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I got some soap nuts in the Oxfam Fairtrade shop but I've a couple of questions.

If I use them in the washing machine, how does the machine manage to rinse the clothes as the little bag of soap nuts is still in there with the rinse water?

It says on the bag that you can make a liquid soap from them for hairwashing, skin cleansing and general cleaning but it doesn't say how to make this liquid...anybody any ideas?

Cheers,

I have been using soap nuts for a couple of months now, and there a couple of useful threads here somewhere on soapnuts, and I am sure that some will find and post the links shortly for you.

But I can't really answer your question on the rinsing, except to say that my clothes come out, soft and clean, and don't smell off or vinagery at all, even though the nuts are in there during the rinse cycle.

And to make the liquid soaps - when the soap nuts have ceased to dry hard after a machine wash (approx 3 to 4 times), then you boil them up with some water, I add a couple of drops of lavendar oil too, and you can decant into a containter as liquid soap. I make a more watery mix for my hair and a more concentrated mix for the kitchen sink.

Monika

That's great, I will try boiling some up when they've done their work in the washing machine. Many thanks.

Apparantly the saponin in the soap nuts is released at 30 degrees or above so a cold rinse would be ok should think.
But... if you only wash at 30 then presumerably the saponin wouldnt be released so now i am in a quandry. I have baffled myself with science!!!
However I have been using them for some time and Ido fnd that they wash ok at 40 and the clothes dont come out too bad nor have I noticed a smell from them.
I have also just made shampoo which I gather is best to shake up and use the foam,put on wet hair and leave for a few minutes and rinse off,it doesn't make a lather as the chemical forms do.
My hair seems ok,none has fallen out. I do add a little ylang ylang to the shampoo or any oil of choice to fragrance it, just 15 drops.I havnt noticed a difference in bought shampoo to this one.

I haven't braved the shampooing yet, but my hubby has used the soap liquid as an all over shower gel, (not that he has that much hair left on his head) and had no problems with it - I added a couple of drops of my own home made lavendar essential oil to it, and it left the bathroom smelling yummy.

What happens to soapnuts in the rinse cycle?
This is just one of life's imponderables; they just don't leave any residue, go figure.
They are fantastic though aren't they.
My instructions say to make a cleaning liquid:
boil a large handful of crushed shells in 500ml of water, simmer for 5-10 mins, strain and cool.

I was so sceptical about using them but thought go on, so I sent for a free sample and I just love them.

I have recently become rather dissapointed with soap nuts. My fance's shirst developed a dark patch on the back which was obviousel whene he had sweated and the greese and sweat hadnt washed out,. We had to resorn to vanish to get it out. The shirts were practically stiff with it yeauch!!

Also I recently washed come bed sheets and they came out with little brown blobs on the m like bogies and I took out the washing machine filter and it was all gooped up with this brown slimey stuff which I can only assume is from the soap nuts,.

Very upsetting.

Well we've been using the nuts for about a month now. We also put about a cup of washing soda in the machine as well because our water is very hard. So far the results have been great on coloured clothes but we don't use them on white clothes because they don't seem to shift every stain (but they don't show on dark stuff )

I made some cleaning solution from the nuts as well. Mixed in some vinegar, some bread soda and some lemon juice and shook it all up. We use this as a kitchen surface cleaner and it works as well as any commercial stuff. I must say that I'm very impressed.

We don't use the 'soap juice' for showering though because it's too watery and difficult to apply. You really need the gel consistency for body wash to stick to the skin whereas the soap juice just runs through your fingers and into the shower tray - it does give you marvellously clean feet though!