivotal book Clean House, Clean Planet. However, it took me some thought to figure out why this recipe works. You may have read me say elsewhere not to combine Dr. Bronner’s Castile Magic Soap (or any true soap) and vinegar, and that even Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds and vinegar isn’t a helpful combo. So why does it work here?
There’s a bit of drama going on. A love triangle, if you will. There are two ingredients in this mixture that vinegar likes to react with: baking soda and soap (or Sal Suds, though to a lesser extent). Vinegar and baking soda produces that lovely fizzy reaction that fuels many a child’s volcano experiment. Vinegar and soap, on the other hand, produces a useless gunk.
Happily, vinegar is more readily reactive with baking soda than with soap or Sal Suds, so the baking soda basically runs interference, engaging all the vinegar in a gassy little dance party. There’s no vinegar left to mess up the soap or Suds.
But that’s not the only question you might be asking. I also say elsewhere (like in my book) that the reaction between vinegar and baking soda, fun as it is, is not useful for cleaning. It is all fizz, no function. This is still true.
Baking soda and vinegar is not useful for cleaning, but it is useful for foaming. When baking soda and vinegar react, they create gaseous carbon dioxide. That’s what’s being released in the fizz. This gas then gets trapped in the Castile Magic Soap or Sal Suds, which is just sitting there waiting for some action after the vinegar ditched it in lieu of the baking soda. The carbon dioxide trapped in the cleaner makes thousands of tiny bubbles, resulting in all that lovely foamy texture that clings to vertical surfaces.
The reaction between the vinegar and baking soda creates the structure of the GIY Soft Scrub.
How does the GIY Soft Scrub work?
Now that you have that beautiful foam that clings to vertical surfaces, let’s look at what is actually doing the cleaning. Two things: the surfactant (Castile Magic Soap or Sal Suds) and an abrasive (baking soda).
Though the Soap or Suds has bubbled up with the carbon dioxide, it is still available to do its surfactant action. A surfactant is the general chemistry term for a substance that reduces the surface tension of water. They also clean by encasing every bit of grime in a little sphere of molecules called a micelle, ready to be whisked away in the rinse water.
The baking soda, on the other hand, cleans by brute force. Mechanical action literally pushes grime off of surfaces, loosening it so that the rinse water can take it away. The amount of baking soda in this recipe means that while some will be used up in the reaction with the vinegar, there is plenty left to do this scouring.
Which to use: Castile Magic Soap or Sal Suds
You’ll notice the recipe can be made with either Dr. Bronner’s Castile Magic Soap or Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner. In this case, they are interchangeable. You are welcome to use whichever you have or whichever you prefer. Since the Sal Suds is more concentrated, you need to use less. You may find that Sal Suds takes more rinsing, so the Castile may take less time. But they both work equally well in this recipe.
For further info on when to use which of these versatile products, check out my article Which to Use.
Shelf life of the GIY Soft Scrub
One difference in making your own cleaners versus buying them is shelf life. You’re not adding preservatives or stability enhancers. If you leave this mixture in your cabinet for weeks, it may separate, with the baking soda settling on the bottom. If this happens, you can do a couple things. First, shake the bottle vigorously and see if that remixes it. Second, add some vinegar to the bottle and then swirl the bottle vigorously with the cap off. Keeping the cap off when adding vinegar is essential because with the production of carbon dioxide during the reaction, a closed bottle will explode.
How to make GIY Soft Scrub with Dr. Bronner’s
Ingredients
- 1 c. (240 mL) Dr. Bronner’s Castile Magic Soap OR ¼ c. (60 mL) Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds
- 3⅓ c. (800 g) baking soda
- 1 c. (240 mL) water
- ¼ c. (60 mL) distilled white vinegar
In a big bowl, combine the baking soda with the Castile Magic Soap OR the Sal Suds. Mix it with a fork until well blended and no lumps remain. Add in the water and mix thoroughly again. Add in the vinegar and keep stirring until no lumps remain. Add additional water if needed until mixture is a pourable consistency. Pour the solution into an empty quart bottle, using a funnel.
