I don't think we're soap nuts kind of people

[annettemarie]

Besides the fact that no one in this house can utter the words "soap nuts" without giggling, they just didn't seem to work to get our clothes very clean. Were we doing something wrong?

[Think of Winter]

I didn't like them, either. I resold mine after a few loads. I couldn't remember to pull the bag out of the wash, I didn't care for the smell, and it was just too much effort.

But I do love our homemade soap. Easy, cheap, works.

[cristeen]

Like most natural detergents, they dont do stain removal, they only remove the normal wear 'dirt'. For some people, thats not good enough.

But i've used them in my diaper laundry and my clothing and been happy w them. YMMV.

[wombatclay]

We use soap nuts (we've done ALL, Charlie's Soap, Meyer's, and a few home made blends in the past) and they work ok if I remember to change them out frequently, use hot water, and not cram the washer (front loading HE style). Every so often I'll add a squirt of Dr Bronners.

Our water is really hard though (you can watch it rust before your eyes) so I've tended towards more muted colors and stain hiding patterns over the years... and pure white items that can be run through a bleach load.

I guess for us, ALL works the best but the soap nuts work ok when I give the "natural" component top billing. Oh, and I've heard that soap nut quality varies a lot as an agricultural product. I've seen it myself with a batch that fell apart after just a few loads vs a batch that went strong all week (same box of nuts, same vendor).

Oh, I don't try to remove the soap nuts... I just don't put them through the drier.

[annettemarie]

We always use cold water, so maybe that's the problem. Also, as I no longer fit over the washer, pretty much all the laundry is being split between my husband, 11 and 9 year olds (I fold it) and they always put the nuts through the dryer. (*giggle*) These seem to fall apart pretty easily, too. As a matter of fact, they were mostly in pieces already when we got them. I think we'll focus our ecological yearnings elsewhere.

[wombatclay]

Putting them through the drier "kills" them, and they don't work as well in cold water... basically the nut has a soapy coating that "melts off" in the hot water. It then does it's happy dance of saponified joy in the water, pulling dirt and whatnot along with it down the drain. But cold water means less dirt dancing action, and going through the dryer sort of melts the whole thing into unhappiness soooooooo....

yeah.

They're only good for about 6 loads of laundry, when they fall apart they're done, and a cold wash + trip through the drier means.... dead nuts.

Go ahead. giggle.

[annettemarie]

That does shed some light on why they were so ineffective. Maybe I'll give them another shot when I'm back on my feet after the babies are born. You know, in a year or two.

[Pogonia]

I use soap nuts for regular laundry, but not for towels or dishcloths because they quit absorbing water. Somewhere I read that it really doesn't hurt them to go through the dryer cycle but don't have time to find that link. I did find this one though...very informative: http://www.soapnuts.pro/?gclid=COHwu...FRj4iAodrnhtCg

The only time my clothes smelled was when my teenage g/daughter washed a huge load of clothes. I had to rewash in baking soda before I could wear my clothes.

[wombatclay]

interesting! The few times they've gone through the drier they've glommed together and the little cloth bag turned dark/stiff so I figured it was probably not a good thing.