Soap Nuts

geordie_joe

hannoja wrote: »

I've used my sample of soapnuts from In A Soapnut Shell three times now, so they're almost 'done'. They get rid of unwanted smells (e.g. wee-wee-baby-pants :eek:) and leave the washing clean (though I'll probably follow Sage's advice above occasionally) and SOFT.

I really like them and I must order some more soon!

:j

I was going to post to ask what are soap nuts, I know they are supposed to get your clothes clean, but what is in them etc.

Then I saw your post and decided to get a sample for myself.

Ashropshirelady

I've used soapnuts a few times now and I am very pleased with them. I'm an aromatherapist so I tend to use a few drops of essential oils too and my washing smells wonderful.

I got mine from as company called Summer Naturals. I noticed they had a piece in the Guardian this weekend. This is a link..........

http://www.summernaturals.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=72&products_id=240

geordie_joe

Am I being thick, or is this what you expect to see when following a link that says "what are Soapnuts?"

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Botanical name : SAPINDUS MUKKROSSI

Family name : SAPINDACEAE

Common name : SOAPNUT

Habitat : Through out India, Nepal in lower forests

Description: medium sized deciduous tree up to 20m in height with grey smooth bark, peeling off in scales, leaves pinnate, leaflets 2-3 pairs, terminal pair being the largest, flowers white, polygamous, male flowers many, bisexual flowers few, all in the same pubescent panicle, fruits fleshy drupes, the pulp becoming a saponaceous wrinkled rind on drying, seeds black.
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I'm not sure what I was expecting when I clicked the link, apart from finding out what a soapnut was. Having just sent off for some I really hope the postman doesn't try to push a 20m gay tree through my letter box!

hannoja

That is correct. They're natural, from a tree ( Sapindus Mukkrossi I assume): the shells around the nuts are what are useful for washing. The home page is perhaps a little more 'normal' in terms of explaining what they are though

Don't worry, they won't send you the whole tree... (not sure about a 'gay' tree though.... )

^..^

geordie_joe

hannoja wrote: »

That is correct. They're natural, from a tree ( Sapindus Mukkrossi I assume): the shells around the nuts are what are useful for washing. The home page is perhaps a little more 'normal' in terms of explaining what they are though

I'm sure they will be fine, but was a little disappointed that the page was nothing more than a copied description of the tree and didn't mention the nuts at all.

hannoja wrote: »

Don't worry, they won't send you the whole tree... (not sure about a 'gay' tree though.... )

^..^

One with bisexual flowers.

carriejones2008

Hello,


I been using soapnuts for a while now and they are great. its a safe natural detergent and it saves you money.





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Do you want your laundry clean, soft and fresh naturally?

Use soapnuts!

Environmentally friendly, sustainably produced, bio-degradable and compostable!
Have you ever worried about how your chemical detergents are affecting the environment, but never found the alternatives satisfactory?

Soapnuts are the answer!

Soapnut shell are economical (from only 3 pence a wash compared to 25 pence for a standard non-bio)
They leave your laundry fresh, clean and soft eliminating the need for softeners.
Because they are natural and chemical free they are gentle on your skin and clothes. Suitable for sensitive skin, allergy and eczema sufferers.
Soft enough for your whole family.
Soapnuts grow (wild-crafted) on trees in India and Nepal; the shells contain “Saponin” a natural soap, the nuts inside are used in the pharmaceutical industry.



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[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Soapnuts are amazingly economical 500 grams
producing up to an astounding 300 washes
(figures based on using 6 half shells 4 times)

Using soapnuts for your laundry couldn’t be easier

Just put 6-8 half shells or equivalent in pieces into a cotton bag (or knotted sock) place in your washing machine, wash on your usual cycle (40 degrees ideally)
If you want your laundry fragranced add a few drops of essential oil in the softener drawer,
Your washing will come out fresh, clean and soft

You can do 4-6 consecutive loads from one lot of soapnuts!
When the soapnuts are exhausted they will appear darker and soft, throw
them on your compost and put some more into the bag for your next wash.

Ebay have LOW prices on soapnuts, its the chepest place to buy.:D


Carrie


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Kay_Peel

My student son has been away from home for a couple years and buying his own laundry stuff. He told me that he couldn't understand why his housemates spent so much on washing liquid/powder when he only spent about 35p on a huge bottle of stuff.

I asked him to read the label to me - I couldn't believe that washing liquid was so cheap. Guess what? He's been using cheap, smelly fabric conditioner for the past two years, not realising that there was a difference!

I've used soap nuts and wasn't impressed by the results in a washing machine. It won't remove stains and whites start to turn grey after a couple of washes. It's very good with dark woollens and handwashing delicates, though.

Kay

oldMcDonald

I know that a lot of people rave about soapnuts, but personally I hate them.

Whilst chemically they may be greener, the thought that they have to travel halfway around the world in order to wash my smalls seems to me to be very un-green. I prefer to use just water for items that just need freshening or add washing soda to the wash if it needs a bit more oomph to get it clean.

I don't worry about my whites looking a bit grey as I believe we have just been conditioned by the likes of Lever to expect 'blue whites' or 'whiter than white' whites.

Here in the UK we have good old fashioned conkers that will do the job just as well as soapnuts for coloured washes.

LOL at your son, Kay!! Says a lot about how good washing powders and liquids really are if he didn't notice a differenc (although saying that, being a bloke and a student away from home......;))

arkonite_babe

We have a thread similar to this already, I'll add your query to it so all the replies are together. Posts are listed in date order so you'll need to read from the beginning to catch up

IamJen

FWIW, they've worked well for us so far. SoapPods is the brand we've got, I think. As for how far they travel, you'd have to consider how far your traditional soap travels too (and the ingredients and packaging). I don't think there's necessarily a clear cut winner between the two, but just because it comes from India doesn't mean that the carbon footprint is higher.

In the other thread here on MSE forums, it sounded like it was quite the process to prepare conkers for use as washing soap. Have you used them before with success?