Go Nuts About Soap Nuts

by Liz Bygrave
If you want an environmentally-friendly detergent that actually works, look no further than soap nuts. Sustainably harvested in India and Nepal, these sticky shells are a traditional laundry agent in these countries. They contain saponin, a natural detergent, causing them to create suds when they come into contact with water.

The mild and natural action of soap nuts preserves the colour and structure of your clothes for longer than chemical detergents, but this doesn’t mean they’re ineffective.  I’ve been really pleased with the results on my laundry, even for heavy duty washing such as sheets and towels. Soap nuts cover a range of temperatures, including delicates and apparently remove the need for fabric softener.

Soap nuts

  • are a natural, organic, environmentally friendly alternaitve to soap, detergent and showers
  • effectively clean your laundry
  • keep colours bright
  • are allergy-free, so great for young and sensitive skin
  • are biodegradable - after use just put them on your compost.
  • are economical to use

Soap nuts can also be used for cleaning jewellery, removing parasites from pet fur and skin, household cleaning jobs and car washing.  To use them for the above, you need to make them into a soap. To do this: pour 1 litre of water into a saucepan, add 50g soap nuts, cover and boil, simmer for 10 minutes, let it cool then strain or put in a blender.

Soap nuts don’t have a particular smell to them, so if you want your laundry to have that just-washed fresh smell, try adding some essential oils to the little bag they come in. I’ve used a combination of lavender and rosemary so far with very sweet-smelling results. It’s quite fun experimenting with what you’ve got hanging around in the way of essential oils.

Soap nuts can be obtained online from sites such as www.naturalcollection.com or you can buy them from Planet Organic off Tottenham Court Road, where they are called Soap Pods.