A while ago I heard from a few online friends about soap nuts. Seemed like a pretty wacky idea to me. How in the world could these things even compare to detergent? I mean really, even for me....it was out there.
Well, the company I order most of my bulk herbs from had them. I contemplated about it for about 30 minutes. Should I? Is it even worth the trouble.
But I thought, for $2.25, I was willing to take a gamble. They arrived and I just looked at them for quite a while, waiting for the perfect load to try them out on.
Just in case they were going to ruin a whole load or something, I thought I better wait for something I wasn't too in love with....a load of old towels.
So, I wrapped up 5 of them in a square of muslin and tossed it in with the towels. What do you know, they came out pretty good, and the soap nuts emerged intact and didn't ruin a thing. But, then again, the towels weren't that dirty to begin with.
Then I realized that there was a pail of dirty cloth diapers that my baby had out grown that I had forgotten about for over a month. I know, ew is right. But, this would surely be the deciding factor on of these things really worked.
I crossed my fingers and gave it a whirl. What do you know....the diapers came out better than with my regular detergent. AMAZING!
So, what are these things? Where can you get them? How do you use them? How long do they last? What do they cost?
According to my herb website:
Soap nuts contain saponin, a natural detergent. The soap nut shell absorbs water and releases the saponins which circulate as a natural surfactant in the wash water, freeing dirt, grime, and oils from clothing. Soap nuts are found in both the eastern and western hemispheres, but are native to India and Nepal. They have recently become a popular environmentally friendly alternative to chemical detergent, and are a gentle option for those with allergies to chemicals in regular detergents. They have traditionally been used as an expectorant, and in Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment for eczema and psoriasis.
Just a few nuts (4-6) in a cotton muslin bag should work for an entire load. There will be little or no bubbles during the wash cycle, and it will smell lightly similar to apple cider. They can be used several times and then composted afterwards. They will be slightly soft and grey when they need to be changed - I find I can do 5 heavy loads with 5 nuts. They can also be used in a powder form as a cleansing cream by adding a small amount of water.
20-25 nuts come in a 4 oz bag from Mountain Rose for $2.25. Believe me, though, I will be buying these in bulk for cheaper per ounce. So, give it a try! you'll like it.
