How to Use Soapwort

Contributor

By Melissa Howard
eHow Contributing Writer

Article Rating: (2 Ratings)

Soapwort

Saponaria officionalis, most commonly known as soapwort, goes by many names including bouncing bet, bruisewort, farewell summer, fuller’s herb, Joe run by the street, hedge pink, dog’s clove, old maid’s pink, and soaproot. Soapwort has been used for centuries as a cleaning agent, cleaning everything from sheep, before they are sheared, to fine linens at the National Trust in Britain. The cleansing ability of soapwort is due to a substance called saponin that is found in the stems and roots and creates a sudsy, cleansing agent when mixed with water. Today, soapwort is most frequently used as a natural cleanser in shampoos and soaps for face and hair. However, some people still use it to clean delicate fabrics.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

2 or 3 tbsp. of soapwort root, stems, and leaves
Rolling pin
Knife
3 cups of water
Saucepan
Spoon
Essential oil
Sieve

Soapwort Shampoo

Step 1

Use a rolling pin to crush the root or a knife to chop and bruise the fresh stems.
Step 2

Place soapwort in saucepan and cover with water.
Step 3

Place the pan of soapwort over low heat and stir until sudsy. Do not allow the soapwort to boil.
Step 4

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and allow the mixture to cool.
Step 5

Use the soap immediately because it does not store well.

Soapwort Fabric Treatment

Step 1

Make a batch of soapwort shampoo.
Step 2

Place the cooled shampoo in a container large enough to hold the delicate fabric that needs cleansing (soapwort is especially effective for treating wools, silks, or old and fragile embroideries and doilies).
Step 3

Add enough water to cover the item.
Step 4

Let the item soak in the soapwort.
Step 5

Gently hand-wash the item and rinse it in cool water.
Step 6

Dry the item lying flat on a clean towel.

Tips & Warnings

Soapwort doesn’t smell as good as other herbs. As a result, a few drops of essential oil in your shampoo can be beneficial.
Soapwort is helpful in treating conditions such as dandruff, cold sores, and acne.
Do not allow the soapwort to boil while you are making your shampoo. When soapwort boils, the saponin, which is the cleaning agent in the plant, is destroyed.
Do not take soapwort internally. It is upsetting to the digestive system. If large quantities are digested it can kill red blood cells.
Use of soapwort is done so at ones own risk.

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