How to use GIY Soft Scrub
To use this, squirt it over the surface and wipe with a damp microfiber cloth. Rinse with a wet cloth.
And best of all, since these ingredients are simple and safe, kids can use them, too! Hand this bottle over to them and let them scrub away!
Further Reading
Sal Suds cleaner shows >60% biodegradation after 28 days per ISO 14593.
This recipe and many more are in my book, Soap & Soul: A Practical Guide to Minding Your Home, Your Body, and Your Spirit with Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, available now in hardback on DrBronner.com or at your favorite bookseller, and as an eBook and audiobook (read by me!) from wherever you download or listen.
Do you have a similar solution that will work as a dishwasher detergent? I only saw your mixture for handwashing dishes on the dilution chart. I would love to have a GIY dishwasher detergent recipe!
Hi Deanne- Unfortunately, I don’t. Our soaps are too bubbly for the dishwasher and are inclined to bubble out the seams.
I love this recipe! I make mine with Sal Suds, which makes the mixture much thicker and stiffer. I found it difficult to mix with just a fork (and time-consuming, and quite tiring for someone with CFS). I’ve discovered a couple of helpful hints regarding tools to make the process a little easier.
A potato masher (the perforated kind rather than the wire kind) works great to break up the clumps when mixing the baking soda with Sal Suds and water.
I used a large wire whisk throughout the process, especially after adding the vinegar, to make the mixture a smooth consistency.
A spatula is also great for scraping down the sides of the bowl. I neglected to add enough water to my mixture this last time, and the spatula helped push it through the funnel.
With Sal Suds, if you’re adding fragrance, I suggest using a little more essential oil than you think you need. I used 6 drops each orange and lemon (for a quart bottle), and I could barely smell it later. (This would probably not be the case with tea trees or eucalyptus oils.)
Hope this helps someone else out there!
I left off one hint! Since I accidentally made my scrub so thick I had a hard time pouring it from the bowl into the funnel without making a mess, I used a large ladle to spoon the scrub into the funnel. Helped immensely, and less cleaning the countertop when I was done!
Hi Liz- I appreciate all these fantastic tips for making the GIY Soft Scrub. Thank you!
If all I have is the baby castile soap, can I put my own essential oil in? If yes, how much would you recommend?
Hi LaDonna- Absolutely! That’s a great way to create a new scent based on the season, your mood, and so on. How much to add does depend on the EO – some are stronger than others. In a full quart of soap, start with about 1 tsp. and then add a couple of drops at a time for a stronger scent if desired.
I keep reading that using vinegar with baking soda cancel each other out. Then I read not to use vinegar as a rinse in my washer which I’ve been doing for a few years. Says it will harm all the rubber parts. Says
vinegar will not cut grease. I’m so confused but I trust you and use all
of your cleaning recipes.
Hi Bonnie- Thank you for your kind words. It is true that there is not a cleaning benefit to the baking soda/vinegar reaction. It is nifty and fun for science class volcanos. In this recipe, it’s using the reaction to create the bubbly foam structure of the soft scrub. Regarding your washer, if you have an HE machine, I have heard that idea as well. However, vinegar can also help to reduce the occurrence of mold in the machines. One piece of advice I have heard is to wipe down the rubber seals after loads and leave the door open after use so that it can dry thoroughly. Vinegar does cut small amounts of grease – like fingerprints on a mirror. It wouldn’t be enough though to clean up spilled oil on your kitchen counter. Hope this helps!
Looking forward to learning new green rituals of the cleaning method
Thank you so much for this! Just one quick question: when using the Sal Suds shouldn’t the amount of water increase, since there is so much less Sal Suds than when using Castile Soap?
Hi Anne- You can add additional water as needed to make it a pourable consistency. I’ve added a note to the written recipe so as to be more clear. Thank you for bringing it to my attention!
