DIY soapwort shampoo & soap recipe (Tried & Tested)

In this blog post I wanted to share with you my favourite gentle shampoo recipe made from natural soapworth, camomile and rosemary, which can also be used as a natural liquid soap.

Whilst I was making the last batch of this fabulous homemade soap, I’ve also researched the plan – soaport – itself.

As you’ll see it’s a really fascinating plant and I hope you’ll enjoy learning more about making natural soaps and cosmetics at home.

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What is soapwort?

Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) is quite a magical plant, which was often used to treat skin diseases in traditional medicine. The Latin name ‘Saponaria’ comes from a toxic substance, called saponin, which can be found in the plant.

The main concentration is in the roots, but if eaten, the whole plant can cause mild to moderate discomfort (digestive problems, skin irritation). The best time to collect soapwort root is when the plant flowers, because that’s when the saponin concentration is the highest. 

The plant’s leaves (and stalks) also contain saponin and were used in the medieval times to clean skin as they form a mild soap when mixed with water.

Traditionally, soapwort was used to make natural soap and to wash clothes. Because soapwort soap is much milder than more commonly used soaps made with lye, the soap can be used for washing lace, old fabric or linen. 

It’s also perfect as a gentle hair shampoo and liquid hand wash. 

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Can you eat soapwort ?

I love my foraging finds, but even I’m not tempted to eat soapwort!

It’s generally not recommended to eat the plant, in fact, if you do, you could give yourself some serious indigestion problems and vomiting.

This is only if you consume the plant in large quantities, but still, it’s best to stay clear of eating soapwort!

Foraging for soapwort

Soapwort grows next to roads, close to meadows, hedges or beginnings of forests. You can also find it in your own garden or local park as it’s rather invasive.

When you go out to look for soapwort, it’s really important to be safe and smart! Since the whole plant contains that saponin substance, you should never pick plants that are growing right next to a busy road, because they might have soaked up pollution from car exhaust.

Also, only take a small amount from one area. This is called sustainable foraging, and it means leaving plenty of the plant behind so it can keep growing strong year after year.

Remember, if you are new to foraging, always go with an adult who knows what they are doing, and use your guidebook to double-check that you have the right plant before you harvest it.

Harvest time

Pick the flowers, leaves, stems and roots when your go foraging during spring and summer and if you like dry the roots and leaves to use pick them up during winter. 

If you are just starting with foraging, it’s worth taking a small foraging guidebook with you, so that you don’t confuse soapwort with different plants. And you never know, you might find something else you like to pick!

Where to buy soapwort all year round

Sometimes, it’s not possible to collect fresh soapwort, which is why I also have a few places where I go to buy my soapwort during the rest of the year.

Here are couple of places where you can order soapwort online.

Dry Soapwort Root (100g pack) >>

Dry Soapwort Root (50g pack) >>

The Shampoo & Soap Recipe Ingredients

Soapwort

Soapwort root can help to calm scalp itching and other minor skin conditions. This shampoo is completely natural and doesn’t have as much lather as shop-bought shampoo, but I take it as a good thing!

Although the soap is fairly mild, it has the ability to dissolve fat and grease, which makes it perfect for shampoo or liquid hand wash.

Depending on the time of the year, you might like to use fresh leaves of soapwort or in the winter use the try root or leaves, that you collect and dry in the summer.

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Dosage

You will need approximately 3 tablespoons of fresh leaves or 1 tablespoon of dry soapwort.

The process is the same, but if you have a fresh soapwort boil the mixture for about 15 minutes not 20 minutes.

The quantity in my recipes is enough to shampoo your hair about 6 times (depending on how long your hair is).

Since this is a natural product made without any preservatives, it doesn’t last very long. It’s best to keep the shampoo or liquid soap in a cool dark place (even in the fridge) or use it within 10 days. 

My tips for making the liquid soap

Making the liquid soap or shampoo is fairly similar and you can always add more water to dilute the soap or shampoo to use.

Soapwort liquid soap is usually less concentrated than the shampoo, because I like to use it for hand washing my clothes as well as instead of actual hand wash soap.

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Important Safety Notes for Your Kitchen

Because you are boiling a plant that is considered mildly toxic if eaten, it’s very important to keep your cooking area clean. Always wash your saucepan and utensils thoroughly with regular dish soap after you are done making the shampoo.

Also, make sure that any leftover dried soapwort root or leaves are stored in a place where children or pets can’t reach them. Even though the finished soap is gentle for washing, the concentrated raw plant material needs to be handled with care, just like any kitchen ingredient that isn’t meant for eating.

