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| Hello... I just wanted to touch base and see how the soapnuts are holding up on everyone who's tried them's diapers. Buildup issues? Still soft? Still like them? Just curious. I just bought some... so far I've only used them on a comforter my 5 year old threw up on. The Tide didn't get it out, but the soapnuts did! (Go figure!) So that made me happy. |
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| I would like to get some of those myself, but my husband is extremely skeptical about them. I heard they really work great though. |
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| We are still loving ours. The only thing I don't like about them is they don't do a "great" job on CD staining. I find it takes a few washes or some oxy to get the poop/food stains out. Other than that i love them. Quick easy, and multi purposed. can't beat that. |
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I've been using soapnuts for about 2 months now. They've done a great job thus far. I started using them just on my boy's diapers since we had a starter pack, but started using them on all our laundry about a month ago. Our clothes come out of the washer feeling like they've had fabric softener put in the wash, so that's nice. We use some scented oils(baby powder for dipes, ocean breeze for clothes) because the nuts smell kindof different and our clothes didn't smell at all, but we missed smelling "good", so we bought the oils when I bought the big bag of soapnuts. Our clothes have all came out clean and his dipes still are clean and soft. No buildup issues. Thus far, it's a big thumbs up for us!
Cheers! |
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| What I would like to know is how do the soap nuts work in high efficiancy washers? Is it even possible to use them in those? |
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| On the information I have from the company, they are supposed to be really good for High Efficiency machines because they are low/no sudsing... but the sapoapin seperates the dirt from the fabric anyway. |
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I stopped using mine about a month ago, but only because we're having an issue with our washer where the hot water valve is broken so we only have cold water right now. I was too lazy to go upstairs to get hot water for the nuts so I just used some other detergent I had already. Hubby 'rigged' the washer and took off the tube from the bag and now it's just loose on top of the washer. I just turn on the tap and let the hot water pour in (or fill a small container to let the nuts soak a bit first) so as of today we're back to using them.
I totally love love love them! No build-up, they get the diapers perfectly clean, they're very economical (especially if you save the used nuts for other uses) and they're eco-friendly! What's not to love?
I'm waiting till I'm out of my other detergent (which I stocked up on when it was on sale really cheap) and then I'm using all soap nuts all the time. I'm saving the used ones for shampoo and an all-purpose cleaner. So assuming everything works out I'll be using soap nuts for absolutly everything!! I'm lucky enough to have a distributor not too far away from me so I plan to buy a huge bag when I run out of the other detergent. I might even get a really huge bag and split it with some friends if I can get them onboard (which I'm sure they'll be willing to try them, they're pretty 'green' people too).
According to the info I've read, they're excellent for front loaders because they don't suds up...
Karen.
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Oh, and Firedancer, why don't you get a small trial pack? I've seen some websites that offer a small bag for like 3$ or $4 and ship it for free... That way you guys can see for yourselves without investing a lot of cash. There was a link in a previous soap nuts thread, it'll probably be down further on the page but it shouldn't be too too far.
Karen.
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I Love love love them too. My diapers are amazingly clean with no build up. I haven't stipped them since i started using them. I make up 4L of liquid at a time and use about 1/4 cup of that. 12 nuts easily makes 8L, so they're very economical, and the liquid is much easier for cold water washes, never "losing" the nuts, and its more like detergent (I like seeing it bubble up after I pour it in the washer) The liquid may work better for a front loader because the saponin is already released, as opposed to letting the hot water release it b/c the FL uses little water.
Just a note, I used tide the other day, just for kicks (too much reading on another board), and the diapers came out smelling a little like pee-covered tide smelling diapers...ewwww. My nuts always leave my diapes with NO smell, ever.
I also notice that they leave my regular laundry with a vinegary? smell when I line dry them...never out of the dryer, they always don't smell out of the dryer, but on the line, they don't smell like sunshine, and I'm still trying to find a way to fix that.
I don't think I'll ever use regular detergent again, they are that great, and great for our water supply (environment too). |
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What's your procedure exactly for making the liquid? Do you just boil 12 whole nuts in 8L of water? Or more than 8L to compensate for evaporation? Do you store the liquid in the refrigerator? I'd love to do this too, especially for cold water washes like you said...
Karen.
