Soap Nuts Pro

12 Tips to Ensure Your Satisfaction When Buying Soap Nuts:

Purchasing soap nuts (soapnuts, soap berries etc.) is not as simple as we all would like. Let’s face it – it’s a fruit. If you didn’t know much about apples, how would you know you are buying the right ones for you? Are you going to eat them raw or bake a pie? How would you know you are getting a good value? Or that they are the best for your intended use? Many soap nut exporters and sellers have added to the consumer’s confusion by selling different species, different grades and making claims that may or may not be factual. Many sites also post erroneous information about usage that only compounds the confusion. This article cannot cover every issue, but it will help you make consistently better decisions about what soap nuts to buy, how you may obtain your best value, and what soap nuts to avoid. It will also help you determine if you got what you paid for. The following guidelines will help ward off the most common mistakes when buying soap nuts, plus help make your transaction more secure.

1) Buy soap nuts by weight – not by loads. Know how many soap nuts you are buying and having reasonable expectations of them are certainly good first steps. Used traditionally (wash bag method), one half-ounce (usually five mukorossi soap nuts) will yield roughly 4-7 loads. It amazes me that people will buy “XX loads” boxes or bags. It’s impossible to know how many loads you will get. One pound of good quality, de-seeded, mukorossi soap nuts will roughly have a rough range of 128 to 224 washes. (That is a wide range.) I have no problem with a retailer who offers an average or estimate to the low end (say approx. 160 loads) as long as the weight is clearly specified. Giving a new user a rough idea can be helpful. However, buying soap nuts based on number of loads is foolish. There are far too many variables that affect how many washes you will obtain. That 36 load box may actually yield 20 or 60 loads. Nobody knows. We cannot change the basic math, nor reduce the number of variables. Only time and experience will help you to optimize the effectiveness of your soap nuts so you can get the most bang for your buck.

Freshly harvested, de-seeded mukorossi soap berries (soap nuts). Photo courtesy Naidu, Archana Exports.

2) Buy only “de-seeded” soap nuts. Be sure this is spelled out. It is not uncommon to find a seed once in a while (a few seeds out of 100 soap berries is no big deal). More than that is indicative of poor quality control. You should notice a break in the skin and pulp where the seed was popped out when the soap nut was very soft. As packaged in India, Nepal and elsewhere in S/E Asia, it’s typical to be a mix of whole and part shells. But as shown, the seeds should be removed – leaving only the hollow outer skin and pulp to be dried. A soap nut containing a solid seed will weigh double (or more) than one that has been properly de-seeded. Being sold by weight when exported is precisely why we are finding soap nuts with seeds in the market – more weight and no extra labor cost to process them. In the case of trifoliatus and other smaller soap berry species the weight of the seed is extremely high relative to the skin and pulp. (The size of the berry is much smaller, but the seed is comparable in size to mukorossi seeds.) If you are buying by weight, as you should be, then seeds add unwanted weight that you are paying for. Seeds can spot or stain laundry – particularly when left in contact with wet laundry for even a short period of time. They have a dense black outer layer that can leave a brown spot on your favorite blouse or linens. So, always remove seeds when found. You may hear them rattling in a mukorossi soap nut. This is usually not the case with species producing smaller fruits (i.e., trifoliatus, saponaria, and others). When berries (with seeds) of these species dry out the “husk” and seed tend to become tightly bonded together, hence no rattling – and very difficult to remove. When a larger mukorossi soap berry (with a seed in it) dries it often leaves an air gap between the husk and seed, hence the soap nut seed is looser and easier to detect. Break it open and the seed will normally fall right out. Use seeds for growing new tress and plants – or be creative with them. Never use them in your wash.
Note: Exportation of soap nuts with seeds is growing at an alarming pace. Soap nut seeds create an opportunity for profiteering in this young and often misinformed marketplace. In a recent conversation with a Nepalese exporter in which we were discussing the market, the issue of “seeds or not” came up very quickly. This should give you an idea of how prevalent the problem has become. Sadly it is the consumer that ends up paying the price for the unknowing or unscrupulous seller.