Will this still be effective if I omit the vinegar? I’m interesting in trying a soft scrub, but my family members aren’t fans of the smell of vinegar which is why I’m now looking for new cleaner DIY recipes
Hi Martina- A fun thing about the GIY Soft Scrub is it takes on the scent of whichever Castile Soap you use. So you can mix it up with the season, your mood, or what’s at your fingertips. And here’s a tip: A combo of Tea Tree & Eucalyptus Castile Soap exclaims, “CLEAN!” For more GIY recipes, check out my Castile Soap and Sal Suds cheat sheets: https://www.lisabronner.com/category/drbronner-products/cheat-sheets-and-recipes/
I think I’ve run into the same issue was Tiffani. I made a bottle of the soft scrub about a month ago. Until recently it was great but now it’s hard at the bottom. Seems like the baking soda settled at the bottom and hardened. Is this to be expected? What has gone wrong
Hi Angelica- If the soft scrub thickens up, add a few tablespoons of water and mix to thin it out. It will still be effective. If you find it thickens up often, try mixing up in smaller batches that you can use up more quickly.
If the baking soda and vinigar are reacting, then you’re essentially mixing the castile soap with slightly gritty salt water. I must have missed something, or else the vinegar is utterly pointless. Why use vinegar in this?
Hi Cathrina- Great question! In the case of the soft scrub, the baking soda acts as a buffer between the vinegar and the Castile Soap. Typically when these two meet, the vinegar causes the Castile Soap unsaponify (that is, break apart). Baking soda is a faster reactant with the vinegar, distracting it in a sense before the vinegar can impact the soap. This is why the proportions in Karen’s recipe are key. The baking soda/vinegar reaction gives this solution its structure and ability to cling to vertical and slippery surfaces. In this instance, you are not getting any chemical cleaning from either the vinegar or baking soda, but they are acting more as mechanical cleaners. The soap is doing the work.
I just discovered your liquid sugar soap and use it everyday. I plan to buy it by whatever large size is available from now on.
The only problem is this; now there are several quarts of the liquid castile under the sink!
Is there any way I can make it more like your sugar soap, without giving away proprietary secrets of course?!
Hi Kjohl- It’s great to hear the Sugar Soap is working so well for you! The Castile Soap has a multitude of uses, from laundry, to a fruit & veggie wash, to housecleaning. Check out this recipe cheat sheet for the many uses! https://www.lisabronner.com/dilutions-cheat-sheet-for-dr-bronners-castile-soap/
What does GIY stand for? I know DIY = Do It Yourself but not what “G” It Yourself would mean in the context of household cleaners. Thanks!
Hi Kaye- I’m glad you asked! GIY is Green-It-Yourself. Making “greener” versions of cleaning or body care products.
Hi!
I have a tub from 1952 and the gloss finish is basically gone leaving a rough feeling and very porous, which absorbs dirt, scum, etc…making it all but impossible to get clean.
Is there a product of yours or a combination there of to aid me in this dilemma? I feel it’s basically clean after I scrub it with bleach but still looks nasty 🤢
Any suggestions will be appreciated 🙃
Hi JoAnn – You’re commenting on the post for the recipe I would most recommend. Did you give this soft scrub a try? Any results? Another option would be a sprinkle of baking soda and then a spray of hydrogen peroxide over it. Let it sit about ten minutes, then scrub away. Let me know if that helps.
Hi Lisa,
I’m having trouble posting directly so replying to the latest comment.
How long does the scrub keep for you? After reading all the comments I’m just curious.
Thank you!
Hi Margaux- I don’t know what the shelf life is of this mixture. I use it up as fast as I can make it. Your nose is a good indicator here. If it starts to smell off, it’s time to dump. If you find you don’t go through it quickly, the recipe can be cut in half.
I’ve been using this formula for years but I don’t store it. I sprinkle the baking soda directly on the old tub. Add a squirt of Castile soap and then spray on a mix of vinegar and water. If you use a scrub brush you can get it as white as you can with bleach.
