Homemade Dish Soap Recipe: Non-Toxic DIY With Essential Oils

QUICK SUMMARY

Homemade dish soap is one of the easiest non-toxic kitchen swaps you can make. This recipe uses organic unscented liquid Castile soap, vegetable glycerin, distilled water, and essential oils to clean dishes by hand without the synthetic fragrance blends and highly processed surfactant systems we prefer to avoid.

The biggest reason we make our own is ingredient control. Conventional dish soaps can contain surfactants, fragrance blends, preservatives, dyes, and other ingredients families may prefer to limit. That does not mean every conventional ingredient is automatically dangerous at normal use levels. It does mean some surfactants are irritating with enough exposure, fragrance is a common contact allergen, and mixing household cleaners can create dangerous fumes. (1, 2, 3)

This recipe keeps the original Natural Living Family formula intact. The Castile soap does the actual cleaning by lifting grease and food residue, while glycerin improves the feel and suds. Lemon, tea tree, and lemon eucalyptus or lemon myrtle essential oils add the fresh plant-based scent we prefer and bring useful antimicrobial chemistry, but this homemade soap should be thought of as a cleaner, not a registered disinfectant or sanitizer. (4)

And yes, kids can help with dishes. I just would not call any soap “worry-free.” Supervise little ones, keep the bottle away from eyes and mouths, teach them to rinse dishes thoroughly, and never let children mix cleaners or add bleach to the sink.

When detoxing your home of harmful chemicals, one of the first areas you should tackle is the kitchen. The products you use there touch countertops, cookware, utensils, hands, and the dishes your family eats from every day.

Dish soap is one of my favorite places to start because it is such an easy swap.

You do not need a complicated formula.

You do not need artificial fragrance.

And you definitely do not need to assume that more bubbles mean cleaner dishes.

This all-natural homemade dish soap recipe will clean stubborn food messes and leave dishes sparkling when you use it with good washing technique.

The best part is the simplicity. You know exactly what went into the bottle, and even little ones can help with chores when an adult is supervising.

3 Conventional Dish Soap Ingredients We Prefer to Avoid

Crazy amounts of ingredients are hiding in the kitchen, starting with your cleaners.

The original article called all three categories below “toxins.” I still prefer to avoid them when I can, but the research is more useful when we get specific about why.

1. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Other Harsh Surfactants

Sodium lauryl sulfate, or SLS, is a surfactant.

Surfactants are the workhorses of soaps and detergents. They help water interact with oil and grease so food residue can lift away from a dish.

SLS also produces foam, but foam itself is not proof that a cleanser is working better. Some effective cleaners make lots of bubbles and others make very few.

The important issue with SLS is irritation.

SLS is so reliably irritating at sufficient concentrations that researchers use it experimentally to create irritant contact dermatitis and measure skin-barrier damage. Human and laboratory studies show that irritation depends on concentration, contact time, skin condition, and the total formulation. (1, 5)

That is different from saying every rinse-off product containing SLS is poisoning you.

For families with sensitive hands, eczema, frequent dishwashing, or children helping at the sink, I prefer a gentler formula.

2. Amine-Based Ingredients and Cleaner-Mixing Confusion

The original article grouped “amines” with ammonia and implied that amine ingredients in dish soap create chloramine gas when mixed with bleach.

That needs clarification.

Some dish soaps contain ingredients with names such as amine oxide. These are surfactants, and they are not the same chemical as household ammonia.

The bigger safety lesson is simpler: do not mix dish soap or other household cleaners with bleach unless the product label specifically says the combination is safe.

Formulas vary, and mixing bleach with ammonia produces chloramine gas while mixing bleach with acids such as vinegar can produce chlorine gas. Both can seriously irritate the eyes and respiratory tract. (2, 6)

As a parent, that is the rule I teach:

One cleaner at a time.

No experiments.

No mystery mixtures under the sink.

3. Synthetic Fragrance

Synthetic fragrance is one of the first things we remove when creating a non-toxic home.

The strongest reason is not that every fragrance molecule automatically “seeps through the skin and damages the nervous system.”

The evidence is more specific.

