Simple Handy Uses for ZOTE Soap

Zote is an old-fashioned laundry soap bar that is known for breaking down even the toughest stains. It didn’t take long to realize just how many uses for Zote soap are out there and now I am a total fan.

When my littles were babies, I picked up a bar of Zote to see what is it was all about and quickly fell in love with it. I fell in love with how well it got out the breastmilk from the drool bibs due to the high-fat content in my breast milk this round.

In spite of the fact that we wash in hot water with Tide, the fabric of our favorite bibs still has a little bit of a smell of breastmilk. This is odd because it gets everything else out.

I guess this is due to the fact we only choose pure cotton bibs since they are easy to clean. Here are some of the ways you can use Zote soap.

Zote is a soap made in Mexico using beef tallow and coconut oil and a whole lot of citronella oil. I have heard good things about this soap being able to clean well from neighbors that grew up with it. Sure enough, we fell in love.

Seriously where was this stuff when I had to wash everything by hand for years? Since getting to try the Mexican laundry bar soap Zote I have been looking for other handy uses for this WD 40 of the soap world.

Handy uses for Zote Soap

These are some of my favorite uses for this Mexican bar soap around my home. Now that we are back living in Mexican Town this stuff is available everywhere even the party store.

1. Washing laundry by hand

Zote has so many uses beyond laundry though you will find it by the laundry detergent. For the laundry, you can use it for laundry soap (great for hand washing or use a greater to toss some in the wash), spot treater, and brightener for whites. We use this laundry soap bar when washing laundry by hand.

How to use Zote to remove stains

When it comes to stain removal, Zote packs a powerful punch. Dampen your fabric surface and rub Zote into the stain. Hold the fabric in both hands and rub it together to release the stain. REisnes away and repeat until the stain is gone.

2. Homemade laundry detergent

Don’t wash your laundry by hand? You can use Zote to make your own laundry products. Zote works great in this homemade laundry detergent that make machine washing using Zote soap a breeze. You can make your own Zote laundry flakes with a simple grater.

3. Clean skin and hair

Zote is safe to use on your skin and hair making it a cheap option that goes far. A great way for large families to buy in bulk and save money. To use with your family slice the large bars you find at the store into quarters and dry them out to make the soap last longer.

When you are down to slivers to thing to use toss into a pan with other slivers, add water and boil to create a liquid hand soap. Wash your face with Zote soap for acne.

4. Dish detergent and degreaser

Boil shredded Zote to make soap for other cleaning uses. Zote can be used to make multi-purpose and even dish cleaners. Zote makes a great degreaser for use around your home. this is great for helping to clean greasy dishes or the surfaces around the kitchen that get hit with grease like the backsplash.

5. Cleaning makeup brushes

Zote is a favorite for cleaning oil and dirt out of your makeup brushes. It can be melted in hot water and used in place of the dawn in this DIY makeup brush cleaner if you prefer a more natural option.

Don’t forget the DIY makeup brush cleaning board for this one. Cleaning your brushes can reduce acne.

6. Cleaning kitchen counters

Wet a cleaning cloth and rub the Zote soap to create a lather. Use the cloth to clean kitchen counters, wiping away dirt and grime.

7. Cleaning bathroom surfaces

Wet a cleaning cloth and rub the Zote soap to create a lather. Use the cloth to clean bathroom surfaces to help break down even the toughest of gunk.

8. Cleaning tile and grout

Make a paste out of a small chunk of Zote and some hot water. Use a toothbrush or small scrub brush to scrub your grout or a larger brush to scrub your grout and tile then rinse away for a great clean.

9. Temporary plumbing repairs

A paste made from sugar and Zote will block a hole in your plumbing to get you through the night so you can make repairs to your plumbing.

This is a great option for a quick temporary fix but keep in mind if it is where water is coming in such as your faucet it will leave your water tasting soapy.

Interesting uses for Zote Soap

10. Repel Bugs

The coolest use for Zote we have found is keeping bugs away. When I opened the Zote I realized that the soap smelled strongly of citronella which is known for keeping the mosquitoes we have been dealing with at bay.

Sure enough, putting a bar of Zote in each of our beds put an end to the nightly barrage of mosquitoes. This works even better than placing potted plants that repel mosquitoes in our rooms

11. Garden pest control

Meltdown a chunk of Zote or some grated Zote soap in some warm water. Mix this with more water until you have a thin soapy mixture. You can then spray this on your plants to use as an insecticidal soap.

Not only will this kill off aphids and other insects just like using Dawn Dish soap does the citronella oil in Zote will repel insects as well helping to work twofold to help control pests in your garden.

9. Catfish Bait

While I have not tried it personally people swear by using Zote to catfish. Meltdown Zote soap adding in garlic and leftover bacon grease. Pour into molds and let cool until solid for cheap and effective catfish bait. I will have to keep this one in mind next time we plan a fishing trip.

10. Shampoo

The natural fats and oils in Zote soap make for a great shampoo that will not leave your hair dry. If you like bar shampoos you will love Zote and its lemon grass fragrance that tends to last for quite a while.

Zote soap should be added to your emergency kit.

Every emergency kit needs soap. Keeping things clean to help protect your family from the spread of diseases during disasters. Zote makes a great option because of it’s many uses.

It can be used in every way regular soap can, it can wash everything from your clothes to your dishes and even you and it repels pests that spread disease easily during natural disasters when our immune systems are low.

When packing your bug out bag consider adding in a bar of zote. Put it into a zip local bag so after opening you can save the bar when you need to put it back into your bag without covering your bag in soap.

Money-saving tip:

While Zote is a cheap soap you can get a 14.7 oz bar for under $1 just about any major retailer that sells laundry soap you can make it go further just like other large bars of soap by cutting it as you see in the top photo on this post. I just use a very large sharp chef’s knife.

Is Zote soap safe for my family?

Zote soap is made from natural ingredients that are mild and safe for your family. The biggest issue you may find with Zote soap is if anyone in your family has a reaction to citronella oil. You can learn more about the safety of citronella oil here.

If you have a military member in the family you can not use zote soap on their uniforms. Zote soap bars contain optical brighteners which make them more visible with night vision glasses in a combat situation.