A Rare Treasure

How to use Soapnuts as a Natural Laundry Detergent:

Warm or hot water will release the saponin in the soapnuts.  You will need to wash in warm or hot water and rinse in cold water.  Place 3 - 5 Soapnuts in a small muslin bag, tie closed, and toss into drum of your washing machine.  Dry as usual, being sure NOT to put the muslin bag of soapnuts in the dryer.  Whalla….your clothes are clean and soft.  It’s that easy…….  You can reuse the same bag of soapnuts for 4 to 5 loads of laundry.  You can then toss spent soapnuts in your compost pile.

Additional tips:

·        Use 3 tablespoons of soapnuts liquid soap per load of laundry.  Soapnuts liquid soap is great if you still want to wash in cold water.

·        If not reusing soapnuts immediately….be sure to let them dry out.

·        If your water is soft, you may only need to use the lower amount of soapnuts.  You will need to experiment for yourself on this.

·        I like to add a ½ to 1 cup of borax to my whites.

·        Tough stains will still need to be pre-treated with other stain removing products before washing.

·        Soapnuts are not scented which is great for those with fragrance issues.  If you want scent, you can add a few drops of our essential oils or fragrance oils.  Tea Tree Oil or Orange Oil are great choices.  Or a nice soft scent like our Cotton Blossom.  Add to the water.  Do not add directly to clothes as this may cause stains.

·        To tell if your soapnuts are spent and ready for the compost heap….. squeeze them when they’re wet.  If you see a white or honey-like liquid, they’re good for another use.

·        You should find that your clothes seem softer and cleaner when using our soapnuts to do your laundry.   

How to make Soapnuts Liquid Soap:

For 4 cups of Soapnuts Liquid Soap, start with 6 cups of water and 12 – 15 whole soapnuts (or equivilant in broken shells).  Bring to a boil and boil for 30 minutes.  When cooled, strain through a coffee filter to remove soapnut shells, add additional water to make 4 cups if necessary, and decant into an airtight plastic or glass jar.  Alternatively, you can pour 4 to 6 cups of boiling water over 12 - 15 soapnuts, seal tight over night.  The next day you will need to strain out the soapnut shells and decant into an airtight container. You will want to store unused soapnuts liquid soap in the fridge as it can spoil over a long period of time. You can freeze soapnuts liquid soap in ice cube trays too….adding 2 or 3 cubes (enough to be equivilant to 3 Tbs.)  per load.

Get your Soapnuts from A Rare Treasure.com or at The Kountry Nook, 212 N Capitol St., Pekin, IL 61554.  Phone: 309-347-7821.