I've been wanting to try soap nuts for a couple of years now, ever since Jennifer Taggart, aka The Smart Mama, mentioned how much she loved them during and #ecowed twitter party. I've heard countless people praise them. But, I was afraid to try them...afraid to be let down. Afraid they wouldn't work well in cold water, since that's how I wash most of my clothes. And, since you put the soap nuts in a bag in the tank, I couldn't figure out how the soap would rinse out of your clothes since they stay in during the rinse cycle.
So when Yoreganics offered to send me some to review I jumped at the chance.
What are Soap Nuts? (From their website)
Soap nuts are dried fruit berries that fall from the soapberry tree (Sapindus Mukorossi) found in Northern India and Nepal. Their outer shells contain saponin, which creates a natural soap when agitated in water - use them in place of traditional detergents and fabric softeners. They effectively clean, soften and remove odors from your laundry - naturally! They have been used for centuries as a natural way to clean laundry and much more!
clean | soften | remove odors
Yoreganics soap nuts are USDA and EcoCert certified organic... and they are deseeded (unlike some brands - don't pay for the weight of the seeds!)
SOAP NUTS ARE PERFECT FOR:
Healthy laundry
Soft, hard & well water
Delicates: silk, wool & cashmere
Militarty use: no optical brighteners
Cloth diapers/pads - no residue build up
Septic & grey water systems: antimicrobial
Travel: airplanes/vacations &camping: no heavy jugs to lug
Standard & HE high efficiency washing machines - low sudsing
Skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis & allergies - they're a fruit, not a nut
Other uses: personal care, carpet cleaners, jewelry, windows/mirrors & more!
hypoallergenic | biodegradable | anitmicrobial | economical | vegan | gluten-free | fragrance free | cruelty free
Certifications:
Yoreganics soap nuts are certified organic by the USDA & EcoCert.
What I like about this product:
Soap nuts are the most natural and nontoxic laundry detergent you can buy. There are no nasty chemicals, just the shell of a berry. And, because they are certified organic I can trust that there are no pesticide residues. My clothes came out much cleaner than I thought they would. There is a mild vinegar smell when you first take your clothes out of the washing machine but that's gone by the time they are dry.
I'm famous for forgetting my wet laundry in the washing machine and having to wash it again so it doesn't smell musty. Because I was worried about the soap nuts, I was better about remembering to rotate my laundry and if I did leave it I was less likely to get that musty smell.
I was afraid of using my soap nuts past their sudsing ability, so when I thought they were done, or close to being done I put them in a Ball jar with water to make a liquid detergent. Every time I replace my soap nuts I take the used ones and put them in the jar and top it off with water.
When you look at how many washes you get out of a package of soap nuts, they are very affordable. They are definitely cheaper than the green(ish) powder detergent I've been using.
As a mother, I'm much more comfortable using soap nuts than any other product on the market, now that I know they work so well. My concerns about the soap not rinsing out because the soap nuts go through the rinse cycle...not an issue at all. I've been using these for several weeks and have not noticed any residue. If anything, it's like my clothes get a double wash. Maybe that's why they are coming out so clean.
Yoreganics also sent me a sample bottle of their stain remover. I didn't have high hopes for a natural stain remover to get out tough stains. However, the first thing I tried it on was an ink spot on my shirt. The first time I sprayed it the stain remover got most of the ink out. A second spray got it out entirely.
What I don't like about this product:
I can't buy them at my local store so I have to plan in advance to order them. And, they are shipped long distances. But, even so, they are so natural and so light, I suspect they have a smaller carbon footprint than many other laundry detergents. Also, the strings on the bag get twisted taking a little effort to open when it's time to replace the soap nuts.
Would I recommend this product? Absolutely! Soap nuts are definitely my new laundry detergent of choice and I'll definitely be getting a bottle of the stain remover. I don't think I'll use anything else from now on.
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