Fragrance compounds are among the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis in susceptible people, and cleaning products can also contribute to eye, skin, or respiratory irritation depending on the ingredients and exposure. (3, 7)

EPA's Safer Choice program evaluates cleaning-product ingredients against health and environmental criteria, including fragrance criteria, and it also offers a separate Fragrance-Free Safer Choice designation for people who prefer to avoid fragrance entirely. (8)

We prefer essential oils for scent in this homemade dish soap because they fit our non-toxic lifestyle and smell wonderful.

But natural fragrance can still irritate a sensitive person.

If you react to essential oils, make the recipe without them and let the unscented Castile soap do the cleaning.

Other Kitchen Exposures to Keep in Mind

Dish soap is only one part of creating a healthier kitchen.

• Water: Tap-water quality varies by community, plumbing, treatment, and local contaminants. Learn what is in your own water and choose filtration based on the contaminants you actually need to reduce.
• Cookware: Your sink may be filled with cookware you would rather replace. We choose materials that fit our non-toxic kitchen standards and avoid damaged nonstick surfaces when possible.

Tips for Sparkling Clean Dishes

A natural dish soap works best when you give it a little help.

The washing method matters just as much as the bubbles.

• Scrape first. Scrape leftover food into the garbage or compost before putting dishes into the sink. This helps prevent clogged drains and keeps your wash water cleaner.
• Start with the cleanest items. Wash glasses and lightly soiled dishes first, then plates, utensils, greasy pans, and heavily soiled cookware.
• Use warm water. Warm water helps soften grease and dried food. You do not need water hot enough to burn your hands.
• Change dirty water. If the sink water is greasy or full of food particles, drain it and start fresh rather than trying to wash clean dishes in dirty water.
• Soak stubborn food. Let dried-on food soften in warm water before scrubbing.
• Use baking soda for stuck-on messes. Baking soda can add gentle scrubbing power to appropriate pans and dishes.
• Rinse thoroughly. FDA cleaning guidance repeatedly includes rinsing after washing with dish detergent. Soap belongs in the wash water, not on the plate after you are finished. (9)
• Let items air dry when practical. A clean drying rack avoids transferring residue or germs from a used kitchen towel.

Hard-Water Cloudiness

Castile soap behaves differently in hard water because true soap can react with calcium and magnesium and leave a cloudy film.

If your glasses look hazy:

• Rinse very well.
• Dry glasses by hand when necessary.
• Use a separate acidic rinse if desired.

You can fill the rinsing side of the sink with clean water and a small amount of organic white distilled vinegar to help with mineral film.

Do not pour vinegar directly into the Castile-soap bottle.

Acid and true soap work against each other chemically. Dr. Bronner's current hard-water guidance likewise recommends keeping acidic rinses separate from Castile soap. (10)

Cleaning Is Not the Same as Sanitizing

This is especially important in a kitchen.

Soap removes grease, food residue, and many microbes through washing and rinsing.

Sanitizing is a separate step used when a higher level of microbial reduction is needed.

CDC notes that ordinary cleaning with soap and water is sufficient for many routine household situations. Infant feeding items, food-contact surfaces in special circumstances, or items used by medically vulnerable family members may need additional sanitizing according to the situation. (11, 12)

Do not assume that adding tea tree essential oil turns homemade dish soap into an EPA-registered sanitizer.

Homemade Dish Cleaning Ingredients

This recipe contains simple ingredients that get dishes sparkling clean and turn a nightly chore into a fresh citrus experience.

Organic Unscented Liquid Castile Soap

Organic unscented liquid Castile soap is our recommendation for many DIYs involving soap.

True Castile soap is made from saponified vegetable oils rather than synthetic detergent surfactants.

It is concentrated, so a little goes a long way.

The manufacturer of one of the most widely used Castile soaps currently recommends diluted liquid Castile soap for hand-washing dishes and specifically notes that hard water may require extra rinsing or hand drying to avoid film. (10, 13)

Organic Vegetable Glycerin

Organic vegetable glycerin helps improve the texture and bubble stability of this homemade dish soap.

You do not need SLS to produce satisfying suds.

But remember: the bubbles are mainly a user-experience feature.

The Castile soap is what provides the cleaning surfactants.

