Prefer to watch a video with example / demo footage? Check out the video below, or read the full structured breakdown underneath:
I searched long and hard for a truly clean liquid dish soap with zero harmful ingredients and came up empty-handed.
For years, I used a popular brand marketed with high-standard credentials: EPA Safer Choice certified, USDA Certified Biobased (95 percent plant-based), and free of artificial fragrances. It sounded clean—until I dug into the exact formulation.
The second ingredient was Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), a harsh surfactant and lathering agent linked to skin irritation and barrier disruption. It also contained Benzisothiazolinone (BIT), a synthetic biocide and preservative known as a contact allergen and moderate environmental toxicant. That was enough for me to pull it from our home entirely.
Why “Rinsing Well” Isn’t Enough
If you rinse your dishes thoroughly, why does soap toxicity matter?
Dermal Absorption: Your skin is a porous organ, not a sealed barrier. Washing dishes in hot water dilates pores and increases blood flow to the skin surface, significantly accelerating chemical absorption directly into the bloodstream.
Aerosol Inhalation: Hot water causes volatile surfactants, preservatives, and synthetic additives to evaporate into the steam right in front of your face, allowing them to enter your respiratory system.
I ultimately searched and found a recipe for a clean dish detergent that could be made relatively easily at home. This, I’ve refined to my liking over the last 18 months, in terms of foaming, cleaning capability and spotting minimization and finally have it dialed in.
The 4 Core Ingredients
Clean RO Water: Pure solvent base with zero minerals or chemical contaminants.
Castile Soap: Pure, plant-based saponified oils (e.g., Dr. Bronner’s 18-in-1 Pure Castile Peppermint).
Activated Cleaning Powder (Sodium Carbonate): Made by baking pure baking soda at 400°F (204°C) for 1 hour. This thermal process drives off water and carbon dioxide, transforming mild sodium bicarbonate into a more alkaline, grease-cutting cleaning agent. I bake a few cups at a time and store it in a sealed glass container.
Organic Sweet Orange Essential Oil: Adds natural degreasing properties, and blends with the peppermint for a crisp, clean scent.
1. Refined Non-Toxic Liquid Dish Soap Recipe (Yields ~1 Quart)
Step 1: Heat 3 cups of RO water to just below boiling. Let rest for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
Step 2: Add 6 tablespoons (2 tbsp per cup of water) of your prepared cleaning powder. Stir until completely dissolved. Useful Hint: The cleaning powder can form small hard clumps. To dissolve thoroughly briskly stir with a stainless steel whisk.
Step 3: Add ¾ cup (¼ cup per cup of water) of Castile soap. Stir gently to avoid excessive foaming.
Step 4: Add 60 drops (20 drops per cup of water) of organic sweet orange essential oil. Stir gently.
Step 5: Let the liquid sit until all surface foam settles, then funnel into a glass or stainless pump bottle.
2. Fast Multi-Surface Spray
For hard surfaces, granite countertops, and vehicle interiors:
Ratio: ¼ cup Castile soap to 1 cup clean RO water.
Method: Combine in a glass spray bottle and swirl gently. The pure RO water prevents mineral spots and residue streaks.
Key Takeaway
Formulating your own household cleaners ensures you take another important step to control every single molecule entering your home and contacting your skin.
Next week, in Experience Note #6, we’ll continue removing environmental toxins: Better-choice face, hand, and body soaps, dental floss and toothpaste, plus clean laundry detergents.
Until then—here’s to building the best version of you!
Disclaimer: Content shared through The UUHF Life is for informational/educational purposes only based on N-of-1 personal experience and research. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health, exercise, or medical routine.