Quick Tip: Washing Produce with Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap or Sal Suds

Mini Live #7: Washing Produce with Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap or Sal Suds - This video is part of a series of Facebook Live videos I did in which I share quick things I do to make my life a little simpler and a little greener.
Both the Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap and Sal Suds can get them prepped for your next culinary adventure, or your afternoon snack.
You can do this a couple ways:
- For a big bunch, fill a bowl with water and squirt in either the Castile Soap or a drop or two of Sal Suds til it's a bit sudsy. Dunk in produce and wash & rinse.
- For a single item, put a drop or a squirt from your foaming pump directly on wet produce. Wash and rinse thoroughly.
This will clean off everything from field dirt to waxes to stowaway critters to germs.
For more on green cleaning & body care, including ways to use our family’s Sal Suds and Castile Soaps, visit my website at LisaBronner.com. Shop SOAP & SOUL and Dr. Bronner’s products online at DrBronner.com.

[@fionafenner4582]

I love the pomegranate seeding tip - I will definitely give it a go!

[@eranimila2831]

@GoingGreenwithLisaBronner Could you make green apple castile soap, please? I love the aroma of green🍏

[@GoingGreenwithLisaBronner]

Hi Erani- I'll pass your suggestion along to our team for discussion. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@valerieescabi6104]

Hi Lisa, thank you for your help and I love the❤❤❤

[@ninap.3332]

You didn't kill the spider did you? If I'm able to catch any spider in my house I always safely put it outside, weather permitting.

[@GoingGreenwithLisaBronner]

Hi Nina - Nope! I did not kill the spider. That one ended up back outside, which like you, I do if I possibly can.

[@tereza5211]

@@GoingGreenwithLisaBronner 💙

[@debv7496]

I've noticed strawberries get kinda funny after you wash them.

[@GoingGreenwithLisaBronner]

Yep, they shrivle pretty quickly after washing. I only wash them right before I'm going to eat them.

[@debrahalbert6578]

Wash in vinegar & they turn out beautiful

[@debrahalbert6578]

​@@GoingGreenwithLisaBronnerwater & vinegar

[@Paulog1990]

How do you prep and sanitize your kitchen sink before doing this? I feel weird and uneasy washing fruit in my sink like that.

[@GoingGreenwithLisaBronner]

I scour my sink with a bit of Sal Suds and some baking soda. Then I rinse that down with hot water. Works beautifully!

[@GoingGreenwithLisaBronner]

Hi there- I clean my sink with either our Castile Soap or Sal Suds first. But a large bowl works great for this too!

[@debrahalbert6578]

Wash in large bowl😊

[@jenihansen7201]

Thank you Lisa

[@mtm00]

👍Loved this, Lisa. Thank you for sharing.

[@sharonsquires3556]

What's a food mill?

[@GoingGreenwithLisaBronner]

Hi Sharon- A food mill is a kitchen tool that mashes and processes soft food by pushing it through a perforated plate. It's comes in handy for making applesauce and mashed potatoes and such.

[@lynnpoag8173]

Do you recommend cleaning strawberries this way?

[@GoingGreenwithLisaBronner]

Hi Lynn- Yes, good for strawberries too, but you don't want the strawberries to sit in the water longer than needed to wash them as they will absorb water and potentially become mushy.

[@julieluckey3559]

If I have a water softener does the castile soap work differently?

[@GoingGreenwithLisaBronner]

HI Julie - In softened water, the Castile is a lot more sudsy. You'll need to use less. Some people find it more moisturizing. A possible downside is that you might need to rinse off a bit longer.

[@nowbeone]

Can the Sal Suds be used to wash pesticides and other sprays off of fruits and vegetables?

[@GoingGreenwithLisaBronner]

Sal Suds can remove residues that are on the surface of produce, but it wouldn't have an impact on anything that has absorbed in.

[@nowbeone]

Thanks Lisa. That was my concern…would it remove the surface residue. Glad to hear it does!!

[@fionnualamurphy125]

I bought Sal Suds and Castile soap, but I noticed the Sal Suds has SLS, so was disappointed with that. The Castile soap leaves a film unless I dry dishes straight away. My family don't like it and they bought the usual wash up liquid. I'll have to find some other use for them

[@GoingGreenwithLisaBronner]

Hi there- I'm sorry you're not happy with our products. Sal Suds, our household cleaner, is formulated with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) because it's so great at cutting through grease and grime. Studies have consistently shown that SLS is safe to use in small amounts and in products that are meant to be rinsed off - such as Sal Suds. The main concern with SLS is that it can be a skin irritant for some people because it can be so drying. It is so good at picking up oils that it pulls them right out of our skin! You won’t find SLS in any of our personal care products (Castile Soap, All-One Toothpaste, and so on) and personal care products that do include it should be avoided. When it comes to the residue from the Castile Soap, this happens when a true soap (instead of a detergent) reacts with the minerals in hard water. As you've found, drying surfaces prevents that build up. It can also be cleaned with either baking soda or very diluted vinegar. You won't notice this as much in house cleaning. You can find these uses here on my website, www.lisabronner.com/dilutions-cheat-sheet-for-dr-bronners-castile-soap/

[@main2333]

So what’s the difference? Besides one being more concentrated. Is one for laundry and deep cleaning? But see it being used to wash fruit. Never heard of sals sud. Just the original.

[@GoingGreenwithLisaBronner]

Hi there! Sal Suds is a mild detergent, and the Castile and Organic Sugar Soap are true soaps. The difference is that soaps are “the salt of a fatty acid”, which means they're made in a one-step reaction directly from oils--organic plant oils in our case (coconut, palm kernel, olive, hemp seed, and jojoba). Sal Suds are a more complicated reaction, which still starts with coconut oil but has a lot more steps. They both are excellent cleaning agents, but the soaps are more nourishing for skin, but the Sal Suds is better in hard water and in grease fighting. Here's a deeper dive into the difference from my blog: www.lisabronner.com/sal-suds-or-castile-soap-which-one-should-you-use/

[@sharonsquires3556]

You've got little trees in your house.

[@sharonsquires3556]

Can you use Vinegar to wash fruit instead?

[@GoingGreenwithLisaBronner]

Hi Sharon- Using vinegar wouldn't be as effective at removing residues as would a surfactant like Castile Soap or Sal Suds. But it would remove any dust or light dirt from produce.

[@sharonsquires3556]

Wow!!! that's a LOT of fruit!!!!

[@GoingGreenwithLisaBronner]

It sure was! :D

[@MikroMack]

Do you sell your apple butter??

[@GoingGreenwithLisaBronner]

No, I'm sorry, I don't sell it.

[@MichaelCalautti]

I really enjoy your tips and products, but PLEASE invest in a proper microphone.... please?