IMPORTANT CASE NOTE added 1-20-10: I’ve been made aware that a well-known US herb and oil seller is now selling “whole”, “certified organic” soap nuts at an exceptionally cheap price. I have seen and handled these personally. They are trifoliatus (not mukorossi) that have not been de-seeded. The seller’s description reads as follows: “Soap Nuts, whole, sapindus mukorossi. Profile: Also known as Sapindus mukorossi, Sapindus trifoliatus, Sapindus saponaria, soapberry, and soap pods. Introduction: Soap nuts are found in both the eastern and western hemispheres, but are native to India and Nepal.” This is precisely the kind of misrepresentation, sketchy generalized info, and partial truths that lead to consumer confusion and bad experiences. The product photo on the company’s web site would be extremely difficult for an untrained eye to determine the species and condition. To be usable for washing, the outer skin of every small trifoliatus soap berry had to be tediously broken away and peeled off the seed. Not fun. Well over half of the weight of the bag of soap nuts turned out to be seeds. The worst thing is that any unknowing consumer would have a very bad experience if used as packaged. Thankfully I’ve been able to assist some buyers, but how many will never know all the facts? If you are one to think that OTCO (Oregon Tilth) and USDA organic labels are like stand-alone “Good Housekeeping” seals of approval, you may really want to think twice.

Images added 4-12-10:

Exhibit A: Comparison soap nuts - equal weight packages.

Exhibit B: Closeup of de-seeded mukorossi soap nuts.

Exhibit C: Closeup of trifoliatus soap nuts with seeds.

A: Comparison of two brands of soap nuts. Both are 4-oz (113.5 grams) packages. Mukorossi on left. Trifoliatus on right.

B: Closeup shows mukorossi soap nuts after de-seeding. Color is typical for early to mid-season. There will be cuts and small slits in the berries from when the seeds were removed. If you look carefully you will notice imperfections in the outer skin.

C: Image shows relatively small size and darker color typical of trifoliatus. Some have been intentionally broken open to expose the large black seeds for this photo. Otherwise the outer skin of each soap nut was pristine and fully intact as packaged. The berries had no slits or cuts indicating de-seeding. (Photo series: NaturOli)

3) Know what you are buying. Be certain of what you want. Soap berries (soap nuts) are so new to the public that there are many big gaps in the information available. Sellers tend to focus on the general, when the specifics are vitally important to a good transaction. As I’ve written hundreds of times, “A soap nut is NOT just a soap nut.” Understanding that takes a bit of study. It is crucial to understand that soap nut sellers are trying to sell the concept that soap nuts are a better, natural way to clean. Very few are educating people about the important particulars. Sellers tend to tell what you want to hear. This oversimplification is the root of the problem. Once consumers are well schooled regarding the differences, sellers will need to become more knowledgeable in order to satisfy the market. We are a long way from that point. Let’s face it, only recently did most of us start reading product labels more carefully. The soap nuts may be what you want. They may not. We need to ask the right questions.

4) Expect nothing, assume nothing. If it isn’t spelled out clearly, something is likely wrong. Good soap nut sellers are very knowledgeable and will specify all the important aspects. They will describe their soap nuts’ species, weight, condition, de-seeded or not, age, packaging, accessories such as wash bags and instructions, etc. Quite simply, assume nothing and you won’t be disappointed. If everything about the soap nuts has been clearly verified by the seller, you will most likely be pleased. There are many start-up soap nut businesses today. Some really care and are sincerely promoting this wonderful green alternative. Others only want to sell something, and don’t care much about what it is. The ones that do care will show it.

5) Be certain the soap nuts are returnable. All good sellers will stand behind their products. Unless you’ve made a certain “deal” and are willing to agree to a no return policy, returns should be acceptable. Expect to lose the shipping costs and to have to pay to ship them back. At least you won’t get stuck with poor quality soap nuts.

6) Pay for soap nuts with a credit card, Paypal or similar. In a worst case scenario, this will provide you buyer protection and an out from a bad transaction. You can always dispute a charge for “merchandise not as described”. Be extremely leery of any seller who wants cash, debit card, wire transfer, Western Union, etc. Getting your money back will be unlikely. A good seller will have credit card processing and/or Paypal available. If not, beware. As always, when buying soap nuts online be certain that you are purchasing through a verified secure store.

