Enter: the humble soap nut.
Say what?
I'm talking about these guys right here.
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Well first of all, spoiler alert! They aren't nuts at all. Soap nuts are actually the dried shells from the fruit of the Sapindus (soapberry) tree. They contain something called Saponin which is a natural cleaning agent that works just like soap or detergent. Saponins are natural surfactants, which basically means they lower the surface tension of a liquid and can be used as detergents or foaming agents. Soap nuts are completely natural, and 100% biodegradable. They are also gentle and great for sensitive skin.
How do I use them?
They are pretty much the easiest thing ever to use. When you buy them, soap nuts come with a little canvas or linen bag. You just pop a few of them in there (I like 3 or 4), tie the bag closed and throw it in the wash. For a cold wash, I like to soak them in warm/hot water while the machine fills up to activate the cleaning effects of the soap nuts. I keep a mason jar beside the washing machine and just fill it with hot water, put the bag of soap nuts in, and leave it while I fill the machine with clothes. Once I put the clothes in, I just dump it on top. If you want to, you can also put the lid on and give it a shake to get the bubbles going. They have a low sudsing level, which makes them great for HE machines or cloth diapers.
How long can I use them for?
A good benchmark is to throw them out after about 4-5 washes. However, it depends on the temperature of your washes (hot water depletes them faster), how dirty the clothes are, and how many soap nuts are in the bag. You will know it's time to throw them away when they no longer have the waxy outer coating and seem mushy or grey, or when there are no bubbles if you shake them in a jar as I mentioned above. To dispose of them, simply throw them in your green bin and compost them! I love that there is no waste with these - they come in a fabric bag (usually), and then get composted.
How much do they cost?
The brand I have (link below) cost me roughly $13 (including tax) for a 250g bag. Now that I know more, I have realized that this is actually a relatively expensive price for soap nuts. I bought them during my first year of university, and probably have about 30 washes left, give or take a few. So in 20-ish months of school since I bought soap nuts, I have spent $13 on laundry soap. I would say that's pretty good! As a disclaimer, I should let you know that I also made my own laundry soap at one point last year as an experiment (more on that another day), which I probably used for 5 months of that time. So let's say I have gotten 18 months total (20-5 = 15, plus 3 more months I'll get out of the bag = 18). Still tracking with me here? Okay, let's keep going.
So if we divide the total cost over 18 months, it costs me $0.72 per month. I would say I average 8 washes per month (2/week - max!), which would then cost $0.09 per wash. And I have most definitely seen soap nuts for cheaper since then. At the time I bought them from a store that was local to my home town, both to save shipping and to support the business. Granted, I am only washing clothes for one person...so that helps cut the amount of laundry I'm sure. But look around and you should be able to find a good deal!
If you want more information, here are some links to check out...
David Suzuki's page on soap nuts
Stacy Makes Cents' post on soap nuts
NaturOli soap nuts info
This is one of the coolest things I have ever heard of! I'll definitely have to try it out sometime!
ReplyDeleteHey, it's cool you discovered soap nuts :)
ReplyDeleteA great way to use them is to make a soap nut liquid, and then you have a multi purpose cleaner, people use it for cleaning stuff in the kitchen, or as a shampoo, or anything really :) I've got some info on my blog about making a soap nut liquid here - http://supersoapnuts.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/very-simple-soap-nut-liquid.html