Soapnuts

Soapnuts (also known as soapberries) contain a natural washing ingredient called saponin. When soapnuts are mixed with water, saponin gets activated and suds are produced which are great for cleaning the clothes! Soapberries can be used for laundry, for jewelry care, as a household cleaner, for pet care, dishwashing, etc.  They do not cause any allergies and are good for babies and people having sensitive skin or allergies.

Advantages of Soapnuts:

• 100% Biodegradable
• Effective cleaning – As good as a commercial detergent
• Wash water can be used for gardening
• Free from fillers, whiteners and other harmful chemicals
• Soft on both hands and clothes
• No fabric softener required
• Great for delicate silks and Woolens

Simple Laundry Recipe:  Take 5-7 soapnut shells in a muslin cloth bag (provided) and place it in your washing machine. On the machine in your usual settings (warm water or cold water etc.). That’s it! You can use the same bag for 4-6 consecutive loads!   Optional: One can add a few drops of preferred essential oil to the muslin bag.

Simple Liquid Soap Recipe: Boil the soapnuts in water for about 30 minutes. After cooling, filter to separate the soapnuts and use the boiled water as liquid soap. You can also blend the entire mixture and make it into a paste. This can be used as a pet shampoo as well.

Universal Base Soapnut Liquid Concentrate Recipe

Take 10-12 soapnut shells (break them using a grinder or by using a mortar /pestle) in 4- 5 cups of water. Boil this mix for about 30 -40 m minutes on a low flame. One can see the white foam (the release of saponins from the soapnuts) forming while the mixture is boiling. For a stronger concentrate, one can use about 16-20 soapnuts in the same recipe.  Strain and store in a bottle. One can make a smaller batch by taking 4-6 soapnuts and boiling in 2-3 cups of water. Add ½ teaspoon of citric acid to the solution to have an extended life or simply refrigerate. The liquid will be watery but is a powerful cleaning agent.

One can add their favorite essential oils to this base soapnut liquid concentrate.

Now this base soapnut liquid concentrate can be used in various ways!

1. Liquid Laundry Detergent: 1 – 2 tbs can be used as a liquid laundry detergent for your washing machine
2. Shampoo: Store the concentrate in a spray bottle and use it as a shampoo. Dilute the concentrate if necessary (about 1 Concentrate: 8 Water ratio). Use few drops of essential oil (e.g., rosemary) if you prefer.
3. Glass Cleaner: Mix1 tbs soapnut liquid concentrate with 1 tbs white vinegar and 1 cup water.
4. General Purpose Cleaner: Use the soapnut liquid concentrate on a piece of cloth and wipe the affected area.
5. Pet Shampoo: Use the soapnut liquid concentrate directly on the pets and bath them. This should also repel ticks, mosquitoes and fleas.

There are numerous ways to use soapnuts! For instance, use it for cleaning your car. Take 5-6 soapnuts in a bucket and fill it will hot water. Wait for 1 hour and start using the water to clean your car.