soap nuts

penah dengar tak soap nuts?

aqu macam berminat la dengan soap nuts ni.

very affordable and all natural :)



meh nak share sikit pasai soap nuts.


credit to: http://www.gaiaconnexion.com/

What are Soapnuts?

Soapnuts are totally natural and eco-friendly mult-purpose cleaner for today’s household washing and cleaning needs. It's great for a wide range of washing and cleaning purposes as well as being gentle to the environment.   

Also known as Soapnuts/Soapberries in the West, Ritha by the Indians and Lerak by the Indonesians, these are actually small berries that grow on soapnut trees which can be found in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Indonesia. Once the berries have ripened, they are gathered by hand, sun -dried and have their seeds taken out.

The scientific name for soapnuts is Sapindus Trifoliatus or Sapindus Mukorossi (depending on where it is grown). Soapnuts contain saponin, a natural cleaning agent which is released when the soapnuts are wet. It is the saponin that has the ability to wash and clean a wide range of items from laundry to the dishes. Saponin can effectively replace chemical detergents and commercial soaps that are currently found in today's markets.

For centuries, traditional societies have been using soapnuts to wash almost everything from hair to clothes and even to polish precious metals. Soapnuts are among the list of herbs and minerals in Ayurveda. They are a popular ingredient in Ayurvedic shampoos and cleansers. They are used in Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment for eczema, psoriasis, and for removing freckles. Soapnuts have gentle insecticidal properties and are traditionally used for removing lice from the scalp.

Using soapnuts to wash and clean is simply a wonderful way to maintain an eco-friendly and green lifestyle, but more importantly to reduce the use of harsh chemical agents which can harm our environment. Now we can wash and clean all we want without harming Mother Nature.

Soapnuts Goodness
100% Eco-Friendly and Biodegradable

100% Free of harsh chemicals agents

Save water, natural resources and energy

As it has antimicrobial properties, clean both septic and grey-water systems

Great for people with allergies and sensitive skins

Great for treating hair lice and dandruff problems, great hair shampoo

Excellent for laundry and dish washing

Good for washing delicate clothes items and fabrics

Handy way to clean jewelry and tarnish precious metals

Splendid natural pesticide for plants

Great as pet shampoo

Using Soapnuts

Doing Laundry

Put 6 - 8 Soapnuts to a small cotton bag (or an old cotton sock), tie the end and place it inside the drum of the washing machine together with your clothes. Wash as per normal.

For hand washing, you can make a tea with 8 soapnuts and wash as usual.

Soapnuts produce low suds and are suitable for use in both front and top loading machines.

Use warm/hot water for soiled washing and a cold wash for refreshing clothes. Depending on your preference, the rinse cycle need not be used as this is a low sud product or you can reduce the number of rinse cycle. I do suggest that you start off with washing the laundry as normal to get a feel of it first.

If you enjoy scented laundry add 5 - 8 drops of essential oil to the washbag.

Store soapnuts in a dry and cool area. Sometimes soapnuts will absorb some moisture and becomes sticky but this will not effect their cleaning properties.

Note:

• Soapnuts are ideal for HE and front load washers.
• Try adding 5 - 8 drops of your favourite essential oil to make the laundry smell nice.
• If the soapnuts become mushy, gray, and no longer has a soapy feeling, they can be thrown away or be used as compost in the garden.
• Try adding some vinegar as a fabric softener or baking soda to whiten your whites (we recommend that you do not mix your colour and white clothing items).
• For heavily soiled or stained clothing and fabrics, please pre-soak with other  detergents or oxygen bleach or pre-treat it before adding to the wash. 

Dishwasher use

Place 5-6 soapnuts into the washbag and secure to the cutlery holder. You may add vinegar to the rinse aid dispenser for sparkling clean glasses.

Using Soapnut Liquid

How to make Soapnut Liquid

Put 15-20 pieces of soapnuts shell in around 4-5 cups of water and let it soak for 12 hours. Then strain and use. Soapnut shell can be reused until it no longer has a "soapy" feel to it. The longer the soapnuts sit in the water, the more concentrated the liquid becomes.

Alternatively, bring to boil the 15-20 pieces of soapnuts shell in 4-5 cups of water, and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool and strain liquid into a bottle. These soapnuts cannot be reused again.

