How to Use Soap Nuts to Do Some Eco-Friendly Laundry

As you transition towards an eco-friendly lifestyle at home, it's always interesting to find alternative solutions to some of the most basic household chores. Doing laundry will quickly be one of these when you discover a replacement for that chemical-laden detergent; Soap Nuts have been used for hundreds of years in India as a natural cleaning option, and can easily be added to your washing machine in a bio-degradable cloth bag.

Soap Nuts are made from the shells of a special tree grown in Nepal. The tree is known as the Chinese Soapberry Tree and the fruit is harvested each season for a variety of economical uses. The shells themselves are removed from the fruit and left out to dry in the sun; they're naturally rich in saponins, nature's pure cleaning solution. When the shells are in contact with water, they release a unique soapy substance; just try rinsing a few Soap Nuts under hot tapwater and you'll feel the soap effects immediately.

Soap Nuts are free of synthetic chemicals, fragrances, toxins, and most of all, the fillers that are used in commercial detergent today. They're just as powerful as standard detergent, and perhaps moreso since they come from a natural source. While you won't see big bubbles of suds in the washer, the cleaning solution is pure and will remove all grime and dirt from your laundry in a natural way.

The best way to use these is to put a few shells in a cloth bag and add it to your washing machine; similar to adding a 'Tide' wash ball to the mix, these natural additions will take care of the job and you can add your favorite essential oil when you want to leave behind a clean scent. Soap Nuts release the soap better in hot water, but you can still use cooler water if you need to run a cold wash-you might just need to use a few more nuts for a deep clean. The shells can be used over and over again, and even when they're no longer producing soap, just recycle them with your other kitchen compost.