Is Marseille soap really a universal cleaning product? Possible uses and precautions to take

Traditionally-made Marseille soap is an all-natural, eco-friendly product that can be useful in many ways at home, so it's worth always having some readily to hand.

That said, using Marseille soap is not recommended for certain types of cleaning chores and surfaces. Let's find out more about how best to use this special soap:

Uses for Marseille soap

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The key property of Marseille soap is its ability to bind to fatty molecules when suspended in water. Given this, this soap is great for various cleaning chores, listed below:

• laundry: Marseille soap is perfect for removing stains from fabrics. Rub a bar of Marseille soap directly onto dampened stains to pre-treat your laundry before washing in the washing machine;
• dishes and crockery: this soap's degreasing power is useful for removing grease and dirt from dishes and crockery; rub a bar of this soap on a sponge and use hot water to remove stubborn grime;
• multi-surface cleaner: by diluting 4 tablespoons of Marseille soap flakes in a liter of hot water, you will obtain a practical, multi-surface cleaner for use when cleaning the bathroom, the kitchen, glass windows and mirrors;
• floors: wooden/parquet floors can benefit from being cleaned with Marseille soap; dilute a spoonful of Marseille soap flakes and 15 ml of white vinegar in 5 liters of hot water; mop the floor with a cloth dampened (and wrung out) in this mixture;
• hand cleaner: due to its powerful degreasing ability, Marseille soap is suitable for cleaning your hands; make a liquid hand cleaner with 100 grams Marseille soap flakes diluted in 500 ml of water and a spoonful of olive oil (to prevent the power of the soap from drying out your skin too much).

Where not to use Marseille soap

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Notwithstanding the fact that Marseille soap is a wonderful product, some caution must be exercised in its use:

• Marseille soap is a base whose pH is between 8 and 10. For this reason, its molecules react with calcium and magnesium ions when they come into contact with water. In turn, this results in the deposition of salts on fabrics, pipes and internals of washing machine. These deposits could lead to the graying and hardening of fabrics. Avoid these risks by rather using detergents specially formulated with surfactants, foaming agents and pH regulators;
• human skin has a slightly acidic pH of 5.5; using Marseille soap (with a pH of around 9) for washing one's body and hair will strip away sebum (a fatty substance produced by the skin). Completely stripping away sebum will affect the skin's/hair's natural, hydrolipidic barriers, making them more vulnerable to damage and drying out (and also increasing post-washing sebum production);
• wool can also be damaged by Marseille soap due to its high degreasing power. Do not use this soap to pre-treat woolen items or as a detergent to wash them in the washing machine.

With the right precautions, Marseille soap can be a precious ally to keep in your home.