A simple, clean alternative to conventional dish soaps — made with ingredients you can actually pronounce.
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Why Make Your Own Dish Soap?
Most of us use dish soap every single day — scrubbing plates, rinsing baby bottles, washing produce. But have you ever flipped the bottle over and read the label? Conventional dish soaps are often loaded with synthetic fragrances, harsh surfactants, and preservatives that linger on your dishes long after rinsing.
Here's the part that might surprise you: what's on your dishes ends up in your body.
Ingredients to Watch Out For
Before we get to the recipe, it's worth knowing what you're leaving behind when you switch.
- Triclosan — Once a common antibacterial agent in dish soaps, triclosan has been linked to hormone disruption and antibiotic resistance. The FDA banned it from hand soaps in 2016, though it still appears in some household cleaning products. (Source: FDA, 2016)
- Synthetic Fragrances — The word "fragrance" on a label can legally represent a cocktail of hundreds of undisclosed chemicals. A study published in Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health found that scented cleaning products can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including some classified as hazardous. (Source: Steinemann, 2017)
- SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) — This foaming agent is a known skin irritant. Research has shown it can disrupt the skin's natural barrier, which matters when your hands are in the sink daily. (Source: Journal of the American College of Toxicology)
- Methylisothiazolinone (MI) — A preservative flagged by the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety as a skin sensitizer, linked to allergic reactions even at low concentrations.
What You'll Need
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Liquid Soap, Lavender, 32 oz — made with organic oils, 18-in-1 uses, vegan & non-GMO
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar (helps cut grease and acts as a natural rinse aid)
- 1 teaspoon Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda, 55 oz (boosts cleaning power)
- 15–20 drops essential oil — lemon, tea tree, or lavender
You'll also need:
- A clean, empty dish soap bottle or glass dispenser
- A small funnel
Instructions
- Combine the water and washing soda in a small bowl and stir until dissolved.
- Add the castile soap slowly — pour gently to avoid excess bubbling.
- Stir in the white vinegar and essential oils.
- Pour the mixture into your dispenser using a funnel.
- Shake gently before each use, as natural ingredients can settle.
Makes approximately 1.5 cups — enough to refill a standard dish soap bottle.
Tips for Best Results
- Don't mix castile soap and vinegar directly without the water buffer — they can cancel each other out if combined in high concentrations. The water helps balance the pH.
- For extra grease-cutting power, add a few extra drops of lemon essential oil or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- This recipe works best with warm water — it activates the castile soap more effectively than cold.
- Store in a cool, dark place and use within 4–6 weeks for best freshness.
Not Ready to DIY? We've Got You.
If mixing your own isn't your thing, these two non-toxic dish soaps are our top picks — clean ingredients, real performance, no compromises.
ATTITUDE Dish Soap with Pump — EWG Verified, Citrus Zest, 33.8 fl oz
EWG Verified and made with 97% naturally derived ingredients, ATTITUDE cuts through stubborn grease without leaving a trace — and stays completely gentle on your hands. Free from bleach, SLS, SLES, colorants, alcohol, and formaldehyde. The convenient pump format and generous size mean you're stocked for the long haul, with an eco-refill option when you run out.
Why we love it: The EWG Verified seal means every ingredient has been independently reviewed — no greenwashing here.
ECOS Dishmate Dish Soap — Free & Clear, EPA Safer Choice Certified, 25 fl oz
Over 55 years of green science in every bottle. ECOS Dishmate is EPA Safer Choice Certified, biodegradable, vegan, hypoallergenic, and made with coconut-derived surfactants powerful enough for grease yet gentle enough for baby bottles. Free from dyes, fragrance, 1,4-dioxane, parabens, and phosphates — and made in a zero-waste, carbon-neutral facility.
Why we love it: Perfect for fragrance-sensitive households — and the concentrated formula means a little goes a very long way.
We'll be sharing our full roundup of the Best Non-Toxic Dish Soaps soon — subscribe so you don't miss it!
The Bottom Line
Making your own dish soap isn't about being perfect — it's about making a small swap that adds up over time. Fewer synthetic chemicals in your home means less exposure for your family, and less going down the drain into the water supply.
One bottle at a time. 🌿