How to Make Liquid HE Detergent

Boil soap nuts to make a liquid detergent.

Since high-efficiency washing machines use less water than traditional machines, they require special HE detergent. Good HE detergent is both concentrated and produces low suds. The detergent must be strong enough to get the clothes clean, while at the same time be easy to wash away with minimal amounts of water. One way to make your own all-natural HE detergent is by using soap nuts. Soap nuts are a natural fruit from the sapindus mukorrosi tree that contains a natural detergent known as saponin. Saponin is an all-natural surfactant that is ideal for washing clothes in HE machines.

Things You'll Need

• 15 soap nuts
• 6 cups water
• 2 quart pot
• Strainer
• 16 ounce container with a lid

Instructions

1. Purchase a package of soap nuts. The three main soap nuts companies are NaturOli, Maggie's Pure Land and Eco Nuts. Soap nuts can also be purchased in generic and bulk form from many health food stores and online sellers.

2. Place 12 to 15 soap nuts and six cups of water into a two quart pot. Place it over high heat on the stove until it starts to boil and then lower the heat to low and let it simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. The soap nuts will turn a light gray or tan color and be mushy in texture when the saponin is fully extracted out of them.

3. Allow the mixture to cool for about two hours.

4. Pour the mixture through a strainer and into a cup or container with a lid. The container should be able to hold approximately three to four cups of liquid, as the excess should have evaporated during the simmering process. A 16 ounce container should work well.

5. Use approximately three tablespoons of liquid for an average sized load. Up to 1/4 cup can be used for larger or heavily soiled loads.

6. Close your container with a lid and refrigerate to extend its shelf life. The solution is perishable. It will last up to a week in the refrigerator and two or three days at room temperature.

References

• Maggie's Pure Land: Answers
• NaturOli: Turning Soap Nuts into Powder or Liquid Forms

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• NaturOli: Premium Quality, Safe, non-toxic, laundry soap!
• Maggie's Pure Land: The Soap that Grows on Trees!
• Eco Nuts: A New Standard in Green Cleaning