Soap nuts... Bubbles... Lots of them!

nframe · Feb 7, 2014

I just thought that I would let you know about my latest soap. I made a small batch this morning at 9 am and 4 hours later I was able to take it out of the mould it and try it. I know it is far too soon but I was impatient. The reason for my impatience is that I used soap nut tea instead of water. I also added sugar and 1 teaspoon of honey powder for good measure. Well, it worked wonders. I just hope that when it cures, the bubbles won't disappear.

I have never heard of soap nuts before so, of course, I had to try. I don't know that I would put them in the washing machine but they certainly work in soap.

Pilar · Feb 7, 2014

Please, you can tell me how you did it with nut tea instead of water? Perhaps you have macerated or have made an infusion?

The Efficacious Gentleman · Feb 7, 2014

Nuts boiled in water is the usual option, isn't it?

No wonder it's sudsy!

nframe · Feb 7, 2014

Pilar said:
Please, you can tell me how you did it with nut tea instead of water? Perhaps you have macerated or have made an infusion?

I just put 40g soap nuts in 1 L mineral water. Bring it to the boil and simmer for about 5 minutes. Let it cool down overnight and used that instead of water. Et voilà!

paillo · Feb 7, 2014

It sounds fantastic! I've been meaning to try soapwort and soap nuts, you're an inspiration!

ETA: Just ordered soap nuts from Amazon and got my soapwort seeds in today's mail. Yippee!

songwind · Feb 7, 2014

Interesting. Makes sense, though - the surfactants should certainly boost the lather.

lenarenee · Feb 7, 2014

What are soap nuts? (I saw some interesting things on Amazon, but they were berries).

nframe · Feb 7, 2014

lenarenee said:
What are soap nuts? (I saw some interesting things on Amazon, but they were berries).

That's the ones. Here is the link to what I bought:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00DI7J8AK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

MadMadamMim · Feb 7, 2014

Oooh, that sounds nice! I have some soapnuts sitting around, bet they'd be great in a shampoo bar.

If you think of it, I'd love to hear later if you found the bubbles were reduced by curing.

The Efficacious Gentleman · Feb 7, 2014

Soap nuts ARE actually a berry, just badly named. Very interesting things indeed.

shunt2011 · Feb 7, 2014

I ordered some soap nut...hoping to test it out for myself. Should be interesting.

jade-15 · Feb 7, 2014

Hmm I have them for clothes washing.
Never made the link between soap nuts and soap... D'oh!

If anyone is interested, I tried both using the nuts in a bag in the wash itself, and making the liquid. The nuts (or berries) in a bag in the wash last for 6 washes and I would lose count how many washes they had been through... so liquid was easier to deal with.
Not convinced they did the best job of cleaning though. My boyfriend hates them so he would stick to shop-bought, and alternating the soap nuts with the shop bought seemed to work. (Like the nuts would clean at first but after I while it seemed like some clothes had a bit of a lingering smell :S)

My sister-in-law got me on to soap nuts and she LOVES them. Said they were cleaning her clothes (and those of her toddler and baby!) much better than the shop bought they had been using.
So I wonder if it's a machine difference, or perhaps that I wash on cold only and maybe she doesn't, or some other reason... Don't know.
If I get around to making my laundry soap then I will DEFINITELY use soap nut tea in that.

boyago · Feb 7, 2014

Does anybody know what is going on chemically with saponins? I know that the saponins in soap nuts and other plants like the Bouncing Bet and I think agave also have saponins. I am curious if the soap making process zaps what ever it is that makes them soap like from the plants.

Lin · Feb 7, 2014

I wonder how a soap nut tea in castile would turn out..

newbie · Feb 7, 2014

DO they discolor at all or accelerate trace?

Pilar · Feb 7, 2014

When do you bats that water with the lye to reach the trace does not foam?

shivani · Feb 7, 2014

In india it was used as a shampoo since ages mixed with indian gooseberry and shikakai..my mother also used this nd she had beautiful hair n never had splits..but now everyone uses commercial shampoos..i dont know y?? May b coz its time consuming..n soapnuts make hair feel dry..bt we use it in body soaps, will it not be drying? Did u test it on ur hands?

nframe · Feb 8, 2014

newbie said:
DO they discolor at all or accelerate trace?

They did not noticeably accelerate trace if at all and, as for discoloration, I attach a picture of the soap nut infusion (I think it looks a bit like wee...). I don't know whether you could make a pure white soap with it. Mine was coloured anyway, so it did not matter. I also attach a photo of the bubbles produced, this morning, after 24 hours.

seven · Feb 8, 2014

interesting. i have never heard of soap nuts before.

newbie · Feb 8, 2014

How much more lather do you have at 24 hours than usual? That lather looks pretty good but I wonder what you think the increase is over your normal recipe.

Soap nuts... Bubbles... Lots of them!

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