Rediscover the 140-year-old 'magical soap' that cleans almost anything

It's often said that what's old is new again, which seems to be the case with a vintage cleaning technique that’s re-capturing the attention of many Australian households.

We’re speaking about Sunlight Soap, a household essential launched in 1884, which is said to still be incredibly effective today and astonishingly economical, costing merely $4.80 at your local Woolworths.


Sunlight Soap, launched 140 years ago, continues to be lauded as a multi-purpose powerhouse.

Recently, a member of a social media group, Cleaning & Organising Inspiration Australia, initiated a conversation highlighting the matchless versatility and effectiveness of the cleaning tool, especially for laundry use.


Screenshot 2023-09-26 084931.png
Sunlight Laundry Soap 500g, $4.80. Credit: Woolworths


'I can't believe how good Sunlight Soap is for laundry. No wonder it's been around so long, in fact, 140 years,' the original poster remarked.

To which someone replied, ‘OK, give it to me, I need to be educated on this magical soap.’


This appreciation post opened up a floodgate of shared wisdom, with members offering their favourite tips and tricks using Sunlight Soap.

‘If you grate it and add borax, it makes an awesome laundry powder,’ commented one person.

‘I had a stain on a jumper, and I tried everything and then used some Sunlight Soap, gave it a good scrub, and it disappeared. I then put it in the wash and thought, “I wonder why my clothes smell so good”,’ said another.

‘Literally just used it on a red wine stain tonight.’

But Sunlight's superpowers don’t just stop at laundry.


Some chimed in about using it for washing dishes by putting the soap in a metal soap cage, which they swish around in hot water to create soapy water.



And it appears to work equally well in the shower—for washing oneself, one's hair, and even one's dog!

A social media user even shared a recipe for a rosemary shampoo using Sunlight Soap:



Another fan explained how she uses Sunlight Soap as a bathroom cleaning agent by grating it into a hot bucket of water.


‘Grate the soap into a hot bucket of water...absolutely sparkling and squeaky clean for the floor...use a washcloth to rub the soap onto, then wash the shower tiles and floor...it is awesome... taps come up shiny too,’ the person explained.

‘Good to replace most cleaning products. Good for the bathroom and floors,’ another user affirmed.

Existing users attest that the soap works wonderfully for carpet cleaning by grating it into a spray bottle filled with water.


Beyond the tips, the post also brought back memories for many people.

‘It looks familiar, I think my Nanna used to use it,’ a person recalled.

‘Yup, it's a forgotten treasure,’ one commented.


Sunlight Soap goes by a different name as well—'Velvet Soap'—and can be found in many supermarkets.

Key Takeaways
  • Sunlight Soap, a laundry product launched in 1884 and still available in Woolworths for $4.80, is being praised by shoppers for its versatility and effectiveness.
  • Social media users shared various tips for using Sunlight Soap, including for laundry, dishwashing, personal hygiene, and even for washing their dogs.
  • The soap can also be used effectively for cleaning various areas of the house, including bathrooms and floors.
  • The discussion about the soap's multiple uses conjured nostalgic memories among many users, acknowledging it as a 'forgotten treasure’.

How do you use Sunlight Soap, members? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below!
 

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I still have a box in my laundry it’s great for a lot of things. For years I used to shampoo my hair with this soap.
 
Would be wonderful to be able to but the wire cage with the handle we used to put this soap in. Great in the kitchen for dishes.
 
Would be wonderful to be able to but the wire cage with the handle we used to put this soap in. Great in the kitchen for dishes.
I always seem to have horses with white feet. So let me say there is nothing like Sunlight white feet on horses particularly ones who love the mud.
 
I always seem to have horses with white feet. So let me say there is nothing like Sunlight white feet on horses particularly ones who love the mud.
Now that's a clever idea!
 
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I have images of my mother standing in the laundry over a hot copper and scrubbing the white school socks and nappies with raw knuckles and bleeding fingers. Sunlight soap is a good product, but don't want to see women having to work like that again.
 
