FAQ
FAQ
No, it's not. In fact soapnut is a dried fruit, yet it tastes very bitter. It certainly has a medicinal use but we recommend using it as a cleaning agent.
Do I use it with my laundry detergent?
There is no need to use laundry detergent, fabric softener or dryer sheets while using soapnuts. In fact adding detergent would be counterproductive, since the greatest benefit that soapnuts has to offer is to keep our clothes non-toxic. Soapnut naturally contains saponin, which is released in the water during wash cycle. Saponin act as a surfactant, in other words it makes the water soft which helps to release dirt and grime from clothes.
You will need to pre-treat the stains with stain-remover, just as you would do using any other detergent. Soapnuts are great for general wash. Heavily soiled clothes would need to be pre-soaked first.
Do I need to remove soapnuts from the machine before the rinse cycle?
There's no need to do that. When you initially put soapnuts in the water they release a lot of saponin. They will be less active as the cycle goes on. That's why you need to let soapnuts air-dry before next use, so they can be effective again. There might be a trace of saponin residue on the clothes, which in fact will act like natural fabric softener. For clothes that were not heavily soiled you may want to shorten or omit the rinse cycle altogether, thus saving water and energy costs.
Can soapnuts be used in HE machines or front washers?
Yes, in fact, soapnut are ideal for those machines, as they don't create a lot of suds. Put the little washing pouch in the machine along with your load. Alternately you can pour in 1/2 cup of soapnut decoction in the dispenser, just as you would do with liquid detergent.
The soapnuts we carry come from the foothills of the Himalayas, but different varieties of soapnut trees grow all over South-East Asia and some parts of South America. This particular variety called "sapindus mukorosi" is found to have the highest saponin content and therefore most effective as a cleaning agent. Soapnuts actually grow wild on trees and are picked once ripened. Seeds are then removed as they don't contain saponin and the remaining flesh is sun dried.
No, the same soapnut shells can be reused anywhere from 3 to 8 times depending on the temperature of water used. Saponin is released more in hot or warm water, therefore it will run out faster. The best way to know if your soapnuts are still active is to put them under running water and give them a little rub. If you see suds, the soapnuts are good for another wash. The important thing to remember is to always air-dry them after each use. Once they were dried they can be reused again and again. Once the soapnuts are DONE with, they can be safely composted.
Are soapnuts safe for people with nut-allergies?
Absolutely! Soapnuts are not actually nuts, they just look like it. In reality they are berries, that have been de-seeded and sun dried. They turn brown as there is no chemicals involved in the process. That gives them the look of a nut.
Who would benefit most from using soapnuts?
Mother Earth and all her creatures as less polluting petrochemicals would be going down the drains. People with allergies, eczemas, psoriasis, sensitive skin, babies as no toxic chemicals will be rubbed into their skin causing further irritations. Lastly anyone desiring more natural way of life, as you simply can't go more GREEN then soapnuts when it comes to laundry detergent.
Can they be used in cold water?
Yes. What we recommend is to put your little pouch with soapnuts, under a running water and give it a bit of a rub just before putting it in the washing machine. That will activate the saponin so it can be released faster once the cycle starts.
No, they don't, provided they were kept properly.They need to be kept in dry and dark place. You may see the soapnuts get sticky after some time, that's because saponin is a bit sticky. Just give the bag a gentle squeeze and soapnuts will separate.
Can they be used for anything else other than laundry?
Yes, they have a lot of other uses, both for household cleaning as well as personal hygiene. They are safe to use on plants and pets. Most of those are best achieved by making your own soapnut decocion, which is a concentrated liquid extract.
They smell like vinegar. Will my laundry smell like it too?
No. The laundry will come out unscented.
The only time you will really get the real smell of soapnut is if you make soapnut decoction. If it's not something you like it can easily be fixed by adding a few drops of essential oil to the decotion.
There wasn't much suds when I did the wash. How do I know it worked?
Suds are not an indication of the cleaning power. We've been made to believe that by advertising campaigns. Neither is that wonderful scent of synthetic fragrances. In fact, for those still having a hard time making that mind shift, we recommend to do an experiment yourself. Take a pair of used socks and split it into two loads of laundry. Do one load with soapnuts and one with regular detergent. Based on our own experience the only difference we could detect was in texture and scent, not in cleanliness level. The sock washed in regular detergent (with lots of suds), smelled "nice" and "fresh" and it felt rough and a bit stiff (no fabric softener or dryer sheets were used to have a true comparison). It gave an impression of something fresh, based on smell and texture, not the cleanliness itself. The sock that was washed with soapnuts, felt soft (again no fabric softener or dryer sheets were used) and had no smell to it. As far as cleanliness goes, it looked just like the other sock. The soapnut washed sock though, in our opinion, was really clean, since no toxic residue or synthetic fragrances were left on it.
500 g bag has about 200 soapnut shells.
250g bag has about 100 soapnut shells.
Using 8-10 per load, average 9, will give 22 batches for 500g or 11 batches for 250g. Considering that each batch can be reused 3-8 times, average 5 lets say will give 110 loads for 500g or 55 loads for 250g bag.
These numbers of course will vary a lot considering that most people use less than 8 soapnuts per load, and those using cold water can reuse their soapnuts few more times. Also laundry is just one alternative of using soapnuts.