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Soap Nuts, or better known as ”klerek” or "lerak" fruit, is a fruit that contains saponins. Saponins are toxic alkaloids which, when processed, can produce foam to be used as a washing agent.
The use of soap nuts is definitely more environmentally friendly! The soap that we usually use certainly contains a lot of chemicals that are harmful to the environment and even likely to be harmful to our sensitive bodies. Moreover, plastic packaging which is usually used as ordinary soap packaging, will increase the amount of plastic waste and certainly harm the environment.
Therefore, using soap nuts is the perfect natural, hypoallergenic and vegan solution as a substitute for regular soap.
Source: Gaya Tempo[1]
Here are 2 ways of how you can use soap fruit:
1. Soap fruit as a multifunctional soap
What will you need:
15-20 soap fruit
100 ml of water
2 tablespoons of salt
Lemon peels
Strainer
A pot
A funnel
Two bowls
Glass jars
A wooden spoon
Steps:
Pour 1000 ml of water into a bowl.
Add soap fruit and leave it to soak for 3 days.
After 3 days, take soap fruit out of the bowl.
Squeeze the soap fruit until it releases sap.
Put the soap fruit with the sap back in the water.
Pour the water and soap fruit into a pot.
Add lemon peels and turn on the stove.
Simmer at low heat for 1 hour.
Add more water as needed.
After 1 hour, add 2 tablespoons of salt and stir well.
Scoop out the buah lerak and lemon peels.
Put the soap into any container.
The soap is ready to use!
This soap can be used as dish soap, mopping soap, etc since it works just as fine as regular soap.
2. Soap fruit as a substitute for laundry detergent
Steps:
Put 5-8 soap nuts in a small pouch and tie it closed.
Put the pouch and your laundry in the washing machine.
Wash as normal.
After washing, remove the bag and dry it alongside your laundry.
Reuse these soap nuts and compose them once their shells start to become soft and gray.
Fact! This soap smells heavenly, fresh and clean. Also it doesn’t damage the clothing material since it is organic.
Let’s try this and happy cleaning!
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