Money Saving Green

Soapnut Shells

What are soapnuts?
Soapnuts come from the sapindaceae species of tree. Common names for the tree include soapnut tree and soapberry tree, and soapnuts are the seeds from within the fruit of this tree. The soapnuts themselves are not edible, but can be used for various purposes. The shell of the soapnut contains saponin which is a natural detergent and soapnuts are fast becoming a popular environmentally friendly alternative to manufactured chemical detergents.

What use are they to me?
Soapnut shells have a variety of uses around the home. The most common use is in the washing machine instead of washing powder or tablets. However they can also be used in the dishwasher, and to make a soapy liquid which can be used as an all purpose cleaner around the home and even as a shampoo for humans and pets.

How do I use them?
To wash your clothes with soapnuts simply place six to eight half shells in a small cotton drawstring bag and place this in the washing machine along with your clothes. This one bag of nut shells can be used to do five or six loads of washing before all the saponin has been used up and they need replacing. When you are done with them, they can be added to your compost heap. It is unnecessary to use fabric softener when you are using soapnut shells as they leave fabric naturally soft. They do have a slightly odd smell, though it doesn't linger on dried laundry, but some people aren't overly keen on this so it can be more pleasant to add a few drops of essential oil to the fabric softener drawer of the washing machine in order to leave the clothes smelling of something else. If you do this though, make sure you use an essential oil that is clear in colour so you don't add unintentional stains to your washing - patchouli is the worst culprit for this!

If you want to make a liquid, then lightly crush the shells, and boil them in water to make a soapy liquid which you can then bottle and use as you need it. Some people liquidise the boiled mixture to get the most from the nut shell, but if you do this remember that you will need to strain the liquid to remove the fragments before you use it. Be aware that this liquid doesn't foam up in the way you might expect a detergent or soap to, but it does still clean very well.

Where can I get them and what will they cost me?
Soapnut shells are beginning to be available in smaller stores on the high street, particularly in independent shops that sell fair-trade goods and eco friendly products. Sadly they don't seem to be available in supermarkets yet. The cheapest way to purchase them at the moment is via the internet where you can buy them per 100g. A small 500g bag can, depending on the amount of washing, last a good many months. They are therefore very economical and work out at around 3 or 4p per wash rather than 20 to 35p per wash if using conventional washing powder or tablets. My favourite online store for buying soapnuts is www.inasoapnutshell.com. One reason I like this store is that it doesn't send them wrapped in plastic, but in a cloth storage bag and they also supply a small cloth bag for using in the washing machine too.

© Suki

The lovely people at www.inasoapnutshell.com have donated hundreds of samples of soapnuts which we use on the bus. If you are interested in trying out some soapnuts, click here to be sent a free sample.

Soapnuts photo (c) www.inasoapnutshell.com 2010