My Mum used Sunlight Soap to wash her face. She passed away at 80 with beautiful skin.
 
It's often said that what's old is new again, which seems to be the case with a vintage cleaning technique that’s re-capturing the attention of many Australian households.

We’re speaking about Sunlight Soap, a household essential launched in 1884, which is said to still be incredibly effective today and astonishingly economical, costing merely $4.80 at your local Woolworths.


Sunlight Soap, launched 140 years ago, continues to be lauded as a multi-purpose powerhouse.

Recently, a member of a social media group, Cleaning & Organising Inspiration Australia, initiated a conversation highlighting the matchless versatility and effectiveness of the cleaning tool, especially for laundry use.


View attachment 30831
Sunlight Laundry Soap 500g, $4.80. Credit: Woolworths


'I can't believe how good Sunlight Soap is for laundry. No wonder it's been around so long, in fact, 140 years,' the original poster remarked.

To which someone replied, ‘OK, give it to me, I need to be educated on this magical soap.’


This appreciation post opened up a floodgate of shared wisdom, with members offering their favourite tips and tricks using Sunlight Soap.

‘If you grate it and add borax, it makes an awesome laundry powder,’ commented one person.

‘I had a stain on a jumper, and I tried everything and then used some Sunlight Soap, gave it a good scrub, and it disappeared. I then put it in the wash and thought, “I wonder why my clothes smell so good”,’ said another.

‘Literally just used it on a red wine stain tonight.’

But Sunlight's superpowers don’t just stop at laundry.


Some chimed in about using it for washing dishes by putting the soap in a metal soap cage, which they swish around in hot water to create soapy water.



And it appears to work equally well in the shower—for washing oneself, one's hair, and even one's dog!

A social media user even shared a recipe for a rosemary shampoo using Sunlight Soap:



Another fan explained how she uses Sunlight Soap as a bathroom cleaning agent by grating it into a hot bucket of water.


‘Grate the soap into a hot bucket of water...absolutely sparkling and squeaky clean for the floor...use a washcloth to rub the soap onto, then wash the shower tiles and floor...it is awesome... taps come up shiny too,’ the person explained.

‘Good to replace most cleaning products. Good for the bathroom and floors,’ another user affirmed.

Existing users attest that the soap works wonderfully for carpet cleaning by grating it into a spray bottle filled with water.


Beyond the tips, the post also brought back memories for many people.

‘It looks familiar, I think my Nanna used to use it,’ a person recalled.

‘Yup, it's a forgotten treasure,’ one commented.


Sunlight Soap goes by a different name as well—'Velvet Soap'—and can be found in many supermarkets.

Key Takeaways

  • Sunlight Soap, a laundry product launched in 1884 and still available in Woolworths for $4.80, is being praised by shoppers for its versatility and effectiveness.
  • Social media users shared various tips for using Sunlight Soap, including for laundry, dishwashing, personal hygiene, and even for washing their dogs.
  • The soap can also be used effectively for cleaning various areas of the house, including bathrooms and floors.
  • The discussion about the soap's multiple uses conjured nostalgic memories among many users, acknowledging it as a 'forgotten treasure’.

How do you use Sunlight Soap, members? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below!

In early 1940,s my dad used it to wash his smelly ferrets, always used to wash my hair.
 
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Due to some dermatitis type of allergy, Dad used the Sunlight personal soap without any problems. Must have been the perfumes in other soaps.
 
It's often said that what's old is new again, which seems to be the case with a vintage cleaning technique that’s re-capturing the attention of many Australian households.

We’re speaking about Sunlight Soap, a household essential launched in 1884, which is said to still be incredibly effective today and astonishingly economical, costing merely $4.80 at your local Woolworths.


Sunlight Soap, launched 140 years ago, continues to be lauded as a multi-purpose powerhouse.

