Amazingly versatile and eco-friendly, castile soap is prized for its numerous benefits and cleaning capabilities. It is considered an ideal soap for a busy household as it can be used for cleansing the body and hair, washing clothing, household cleaning, and more. But is castile soap antibacterial? Is it effective in killing germs? Let’s find out.
Is Castile Soap Antibacterial?
The short answer is no. The best way to think about castile soap is as “true soap” in the traditional sense, as it is defined in FDA’s regulations, meaning it’s the product of reacting natural oils with alkali like sodium or potassium hydroxide, and its cleaning properties are due to the alkali salts of fatty acids.
People have used soap for millennia, although it’s uncertain who was the first to invent it. In the past, soap was commonly made using animal fats and lye extracted from wood ashes. Castile soap gets its name from the Mediterranean region around Castile, Spain, where it was first created in the 12th century. It was originally made from pure olive oil, but since then, it has expanded to include a variety of vegetable oils.
Castile soap is a safe, plant-based cleanser that people can use around their houses and as part of their personal care routine. Today, many consumers prefer castile soap because it’s a powerful natural soap and cleaning agent that can conveniently replace many other products. That’s why castile soap is always in demand and can be an excellent option for those looking to start selling soap to make money.
Are you looking for castile soap that you can buy in bulk and sell as your own? Botanie Soap is the leading B2B manufacturer of all-natural soaps for private-label use. Our castile soap is made from a perfect blend of organic vegetable oils and natural essential oils. Check out our collection of castile soap made with our unique formulas and choose products your customers will love.
What Makes Soap Antibacterial?
As the FDA states, antibacterial soaps, sometimes called antimicrobial or antiseptic soaps, contain certain chemicals not found in plain soaps. Those antibacterial active ingredients kill microorganisms or stop their growth and are added to reduce or prevent bacterial infection.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, there isn’t enough scientific evidence to suggest that over-the-counter antibacterial soaps are more effective in preventing illness than washing hands with plain soap and water. Additionally, the wide use of antibacterial soaps over time has raised the question of potential negative effects on human health.
Some data suggests that antibacterial ingredients in consumer hand and body washes may do more harm than good over the long term. For example, such ingredients as triclosan and triclocarban have long raised safety concerns because they have been linked to bacterial resistance, hormone disruption, and even possibly cancer.
That’s why, in 2016, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a final rule that banned 19 antibacterial active ingredients, including triclosan and triclocarban, used in over-the-counter antiseptic wash products. The FDA’s final rule covers only consumer antibacterial soaps and body washes. It does not apply to antibacterial soaps used in healthcare settings, such as hospitals and nursing homes. In hospital settings, antiseptics are critical components that help prevent the spread of pathogenic microorganisms and reduce hospital-acquired infections.
FDA supports the WHO’s and CDC’s recommendation to use plain liquid or bar soap and water to wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. It’s an effective way to remove germs, including viruses, avoid getting sick, and prevent spreading germs to others.
Does Castile Soap Kill Germs?
Although castile soap is not antibacterial, it is a highly effective cleanser and can tackle the most stubborn grime. Note that the castile soap does not “kill” germs as antibacterial agents do. Rather than killing bacteria, it removes them with the help of running water. It cleans by binding with dirt, grime, and bacteria and lifting them off surfaces, making it easier to wash them away. Castile soap is perfectly effective in removing harmful germs and can be used on your hands, face, and around the house on countertops, cutting boards, sinks, floorboards, carpets, door knobs, etc.
Being a multipurpose product, castile soap is a perfect alternative to regular soap and harsh chemicals. It’s very popular among environmentally conscious consumers, so selling it can be profitable. If you need castile soap in higher volumes or want to launch your own soap line, contact us to learn more about custom manufacturing.
Castile soap that we make at Botanie Soap is an all-natural soap that lathers, cleans, and rinses away harmful germs without help from any harsh chemicals or synthetic agents like Sodium Lauryl Sulfates (SLS). It does not contain additives, artificial fragrances, preservatives, or other chemicals that often appear in commercial liquid cleansers and body washes. That’s why castile soap does not threaten health with long-term use and is safe for the environment.