Hello, I just found out about Sals Suds and really like it! I’ve using it on a tile shower with plastic base and glass doors. I’ve been using a 50/50 ratio with vinegar. It cleams great but it’s been intense when it comes to smell and breathing it in. Do you have any recommendations to help with keeping the cleaning power but reducing the intensity of odor. Thank you very much!
Hi Anthony – If you’re mixing the Sal Suds 50/50 with vinegar, I think you’re using too much. Diluting it with water will reduce the intensity of the odor. I use only 1 Tbsp. of Sal Suds in a quart of water for a spray. You can use more if you need it, and I think it would still be a much less intense smell, though likely the odor is coming from the vinegar. The vinegar is not helping the Sal Suds. The acidity of the vinegar gets in the way of the cleaning power of the Sal Suds. Considering that, imagine how much better the Sal Suds will work for you if you leave the vinegar out! It would be best to use them separately, or nix the vinegar altogether.
Thank you very much Lisa! I will try your recommendation. 🙂
Are there specific spray bottles you like for solutions like this? It’s a bit thick and works now, but I’m worried it’ll dry up the nozzle. Other sprays I’ve tried for pests are ones with cayenne pepper and and that clogged the nozzles I have almost instantly.
Another question I had was if you had any recommendations on a shower rinse for post-showers to help prevent soap scum. Is it as simple as some diluted vinegar with maybe a bit of castile soap for a better scent? Is there anything else you recommend?
Thank you! Love tips like these!
Hi Eric – The Soft Scrub does not work well in a spray bottle. I use a squirt bottle – such as an old Dr. Bronner’s bottle that has the flip top cap with the hole in it. Like you’ve said, I’m pretty sure the soft scrub will clog the nozzle on a spray bottle.
For a regular after shower rinse, unless you have some sort of soft stone like travertine or marble, a vinegar rinse is a good idea for preventing soap scum. Don’t add Castile to vinegar as it will react and form an oily residue. Just dilute vinegar, maybe 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. And spray that down. Another way to prevent soap scum is to squeegee the walls and floor so that the water doesn’t dry on the surfaces, leaving the minerals behind.
Hi Lisa, I’m wondering if Sal Suds has the same properties that are useful in soap for eliminating viruses, bacteria etc. Will it disinfect?
Hi Kate- Yes, both Sal Suds and Castile Soap work by grabbing on to germs, dirt and grime and washing them away and leaving clean surfaces (or hands!) behind. Dr. Bronner’s soap products are effective cleaners but they are not disinfectants because they do not contain a pesticide and do not kill. Disinfectants are chemicals used on hard surfaces and are registered with the EPA. During this time of COVID-19, the CDC recommends a two-step process of cleaning then disinfecting. For cleaning, they are recommending a general household cleaner or detergent and water – Castile Soap and Sal Suds fit this bill – prior to the second step of disinfection with an EPA-registered product. For more information about disinfectants visit the CDC’s website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/disinfecting-your-home.html
Hi Lisa,
Is this soft scrub safe for pots and pans?
Hi Celeste- Yes, it is!
[…] Karen Logan’s GIY Soft Scrub […]
Hi Lisa, super happy I found your website! I was wondering if the GIY soft scrub is safe on acrylic shower base? Also, is is ok to use Allen’s double strenght cleaning vinegar or should i use the regular one. Thank you!
Hi Alexandra- Welcome! This soft scrub should be fine on your acrylic tub. All the info I’ve seen on cleaning acrylic lists soft scrub with baking soda on the safe list. However, it is always good to spot test on an inconspicuous spot. Use a soft cloth instead of any sort of scrubby. Normal vinegar is 4% acidity. If Allen’s is double that, then use half the amount of vinegar. You’ll probably need to add more water to the mixture to get it to the right consistency.
Hi, I love your products, esp. Sal Suds for the toilet!
Any update on stubborn mold?
I’m already on your mailing list.
