Question About Walnut Hulls - x post

[Guest guest]

I know there are many people on this list knowledgeable about plants

so I am addressing this question to them.

 

I have several black walnut trees in my yard that produce walnuts fit

only for consumption by squirrels, who leave piles and piles of black

walnut hulls. I got this crazy idea of soaking the discarded hulls in

water to extract the black pigment (whatever it is) and use that black

water for making soap. (I'm trying to get a black soap but so far the

best I've done is a gunmetal gray.) I have a bucket of hulls soaking

for about eight hours now and the water is a dark brown. Does anyone

on this list know what might be in walnut hulls that would leach out

into water and would that water be safe to use in soap? I have some

on the stove right now simmering to sterilize it and kill any bacteria

but I'm wondering if there might be some irritating or toxic compound

that would render it unsafe for use in soap.

 

Common sense tells me this would make a good fabric dye so I'm

thinking it might not be bad in soap either but I'm not sure.

 

Does anyone know?

 

I'm posting this to another list also.

 

Mitsy

[Guest guest]

The black gue that your talking about is the part of black walnut you take to help kill parasite, so actually I would think since it would be a good thing. Ginaseagrape1954 <seagrape wrote: I know there are many people on this list knowledgeable about plantsso I am addressing this question to them. I have several black walnut trees in my yard that produce walnuts fitonly for consumption by squirrels, who leave piles and piles of blackwalnut hulls. I got this crazy idea of soaking the discarded hulls inwater to extract the black pigment (whatever it is) and use that blackwater for making soap. (I'm trying to get a black soap but so far thebest I've done is a gunmetal gray.) I have a bucket of hulls soakingfor about eight hours

now and the water is a dark brown. Does anyoneon this list know what might be in walnut hulls that would leach outinto water and would that water be safe to use in soap? I have someon the stove right now simmering to sterilize it and kill any bacteriabut I'm wondering if there might be some irritating or toxic compoundthat would render it unsafe for use in soap.Common sense tells me this would make a good fabric dye so I'mthinking it might not be bad in soap either but I'm not sure.Does anyone know?I'm posting this to another list also.Mitsy

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[Guest guest]

Black walnut hulls is a very well known natural dye for wool. I mix the powder in my shampoo to get rid of the grey.

[Guest guest]

This site has lots of info about black walnut hulls:

 

http://drclarkia.com/juglans_nigra.htm

 

The juice from the fruit husk is applied externally as a treatment

for ringworm[222, 257]. The husk is chewed in the treatment of colic

and applied as a poultice to inflammations[222].

 

The bark and leaves are alterative, anodyne, astringent, blood

tonic, detergent, emetic, laxative, pectoral and vermifuge[4, 222,

257]. Especially useful in the treatment of skin diseases, black

walnut is of the highest value in curing scrofulous diseases,

herpes, eczema etc[4]. An infusion of the bark is used to treat

diarrhoea and also to stop the production of milk, though a strong

infusion can be emetic[21, 257]. The bark is chewed to allay the

pain of toothache and it is also used as a poultice to reduce the

pain of headaches[222, 257].

 

A tea made from the leaves is astringent[222]. An infusion has been

used to lower high blood pressure[257]. It can be used as a

cleansing wash[21]. The pulverized leaves have been rubbed on the

affected parts of the body to destroy ringworm[257].

 

The sap has been used to treat inflammations[257].

 

A brown dye is obtained from the nuts, husks and bark[14, 57, 101,

159]. It does not require a mordant[169]. The husks can be dried for

later use[169].

 

A brown dye is obtained from the leaves and stems[168]. It does not

require a mordant[168]. The dye turns black if it is prepared in an

iron pot[168]. The leaves can be dried for later use[169].

 

Hope this helps.

Tina

 

 

herbal remedies , " seagrape1954 "

<seagrape wrote:

>

I have some on the stove right now simmering to sterilize it and

kill any bacteria but I'm wondering if there might be some

irritating or toxic compound that would render it unsafe for use in

soap.