Note:
This soapnut liquid can also be used for washing and cleaning a wide range of items.  As this very pure soapnut solution has no preservatives of any kind, it has only a very limited shelf life for only a few short days. To extend its shelf life, it would be best to keep it refrigerated (some people freeze it into ice cubes and use as needed). 

General Household Cleaner

Keep the soapnuts liquid in a spray bottle and use to clean the bathroom, kitchen, and floors. 

Jewellery cleaner

Soak your jewellery in the liquid for a few minutes. Use an old soft toothbrush to gently remove debris. Rinse with clean water and polish with a dry cloth.

Window and Glass cleaner

Fill a spray bottle with 250ml water, 15ml vinegar and 15ml soapnuts liquid. Spray and wipe windows or mirrors clean. Polish with newspaper.

Dishwashing Machine

Fill the soap dispenser with soap nuts liquid. Add vinegar as a rinse agent.         

Liquid hand soap and shampoo

Fill a pump bottle with the liquid and use to wash your hands or hair.

Note: Avoid your eyes, as it would sting quite a bit.

Pet shampoo

Dilute one part of soapnut liquid with 3 parts water. Pour over pet, wash thoroughly and rinse with clean water. Please avoid the pet's eyes. It will leave the fur soft, clean and helps repel pests. 

Plant wash and pest repellent

Add around 3 parts of water, 1 part soapnuts liquid and 4 teaspoons of Neem oil (optional) to a clean spray bottle. Shake well and spray on your plants

Handwashing silks and delicate fabrics

Add one cup of soapnuts liquid to half a pail of warm water or less. Gently wash your delicate clothes. Rinse with warm water and hang or lay flat to dry.

These are just the general guidelines on how to use soapnuts, please do feel free to experiment and modify the recipe to suit your own needs, please do adjust accordingly whenever needed.


Where are the bubbles?

Most if not all commercial cleaners contain chemical foaming agents to generate soapy foam to fool us into believing that the detergent or cleanser is working. But just because that there are a lot of bubbles doesn’t mean that the detergent/cleanser is effective. Soapnuts clean efficiently without much soapy bubbles, and because they are low sudsing (it is the natural saponin that creates the suds), it is highly ideal for H.E. and front loader washing machines.

Soapnuts get black and sticky

Soapnuts turn black and sticky as they absorb moisture from the air. If your soapnuts are exposed to long-term moisture, like humid air, they may change color and get sticky, but that wouldn't affect the cleaning power of soapnuts.

Store and Keep Soapnuts

Store soapnuts in a dry and cool area, avoid direct sunlight, preferably in an air tight container.

Quick & Handy Tips

Soap Substitute

Soak 1 or  2 pieces of soapnuts in some water for a few minutes to soften it up.

Then rub the soapnuts in the palms of your hands. A layer of soapy sud would appear. 

Use the layer of sud as soap on your body.

Soapnuts Liquid

Soak 10 to 20 pieces of soapnuts shell in 4 cups of waters overnight (for about 12 hours). Strain and start using liquid.

You can resoak the soapnuts to make more soapnut liquid until the soapnut shell no longer has a "soapy" feel to it. (If you are re-soaking the soapnuts for the third time, you may need to let the soapnuts sit in the water for longer than 12 hours).

Soapnut liquid can last much longer when kept in the refrigerator. If kept in room temperature, please finish it within 4 to 5  days.

Soapnuts on YouTube

Check out these YouTube videos on using soapnuts:

1. Making Soapnuts Liquid (Boiling Method)
2. Soapnuts Foam Cleanser
3. Whipped Soapnuts
4. Doing laundry with Soapnuts

Buying Soapnuts

Now that you know so much about soapnuts, why not get some soapnuts and try them out for yourself and your family. Once you have used them, you will realize that soapnuts are the way to go for most if not all of our cleaning and washing needs. It's time to throw away all those commercial detergents and start using soapnuts.

Soapnut Prices (does not include courier charges):

1. 1kg Soapnuts - RM 40 per pack
   
2. 500g Soapnuts - RM 25 per pack
3. 200g Soapnuts - RM 12 per pack
4. Cotton Muslin Bag - RM 3 per piece
   click http://www.gaiaconnexion.com/ for more info :)