Potassium Soap

What is Potassium Soap?

Potassium Soap is a natural horticultural soap, which works as a natural insecticide and helps to combat and prevent the most common pests, such as, aphids, earwigs, red spider mite, scale insects, caterpillars, sawfly larvae, wooly aphids, whitefly and other most common plant pests. Spraying plants with Potassium Soap covers them with a protective film, which protects the plants from harmful external factors.

Potassium Soap can also be used to naturally but effectively clean gardening tools, pots, containers, greenhouses, plastic tunnels, and other surfaces around home and garden. 

It has also been long used as a universal detergent, with a function to eliminate stains that are difficult to remove without damaging the fabrics.

What can it be used on?

• to protect flowering and edible plants in the home, greenhouse and garden
• to clean various surfaces, greenhouses, pots and gardening tools
• to remove stubborn fabric stains

Benefits of Potassium Soap

• works as natural insecticide and helps to combat and prevent the most common pests in homes, gardens and greenhouses
• can be used as a natural soap to clean up plants if they have suffered a pest attack i.e. to remove sooty mould and mildew
• does not affect plant tissue
• is a secondary source of potassium for plants
• is biodegradable, safe for the environment, and does not harm beneficial insects
• does not contain any toxic compounds and is approved for organic gardening
• naturally and effectively cleans gardening tools, pots and surfaces
• helps to remove stubborn stains from various types of fabrics

How is it produced?

Potassium soap is made from potassium salts of fatty acids, which are produced by adding potassium hydroxide to fatty acids found in vegetable oils. The final product is pure soap, which does not contain any toxic substances and acts as an excellent household insecticide, surface cleaner, and fabric stain remover.

How should it be applied?

Plant spraying: as a preventive tool use every fortnight, especially leading up to the time when you would normally see pests. If you have seen pests, apply 3-4 subsequent days until you see the pest numbers recede. The treatment should be repeated 8-10 days later, because if even one pest escapes, the infestation can start all over.
Spray thoroughly to upper and lower leaf surfaces, including under the leaf axils, where pests tend to congregate. Apply early morning or late evening.
Dilution ratio: 200-600ml soap/10L water (concentrate).

Do not apply in full sun or on a windy, rainy day, as the soap will dry out/runoff and will not be as effective.

Surface cleaning: pour or spray on the surface, leave for 1-3min and clean with a brush or cloth. Rinse the surface with water.
Dilution ratio: 40-60ml soap/10L water (concentrate).

Fabric wash: use as a detergent in +20ºC or higher water temperature (concentrate).
Dilution ratio: 40-60ml soap/5L water (concentrate).

Can it be used on all plants?

The fatty acids used in the soap are specifically chosen to be effective against insect pests while being the least toxic possible to plants. Still, some plants may be damaged in extreme conditions, such as temperatures over 32ºC or when the plant is severely dehydrated. Apply Potassium Soap only when the plant has been watered and is well-hydrated. Wilted plants are more susceptible to damage.
If you’re concerned that a plant may be sensitive to soap, apply a small amount to one leaf. You’ll know in about a day if the leaf shows spotting, browning, or other signs of damage. 

 Storage

Store out of direct sunlight, in a well ventilated, clean place at +5ºC to +30ºC.