Marseille soap is an essential basic for eco-friendly cleaning. It's a highly effective multipurpose option. It's very economical because a single soap bar can solve a multitude of household cleaning needs, and even personal hygiene needs .

Today we want to tell you about the benefits of this soap, what makes it so special, and how to get the most out of it by showing you all the uses you can give it.

It is a soap that has its origin in the late Middle Ages and became popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, becoming one of the main exports of Marseille , the French region.

Nowadays, almost anything can be called Marseille soap, but we will be referring to the original recipe , which has a specific composition and is made by hand .

WHAT IS THE COMPOSITION OF MARSEILLE SOAP?

Marseille soap has only 4 ingredients , which are also of natural origin :

• Water
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Caustic soda

You can find soaps made with other oils, such as rapeseed, linseed, or sesame. The one we have at Alma Eko contains only olive oil and has 72% fatty acids , as required according to the original recipe.

Other traditional soaps have a very similar composition, such as Castile soap or Aleppo soap. The latter contains bay leaf, and neither contains salt among its ingredients. It is precisely this element that makes Marseille soap especially effective for cleaning purposes.

IN WHAT FORMATS CAN YOU FIND MARSEILLE SOAP?

Traditional soap , handcrafted , comes in 600-gram cubes , which have been pressed and engraved to indicate their weight and the amount of fatty acids. At Alma Eko, you can find it this way and also in 400- and 100-gram cubes. We also offer flake soap, which is the same soap processed into that format, which is very useful for certain uses and to facilitate the creation of your own liquid or powder cleaning products .

Let's look at the different ways it can be used and prepared.

HOW TO USE MARSEILLE SOAP

Let's start with the perhaps lesser-known uses of Marseille soap, which are those related to personal hygiene .

• Hand and body soap

Marseille soap cubes can be cut into smaller pieces and used for a variety of purposes. You can place one of these pieces in the soap dish on your sink and use it as hand soap . It also works well as body soap in the shower. Thanks to its high olive oil content, it is moisturizing and nourishing . It is also considered a pH-neutral soap.

• Shampoo and mask

It can also be used as a hair shampoo . Keep in mind that it's a very basic soap, so it may be suitable for normal hair. It's also suitable for oily hair, as the salt and olive oil help regulate sebum production. However, if, like me, you have dry hair, I don't think it's the best option for you. At least not as a regular shampoo.

However, this soap is known to be used as a mask , for occasional use, and this is for everyone, since it is mixed with other components that add more hydration.

It would involve mixing a couple of tablespoons of Marseille soap, diluted in a little water, with some vegetable oil , such as almond , olive, avocado , coconut , castor oil ... and distribute it through your hair, from mid-lengths to ends. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes and rinse thoroughly with water.

• Oral hygiene

We haven't tested this use, but it's known to have been quite widespread. The truth is that olive oil and salt are ingredients that help heal and maintain healthy gums . We believe there are more appropriate oral hygiene options, as they're specifically designed for this purpose, but Marseille soap can be a solution for occasional or even emergency use.

• Pets

It can also be used as a shampoo for your dog . We guarantee the result is soft, shiny fur .

Let's move on to the most common use of Marseille soap: cleaning . The possibilities are endless. We'll tell you a few here, but we're sure there are more. If you use it in another way, we'd love to hear from you.

• Washing clothes

This is its most common use and the reason it became popular . It's a powerful stain remover . Starting with the pre-wash, it can be used to pre-treat stains by rubbing the tablet onto clothing , as you can see in this video .

In the washing machine you can use it in three different ways:

• In flakes : put a couple of spoonfuls in the washing machine drawer . Some people also put it directly into the drum .
• Liquid : You can make your own laundry soap by mixing 800 ml of hot water with 50 grams of Marseille soap and 1 tablespoon of baking soda . Once it's cooled, add 15-20 drops of your favorite essential oil (or laundry perfume) and a teaspoon of guar gum, which will give it a gel-like texture. Beat the mixture and let it sit until it gels. You can see the final result in this video .
• Powdered : You can also make your own. You'll need 400 grams of powdered Marseille soap , 500 grams of baking soda , and 500 grams of sodium percarbonate . If you like, you can add 40-50 drops of lemon essential oil or any other essential oil you like. Mix everything well and that's it. I like this option the best.

• Washing dishes

What a discovery this was for me! It's a soap with great degreasing power, so it works great for scrubbing dishes.

Again, you can use it in different ways:

1. Flakes : If you use a dishwasher, you can put a tablespoon of flaked Marseille soap in the dishwasher. You can also add a teaspoon of baking soda. and citric acid to achieve greater degreasing power and shine effect.
2. In liquid : the same recipe for liquid washing machine soap can be used to wash dishes.
3. Solid : my favorite option. The same Marseille soap cube, without any damage, can be used to hand-wash your dishes. Just rub your scouring pad or brush over the soap bar to thoroughly coat it, and then scrub normally. It's very effective and long-lasting.

• Clean surfaces

You can clean all types of surfaces with Marseille soap . Countertops, furniture, sinks, basins, bathtubs, showers, floors... you can clean everything with this soap. As we saw with dishes, you can rub the scouring pad on the bar of soap and then clean any surface. For floors, you can add a couple of tablespoons to the mop bucket. But my favorite option, without a doubt, is this all-purpose cleaner recipe. You only need: 1 teaspoon of baking soda , 3 teaspoons of Marseille soap , 400 ml of hot water, and 5-15 drops of lemon essential oil . Mix everything in a spray bottle and it's ready to use on any surface. You can see the step-by-step recipe at this video .

These are all the uses we know about Marseille soap. Do you think we're missing any? Do you use it for something else?