Any one tried soap nuts?

yellow218

Looking for ways to reduce impact on environment and save money, and come across soap nuts in a couple of articles.
Has anyone used them? Feedback gratefully appreciated.

lloydwatkin

Yes, with a few drops of essential oils for a nice smell.

They worked very well for laundry, but didn't get the sparkle of chemical detergent. Lasted about 4-6 washes, although it does require a hotter wash too. Never boiled up for hand soap.

yellow218

lloydwatkin wrote: »

Yes, with a few drops of essential oils for a nice smell.

They worked very well for laundry, but didn't get the sparkle of chemical detergent. Lasted about 4-6 washes, although it does require a hotter wash too. Never boiled up for hand soap.

Thank you. When you say a hotter wash, what sort of temp do you use? Do you find it cleans towels/bed sheets sufficiently? Assume you don’t use a softener of any kind, are clothes/towels soft enough?. Also, daft question but how exactly do you use them, and if you add essential oils, do you pop it in the main drum or in the drawer.

Sorry. Lots of questions.

chirpycheap

I use them. The pros are of course environmental and cost. I haven't managed to wean myself off detergents completely as I found that my washing machine got a bit smelly after a couple of months.
I do a very hot wash every couple of weeks with detergent and the rest are 40degree washes with the soap balls. I had a box of detergent left so I am using it up and will try to wean myself off it when its used up.
I am going to try the suggestion of using a scented oil. The washing is fine when it comes out but I don't 'feel' it is as clean because like most of us I've been indoctrinated to think that washing is only clean when it is highly scented with chemicals!
I would say give them a go but expect your washing to smell of nothing whatsoever!

Anthorn

Ecozone Soap Nuts 1KG does 330 washes and costs £11-£13. Overall I like a more perfumed washing liquid so I returned to Method.

You get a plastic bag inside a hessian sack and inside the bag are of course the soap nuts and a small hessian bag. You put soap nuts inside the small bag in accordance with the dosing instructions - around 4-6 - and then put the bag in the washing machine drum with the laundry and wash as normal.

Overall it worked well at 40 degrees on lightly soiled laundry when boiled beforehand to make a liquid laundry detergent but needed a hotter wash for heavier soiled laundry.

If the inner plastic bag is still sealed invest in a resealable plastic bag. Lastly look out online for instruction to make liquid laundry detergent, soap bars and shampoo out of the soap nuts.
http://www.ecozone.com/product/soap-nuts-330-washes-1kg/