Soapnut Cleaner

I have been using Soapnuts for my laundry for a few months now and getting on really well. I had to change from Eco-Balls, but after a big trouble trying to change the refills, they weren't getting the clothes clean. Adamant I was not reverting to using regular washing powder, I invested in some Soap Nuts.

When the soapnuts arrived, I was greeted with a very informative leaflet! I didn't know the wide variety of uses that Soapnuts provided! So I started using the soap nuts in the laundry. They last a really long time really. I bought a bag of 250g (shells) and am still only 1/2 way through the bag a few months later. 

When we ran out of surface cleaner, I thought I would have a try of making some soapnut cleaner. The method is to boil 50g soapnuts to 1l of water, and repeat 4 times. This should leave you with 2l of soapnut liquid which has an array of uses! 

I added some lemon juice and a few drops of Tea Tree Oil and decanted it into a spray bottle and it is a really effective surface cleaner. And completely natural, no additives or chemicals, so completely safe around kiddies. It actually makes a really effective cleaner, and I don't have to worry about using it to wash Louie's tray/place at the table.

The liquid can be used for washing dishes, to make handwash, shampoo, you name it, there will probably be a recipe to make your own.

They are a really cheap alternative too. I think I paid £5 for the 250g and it is still going strong. Each small bag (for laundry) of soapnuts can be used around 5-6 times, and continues to get your clothes clean. And if you used soapnuts to replace your other cleaning requirements, you really could be saving yourself a fortune.

The only thing I would advise, is that soapnuts DO clean your clothes, but they do NOT add any artificial perfumes to your laundry. So when you pull your clothes out of the washing machine, they won't have that 'trademark manmade scent' that your washing powder will leave. To make your laundry smell beautiful, just add a couple of drops of essential oils to the muslin bag you put your soap nuts in!

You can get your soapnuts from http://www.soapnuts.co.uk/buy_soapnut-shells.html