try some soapnuts

myusernamehasgone_2

Many thanks for this post I have always wanted to see if they are any good at removing stains

Teria

jumblejack wrote: »

You can get these nearer to home on ebay so no international shipping!!

I think Kym was referring to the fact that they're grown in India, and have to be shipped to the UK


Soap nuts are great, but I still prefer Ecover.

harryharp

jumblejack wrote: »

You can get these nearer to home on ebay so no international shipping!!

But they originally came from India or Nepal to the person selling them on Ebay...:rolleyes:

I have been using these for ages now, and have never considered this aspect. Mmm.

Someone mentioned the smell...it has a really unusual smell, but after a while I grew to really like it in a weird sort of way.

jumblejack

harryharp wrote: »

But they originally came from India or Nepal to the person selling them on Ebay...:rolleyes:

Doh!!:o You know, I didn't think of that!!

Mind you people never give a second thought to tea, coffee or other imported goods I suppose. Buying local is always encouraged but as we live on an island this can prove quite difficult for some things - soap nuts are one of those things I guess.

jumblejack

TorrestheGreat wrote: »

This is unreal. Are people seriously thinking that these are 'green'? 100g of soapnuts has the carbon footprint equivalent to driving a 4x4 30 miles

I would be interested to know where that fact comes from? They are utterly biodegradable and every last scrap is used up so I am intrigued. Are you thinking of the environmental cost of transportation?

kim_ley

lol i was wondering the same thing!!!!
BUT torres seems to say something negative on all my post...
don't know if its personal, perhaps i've upset them lol.

kim_ley

here is tons of tips on what to do with them
http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/166/1/Soapnuts---natures-detergent.html


Once your soapnuts are finished with washing, you can either add them to your compost heap or save them up and boil them to make a soap liquid yo can use for floor washing or other cleaning jobs.

Cinders2001

Curiosity is getting the best of me know......

Using Soap-nuts, is it actual 'soap' that comes out of them?
Also, could it be a false reading of clean? I mean, could we be thinking that they produce a soap.....or could it be any residue from the previous powder left in the clothes that get things clean?

Dunce speaking.... humour me xx

kim_ley

Soapnuts, or soap berries, have been used as a natural detergent for centuries. Soapnuts come from the fruit of the trees of the sapindus genus, from the family Sapindacea. There are around a dozen species; native to India, China, Southern Asia, parts of north and central America. The one most widely used for its detergent attributes is Sapindus mukorossi, known simply as the Soap Nut Tree or Chinese Soapberry.
Soapnuts are a small yellow-brown fruit around 1-2 cm in diameter; containing a black seed. The shells contain a substance called saponin, usually present in quantities of around 10-15%. Saponin dissolves in water to form suds and can dissolve fats and oils and help to lift grime. Soapnuts are also suitable for use in greywater and blackwater systems.

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/soap+nuts

Soap nuts are antimicrobial ---An antimicrobial is a substance that kills or inhibits the growth of microbes such as bacteria, fungi, or viruses.

harryharp

kim_ley wrote: »

here is tons of tips on what to do with them
http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/166/1/Soapnuts---natures-detergent.html


Once your soapnuts are finished with washing, you can either add them to your compost heap or save them up and boil them to make a soap liquid yo can use for floor washing or other cleaning jobs.

The link doesn't seem to work...? Had a look round the site (which is excellent) and still couldn't get that page to load.