Finding washing detergent that can clean your clothes without the use of chemicals at all is plain impossible, mainly because detergents are by nature made with chemicals for the purpose of cleaning your clothes. However, for those with really sensitive skin or those who wish for a completely natural way to clean your clothes without any chemical additives, soap nuts are your answer.
The term soapnuts refer to actual legumes, the fruit of soap nut trees home to India and Nepal. These nuts contain saponin, a surfactant that exhibits detergent-like properties. While mainly used for folk remedies in the past, it has a long history of being used for the purpose of washing by native Asians and Americans. Just place a few of them into a small muslin bag and add it to your washing machine when you are using it. It fares no worse than your common detergent, and yet is completely natural and chemical free. With the loads of reviews and testimonials that back soap nuts, not only when used to wash clothes but also when used as liquid hand soap or used with coconut/coir fiber scrub pads, there is absolutely no reason not to convert.
Organic Greener Living
Environmental awareness is one of the most crucial aspects of an ideal lifestyle, contributing not only to society as a whole but also giving back to Mother Earth. There should be no doubt that we should be supporting green living instead of disposing it in favor of convenience. The cleansing of your clothes, what is for most a daily activity, should not be excluded from this cause. In fact, because it is done daily, there is more reason to choose or select a greener, more eco-friendly option, as this would definitely generate substantial eco-benefit in the long term. The solution to this is soap nuts. While the common laundry detergent is chemically-based, soap nuts are entirely natural and biodegradable, indicating that it will leave no or minimal negative environmental impact, decreasing your overall carbon footprint. Furthermore, this is a far more sustainable solution as compared to your normal detergent due to the plentiful amount of trees (Sapindus mukorossi and Sapindus trifoliatus) that produce such fruit. Thus, as long as you look for USDA certified organic soap nuts, you will be using eco friendly products for your daily washing.High Quality Cloth Wash
While detractors may put down soap nuts and claim them unable to product the same cleansing results, this only goes to prove how ignorant these people are. Rest assured, while soap nuts do not contain the chemicals which other chemical laundry detergents contain, it is just as able to clean your clothing. In fact, better cleaning results have been reported with soap nuts than other brands of detergent. As mentioned before, soap nuts contain a relatively high concentration of saponin, an estimated 10%. This substance is able to lower surface tension of water, thus granting it the ability to penetrate and cleanse the woven fibre of your clothing. Due to this, its cleansing power is no lower than any commercially available detergent. Having said this, those looking for whitening effects probably should stick to laundry detergent. Whilst soap nuts can clean your clothes and remove visible stains, whitening is beyond its ability as that is something only possible with a chemical substance.Eczema and Psoriasis - Hypoallergenic Soap Nuts Provide Allergy Relief
Being plagued with eczema and psoriasis definitely limits one's options when it comes to skin care. Even with proper skin care though, clothing not washed properly or washed with normal detergent may cause your condition to aggravate. In such cases, most people would go for hypoallergenic laundry detergent. Despite that, soap nuts can also be an alternative, in fact, it can be a better alternative due to its all-natural origins. What better than to use something absolutely free of chemical additives. This would also mean that it is perfect for those with sensitive skin or those inflicted with eczema and psoriasis. Of course, if your skin condition is less than perfect, I strongly encourage that you visit a dermatologist not only to consult him on skin care products but also on what to clean your clothes with. Always verify that it is ok with your doctor before trying anything new out, especially when it comes to your own health. As the saying goes, better safe than sorry.The list of benefits of using soap nuts goes on. Not only can you customize the smells you get using essential oils, it can be very economical to use soap nuts if done right (you can use it for multiple rinse cycles). Soap nuts are basically a completely natural solution to satisfy your clothes-washing needs. Despite it being rather new in most areas, it has been established and used for centuries and so far, I haven't heard any complaints. Its remarkable ability to clean coupled with its natural properties (hypoallergenic), not to mention that it can be really cheap to use, makes me wonder why it isn't in all major stores right now. (It generally is sold by wholesale sellers and you usually have to buy it online.)