Hi Joyce – Great to hear it! I’ve been experimenting with hydrogen peroxide on mold lately. I don’t have a formulation down pat, but I’ve had some good progress with spraying it on and letting it sit a bit, then scrubbing with some baking soda. There is the possibility that the hydrogen peroxide could bleach colors, so test it if that is a concern. When I feel comfortable with a technique, I’ll write a post. Feel free to tinker with it yourself in the meantime! Thanks for subscribing!
Hi Lisa- I’ve tried the Soft Scrub on my mold spots in the master shower (tiled with a mix of glass tiles) and I can’t seem to get the mold off. I’ve even left it over night and then scrubbed away. Any new suggestions for me? I’m at my tipping point of switching to a chemical- ewwwww- don’t know what to do! Thanks!
Hi Morgan- I hear you. Mold is no fun. I, too, have not found the soft scrub to be super great against mold. This is something I am working on at the moment. I think hydrogen peroxide is going to be a key ingredient, but I have not yet figured out the mixture because hydrogen peroxide can be bleaching in some concentrations. I will post about this when I figure it out. If you happen to figure out, please share with us!
Oh I will look forward to your recipe about mold spots! Thank you.
Hi Lisa,
I’ve recently come across your blog and am totally loving it! It is chuck full of great info, not just a collection of recipes that are supposed to be the best all-natural solution. I will no longer have to research each DIY recipe to find the purpose of each ingredient to discover if the recipe is sound or just someone combining stuff together that sounds good. Not to mention that your top-notch all-natural products are at the core of each one.
I can’t wait to try this recipe out but was wondering about adding some essential oils to it for additional disinfection properties. How much should aI add … 20 drops?
Thanks!
Hi Scotty- Welcome to my blog! I’m so glad it’s been helpful to you. Adding essential oils to the soft scrub would be great. 20 drops sounds good for this volume of recipe.
I so appreciate your website and all the green uses for simple yet effective products! Saves me time and $$.
I saw a similar recipe on an essential oil website in a much smaller quantity, and was wondering if this ratio would work, and if so, according to this recipe, how much Sal Suds would I substitute for the soap?
3 TBLS Castile soap
1 C baking soda
1 TBLS water
Hi Cindy- This looks like it might be for more of a scrubbing paste than the foaminess you get with the Earth Scrub, but it still could be helpful. Looking at those ratios, though, I don’t think there is enough of liquid to make it easily spreadable. You might need to add more water, but just add enough until it’s a consistency you like. If you want to swap out Sal Suds, perhaps start with just ½ Tbsp. and see if that’s enough. You don’t want to have to spend a ton of time rinsing.
[…] buffer the soap with baking soda, which is another alkali. You’ll see this in my recipe for GIY Soft Scrub. In this case, vinegar reacts more readily with baking soda, and that reaction will take place […]
So, the grout in my kitchen floor. Ah, well, regular mopping does not keep it clean.
I have 12 in tiles in my kitchen. This was intentional, bigger tiles, less grout. The tile is in a diamond patter and is light and dark gray with light gray grout.
I mop my floor, really I do! But I also cook a lot, and stuff falls on the floor. And, apparently, even though I’m good about cleaning my messes and maintaining a clean kitchen, what I was doing did not keep the grout clean. Areas of my light gray grout are now the color of the dark gray tile. Since I know what it is supposed to be, yuck.
So, I made the soft scrub. I used Sal Suds instead of the liquid soap. I have a tiny scrub brush. I applied the soap to the grout lines and waited all of 1 minute. I didn’t use a lot of elbow grease. As I was scrubbing with my brush, the soft scrub turned a brown color almost immediately. I continued to scrub away. Lots and lots of brownish soapy soft scrub. I wiped it up. THE GROUT WAS CLEAN!
The biggest problem was that I needed to sweep up the baking soda that was left on the floor after I wiped up the soft scrub with a damp cloth. That was solved with a broom.
