What are Soap Nuts : A guide to Using Soapnuts

If you’ve never heard of soap nuts before you’re probably thinking what are soap nuts and how do you use them? Well sit tight whilst we explore the wonderful chemical-free world of the humble soapnut.

What are Soap Nuts & where do they come From

Hailing from the Himalayan region of India and Nepal, soap nuts are husks of soapberries that come from the Sapindus Mukorossi tree. When dried in the sun, the berry husks activate a natural detergent called saponin that can be used as soap for many household chores.

Soap nuts have been used in Indian households for centuries as an accessible and cheap soap alternative across the country. However, the rest of the world is only just catching on to this multi-purpose natural detergent; that literally is grown on a tree!

What are Soap Nuts Used For?

Soap nuts are an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to chemical detergents. The berry husks are particularly great for those who suffer from skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and prolonged acne who are agitated by other soaps.

There is no end to what you can use the soapberry husks for!

By adding the soap nut to water, it produces a lather that you can use in household cleaning products such as shampoos, clothing detergents, body washes, and dish soap. You can use soap nuts to make a liquid for dishwashing, shampoo, or body wash by boiling the soap nuts in water for 20-30 minutes. Alternatively, add them straight into your washing machine or blend them up to make your own powder.

Indian soap nuts are not just multi-purpose – they are reusable too! When you have finished, put them out to dry, ready for your next household cleaning day. You’ll know when the soap nuts have got to the end of their lifecycle; they will stop producing as much soap. An additional bonus is that they are also fully compostable! Pretty amazing all round.

How to use Soap nuts for Laundry

Add 5-7 shells per load into a cotton bag or even an old sock and place them inside your washing machine. You can even reuse the nuts up to four times before they’ve exhausted their cleaning power.

The gentle cleaning features of these nuts help in maintaining the colour of clothes longer. You can use soap nuts for hand wash and machine wash effectively and they can be used for both white and coloured fabrics (between 30° and 90°). Due to the fact that they are naturally sourced and hypoallergenic with no added chemicals. This makes them the perfect alternative for people who are allergic to chemical detergents.

They do have a strong smell, however, this is not transferred to clothes when washed. As they are a completely natural product, they may differ in appearance and stickiness. If needed, they can be dried easily in natural sunshine for a few hours. Inside the bag, there will be a mix of whole and broken shells. There may also differ in colour due to the time of year the soap nuts were harvested. This does not affect the efficiency of the soap nuts.

Adding a Fragrance to your Laundry

You can easily add a fragrance to your washing with the use of essential oils. Try adding 5-10 drops of your favourite essential oils to the soap nut bag for fabulously fragrant clothes. I love to use citrus fragrances for our clothes and lavender essential oils for our bedding. It also adds additional antibacterial protection using lemon, orange or lavender. If you prefer minty scents with additional antibacterial protection, opt for eucalyptus, peppermint or even tea tree. You may need to experiment with the quantity needed. However in the end you will become the master mixer of fragrance.

Soapnut Shampoo or Body Wash

You can make your own shampoo or body wash with approx 5 soapnuts and 700ml of water, you even add a few drops of essential oils.

How to use soap nuts for hair and body

• Place the soapnuts in a muslin bag, add to a saucepan with the water and bring to a boil.
• Turn down and simmer for about 30 mins until it reaches a semi-thick yellowish liquid.
• Turn off the heat and allow it to steep for several hours.
• Once cool remove the bag ( the soap nuts can be reused once they are dry) add to a bottle and refrigerate.

As there are no chemicals this makes a soothing body wash for those suffering from eczema and other skin disorders. Please be aware as there’s no SLS the liquid will not foam like commercially made shampoos. It will still clean and condition your hair and skin. You can also use the same mixture for washing your dog and cleaning surfaces at home, making this an all-round multipurpose cleaner!

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About Snooty Catz

Are you new to Snooty Catz? We are a small UK independent business that loves to live ethically for both ourselves and our pets. This is why we stock a fabulous range of natural wellbeing products for both people and their pets. As well as ethically sourced homewares and eco gifts. We are passionate about the environment; which is why all orders are posted in plastic-free packaging and we also plant a tree for all orders over £15. We hope you love our product range as much as we do.

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