garden herbs soap

How I use herbs - soapwort

by Liz Beavis
I bought a tiny little soapwort plant a couple of years ago and I have been waiting patiently for it to grow because I really wanted to try using it for laundry detergent.  I found out about soapwort after I started using soap nuts for laundry.  I like soap nuts, but they are imported from overseas and can't be grown here as they are considered a weed plant.

my soapwort plant before I harvested some leaves
Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) is commonly grown as a flowering plant (unfortunately I don't have a photo of mine in flower).  Its leaves and roots contain saponins, which is a chemical that lathers when mixed with water.  This makes soapwart an effective cleaner.  Soapwart can also be made into a decoction to treat external skin conditions (I haven't tried this), and although it can be taken internally for various ailments, it comes with many warnings, so I haven't tried that either.  As soapwort can be poisonous, you need to grow it where grazing animals cannot access it, so I have kept mine in a pot for now.  Soapwort is not frost sensitive, but does wilt in hot dry weather.  I find it revives if I put the pot in a tub of water for a couple of days.  It may do better in the ground though.

The main reason I grow soapwort is for the saponins, and I have been waiting for for it to be large enough to harvest.  You can harvest the roots and the leaves, but when I felt around in the pot I didn't think there was much root to harvest, so I just gave it a haircut instead.

Then I followed the instructions that I found here.  I put the leaves in a large pot and covered them in water.  I boiled the water for a couple of hours, leaving it to steep overnight.
before boiling
ready to strain
Then I strained the mixture through a cheese-cloth and into a large bottle.  I ended up with around 5L of soap water liquid.  I added about half a litre of vinegar to make it keep longer.


Now the only problem is working out how much soapwort liquid to use in the washing machine!  Its very simple for handwashing, you just add more when the bubbles disappear, but with the washing machine I have just been sloshing some liquid in the detergent drawer and hoping its enough.  Clothes are coming out clean, so it can't be too bad.  I think I will need to grow a lot more soapwort if we were to use this for all our washing, but I very satisfied to know that there is something I can grow and easily process as a soap substitute.

What do you think?  Do you grow soapwort?

Want to read my other herb posts?  

How I use herbs - Mint, Peppermint and Spearmint

How I use herbs - Aloe Vera

How I use herbs - Basil

How I use herbs - Ginger, galangal and turmeric

How I use herbs - Marigold, calendula and winter taragon

How I use herbs - Lemon balm

How I use herbs - Soapwort

How I use herbs - Comfrey

How I use herbs - Nasturtium

How I use herbs - Parsley

How I use herbs - Borage

How I use herbs - Herb Robert

How I use herbs - Purslane

How I use herbs - Chickweed

How I use herbs - Neem oil

How I use herbs - Rue, tansy and wormwood

How I use herbs - Brahmi

How I use herbs - Yarrow

How I use herbs - Arrowroot

How I use herbs - Lucerne (afalfa)

How I use herbs - Lavender

How I use herbs - Rosemary and Thyme

How I use herbs - Oregano or Marjoram

How I use herbs - Sweet Violet

How I use herbs - Gotu Kola

How I use herbs - Lemongrass

How I use herbs - Coriander (or cilantro)

How I use herbs - Dill


1 comment

  • Rene

    Im growing soapwort and it flowered last year.Beautifull white flowers…its grown back vigorously so im going to follow ur advice…also i make my soap and face cream

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

More from: garden herbs soap
Back to Eight Acres - the blog

Share this

Recent Posts

Eight Acres Soap is Different!
Eight Acres Soap is Different!
Backyard Chickens - where to start!
Backyard Chickens - where to start!
Removal house advice - where to start?
Removal house advice - where to start?
Weird vegetables in my sub-tropical garden
Weird vegetables in my sub-tropical garden

eBooks By Eight Acres

View all
eBook - Make Your Own Natural Soap
eBook - Our Experience with House Cows
eBook - A Beginner's Guide to Backyard Chickens and Chicken Tractors
eBook - Advanced Natural Soapmaking Techniques
eBook - Grow Your Own Vegetables