I am going to make a vinegar and Sal Suds solution and clean my floor grout. According to your information, Sal Suds is a detergent and not a soap, so the vinegar won’t interfere with it. That way, I won’t have to sweep up the baking soda.
But the GIY soft scrub is wonderful for sinks and anything else that can easily be rinsed.
But it says upthread that the baking soda keeps the vinegar from “unsaponifying” the castile soap – so if you’re going to skip the baking soda then you should also skip the vinegar.
Thank you Lisa, you are awesome! I’m definitely going to try this out! I have a yucky bathroom, commercial soft scrub does clean, but definitely has done some damage to my sink finish. I’m switching. I love this! Thank you.
Any ideas for calcium deposits on sink faucet?
That’s great, Abigail! For calcium deposits, spray faucet with a half water/half vinegar solution. Let sit for a bit, then lightly scour with baking soda.
Hi Lisa,
I tried this mixture, glad I cut it in half!
I was expecting some squeaky clean results but it seemed to be greasy? I did use distilled water rather than my semi hard tap water. Anyhow, I’m curious.
Thank you,
Me
Hi Lake- I think the vinegar is the culprit here. I suspect it reacted with the soap instead of the baking soda, causing the soap to unsaponify. Following the steps in order with the proper ratio of ingredients is key to getting the vinegar to react with the baking soda instead of the soap, which is it’s preference.
I’ve been using this for a couple of years now! I just fill up an old dawn bottle and leave it in my shower. It’s perfect! Scrub it and rinse while I’m waiting for my 5 minute conditioner to work on my hair! ?
Hi Iretha- Excellent tip! A good use of time – and way to re-purpose that old bottle too.
I’m curious if this could also be used as a toilet bowl cleaner? I know that you’ve put together a separate recipe for toilets, however given i’ve already pre mixed the soft scrub recipe (with castile soap) for showers/sinks, I thought it would be nice and easy to fill up an extra squirt bottle of this to use for toilets. Curious what your thoughts are on this?
Hi Julie- You sure can! It’s safe in the toilet bowls and gives an extra souring boost.
Will this work in a spray bottle or should we stick to a squirt type bottle?
I have just recieved my first order of castille soap and sal suds, look forward to going green!
Hi Lisa – Welcome to the world of green! The soft scrub is pretty thick and won’t work in a spray bottle. If you don’t have a squirt bottle handy, you can put the scrub in an old pickle or mayo jar and scoop it out with a spoon. And hang on to those Castile and Sal Suds bottles – they’ll make great squirt bottles for your next soft scrub batch!
[…] Remedy: Wipe surfaces dry, and clean once or twice a week with a 50% vinegar spray, or scour the scum away with this fun (yes, I did just use that word) GIY Soft Scrub. […]
I forgot to mention — I used ‘HDX All Purpose Cleaning Vinegar’ — I thought the acidity would be the same, but maybe it isnt. I can try the recipe again using regular white vinegar.
I followed the instructions and my batch of cleaner turned out perfectly. I put it in a spray bottle and 2 days later I returned to something that was rock hard and definitely couldn’t be sprayed from the bottle. Where did I go wrong with the mixture. Can I salvage the rock hard mixture by adding more vinegar or water??
Hi Tiffiny – I’m sorry that happened! Unfortunately, there’s not a way to easily re-make the soft scrub. Try making it with regular ol’ white vinegar as the HDX cleaner could very well have a different acidity. If needed, you can add a little more water too. If you’re not already, give it a try in a squirt bottle. Let me know how it goes
I think it’s worth noting that Karen Logan emphasizes making sure the bottle is completely air tight or it will dry out. So, perhaps that’s the trouble with it going hard.
I had the same issue with it that a few others have mentioned. It separates and is very watery on the top and very thick on the bottom. I put it in a squirt bottle. Made it yesterday, using Sals Suds, and I have to shake, whack it on the counter, shake again to get it remixed. Added some more water to it – same result. Wondering if its something with my very hard water here?