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Hi Karen,
I boil a handful (about 12 whole nuts) in a pot full (about 4-5 L) for around 20 min. DON'T LEAVE them alone though, or they will bubble over very fast. I mash them with my potato masher after 20min, then use a nylon (cheesecloth would work too) and a funnel and pour it into a clean gallon milk jug. Then i fill up my pot again, add the same nuts again and do another batch for another 20min, strain and pour into another clean jug.
I just keep it next to my washer, no fridge or special storing intructions. I use my old Tide cap to measure it out to the 1 line.
You could probably get another 4 L out of the nuts if you blended them up really small. But who needs that much at a time? You can use this liquid as shampoo, all-purpose cleaner, add it to your bath, bathe your pets, kids, you name it. Oh, and of course as detergent.
I really prefer the liquid method opposed to the nuts in a bag, but I can only speak for myself.
Good luck,
Leah |
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Thanks for the liquid recipe for soapnuts!! I have been wanting to try them for a long time, but was hesitant because I had heard that they don't work for cold water, which is how I wash everything other than diapers. I had to convince DH to go the Simple Green and washing soda route, so now I'll work on getting him to try the soapnuts.
Tara, home-birthin' mama to Avery 19/12/06 |
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Thanks for the recipe! Man, those things are so economical aren't they? I can see myself making the 12 litre recipe I have to say! With laundry, shampoo and all-purpose cleaner for 6 people I can see making use of it in a decent amount of time! LOL! I might keep some of it in the fridge just in case or maybe just save the nuts and make more of the liquid later on...
I too wash everything but diapers in cold water so this is way more convenient!
Anyone ever try it for dishes? I wonder... Maybe a hand dishwashing liquid replacement. I wonder about the dishwasher though? Anyone tried it?
Karen.
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| I've been using the soapnuts for a while now and no stinky diapers!! I was really having issues with smelly diapers and the soapnuts have totally cured that. I have used them in the dishwasher and I really don't notice any differance between them and detergent. I just returned from holidays and used cloth all the way and it was so easy to pack a small bag of soapnuts with us. My teenagers were using them for thier laundry too.LOL |
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Oh, that's great. How much did you use in the dishwasher? Did you put the nuts as such or a liquid you made from the nuts?
Karen.
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| I used 2 full soapnuts in a bag. I thought the dishwasher might go through a drain to begin with and then my liquid would drain. With the nuts in the bag they would be in there for the whole cycle. |
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If that was the case though, wouldn't dishwasher powder or especially liquid, go down the drain too? Mind you those are fairly thick, I've never noticed if they tend to leak out of the little compartments... Hmmm...
Either way though, great to know that they work in the dishwasher! This means that I can use it literally for *everything*!!
Oh wait, anyone use it as a body wash? I know you can use it as a shampoo but what about a soap replacement?
Hard to believe sometimes that the same thing can clean my tub, my clothes and yet be gentle enough for my hair and possibly my skin!! Fabulous stuff!
Karen.
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Thanks for the recipe. 2 questions for you.
1. can't you boil them in a little cloth bag so you don't have to strain them?
2. do you use 12 whole nuts, so 24 halfs?
TIA
ooh ya, has anyone used them for normal cleaning? i.e. bathrooms, toielts, tables etc etc |
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Yes, I suppose you can boil them in a bag, but the little cloth one for laundry wouldn't be big enough. And the dosing is not an exact science. I just grab a handful of nuts and throw them in a pot full of water....you don't have to get all science-y with them.:-)
And I just washed my van with them. WOW. 2 weeks of dirt road driving disappeared. A little soapnut liquid in water with a microfibre cloth and it rinsed clean...like better than car wash clean! A true test of residue, and there is none! I am so excited. Only took me 1/2 hr to wash my van and it looks so sparkly, no water spots, so soap swirls. AMAZING.AMAZING. AMAZING!!! |
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Hi! Karen, we've been using soapnuts as our body-wash. I've tried it 2 ways, both happily! First, we ground them up, and I used the pulpy grind as an exfoliating type of wash, which I reeeally enjoyed . Second, my children have horrid eczema, and I use the liquid as their soap. I've also started making homemade diaper wipes and use the liquid as the solution for the wipes..yipee!
Drats! I didn't know I could re-boil them. I assumed my 20 min. in hot had released all the saponin. I'm kicking myself now!!!:0
Jenny |
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