Water

Ideally, you want to use water that’s free of chemicals and minerals, something like a distilled water.

If you don’t have distilled water, use filtered water or boil water first in a kettle, let to cool down and then add to the soapwort leaves or roots.

Try to avoid hard water as it has a lot of minerals in it (like calcium and magnesium). When these minerals mix with the saponins in the soapwort, they stop the soap from foaming and cleaning as well.

This is why you should avoid using water straight from the tap unless you know you have “soft water.” Using filtered or boiled and cooled water (or better yet, rainwater!) will make sure your shampoo lathers up and cleans much more effectively.

Herbs & plants to use with soapwort

Pretty much anything can be added to the soapwort soap base to make it fragrant. You can leave the soapwort on it’s own, it has a faint herby smell, but it’s not very strong or exiting as a fragrance.

You can use essential oils specially designed for domestic use in cosmetics or use fresh flowers or herbs.

The amount added depends on how strong you’d like your essence to be, but don’t over do it. You want to make sure that your shampoo or soap is as natural and as gentle as possible.

• Rose petals
• Lemon 
• Lavender
• Rosemary
• Lemon Verbena

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Soapwort Liquid Soap Recipe

• 1 cups of fresh soapwort leaves and stems (or 1/3 cup of dried leaves or stems – all packed tightly)
• 500 ml of water

1. In a medium size saucepan boil the water
2. Add the soapwort and boil for 15 – 20 minutes
3. Strain through a fine mesh sieve or use a cheesecloth
4. Add any essential oils of your choice
5. Pour in to a liquid soap dispenser. 

Soapwort Shampoo Recipe

• 2 cups of water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried soapwort root (chopped) 
•  few leaves of Lemon Verbena, Lavender or Rosemary 

1. In a medium sized sauce pan, bring water to a boil. 
2. Add the soapwort root.
3. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat
4. Add your fresh herbs and allow the soap mixture to cool for at least 20 minutes. 
5. Pour the soap mixture through a strainer.
6. Pour into a suitable shampoo bottle. 

Calming Soapwort Shampoo Recipe

• 1 1/2 Tablespoon Soapwort Root
• 2 Tablespoon Dried Chamomile Flowers
• 2 Cups of water
• 5 drops Rosemary Essential Oil

1. In a medium size saucepan, bring water to a boil. 
2. Add soapwort root and chamomile flowers. 
3. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. 
4. Remove from heat. 
5. Allow to cool. 
6. Strain the soap mixture through a fine sieve. 
7. Add few drops of rosemary oil.
8. Pour into a suitable shampoo bottle. 

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Troubleshooting for Your Homemade Soap

If your soap doesn’t turn out quite right, here are a few things to check.

• Not Enough Lather/Foam: If your final product doesn’t seem to bubble much, you might need to add more of the soapwort. Next time, try adding an extra half-tablespoon of dried root or another quarter cup of fresh leaves to the boiling water to make the saponin mixture stronger.
• Too Thick or Gummy: If the liquid soap is too thick, it means you boiled away too much water. You can easily fix this by simply adding a little more distilled or filtered water to the cooled mixture until it flows nicely.
• Smells Sour: Since this soap has no preservatives, if it starts smelling sour or strange, it has gone bad and you should throw it away. Make sure you store it in the fridge as suggested and use it within 10 days for the best results.

The History of Soapwort

Did you know that soapwort has been a popular cleaner for centuries? Ancient cultures like the Romans used it long ago! Because the soap it makes is so gentle, people in Europe started using it a lot in the Middle Ages to wash delicate fabrics like fine silks and laces that would be ruined by harsher soaps.

It was often grown right in the home garden because it was so useful. For a long time, soapwort was the secret ingredient used by restorers in museums to carefully clean very old and fragile textiles, paintings, and even rare carpets. So, when you make your own batch, you are carrying on a very old tradition.

How Do Saponins Make Bubbles?

The magical cleaning part of the soapwort plant is called saponin. These saponins are what cause the mild foaming and cleaning action when you mix the plant with water.

Saponins are like tiny natural cleaners that have two different ends. One end loves water, and the other end loves fat and grease.

When you wash your hands or hair, the fat-loving end of the saponin grabs onto the dirt and oil. Then, when you rinse with water, the water-loving end lets the whole thing—the saponin, the dirt, and the oil—wash away!

That’s how this natural plant is able to dissolve fat and get things clean without using harsh chemicals.

This blog post was originally written on 12 July 2020 and last updated on 15 November 2025.