The original article suggested using this recipe as a bubble solution for children. Because this version contains multiple essential oils, I would keep it as dish soap rather than encourage kids to blow bubbles with it. Bubble solution inevitably gets near faces, eyes, and mouths, which is not where I want a tea-tree-and-citrus cleaning blend.

Lemon Essential Oil

I love using lemon essential oil in DIY cleaners because the bright citrus scent makes the whole kitchen feel fresh.

Lemon oil contains limonene and other volatile compounds that have been studied for antimicrobial and solvent-related properties in laboratory settings.

For this recipe, I use it primarily for scent and cleaning support.

I would not use the old claim that lemon essential oil in dish soap will improve sleep. The study previously cited for that statement does not justify turning a wash-off kitchen product into a sleep intervention.

Tea Tree Essential Oil

Tea tree essential oil is one of our favorite cleaning oils.

It has well-documented antibacterial and antifungal activity in laboratory research, and terpinen-4-ol is one of its major bioactive constituents. (14)

That research is useful for understanding why tea tree shows up in so many natural-cleaning formulas.

It does not prove that this diluted, rinse-off homemade dish soap disinfects dishes to a specific standard.

Think of tea tree here as part of the cleaning formula, not as a replacement for a registered disinfectant when sanitizing is genuinely necessary.

Lemon Eucalyptus or Lemon Myrtle Essential Oil

Lemon eucalyptus and lemon myrtle are different plants, even though both have bright lemony aromas.

They are lovely additions to cleaning blends because their chemistry has shown antimicrobial activity in laboratory studies and their fresh scent pairs beautifully with lemon and tea tree.

One terminology point is worth clearing up.

Lemon eucalyptus essential oil is not automatically the same thing as the EPA-registered insect-repellent ingredient called Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, or OLE. OLE products are standardized around PMD and are regulated as repellents. Do not use this dish-soap ingredient as evidence that the finished soap is an effective insect repellent. (15)

Distilled or Purified Water

The recipe uses distilled or purified water to dilute the Castile soap to a practical consistency.

For stored Castile-soap dilutions, distilled water is a smart choice, especially when your tap water is hard. Current Castile-soap guidance likewise recommends distilled water for stored dilutions. (10)

Because this DIY formula adds water and is not built around a commercial preservation system, keep the dispenser clean, avoid topping off an old batch indefinitely, and remake it if the mixture develops an unusual odor, color, texture, or visible contamination.

How to Make Dish Soap With Essential Oils

This dish soap comes together in minutes! I always have a batch of this homemade dish soap recipe on hand, and I’ve even gifted it to loved ones.

It makes a beautiful housewarming gift when paired with a new scrubbing brush, gloves, and sponge.

Homemade Dish Soap Recipe With Essential Oils

Author Mama Z

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Quantity

2x4x6x

Ingredients

• ½ cup organic unscented liquid castile soap
• 2 teaspoons organic vegetable glycerin
• 6 drops lemon essential oil
• 4 drops tea tree essential oil
• 4 drops lemon eucalyptus OR lemon myrtle essential oil (or 2 drops each)
• Purified OR distilled water, as needed

Supplies

• 1 (16-ounce) Glass jar OR bottle with pump

Instructions

 

• Pour the organic unscented liquid castile soap and vegetable glycerin into the glass bottle. I recommend using a glass bottle with a pump or a foaming soap dispenser.
• Add the essential oils of choice to the bottle. If you don’t have the essential oils listed, any citrus oil works beautifully.
• Fill the bottle the rest of the way with distilled water. Be sure to allow room for the pump, or your mixture will overflow! Replace the top and close tightly.

Step One: Add Soap and Glycerin to the Bottle

Pour the organic unscented liquid Castile soap and organic vegetable glycerin into the glass bottle.

I recommend storing your homemade dish soap recipe in a glass bottle with a pump or a foaming soap dispenser. You can purchase lids that turn any mason jar into a foaming dispenser.

Step Two: Add Essential Oils

Add the essential oils of choice to the bottle.

If you don't have the essential oils listed, another citrus oil can work beautifully for scent.

Remember that changing the essential oil changes the safety profile too, so avoid casually substituting strongly irritating oils such as cinnamon bark, oregano, or clove just because they smell “clean.”

