How To Make Birch Leaf Soap

[marmaladekamikaze]

This soap would not be antibacterial, you would need to add some eucalyptus oil fo that.

[spamstoper3]

5******

[Anuekey]

I forgot to say great video!

[Anuekey]

Some people are allergic to Silver Birch so I would test on a small area if you have any concerns. 

[1NX9]

@Anuekey

Good point!

[1NX9]

Great video!

Its very uncomfortable if you dont have an effective means to wash yourself in the wild. Never seen this befor. I wonder if it has any anticeptic properties that could used for small cuts?

I wonder if there are other sources of sapponin besides birch leaves that could be used?

Good video.

[ursushoribilisron]

Thanks for the tip. I am going to try this next spring.

[n0ukf]

why cold water first?

[pyroman675]

@n0ukf it could bea thing with thermal shock. cold then to warm water might cause a tiny amout of thermal shock creating the leave to basically poo, its all that i could think of okay

[ArtisanTony]

lol, I thought the title said "soup", damn, good thing I watched the video lol

[J35u5M0d3]

@ArtisanTony

yea i read it as soup too.... =(

[oregongirl28]

nice, you should show a birch tree though

[boneyfreak2004]

black garbage bags works well.

Just throw leaves into it, add water, hang in sun, soapy warm water to wash with.

[oldskoolscout]

no boiling!!

the water has to be moderately warm

otherwise the saponin won't dissolve

[Magician505]

So do you boil the water with the leaf in the water or do you jus boil water and then add it to the leafs?

[Bigschwang]

nice, i wouldn't see you washing with that though :P haha

[oldskoolscout]

well believe it or not but it's a very nice soap

very gentle to the skin and a subtle odour

[Bigschwang]

nice i might try it seriously

[HalfKaztBoy]

Do you use leaves from the birch tree, the tree with the white bark? I think I got some around my area which is called silver birch.

[evilbuddhist]

I'm not sure but I think you can use the leaves of all birches (any tree of the genus Betula).

They should all contain the chemical saponin which gives the soap effect.

[HalfKaztBoy]

ahhh ok thankyou.

[oldskoolscout]

not a clue no ...

[Aristophrenia]

Impressive. That is, without a doubt, the first time I have ever heard of that, in all my years of scouting, and camping. I don't suppose you know off-hand of any people being allergic to Birch Leaf Soap?