If you've been around my blog long enough, you know that I'm a huge fan of homemade cleaners. But sometimes, I just don't have the time to make more. So I have to find a great alternative to have on hand, preferably something all natural.
I've had the pleasure of using Soap Nuts from Green Virgin Products over the past few weeks & have been completely amazed. You see, a soap nut is the fruit of the Chinese Soap Berry Tree that contain a natural soap called saponin. You actually wash your clothes with the outer shell which has been dried out (the inside berries have been removed). And Green Virgin Products only have sapindus Mukorossi Soap Nuts available, which are the largest in size & have the highest saponin content.
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With Soap Nuts, you don't need any fabric softener or dryer sheets. Even though I usually make both of those also, it's nice not having to bother with them. What else is nice, is that my clothes come out clean & they even smell like it. Of course if the job is really big & would need a pre-treater, I would still recommend using one. (Green Virgin Products has one of those too.)
The hardness of your water & whether you have a front loader or top loader washing machine have an impact on how many Soap Nuts you use & for how many loads. I have very hard water & a top loader, but have found that 5 whole Soap Nuts (broken in half for optimum use) are good for 5 loads. Just place all of the halves in the included wash bag & toss it in. It's that easy! Actually, the only difficult part can be finding the wash bag after the load is done (that took some getting used to). And just as a tip, you do not need to tie a knot in the wash bag. I learned that lesson myself & spent a few minutes trying to get the bag open to change the Soap Nuts.
Let's not forget the cost effectiveness. I received a 250 gram bag (.55 lb) which states 83 wash loads & retails for $10.95. Even though I haven't been keeping track, I think I'll get slightly more wash loads than that. And without the need for a fabric softener, the savings is huge! Actually, I think it just may be more of a savings than homemade cleaners. Especially when you can use Soap Nuts for washing more than just your clothes (like vehicles, pets, hair, floors, etc.)
**Disclaimer: I received these products to try from Green Virgin Products & am simply sharing my personal opinion which may vary from yours. I was not compensated for this review.
Wow, that's really neat! I've never heard of this product before. I'll definately be checking them out. Thanks for the great review.
ReplyDeletehave always wanted to give soap nuts a try and I have never heard of this company before.Great review!
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing! I never knew these exsisted, so cool!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting review, I've never heard of soap nuts before this! Will check them out for sure! :)
ReplyDeleteDo these dissolve over time? I would worry about them snagging my clothes
ReplyDeleteYou place them in a wash bag, so there's no snagging, & then you throw them out when all of the saponin has been used.
DeleteI have never heard of this product! THanks for the review I will check it out!
ReplyDeleteThis is a new product to me too! I am amazed! :)
ReplyDeleteVery interesting - I never heard of them before and I'm always searching out new and natural products!
ReplyDeleteSeptember 27, 2013 at 12:37 PM
They look amazing and it it great that it is good for the environment.
ReplyDeleteWow-that is really unique! I will have to check them out!
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool that a fruit can actually contain a cleaning agent. I wonder how they even discovered that you could clean with the nuts.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of these, can you buy them in retail locations? I too am addicted to making my own laundry products what is the difference in price breakdown? cuz my laundry sauce is only about 6 cents a tbsp
ReplyDeleteOnly online that I'm aware of Cindy. & the price breakdown varies since the amount of soap nuts used & for how many loads depends on water hardness & what type of washer you have. You have to remember also that there's no need for dryer sheets or fabric softener so that helps too.
DeleteWhat an interesting product
ReplyDeleteThis may be the most interesting thing I have heard of in awhile...who would've thought a nut could clean my clothes, but yet, a different kind of nut can kill my kid! Interesting.
ReplyDeleteLike everyone else commenting here, this is the first time I've heard of Soap Nuts. Super interesting!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great alternative!
ReplyDeleteYou always find the most interesting and cool products!
ReplyDeleteDo do the Soap Nuts leave a scent?
ReplyDeleteNot really, just s clean scent. They work great at removing odors instead of covering them up.
DeleteThis is awesome, I've never heard of this but it looks great that I want to try it for myself. I never knew you could wash with a nut.
ReplyDeleteI love soap nuts! They're amazing and so budget friendly because they last forever!
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of soap nuts. I need to try those out!
ReplyDeleteI've never head of soap nuts! I have a ball that I use in the washer but nothing for the dryer. I would have thought that a nut would fall a part in the dyer.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the information. I've heard a lot of people rave about Soap nuts, especially in the Cloth diapering community, but no one has been able to explain it like this.
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