7) Stick with soap nut suppliers that are proven reliable. Good sellers will have a well-known and documented reputation for quality products and customer service. The exception to this is the new seller. I highly support the efforts of so many people that are developing new, honest, green soap nut businesses. Everybody has to start somewhere. With a new seller that has little history, get to know them. Follow the above tips, and if all is in order, support them. They are foot soldiers of the green movement and deserve our support.

8) Avoid soap nuts packaged for retail in Asia. There are numerous reasons for this. Once sealed and packaged for retail, nobody will inspect your soap berries before you own them. Let’s remember we are talking about a raw fruit here. The overseas sorting and inspection of soap berries prior to packaging is often low in quality control. Keep in mind that these retail packages will be at sea in large cargo containers (without climate control) for many weeks or even months. They will travel on open seas over a great distance through all kinds of climates and weather. Who knows what will happen to them during this long journey. They will get very hot and very cold. Condensation and moisture can build up and degrade the soap berries. I have received soap nuts packaged overseas that were overly wet and stuck together, blackish in color, plus contained many seeds, hairs, and all kinds of leaves and debris. It is much cheaper for sellers to purchase them “ready for retail” because of the low Asian labor costs. Interestingly though, soap nuts that are packaged overseas are usually comparably priced to ones that have been inspected and packaged in the US or Canada. Buy soap nuts that have been inspected and sorted AFTER their long voyage. This will assure you of better quality control over the final processing and packaging. You can also feel more comfortable that Fair Trade practices have been adhered to.

NOTE (added 4-14-10): I was recently chastised by a soap nut seller for the above comment. The rationale being that it’s better to support laborers overseas than “pimply-faced, beer-drinking teens working for minimum wage”. No kidding. That’s quote/unquote. Hmmm… The fact is that villagers and families harvest and initially sort nearly all the soap berries in the annual harvest. They then sell them in bulk to the exporters at the prevailing commodity prices. (Demand is a good thing…hint, hint.) These harvesters and sorters (often children) are not affected whatsoever by the commercial packaging by the exporting companies. The exporters would prefer the packaging done there. More profit. Be assured that these profits end up with the exporters – not the most impoverished locals and villagers. If you ever visit there, you can see this first-hand. Present day India has strictly enforced labor laws over businesses. So, any way you shake it, this is completely unfounded nonsense – only supportive of the low relative “for hire” cost of labor in these regions.

9) Don’t let price be the determining factor in your soap nut buying decision. That’s a huge mistake, be it whether you are paying a lot or a little. If buying cheaply priced soap nuts, that’s asking for inferior quality and disappointing transaction. Paying more however does not ensure better quality. I’ve seen prices go from A to Z without any correlation to quality. Only by knowing exactly what you are buying can you expect a good transaction.

10) Be mindful of hype-ish claims. Creative sellers often try to distinguish their soap nuts from others – trying to make you think they are better or worth more. “Organic” and “Gourmet” are big ones.  “Gourmet” being quite humorous of course. (I can’t wait to scarf down my next plate of soapberries!) For the most part, “organic” is now being tossed around so much that the term has become meaningless. All soap berries are “organic “- by definition (same as they are “natural”). Don’t think such generalized, descriptive terms are meaningful. Official “USDA Certified Organic” and “Ecocert”, the international authenticating body, are different. Such official certifications are some assurance of the chemical-free processing of the soap nuts. There are very steep fines and penalties for fraudulent use of such official certifications that should restrict misuse. However when buying soap nuts, the species, condition, and reputation of the seller remains paramount. Keep in mind that there is nothing whatsoever to stop exporters of inferior quality soap nuts from gaining an official certification that a seller may then use. The actual quality, effectiveness and value of the soap berry are NOT criteria in the official certification process.

