What are Soap Nuts?
We talked recently about how to reduce toxins when it comes to laundry. So today I want to elaborate on these odd looking gems called “Soap Nuts”. It turns out they aren’t really nuts at all – they are dried fruit from a shrub. The fruit contains saponins which are a natural surfactant! They get wet in the wash and release the saponins and clean your clothes – how cool is that?!
How do you use Soap Nuts?
Soap nuts usually come with reusable muslin bags like what’s shown below. You add 4-6 soap nuts to the bag and add to the wash. Its that easy! Its ideal to add them to a hot load first to soften them and help to release the saponins. But honestly, we’ve use them for years and often just start with cold cycles and they still work great. Replace with fresh soap nuts once they turn gray and no longer release suds when you squeeze the sides, usually after 4-5 wash cycles. Sometimes I just throw a handful in the wash but that totally drives my husband crazy.
Why do we love Soap Nuts?
- They are 100% non-toxic
- They work!
- They are very affordable
- They are 100% biodegradable
- They are even great for front load washing machines
TIP: if you have an extra dirty, smell load make sure to add some vinegar either directly or to a downey ball and 5-10 drops of the Cleansing blend from our favorite brand (email us for more info)
We’ve always purchased the Naturoli brand and love it. Be aware of the cheaper companies as they can be poor quality. You can also save more with Naturoli by purchasing soap nut pieces for less.
Have you tried soap nuts? What did you think?
Sara says
Would these work for cloth diapers?
Healing in our Homes says
yes! we used them for our cloth diapers.