Soapnut Recipe For Surface Cleaner, Laundry Liquid, Handwash and Shampoo

The benefit of soapnut liquid is that you can use it for a variety of cleaning purposes. Making it is super easy!

Instead of using whole soapnuts to wash my clothes, I use liquid because I prefer a clean rinse. I have eczema so I didn't want any residue. 

This batch size lasts a month or so as long as it's kept in the refrigerator. You could add vinegar or citric acid after it's boiled to prolong the life of the liquid. Otherwise if you make more than enough to last you a month, you can freeze the soapnut liquid.

Instructions:

1 cup of soapnuts (no seeds)

4 cups of water

1) Put soapnuts and water in a saucepan and gently simmer the soapnuts for half an hour. Let it sit with the heat turned off until cool. A warning that if you boil your soapnuts too rapidly, it foam and boil over. Also you will notice it smells like fermented/rotten fruit. Don't worry, your clothes won't smell of like this!

2) Once cooled, squeeze out the soapnuts with your hands to extract as much of the saponins as you can. The spent soapnuts can be composted.

3) Pour the liquid through a sieve into a wide mouth jar. You're done!

I use 50ml of soapnut liquid for a normal wash. Or 70ml for an extra dirty wash. You will need to pretreat stains. My clothes come out soft and clean. They won't smell of perfume of course but you can use fabric softener if you wish to scent your clothes.

Don't believe soapnuts will make suds in the washing machine? Here's proof.

For Surface Cleaner: Store in a cleaned recycled handwash/moisturiser bottle with a pump. To use, pump directly onto a sponge or kitchen wipe. You also pump into a mop bucket for cleaning floors.

For Laundry Liquid: Keep in a bottle (one with wide mouth makes it easier to refill) and give it a shake every time you use it. The solids in the liquid will settle. 

For Handwash: Keep in a foamer pump bottle. Don't fill up too much because you don't want the liquid to go off before you use it up.

For Shampoo: Apply from a recycled squeezable honey bottle. That way you can squirt a couple of tablespoons directly onto your head. It won't sud in your hair but trust me, with a gentle massage, it will clean. 

Enjoy using soapnuts. They're better for the environment and your hip pocket!