Recently, a member of a social media group, Cleaning & Organising Inspiration Australia, initiated a conversation highlighting the matchless versatility and effectiveness of the cleaning tool, especially for laundry use.


View attachment 30831
Sunlight Laundry Soap 500g, $4.80. Credit: Woolworths


'I can't believe how good Sunlight Soap is for laundry. No wonder it's been around so long, in fact, 140 years,' the original poster remarked.

To which someone replied, ‘OK, give it to me, I need to be educated on this magical soap.’


This appreciation post opened up a floodgate of shared wisdom, with members offering their favourite tips and tricks using Sunlight Soap.

‘If you grate it and add borax, it makes an awesome laundry powder,’ commented one person.

‘I had a stain on a jumper, and I tried everything and then used some Sunlight Soap, gave it a good scrub, and it disappeared. I then put it in the wash and thought, “I wonder why my clothes smell so good”,’ said another.

‘Literally just used it on a red wine stain tonight.’

But Sunlight's superpowers don’t just stop at laundry.


Some chimed in about using it for washing dishes by putting the soap in a metal soap cage, which they swish around in hot water to create soapy water.



And it appears to work equally well in the shower—for washing oneself, one's hair, and even one's dog!

A social media user even shared a recipe for a rosemary shampoo using Sunlight Soap:



Another fan explained how she uses Sunlight Soap as a bathroom cleaning agent by grating it into a hot bucket of water.


‘Grate the soap into a hot bucket of water...absolutely sparkling and squeaky clean for the floor...use a washcloth to rub the soap onto, then wash the shower tiles and floor...it is awesome... taps come up shiny too,’ the person explained.

‘Good to replace most cleaning products. Good for the bathroom and floors,’ another user affirmed.

Existing users attest that the soap works wonderfully for carpet cleaning by grating it into a spray bottle filled with water.


Beyond the tips, the post also brought back memories for many people.

‘It looks familiar, I think my Nanna used to use it,’ a person recalled.

‘Yup, it's a forgotten treasure,’ one commented.


Sunlight Soap goes by a different name as well—'Velvet Soap'—and can be found in many supermarkets.

Key Takeaways

  • Sunlight Soap, a laundry product launched in 1884 and still available in Woolworths for $4.80, is being praised by shoppers for its versatility and effectiveness.
  • Social media users shared various tips for using Sunlight Soap, including for laundry, dishwashing, personal hygiene, and even for washing their dogs.
  • The soap can also be used effectively for cleaning various areas of the house, including bathrooms and floors.
  • The discussion about the soap's multiple uses conjured nostalgic memories among many users, acknowledging it as a 'forgotten treasure’.

How do you use Sunlight Soap, members? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below!

about to make the shampoo and i always take a cake on holidays to wash clothes. I REMEMBER THIS WELL.
 
I think I will try and buy some. I remember mum and Nana always using it. This is what I love about this club, not every article is handy to me but plenty are. And grateful for those that help
 
I have some in my bathroom
 
I think I will try and buy some. I remember mum and Nana always using it. This is what I love about this club, not every article is handy to me but plenty are. And grateful for those that help
At your service.
 
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Yes good old Sunlight Soap - I still keep a bar in a container on my kitchen sink and another in the laundry for those unexpected little jobs that pop up - I keep an old toothbrush with it as well for getting into the stains or corners of things - my husband is often told "use the soap on the bench" he is learning the value.
 
Mum had some in the laundry some time last century and I remember when it dried out, it cracked big time.
 
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It’s always been called velvet soap to my knowledge, good stuff
 
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Yes good old Sunlight Soap - I still keep a bar in a container on my kitchen sink and another in the laundry for those unexpected little jobs that pop up - I keep an old toothbrush with it as well for getting into the stains or corners of things - my husband is often told "use the soap on the bench" he is learning the value.
Ahhh....old toothbrushes! The handiest cleaning tool ever.
 
