Truth be told, we are not really all that keen on writing love letters. But, if one day we had to write one to our most loved product, we know which one we would choose: it would have to be the soap from Marseille that has stolen our heart.
It is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of our favourite Sinplástico products because:
- It is sooooo cheap.
- It’s super useful.
- It is made under fair working conditions in France.
- It has a very small environmental footprint.
- It doesn’t contain any toxic chemicals.
- It smells amazing.
However, if that is not enough, one of the aspects we like most about this special soap from Marseille is that it is perfect for those of us trying to live life with less.
This is because with one block of soap, you can avoid needing to use dozens of other cleaning products.
To show you what we mean, we have created this blog post in which Marion tells us all about how you can use this one soap for cleaning your whole house.
Time to get a pen and paper ready:
How to get ready to clean with soap from Marseille:
To start with, we need to understand that the soap from Marseille comes in 2 formats: in blocks and in flakes (packed in a paper bag).
- Blocks: this is the most traditional format and it can be used as a regular bar of soap for personal hygiene and to wash clothes or even the dishes by simply rubbing the soap directly onto a stain or on a sponge or scourer. You can also grate the block of soap to dissolve some in water creating soapy cleaning solutions.
- Flakes: a new format that makes it easy to dissolve the soap in water.
The flakes are a great option for making your own cleaning products very quickly and easily, because you save time not having to grate your own block of soap. However, it is important to realise that with a solid block, a regular grater and a little elbow grease you can achieve the same result.
How to use olive oil soap from Marseille to clean your WHOLE house: Marion’s tips and tricks
In our house we always have on hand:
- A number of big blocks of soap from Marseille: one for washing the dishes, another for washing clothes and a few for grating and having in the cupboard.
- A jug or bottle of grated soap or soap flakes from Marseille diluted in water: approximately 1 part soap to 5 parts water.
With these basics we can clean the house from TOP TO BOTTOM using the instructions below:
- Windows
Fill a bucket with warm water and add half a cup of diluted soap from Marseille. You can use a mop and a squeegee or just an organic and 100% biodegradable cellulose sponge wipe and some reusable kitchen paper to dry them and leave them shining. If you want an impeccable result, you can also add a dash of vinegar.
- Floors
Fill a bucket with warm water (or reuse the one you used for the windows if it’s not very dirty) and add half a cup of diluted soap from Marseille. For timber floors, you can also add half a cup of vinegar. And if something greasy has fallen on the tiles in the kitchen you can add a couple of tablespoon of sodium bicarbonate.
- Tiles
Follow the same process as indicated for the windows. Easy, right?
- Dishes
If you like to use dishwashing liquid (rather than a solid soap), in this post you will find a recipe for making your own with soap from Marseille.
However, if you truly like simple solutions that work perfectly, pay attention to this one: place the block of soap from Marseille on a small plate or in a soap dish next to the kitchen sink. Wet a brush with plant-based bristles like this one, rub the surface of the block of soap gently with the brush and then use it to wash your plates, frying pans, and sauce pans. They will come out sparkling.
Oh, and for washing up cutlery, follow the same steps using a loofah scourer or one made of Esparto grass.
You will see that when you finish washing up, there will be a small puddle of soapy water in the bottom of the soap dish: don’t pour it down the drain. Pour it over your sponge, brush or scourer and leave the sink sparkling too.
- Ceramic cooktop
Say goodbye to those environmentally damaging cleaning products. All you need to make your cooktop shine like new is 3 products. Take note: soap from Marseille, an Esparto scourer (we promise it won’t scratch delicate surfaces) and a cotton and cellulose sponge wipe.
Rub the block or soap with the wet scourer and load it well, clean the surface of your ceramic cooktop focussing on any stubborn stains. Then remove any remains and finally wipe down with the damp cloth.
- Furniture
Has someone spent the afternoon eating chocolate on the couch? No problem: your block of soap from Marseille will help you to sort it out.
Wet the fabric surface around the stain with a biodegradable cotton and cellulose sponge wipe rub gently with the corner of your soap block (if you find it easier, you can cut the block of soap into smaller pieces so they fit easily in your hand).
Once the stain is covered in soap, wet a wooden nail brush like this one and scrub the fabric. Repeat the process, if necessary.
- Laundry
We promise you, there is no need to keep buying washing detergent.
In fact, in this article we tell you how to do your washing with soap from Marseille. But in addition, if you find a mark or a persistent stain, there is nothing better than rubbing it directly with the bar of Marseille soap before throwing it in the washing machine with the rest of the load.
Do you now understand why we are so in love with the soap from Marseille?
If you have liked reading Marion’s tips for cleaning the house from top to bottom exclusively using the soap from Marseille, we invite you to try it out for yourself:
P.S. Are you interested in minimalist house cleaning, without plastic and toxic chemicals? Then you should head over and read this blog post: 10 eco-friendly products you can make from scratch (because the environment needs less stuff).
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