Things You Can Clean With Murphy Oil Soap Besides Wood

If you prefer not to use too many chemicals in your home and like to make your own cleaners, you might want to pick up this multi-use soap that can also be used to create other cleaners.

by Miranda Jackson

Even though it is touted as a wood cleaner, apparently, there are many other things you can clean with it. Plus, folks have come up with some handy uses that have nothing to do with cleaning.

Below are more than a dozen other things you can clean with Murphy’s Oil Soap besides wood surfaces and a few unique uses that might make it worth keeping a bottle on hand.

Things You Can Clean With Murphy’s Oil Soap Besides Wood Surfaces

Note: Test a small, inconspicuous area before using it on any new surface.

Leather

According to the Murphy website, you can use oil soap as a leather conditioner. The site states you can use the product at full strength on leather furniture and on your car dashboard. Apply using a clean cloth and then buff with a second dry cloth.

Some people claim they dilute it and use it to gently clean leather shoes, bags and jackets. You should definitely test a very small area of the item before trying this.

Ceramic and Porcelain

Some use diluted Murphy’s Oil Soap to clean ceramic and porcelain tiles or fixtures, such as sinks and bathtubs. The Murphy site states you can use it to clean the entire bathroom, including walls, floors and counters.

Linoleum and Vinyl Floors

Add it to your mop bucket water to remove the dirt and grime from linoleum or vinyl flooring. (See also: Frugal Tips for Cleaning and Reviving Dull Linoleum Flooring.)

Stainless Steel

Several people recommend diluting Murphy Oil Soap to clean and polish stainless steel appliances or surfaces.

Glass

Surprisingly, the product cleans glass as well. You can mix a small amount of the soap with water. It will leave your glass clean and streak-free.

It will also remove grease from your glass stovetop and give it a nice shine. Mix two cups of lukewarm water and a tablespoon of Murphy in a spray bottle. You may need to let it sit for a few minutes to loosen any hardened food before wiping your stovetop clean.

Paintbrushes

If you have paintbrushes with hardened bristles, you can soak them in a mixture of Murphy Oil Soap and water to remove paint and soften them.

Laminate

Use a diluted solution to clean and maintain laminate countertops, flooring or furniture.

Outdoor Furniture

Perhaps you’ve used Murphy on outdoor wood furniture, but some folks also use it on plastic and metal furniture.

Garden Tools

Cleaning garden tools with diluted Murphy will also help prevent tools from rusting.

Clothing Stain Remover

The Murphy website states you can use the soap on stubborn laundry stains. Just “apply a bit of the solution at full strength to the area in question, then toss it into the washing machine.”

The soap is supposed to be great for removing permanent and dry-erase marker from clothing and most surfaces. Here are some tips for making your own stain removers.

Homemade Cleaning Wipes

Dilute a cup of white vinegar with two cups of water, and then add a tablespoon of baking soda and 1.5 tablespoons of Murphy Oil Soap. Use the mixture to make homemade wipes safe for kids to use. You can get more tips for making homemade disinfectant wipes here.

Alternate Uses for Murphy Oil Soap That Have Nothing To Do With Cleaning

See if any of these tips will come in handy around the house:

Noisy Laminate Floors

Some people recommend Murphy for laminate floors that pop and crack when you walk across them. Mop with the soap to condition the laminate and eliminate the noise. You should only have to do this once.

Squeaky Hinges

A few drops of the soap may also quiet squeaky hinges if you’d rather not use a product like WD-40.

Insect Repellent

This is another suggestion from the Murphy website. According to the site, you can “combine Murphy® Oil Soap with rubbing alcohol, water, cooking oil and lemon juice to make a natural form of insect repellent for landscaping and gardens.”

The site does not give ingredient amounts or recommend how to apply the mix, so you’d have to experiment with this one.

Organic Pesticide

White Oil is a home remedy for getting rid of insects in your garden. GardeningKnowHow.com has this recipe:

Mix one cup vegetable oil with 1/4 cup Murphy Oil Soap or dish soap. Combine the mixture with four cups of water and spray on the underside of plant leaves to get rid of garden pests.

Odor Eliminator

Try combining water, a little Murphy and a few drops of your favorite essential oils in a spray bottle to use as an air freshener. Also, try these ways to eliminate home odors naturally.

Label Remover

If you like to save jars but want an easier way to remove the labels, you can use a few drops of Murphy to take care of any stubborn glue residue.

Murphy Soap Oil: A Money-Saving Multi-Use Product Worth Keeping on Hand

If you make most of your cleaners rather than buy them, you can use Murphy Oil Soap, like Dawn dish soap, in many cleaning recipes. Because the product is 98% natural, you minimize the use of chemicals in your home. Plus, you can use the product to clean just about anything. Perhaps most importantly to frugal folks, it may help you cut the cost of cleaning.

Here are some additional recipes for making your own cleaners:

• Make Your Own Cleaners and Save
• 7 Frugal Homemade Cleanser Recipes
• Frugal Homemade Floor Cleaner Recipes and ‘Ready Mop’ Alternatives
• Natural Homemade Laundry Soap Recipes

Reviewed June 2024