Nuts for Laundry are actually dried berries collected from the Sapindus tree of India. Commonly called soapnuts, soapberries or washnuts, they contain a natural surfactant called saponin that has been used for washing by indigenous peoples for thousands of years. These berries are 100% organic and biodegradable. They also work as a natural fabric softener, so you don’t need to add anything else to your load!
Nuts for Laundry – One 250g (slightly more than a half pound) bag contains enough soapnuts to do approximately 160 loads of laundry! – $20.00
To use: Add ¼ cup of Nuts for Laundry to a Quart size jar (an old spaghetti sauce jar will work if needed) and a Tablespoon of dried Lavender herb (if desired). Fill with boiling water and allow to set for 8 hours. Strain the liquid into a container of your choice. I like to use an old wine bottle or juice jar but anything will do. Use the same amount of detergent as you would typically use (approximately ¼ cup) per load.
Instead of discarding the Nuts for Laundry and lavender at this point, I like to reuse them for a second batch that is not quite as strong but perfect for an all purpose cleaner. Now just toss them in the compost pile and enjoy your wonderful laundry detergent and all purpose cleaner for just a fraction of the cost of most products!
