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How to Make Your Own FREE Laundry Detergent


It's October - just in time to gather what you need to make your own FREE laundry detergent! 

If you stroll the neighborhood, you're bound to run in to a tree that looks like this: 



     

You might see spike-covered balls dangling from the tree or on the ground below. Inside these pods are a seed - the Horse Chestnut or Buckeyes as we call them in the US. (Conkers if you're in the UK). The Horse Chestnut is not an edible seed, but it contains compounds called saponins that can be used for washing things! As the seeds ripen, the spiky shell usually pops off, leaving the smooth brown seeds on the ground.

Unripe Horse Chestnut Inside the Shell

Saponins are named for their ability to form a soap-like foam when mixed with water. These compounds consist of a hydrophilic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (water-repelling) part, which gives them detergent-like properties. In addition to horse chestnut, saponins are also found in yucca root, soapwort root, and soapnuts. Saponins act as natural surfactants. This means they reduce the surface tension between water and oils or dirt, helping to emulsify and remove grime. When mixed with water, they create a lather or foam, acting as a natural soap or detergent. 

Gathering Horse Chestnuts

Horse chestnut trees are native to Eurasia, but many have been planted all over North America. Keep your eyes out for the distinctive leaves. They're often planted in parks and neighborhoods. If you notice a neighbor with a horse chestnut tree, offer to clean their yard for free - in return you get a bunch of saponin-rich seeds!

Horse Chestnut Seeds


To Make the Liquid:

The general ratio for making horse chestnut laundry liquid is 1 part horse chestnuts to 2-3 parts water by volume. That ends up being about 5-6 horse chestnuts (1 cup when chopped) to 2-3 cups water. 

  • Chop or Crush the Horse Chestnuts: Cut or crush the chestnuts into small pieces (smaller pieces extract saponins more effectively).

  • Soak in Water: Place the chopped chestnuts in a jar or container and cover them with 2-3 cups of water (use more water if you want a more diluted soap, less water for a stronger soap). Use distilled or filtered water for best results. 

  • Let Soak Overnight: Leave the chestnuts to soak for 8-12 hours. You’ll notice that the water may turn milky, which indicates the saponins have been released. (Alternative method: you can also bring the mixture to a boil to speed up the process and steep for about 2 hours instead of overnight.) 

  • Strain the Liquid: Strain out the chestnut pieces, and the liquid remaining is your laundry soap!


Optional: add Everclear to your liquid to keep it shelf-stable. You'll want the Everclear to be about 15% of your total volume. So if you make a batch that's a total of a gallon of liquid, you'd want to add about 20 oz of everclear. You can also add some vinegar to your mix as a natural laundry softener. 

Otherwise, keep your liquid in the fridge and use within 1-2 weeks. 

To use: 

Use 1/2 to 1 cup of the liquid per load of laundry, depending on how heavily soiled the clothes are. 



 

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