I've heard of SUNLIGHT soap & the box looks familiar but we only had the slabs of yellow VELVET soap which you cut each cake to use. We used it the same as SUNLIGHT soap. I remember still using VELVET soap in the 70s & early 80s to wash dishes, clothes & even my babies.

I've a lot of allergies, an intolerance to, well, everything & 20 years ago was told to use VELVET soap on my skin. It no longer comes in cakes of yellow but boxes of white & doesn't leave my skin dry & flaky. Today when l shop I'll take a look at Sunlight soap & check the ingredients. Maybe if SUNLIGHT price is around same as VELVET, I'll give it a try 🤔

P.S. I KNOW this story is about SUNLIGHT soap but l grew up with VELVET which is still great for my skin 😊
 
It's often said that what's old is new again, which seems to be the case with a vintage cleaning technique that’s re-capturing the attention of many Australian households.

We’re speaking about Sunlight Soap, a household essential launched in 1884, which is said to still be incredibly effective today and astonishingly economical, costing merely $4.80 at your local Woolworths.


Sunlight Soap, launched 140 years ago, continues to be lauded as a multi-purpose powerhouse.

Recently, a member of a social media group, Cleaning & Organising Inspiration Australia, initiated a conversation highlighting the matchless versatility and effectiveness of the cleaning tool, especially for laundry use.


View attachment 30831
Sunlight Laundry Soap 500g, $4.80. Credit: Woolworths


'I can't believe how good Sunlight Soap is for laundry. No wonder it's been around so long, in fact, 140 years,' the original poster remarked.

To which someone replied, ‘OK, give it to me, I need to be educated on this magical soap.’


This appreciation post opened up a floodgate of shared wisdom, with members offering their favourite tips and tricks using Sunlight Soap.

‘If you grate it and add borax, it makes an awesome laundry powder,’ commented one person.

‘I had a stain on a jumper, and I tried everything and then used some Sunlight Soap, gave it a good scrub, and it disappeared. I then put it in the wash and thought, “I wonder why my clothes smell so good”,’ said another.

‘Literally just used it on a red wine stain tonight.’

But Sunlight's superpowers don’t just stop at laundry.


Some chimed in about using it for washing dishes by putting the soap in a metal soap cage, which they swish around in hot water to create soapy water.



And it appears to work equally well in the shower—for washing oneself, one's hair, and even one's dog!

A social media user even shared a recipe for a rosemary shampoo using Sunlight Soap:



Another fan explained how she uses Sunlight Soap as a bathroom cleaning agent by grating it into a hot bucket of water.


‘Grate the soap into a hot bucket of water...absolutely sparkling and squeaky clean for the floor...use a washcloth to rub the soap onto, then wash the shower tiles and floor...it is awesome... taps come up shiny too,’ the person explained.

‘Good to replace most cleaning products. Good for the bathroom and floors,’ another user affirmed.

Existing users attest that the soap works wonderfully for carpet cleaning by grating it into a spray bottle filled with water.


Beyond the tips, the post also brought back memories for many people.

‘It looks familiar, I think my Nanna used to use it,’ a person recalled.

‘Yup, it's a forgotten treasure,’ one commented.


Sunlight Soap goes by a different name as well—'Velvet Soap'—and can be found in many supermarkets.

Key Takeaways

  • Sunlight Soap, a laundry product launched in 1884 and still available in Woolworths for $4.80, is being praised by shoppers for its versatility and effectiveness.
  • Social media users shared various tips for using Sunlight Soap, including for laundry, dishwashing, personal hygiene, and even for washing their dogs.
  • The soap can also be used effectively for cleaning various areas of the house, including bathrooms and floors.
  • The discussion about the soap's multiple uses conjured nostalgic memories among many users, acknowledging it as a 'forgotten treasure’.

How do you use Sunlight Soap, members? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below!

I saw the price and nearly had a heart attack. No way..Aldi does the trick at $4.99 for 5kg... lasts me close on a year
 
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