What's Actually in Plant-Based Dish Soap (And Why It Works)

The Ingredients That Actually Do the Cleaning

When you pick up a bottle of conventional dish soap, the ingredient list reads like a chemistry exam. But plant-based dish soap? The actives are simpler, more transparent — and just as effective at cutting grease.

Here's what's doing the heavy lifting in our plant-based Dish Soap.

Coconut-Derived Surfactants

Surfactants are the workhorses of any cleaning product. They lower the surface tension of water, allowing it to lift and suspend grease, food particles, and oils so they rinse away cleanly.

In conventional dish soaps, these are often petroleum-derived. In ours, they come from coconut oil — specifically compounds like Sodium Coco-Sulfate or Coco-Glucoside. These are biodegradable, gentle on skin, and just as effective at tackling a greasy pan.

Essential Oils (Not Just for Scent)

We offer two signature scent blends, both built from pure essential oils — no synthetic fragrance, no phthalates.

Mint Blend: Rosemary, peppermint, eucalyptus, and spearmint. Crisp, clean, and invigorating — the kind of scent that makes doing dishes feel less like a chore.

Citrus Blend: Lemon, sweet orange, bergamot, lemongrass, lime, and litsea. Bright and uplifting, with a complexity that goes well beyond a standard lemon soap.

Both blends contain limonene, a naturally occurring compound found in citrus and mint plants. Limonene is a well-studied solvent and degreaser — it actively helps break down grease and oils, so it's doing real cleaning work, not just smelling good.

Vegetable Glycerin

Dish soap can be rough on hands — especially if you're washing up multiple times a day. We include vegetable glycerin to counteract that. It's a humectant, meaning it draws moisture to the skin rather than stripping it away, so your hands stay soft even after a full sink of dishes.

What's NOT in It

Just as important as what's in the formula is what we leave out:

• No phosphates (which cause algae blooms in waterways)
• No synthetic dyes
• No parabens or preservatives linked to hormone disruption
• No petroleum-derived surfactants

Does It Actually Cut Grease?

Yes — and the science backs it up. Coconut-derived surfactants have a similar molecular structure to their petroleum counterparts. They surround grease molecules, break the bond with your dishes, and let water carry everything away. And with limonene in the mix, you've got an extra layer of natural degreasing power. The result is the same squeaky-clean finish, without the chemical load.

Try It for Yourself

Our plant-based Dish Soap is available for local pick up or delivery or alternatively shipped to your door. Once you know what's in it, it's hard to go back to the mystery bottle under the sink.