Hi Connie – It could be the hard water. Or your vinegar concentration could be different than mine. Add a bit more vinegar and see if that does the trick.
Can you make this in a stainless steel or plastic bowl or does it have to be glass?
Hi Heather – Stainless steel or plastic is fine. There is no reaction.
I am so happy I found this recipe! The video is very helpful. I will try it soon, it sounds perfect! I might make a batch for my son to take back to his college apartment, too!
I was so happy to find it too this year, Marjorie, and I love the fact that it cleans well and it is sooo natural!
My local stockist is out of Sal Suds, will it work without or do I need this both SS and DB?
Hi Jacqui – I’m sorry I didn’t see your question last month. This recipe works great with just the Castile. But I hope your stockist gets the Sal Suds soon!
My GIF Soft Scrub got really hard and I cannot get it out of my bottle. Do other people have this problem? Please advise. I do love this product!
Hi Anne – Try putting some warm water in there and letting it sit for a bit. Then give it a vigorous shake and see what happens. How long after you made the batch did this happen and how much was in the bottle?
I have the same problem. The soft scrub firms up and won’t come out of the bottle. I have to add some water and shake it up each time, which is a nuisance and seems like it weakens the soft scrub. Can I put less soda in it and still have the proper proportions to work well?
Mine had firmed up when I went to use it a couple weeks after making it. It firms up every time, even after adding water the previous time.
I really like the soft scrub, it’s just a hassle.
Hi Nancy and Anne – I don’t know what the shelf life is of this mixture. I use it up as fast as I can make it. Perhaps make smaller batches so it doesn’t sit around. The proportion of baking soda to vinegar is important. If there isn’t enough baking soda for the vinegar to react with, it will then react with the soap and nullify it. So you can’t reduce the amount of baking soda.
Nancy and Anne, I put my scrub in a large open mouth container, like a wide-mouth mason jar, so I can stick my hand in. I’m currently using an old glass small cookie jar, and it’s perfect as it has a nice seal around the lid.
I know you may think it’s a hassle, but let me tell you something, sometimes, when you start something new that isn’t as convenient as the old, it takes a bit of getting used to, but once you get used to it, it stops being a hassle and turns into pure joy. You may have to just stick with it a little longer. What I do is reach into my jar and grab a lump of the soft scrub, and work it into the area, adding a bit of water to it as I’m doing it. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be glad you’re no longer using the alternative chemicals which have longterm effect that you won’t know or be able to track, once you do become ill. Wishing you well.
My soft scrubs was soft for about two weeks then the bicarb solidified, I also added water and after some vigorous shaking I had a volcano eruption, luckily I was in the shower cubicle so it just went all over the shower !
But I also wondered about ratio as I converted from US to AUST I wondered if I had too much bicarb?
I will try making half bottle next time but would welcome other ideas? I
Hi Lisa, I love the GIY soft scrub. Just wondering why the vinegar is necessary. Does it just add additional cleaning power to the soft scrub?
Hi DJ – The vinegar is really there to create the structure of the soft scrub. As it reacts with the baking soda, it creates bubbles within the soap which stay trapped, giving the soft scrub that foamy texture.
I have white tile and white grout and you can imagine the challenge to keep things clean, specially the bathtubs and the kitchen sink. Soft & Scrub is about the only bad cleaner I have had to use because it removes stains and mold that really show on white. I feel guilty using it, use rubber gloves, open all windows and do worry a tad that the bad chemicals stay in my house affecting our health (read about it in a medical journal gazillion years ago).
Thank you Lisa for the how to video. I loved it! I made it, really enjoyed whisking it together (maybe as much as you did in the video); I also rushed to one of my tubs and put it to use right away. I am so happy for your wonderful alternative and I keep thinking this is just soooo good! Muchas gracias!
PS: I just started using Dr. Bronner and bought quite a few things per suggestions on your blog. Great stuff!
Hi Margarita – I’m so glad to hear it! And I’m glad you found us. Let me know if you have any questions as you get to know the products.
