Yucca Vs. Soapwort Vs. Aritha/Soapnuts?

**Sally** · August 18th, 2008, 10:04 AM

WHAT A MASSIVE DRAG!!!!!

I just typed up a huge account of my travels up north (hiking, camping) and using soap nut liquid for hand laundry (including socks, undies, clothes that had been worn into the back-country for several sweaty, slogging hard days at a time). And the damn server said I wasn't signed in when I went to post. I certainly had been when I started typing!!!

Anyway, I can't write it all out again now. Suffice to say that it worked absolutely great for me, boiled up, and lasted without refrigeration -- no change smell, colour, effectiveness -- for over two weeks.

Check out "maggie's soap nuts" website for info about making and usig the liquid. I hope this thing posts.....

**detritus** · August 18th, 2008, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by Sally

And the damn server said I wasn't signed in when I went to post. I certainly had been when I started typing!!!

This happens to me all the time on the new site...weird.

**Sceleste** · August 21st, 2008, 05:05 AM

I scalp washed with soapnut liquid a few hours ago. I didn't boil the nuts this time, just put them into hot tap water yesterday evening and left them to sit in room temperature.

The liquid worked wonderfully, my hair is very clean.

This is wonderful news to me. It makes washing with whole soapnuts easier and faster because no boiling is needed.

I left the nuts I used to dry. I'll make another liquid with them on the weekend, I want to test how many times I can re-use them.

**mellie** · August 21st, 2008, 05:21 AM

How long did you let them sit before you used them?

Can you post some photos of before and after?

I really want to be able to use them too! :-)

**Sceleste** · August 21st, 2008, 05:27 AM

I'll try to take pictures the next time I use soapnuts.

I let them sit from yesterday evening till this morning, so about 14 hours.

**mellie** · August 21st, 2008, 05:50 AM

OK, great! Also if you could take photos of your liquid, that might help too!

Are you using the same ratio?

**naturechild** · August 21st, 2008, 08:47 AM

I just got my soap nuts yesterday!! yippee! I am going to try them out this weekend! I'll let you all know Mon.

**mellie** · August 21st, 2008, 08:52 AM

Great, naturechild!

Are you going to try them on your hair at all? The ratio that Sceleste has been successfully using is 4 nuts to 1 cup water, followed immediately by a vinegar rinse.

I just realized that I didn't immediately follow with the vinegar rinse, so perhaps that was my issue!

FYI, apparently some people have had success (just in general, not specifically with soapnuts) doing lemon rinses rather than vinegar rinses, which I think I'd love to try!

One more thing I realized might make a difference: distilled water. Apparently this has made a difference for folks doing honey treatments, so I wonder if it could affect the cleansing properties of the soapnuts on hair? I assume that Finnish water is probably rather different than the water here in Southern Indiana.... :-)

**ktani** · August 21st, 2008, 11:48 AM

mellie

The distilled water and honey lightening has to do with the effect minerals can have to deplete hydrogen peroxide.

Distilled water is mineral free.

**naturechild** · August 21st, 2008, 12:12 PM

I have used them on my wash already and love the results things are clean and I am happy.
I plan to use them on my hair this weekend. My beau hates vinegar Maybe I should try the lemon recipe? can I use lemon juice? how about lime?