Soapnut
Soapnut
What is Soapnut?
A fruit of a Sapindus Mukorossi tree species known as an amazing natural detergent due to a natural cleaning essence that is contained in their shell. It has been used for centuries and historically always been an integral element of Indian customs and used widely by many Indian households for washing purposes.
The species is native in India and can be found in tropical and subtropical climates in Asia. The tree can grow up to 30 to 40 feet (9m to 12m) but can reach up to 25m. This species can grow in a wild environment and surprisingly, does not need fertile soil to flourish. It is incredibly resilient to diseases and doesn’t need any fertilizer or chemical pesticides.
Journey to 100% organic substitute to chemically made laundry and cleaning products. Soapnut!
The Sapindus mukorossi nuts produce important amounts of a saponifying agent that can be used as laundry detergent, dish and hand soap, shampoo and others.
Soapnut for laundry:
All you need is about 4-8 deseeded soapnut shells. Put them into a muslin bag, a sock or a washing net (you can even use a thin cotton cloth, put them in the middle and then use some twine around the top to secure the nuts inside).Place the soap nuts into the washing machine drummer and select your desired setting. When the washing cycle is over, take your soap nuts out of the bag and leave them in an aired place to dry before you use them again. You can reuse the same soap nuts 3-4 times before you add them to your compost.