SO great! Kids can use them too!
Hi, I use the Castile religiously in our home for all body care cleansing needs. I am a huge Dr. Bronner’s fan. When I read this, I thought, “hmm, thought I read somewhere that vinegar and Castile don’t mix, so I’m wondering if this scrub is different because of how it’s formulated maybe?
https://www.lisabronner.com/a-word-of-caution-about-vinegar-and-castile-soap/
Hi Leon – I love how closely you’re reading my blog! Yes! Castile and vinegar don’t mix. Or rather, they do mix, far too well in that the vinegar unsaponifies the soap. But as you supposed, in this soft scrub formulation, there is also baking soda. So the vinegar has to choose, because it really likes mixing with baking soda as well and making all that nice froth we remember from our volcano science experiments in grade school. That’s exactly what happens here: the baking soda snags the vinegar first so that the vinegar doesn’t have time to mess with the soap. Crazy chemistry at work!
I just bought my 1st bottle of Dr. Bonner liquid Castile thinking I could make my own dishwashing soap. I found it did not suds at all & left a film on my dishes. I think I do have hard water. Any solution to this or am I just stuck with a product that I can’t use?
Hi Paula – You’ve bought what is probably the most versatile soap in the world, so there’s definitely another use for it. It is first and foremost a body soap, so it would be fantastic to use in the shower. The Peppermint in particular would definitely be a morning wake-up! Here’s a list of some of the many uses to get you started: https://www.lisabronner.com/dilutions-cheat-sheet-for-dr-bronners-castile-soap/
I love that! Looking forward to making. Thank you!! Happy ?
This was fun to make Lisa – I actually had a hard time resisting the urge to taste it!
Ha! It is pretty!
Since this has vinegar in it, can it be used with porcelain grouted tile? Or is the vinegar neutralized with the baking soda, thus making it safe for tile. I will be using the sals suds when I make this. thanks
Hi Laura – The acidity of the vinegar is neutralized by the baking soda, as you mentioned. With the Sal Suds, be prepared for a lot more foaming.
How long with this formula last?
Hi Jacqui- I’ve never had this go bad, but then I go through this stuff pretty quick. At least a month, but probably longer.
Lisa, do you know if you can use this cleaner on a travertine tile floor in the shower? I’ve read that you shouldn’t use vinegar on natural stones, but am wondering if the vinegar changes chemically enough because of the baking soda and is rendered “safer”?
Hi Linda – The caution against vinegar with travertine is pH. Travertine doesn’t do well with acid, which vinegar is. You’re right that the pH of the vinegar would be neutralized because of its reaction with the baking soda, but I am also wondering if this might be too abrasive for travertine. It is a scouring agent, and I wouldn’t want it to etch your tile. If you do give it a try, use it on a discreet corner spot first and see how it goes.
Thanks Lisa, I will try it very cautiously!
Linda
Thank you love Dr Bonners soap s
Hi. I haven’t tried it yet with Sal, but when I mixed it with the Castile soap, it separated, never quite blending in with the vinegar. Thoughts? Thanks!
Hi Adianez – I really mixed and mixed and mixed the castile with the baking soda, and then again when I added the water. It became a pretty thick paste. Then when the vinegar went in, it was pretty easy to blend. If you do try it with the Sal Suds, it’s going to foam a whole lot more. Which is kind of fun.
Hi Lisa
This sounds great. How long is the shelf life after it has been made up?
Hi Rosemary – I’ve never had it go bad on me, but then I use this stuff up pretty quick. Maybe after a month it might lose it’s structure??? Honestly, I don’t know for sure.
Can’t wait to try it!!!!
For those of you who do not have a squirt bottle handy, simply reuse a plastic disposable water bottle and drill a hole in the lid. Note that if you plan to store the mixture for very long, place a plastic bag or piece of flexible plastic (maybe plastic wrap) under the lid before storing to keep it more air tight. 🙂
Excellent tip, Donna!