11) Buy mukorossi or trifoliatus soap nuts. I personally prefer mukorossi soap nuts because they are the species of choice for the quality exporters and are consistently of high saponin content (the all-important active ingredient in soap nuts). Trifoliatus is often being sold with seeds, and sometimes misrepresented as mukorossi. It’s a cheap alternative with lucrative profiteering potential. Trifoliatus (seed excluded) is high in saponin content, same as mukorossi, but it has a lower market value. If you are buying trifoliatus you should be paying much less. If you really know your soap nuts and/or are making liquids and powders in volume, it can be a cost effective way for you to go without compromising effectiveness. Trifoliatus is however much more similar in appearance to other species with lower saponin content, hence more difficult to be assured of what you actually have. Only one soap nut being harvested in high volume is distinctly different in appearance than other species. That is mukorossi. Particularly for the new soap nuts user, sticking with mukorossi makes for a far safer bet that you’ll be buying a quality soap berry. Both whole soap nuts and pieces are equally effective. Pieces also make for good buying opportunities. Note: As mentioned above, be aware that “whole” may be used by some sellers to describe soap nuts that have not been properly de-seeded. Be sure that this is clear.

Images added to illustrate age:

Exhibit E: Aged soap nuts. Species not determined. Photo: Ebay.

D and E: Miscellaneous images showing soap nuts of significant age. Once soap nuts have reached a black coloration as shown it becomes very difficult to determine the year of harvest. It is not uncommon for older soap nuts to become very gummy due to high humidity at time of packaging, moisture release from the berries, and condensation if they have been sealed in plastic bags for long periods.

Exhibit D: Aged mukorossi soap nuts. Black in color. Photo: Maggies Pure Land.

12) Know what’s normal for soap nuts and what’s not. Akin to #3 above, this is the only way you can evaluate your transaction. Soap nuts are mainly harvested from January through March (particularly mukorossi). The new harvest will typically sell at a premium price, while the previous year’s harvest will be discounted to clear floor space. Very freshly harvested mukorossi soap nuts will be large (about the diameter of a U.S. nickel and up to the size of a quarter), sticky, and yellow/golden in color. A good processor will allow them to air dry before packaging or sealing if overly moist. As they age in the first year they will darken to a reddish and then brownish color. Ultimately the soap nuts will turn black.  If overly moist they will darken more quickly. It is quite common to find black soap nuts as seen in pictures D and E, and they may be up to two or even three years old. If soap nuts are processed and stored properly they will be somewhat dry, yet remain a bit tacky to the touch, and get no more than dark brown in color. They can remain this way for very long periods, but require a stable storage environment. Storage at a humidity level of 25 to 30% and temperature of 60 to 65°F is ideal for extended storage periods. Unfortunately maintaining such stability is difficult for many suppliers, hence overly dry and overly moist soap nuts are commonly found. It is recommended to buy as fresh of soap nuts as possible. If needed, allow them to dry to the point where they are slightly moist and pliable. Then seal in an airtight container and store in a cool, dark place. This will ensure long term freshness. Trifoliatus is similar except they are much smaller, usually darker in color, and drier even when very fresh. The important thing is to get what you are paying for. Know the species you are buying and when the soap berries were harvested. If you do, you’ll then know exactly what to expect. If it’s Springtime and you are buying – and paying for – high quality, de-seeded mukorossi, then you’ll know that the soap nuts should be large, golden-ish and tacky. If they are small (like a U.S. dime), or very dark, or very gummy, or very dry, or full of seeds, then something is definitely wrong. Don’t pay as much for previous year’s soap nuts as the current harvest. If the soap nuts have been properly stored, the previous year’s harvest can create great buying opportunities. They will still be highly effective and available at bargain prices.

You are now ready to buy soap nuts with a minimal risk of being disappointed. Good luck.

IMPORTANT UPDATE (added 4-24-10):

Exhibit F: Soap nuts with seeds.

And so the games begin… As mentioned previously, I anticipated a flood of soap nut sellers entering the marketplace with soap nuts of low quality. Major exporters in India and Nepal have reported to me a “big increase” in the volume of both mukorossi and trifoliatus soap berries with seeds being shipped to the US and Canada. Such soap berries are popping up all over. I believe that the more sellers the better. More sellers means increased consumer awareness – exactly what’s needed. But this has instead become a serious problem.

