How to Use Soap Nuts as Laundry Detergent

I have been using soap nuts (or soap berries) as an alternative to laundry detergent lately. They are 100 % natural, and have been used to wash clothes for centuries in India, America, and China. I couldn't believe how much cheaper they were than most laundry detergents, especially compared to the more "gentle" detergents on the market.

If you've never heard of soap nuts, check out just some of the benefits for using soap nuts below:

• Soap nuts are all natural and very gentle, making them great for sensitive skin or those with allergies. (PSA soap nuts are not actually a nut, but berries from a tree, which makes them suitable for nut allergy sufferers too)

• They clean just as effectively as store bought laundry detergents, and bubble up nicely in the washing machine.

• They are eco-friendly for a few reasons. Firstly, you aren't draining chemicals from your detergent into the environment. You have no plastic bottles to go through. Soap nuts were not produced in a factory with chemicals, they were picked straight off the tree! They can also be composted when finished.

• Soap nuts are cost effective. For example; a bag of soap nuts which lasts for 330 washes on amazon currently costs just under £10, whereas a 53 wash Persil Non Bio bottle costs £7 on amazon. It is 3 pence per wash for a 1 kg bag of soap nuts or 13 pence per wash for the Persil non bio. This obviously changes depending on the brand of detergent you're comparing it to, but overall soap nuts seem to win for budget friendly natural laundry detergents!

Now that you are won over by the wonders of these saponin rich berries, you may feel like you don't know where to start? Below I'll walk you through two simple ways how to use soap nuts as laundry detergent.

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How to Use Soap Nuts As Laundry Detergent

#1: Simply How They Come

The easiest way to use soap nuts is to put a small handful in a tied sock or a reusable bag and add it in the main drum of your washing machine with your dirty clothes. You can put about 5 drops of your favourite essential oil onto the bag to make your load smell nice and fresh, as soap nuts don't have a smell.

• Use 4-6 soap nut shells for each wash

• For heavily soiled clothes or hard water use 6-8 shells

When your load is finished, simply remove the sock/bag of soap nuts and save on the counter for your next few loads. Soap nuts can be reused about 4 times. You will know when they are ready to be composted when they no longer produce any bubbles in your machine and they start to feel dry and look sort of crumbly. Like anything new, it takes a little trial and error at first.

Soap nuts can be bought online or at some health food stores. I purchase mine off amazon. This is my favourite brand which comes with two reusable bags to keep the soap nuts contained in your washing machine.

Water temperature?

You can wash soap nuts on any cycle at any temperature. However, I do find they bubble up better at hotter temperatures. I usually wash my clothes at 30 degrees C without doing any soaking just fine. But, you may find that you want them more bubbly when washing at a colder temperature. If so, soak the soap nuts in some water before adding them to the wash for 5-10 minutes to help activate the natural saponins found in the nuts. I don't find it necessary to soak them when washing between 30-90 degree C temperatures.

Heavily stained clothes?

If you have heavily soiled/stained clothes and you're finding the soap nuts alone don't cut it, it might help to add 2 teaspoons of baking soda (in addition to the soap nuts) to your washing machine powder spot.

Which essential oils are safe for babies?

Generally you want to use a gentle oil around babies and young children. My favourites are lavender, chamomile, or sweet orange/mandarin. But it is worth noting that some oils like lavender and tea tree can disrupt hormones in young boys. So, lavender might not be the best choice for some households.

#2: Make an Overnight Liquid Detergent

1. Put 1 Handful (or half a cup) of soap nuts in a 945ml mason jar.

2. Boil water in your kettle, fill your jar with boiling water.

3. Let the mixture sit out on the counter overnight.

4. Strain soap nuts out the next day.

5. If desired, add about 20 drops of essential oil of choice right to the jar, or a few drops with each load.

6. Use 1/2 cup per load. (or more as needed depending on load size and how soiled the clothes are)

7. The detergent should last at room temperature for about 1-2 weeks, but can be stored in the fridge for a longer shelf life.

Here's my homemade soap nut liquid laundry detergent.

If you try soap nuts, let me know how you get on with them in the comments below!