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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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 use it lots of time.
 
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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 😊
They are both great products.
 
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Interested to try Sunlight soap for my laundry but worried it might cause a lather in a front loader! Anyone using it in their front loader machine?
 
My Mum always used the Velvet soap for washing clothes and in the bath and washing hair always had a lovely smell. I think we have forgotten to use this with washing machines we tend to grab either the powder or liquid for laundry. I will try the soap again for personal washing and see what I think of it now.
 
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I remember this as velvet soap!! When cleaning up my mum’s house after she passed away, we found 6 slabs of velvet soap….still does an amazing job cleaning any white clothing!!
 
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Reactions: Leenie
I always have a box of sunlight soap on hand, I use it for all sorts of cleaning, washing, kitchen. My mum used to use it to scrub the white babies nappies, it worked really well. This was cloth nappies before nappy liners and nappy buckets, nap is an we’re a thing.
 
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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!

Been using this for years as soap - it is NOT what it used to be for several years, it gets soggy pretty quick these days. But it still does a good job. It won't remove everything so as a tough stain remover i use Exit Soap - it comes in a very small bar or a liquid and it does the trick and is safe too as it will not harm clothes. I even used exit soap to clean a kitchen bench top with ground in stains on it's laminate. It came up like new with little fuss.
 
Napisan, just love how the computer thinks it knows what words you want to use.
 
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Reactions: Leenie
Been using this for years as soap - it is NOT what it used to be for several years, it gets soggy pretty quick these days. But it still does a good job. It won't remove everything so as a tough stain remover i use Exit Soap - it comes in a very small bar or a liquid and it does the trick and is safe too as it will not harm clothes. I even used exit soap to clean a kitchen bench top with ground in stains on it's laminate. It came up like new with little fuss.
I’ve got the same thing but it’s called wonder soap😁
 
  • Like
Reactions: Leenie
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 sioap 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 am 67 years old and have used it all my life hair cleaning stainless steel sink washing dishes,clothes animals glass,mum used it in the old copper to do the clothes so good to see it still around and not taken over by all the other brands. Natural pure product. Love it and hope around for more years to come
 
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I always have a box of sunlight soap on hand, I use it for all sorts of cleaning, washing, kitchen. My mum used to use it to scrub the white babies nappies, it worked really well. This was cloth nappies before nappy liners and nappy buckets, nap is an we’re a thing.
That's when it was worth $0.25
 
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Reactions: Leenie
It's excellent to take on holidays as it's small, and can be used for washing clothes or self, or whatever. Much better than packing washing powder
 
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