Step Three: Fill With Water

Fill the bottle the rest of the way with distilled water. Be sure to allow room for the pump, or your mixture will overflow!

Replace the top and close tightly.

Use as you would any other hand dish soap.

Important: Do Not Put This in the Dishwasher

This recipe is for hand-washing dishes in the sink.

Automatic dishwashers require low-foaming detergent formulas designed for the machine.

Putting hand dish soap or Castile soap into a dishwasher can create excessive suds, leaks, and a giant mess.

Can Kids Help?

Absolutely.

Doing dishes is a wonderful family chore.

Just keep normal soap safety in place:

• An adult should make the recipe and handle the concentrated essential oils.
• Young children should not pump soap into their mouths or play with the bottle.
• Keep suds away from the eyes.
• Rinse dishes thoroughly.
• Do not let children mix the soap with bleach or other cleaners.
• Use nonbreakable items when little ones are learning to wash.

Poison Control notes that hand dish soap usually causes irritation rather than severe poisoning in small accidental exposures, but swallowing it can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, and eye splashes can hurt. (2)

Non-toxic does not mean “drinkable.”

It means we deliberately choose a simpler formula while still respecting what the product is made to do.

Homemade Dish Soap FAQs

Does homemade dish soap really work?

Yes. Castile soap is a true soap and works as a surfactant to lift grease and food residue so it can be rinsed away. Technique matters, especially with very greasy dishes or hard water.

Why doesn't my homemade dish soap make as many bubbles as store-bought soap?

Foam depends on surfactant chemistry, concentration, water hardness, grease load, and formulation. Bubbles can make washing feel satisfying, but they are not a direct measurement of cleaning power.

Why does Castile soap leave a film on my glasses?

Hard-water minerals can react with true soap and leave a cloudy residue. Rinse thoroughly, dry glassware by hand, and keep any vinegar rinse separate from the Castile soap. (10)

Can I mix vinegar into this homemade dish soap?

I do not recommend it. Vinegar is acidic and Castile soap is alkaline. Mixing them directly can reduce the soap's cleaning performance and create residue. Use vinegar separately as a rinse when needed.

Does tea tree oil make this dish soap antibacterial?

Tea tree oil has antimicrobial activity in laboratory research, but that does not turn this homemade dish soap into a validated disinfectant or sanitizer. Use it for routine cleaning and use an appropriate sanitizing method when sanitization is actually required. (11, 14)

Can I use this dish soap to wash fruits and vegetables?

No. FDA recommends washing produce under running water and specifically advises against washing fruits and vegetables with soap or household detergents because porous produce can absorb residues. (16)

Can I put this recipe in an automatic dishwasher?

No. This is hand dish soap. Automatic dishwashers need a low-sudsing dishwasher detergent designed for the machine.

Is SLS toxic?

SLS is best described as a surfactant with known irritation potential, not as a poison that is automatically dangerous at every exposure level. Concentrated or repeated exposure can damage the skin barrier and cause irritation, which is one reason families with sensitive skin may prefer gentler formulas. (1, 5)

Are essential oils safer than synthetic fragrance?

They are the plant-based fragrance option we prefer, but “natural” does not guarantee non-irritating. Essential oils contain fragrance compounds that can bother sensitive skin or airways. Use unscented Castile soap if fragrance of any kind is a problem for your family.

How should I store homemade dish soap?

Store it in a clean, closed pump bottle away from direct sunlight and heat. Use distilled water for the dilution, keep dirty dishwater and wet sponges out of the bottle, and replace the batch if it develops an unusual odor, appearance, or texture.

Can little kids use homemade dish soap?

Yes, with supervision. Let them wash nonbreakable dishes, teach them to rinse well, and keep soap out of their eyes and mouths. Adults should handle the concentrated essential oils and any other cleaning chemicals.

Can I ingest essential oils?

Do not casually ingest essential oils in water or neat (undiluted). Internal use of essential oils requires proper dilution, product quality, dosing knowledge, and safety guidance. Learn more about how to ingest essential oils here.

This recipe is a wash-off cleaning formula. It is not designed to deliver essential oils internally, which is one more reason to rinse dishes thoroughly after washing.

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