Soap nuts are the most eco-friendly laundry detergent you will find. They are actually the shells  from the fruit of the soap nut tree, commonly grown in India and Nepal and of which there are two varieties: sapindus trifoliatus and sapindus mukorossi. The shells contain saponin, a natural substance that acts as a gentle, yet effective detergent.

 

 

 

If you will use hot water for your laundry load, simply place 3-4 shells in a small muslin bag (usually provided by the manufacturer). Close tight and throw in with your laundry.

If you will use warm or cold water, soak the nuts in hot water for about 5 minutes prior to putting them in the muslin bag. Saponin is released around 60 degrees Celsius, so it is important to not skip this step, otherwise the detergent power of the soapnuts will be null, and your nuts will remain hard.  Then proceed as above.

You can safely use them for your silks and wools, as well as for thick cotton towels.

Your soapnuts can be reused up to four times.  To know whether it is time to replace them or not, simply squeeze them:  if a white, sticky liquid comes out, your nuts are good for another use! You may want to pre-treat some stains with an oxygenated cleaner.  But there is no need to add a fabric softener, and rinse cycles are unnecessary too. So you fill save on water and electricity. What’s more, they are safe for front-loaders too as they are low-sudsing.

Once you’ve used up the shells, you can safely dispose of them in your compost bin, or in the trash. They are fully biodegradable. These little nuts may clear up eczema and other skin rashes or allergies caused by conventional laundry detergents. They will leave no smell on your clothes.

There are different brands to choose from, such as Lullwater Soap Nuts (carried by Whole Foods in the detergent section and the one that Just Live Greener uses), and others that can be purchased on line (trial samples are usually available).  A one-pound bag of soap nuts will yield up to 150 loads for about $20-25. Go to your local natural food store or check out our Green Store.