Exhibit G: More soap nuts with seeds.

Unfortunately as anticipated, there would be an abundance of new sellers without adequate knowledge and experience regarding all the aspects of soap berries that should be considered by informed consumers. Price alone becomes the primary concern for such sellers. Then interestingly, I’ve been reading some very imaginative and creative ways these sellers are presenting their soap nuts in an effort to justify the below market prices. (One caveat being some with artificially low product prices and high shipping rates – but we all recognize that game right away.)

Exhibit H: Soap nuts with seeds - detailed close up. No sign whatsoever of any break at all in the outer skin to indicate proper de-seeding. Otherwise, the color and gloss look good.

My point here is to reemphasize being cautious. Having become such a widespread problem, it’s easy to be fooled (particularly for the new users – the users don’t know the ropes yet, and whom we want their first experience to be a good one.) “Whole” soap nuts are being promoted heavily – frequently with “WHOLE” meaning “WITH SEEDS”. As explained in greater detail above, they are very inexpensive if not de-seeded (particularly the trifoliatus species). Seeds only add weight – lots of it – without any value (except for planting). Adjacent to each paragraph in this update are illustrative images directly from current Ebay sellers. (I enhanced the clarity and sharpness of the soap berries in some pics so you would be better able to see far more detail. Other than improving clarity they have not been altered in any way.) The species in each image can’t be determined with certainty since there is no object of reference to judge size. Although referred to as mukorossi in each case, some soap berries have characteristics far more similar in appearance to trifoliatus. With trifoliatus, there is typically a larger light spot (relative to the size of the whole soap berry) where it breaks off from the stem. Plus there is often a more distinct color variation particularly along the the ridge lines of the “crinkles”, wherein the high ridge lines tend to be significantly lighter than the darker crevices. All-in-all it makes them look more “crinkled”. Also, after some aging when containing seeds it is common to notice a natural splitting or “bursting open” of the outer skin on and around the weaker stem area. This is due to the contraction of the soap nut’s pulp and skin around its rock-hard seed as its shell shrinks. As mentioned before, the “shell” and seed become very tightly bonded together and difficult to separate. (See Exhibit C above.) But be that as it may, you can certainly see that the skin and pump are completely intact (excepting the ones intentionally broken open for illustration). There are no man-made cuts or slits or partially broken berries – the key indicators of properly de-seeded soap nuts. (The possible exception being Exhibit I. Frankly, I won’t even attempt to speculate regarding what these are or where they came from.) Click on the images to view enlargements and draw your own conclusions.

Exhibit I: Yikes!!! I have no clue as to what to write...

I want to sincerely thank all the fair and honest sellers that have done their homework, and are properly and accurately representing their products. Hopefully, these writings and pictures will help you to quickly identify such good sellers. They are the ones who are not just after a quick buck, and will help lead consumers to the wonderful experiences soap nuts offer us all.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT UPDATE (added 8-28-10):

After being a bit speechless when showing you the last photo (Exhibit I), I received a newly purchased kilo bag of soap nuts from a reader who wanted my opinion. Just from her initial description, I knew this would be interesting… She mailed me a good sized portion of them. (Thank you very much, Tracy!)

Well, “interesting” is an understatement – to say the least.

I’m a bit torn about publishing the photos of these soap nuts because of the “turn off” factor they may have. Please be assured that this is completely atypical for soap nuts – even for those packaged overseas. In fact, these are the quintessential net result of low quality control standards, overseas packaging, improper wet storage, and improper inventory rotation. Amazingly, these are from one of older and larger soap nut retailers in the US and Canada! The soap nuts are a “Product of Indonesia”, as per the packaging.

Albeit torn, I feel obligated to you to publish this update and photos for this reason: If you are new to soap nuts – and bought these – you may think that all soap nuts are like these. And you may never try them again, not to mention having negative sentiments about soap nuts. That would be a monumental shame – and a set back for the safer, healthier, greener cleaning alternatives that soap nuts provide us.

