Ok, so I have made an exciting new discovery today that I really want to share with you all! Maybe you already know about it and I’m just finally catching up, but even if that’s true I have to write about it anyway 🙂
Have you ever heard of Soap Nuts*? I was just introduced to them today as my friend is trying them out. As she was pretty excited about them, I thought that I’d look into them myself to see if they are worth a try.
What are Soap Nuts?
Soap Nuts – also know as Indian Wash Nuts – are a 100% natural washing detergent which are a great alternative for our normal chemical based laundry detergents. They grow on trees mainly in South India which have beautiful white flowers. In October the Soap Nuts are ready to be harvested, when they are picked from the trees they are quite sticky and golden in colour. They are then dried out and the kernels are removed from the shells. Once this has been done the shells are then bagged up and ready to use as a mild detergent.
How do they work?
They work in pretty much the same way as any other form of soap. Once they come into contact with water they create mild suds. This is because the shells are made of natural saponine which creates the foam.
When using Soap Nuts as a washing detergent you place around 5 half shells in the muslin bag that is provided. This then goes into the drum with the load.
Apparently you don’t have to use a fabric conditioner with the Soap Nuts, however, my friend has recommended using a small amount of white wine vinegar with a few drops of your favourite essential oil to give a really soft finish that smells lovely.
How much do they cost?
So, the next question to consider is the cost. If you are looking to buy them online from sites like Amazon* and eBay* then you are looking at around £8.99 for a 1kg bag of Soap Nuts*. This usually also includes at least one small muslin bag for the Soap Nuts* to be put into in your machine.
They are supposed to be a cheaper alternative to our popular laundry detergents as a 1kg bag should last you around 240 washes. This is because the nuts can be used for around 4-5 washes before they need to be discarded.
Environmentally friendly
Another reason why I would like to give Soap Nuts a try* is because they are a great environmentally friendly alternative to my usual chemical based washing detergent. This is because they literally do grow on trees and come from sustainable agricultural plants. Once you have used the Soap Nuts they can be added to your compost heap to be disposed of naturally.
As you can probably tell, I think that this is a pretty interesting swap for my usual washing detergent. My Soap Nuts should be getting delivered tomorrow so I’ll be writing a review in a few weeks to let you know how I’ve got on with them.
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