I am totally disappointed (and obviously upset) that this well-known and established US retailer and wholesaler would sell soap nuts in this condition. Hoping that these soap nuts were just a fluke (maybe a bad lot or something), I got two more different sized packages of soap nuts (from two different resellers of this brand) to evaluate. One is a “200-400 load kilo bag” that I bought through Amazon, and the other is an “80-load box” that a colleague in LA picked for up me at a local natural products store nearby him. That’s three packages I now have – obtained in three different ways. I figured this would make for a really good market cross sampling of this brand.

The soap nuts in each case are identical in condition: Black as coal, obviously quite old, very wet, grossly gummy, sticky as glue, and have a very strong pungent odor (like old warm beer). Even worse was my first actual test of them. They quickly (like less than a minute) darkly discolored the wash bag when simply soaping it up by hand. Nobody with half a brain would toss a bag of these black gooey soap nuts in with his or her good laundry. I’ve seen plenty of ugly soap nuts, but these are astonishingly nasty. And I thought soap nuts with seeds were bad…these take the cake.

I implore this seller to do the right thing. Please recall and/or replace these soap nuts. Get them off the street. Please do not let consumers have an unavoidable bad experience. Selling soap nuts in this condition is bad for the entire soap nut business as a whole. I offer this seller an opportunity to correct this problem with the full support, help and praise of SoapNuts.pro. I will gladly publish an article about the efforts and expenses this company will invariably encounter to remedy the problem. Surely, it would be a headache and an expensive proposition. However, it would be a grand and noble gesture by this soap nuts seller – and surely one that soap nut consumers would recognize and remember as such. In the end, dividends would be realized.

So, to the pictures. Experienced users of soap nuts will know that these are of poor quality and condition. Newbies, please realize that it is a rarity to see soap nuts in this state. I haven’t seen any this bad – ever. Don’t be turned off. Hopefully, we won’t ever find soap nuts like these being sold again after the seller reads this update.

(Sorry. My pictures are coming soon. I’m having technical problems uploading them. For the moment, imagine the soap nuts in “Exhibit I” but soaked in dark maple syrup – that’s real close what they’re like. Yuk.)

January 4th, 2010 | Tags: organic soap nuts, sapindus mukorossi soap nuts, sapindus trifoliatus soap nuts, soap nut liquid, soap nut quality, soap nuts, soap nuts powder, trifoliatus soap nuts | Category: saponin, soap nuts, soap nuts liquid, soap nuts powder, soapberry, soapnuts | Comments (78)

Soap nuts are truly a timely rediscovery for environmentally friendly detergents and household cleaning products. People are actively seeking better earth friendly products more than ever before in history. What could be a better gift idea than soap nuts? They are a perfect green gift!

Soap nuts stocking stuffers. Novel, inexpensive, and lots of fun to give. Photo: NaturOli.

This is a holiday season when we all want – and need – to be frugal. It is a year when green shopping has taken on much greater importance. This year soap nuts have actually become a “buzz”! However, few people really understand them. So, what makes the ideal green gift that is both fun and practical; a gift that will be used and appreciated; a gift that just might change someone’s life for the better – and certainly will be better for our world? SOAP NUTS – the only true 100% natural, chemical-free, green laundry detergent and cleaner.

Tremendous credibility was given to soap nuts (soapnuts, soap berries, etc.) this year by the “Green Dot Awards – Celebrating Excellence in Green Products and Services.” Some of the largest and most innovative companies in the world compete for their awards. Their jury reads like a who’s-who of green movement leaders. In their own words, “NaturOli green detergents and cleansers. Use of saponin, which is derived naturally from soap nuts, is possibly the most significant green innovation in history for everyday household cleaning needs.” And further proclaimed, “Although the Green Dot Awards are worthy unto themselves, they are also a consumer guide to excellence in environmentally-sustainable practices. A business with a Green Dot Award is a business that can be trusted by consumers with stewardship of the environment.”

We have an incredible opportunity to spread the word about soap nuts and their fantastic benefits, and do so very economically – plus have some real fun in the process! “No, mom, they are not lumps of coal.” LOL!!! I can hear it all now. People are absolutely astounded that such a wonderful natural thing exists!

For those of us that use soap nuts we realize they are a dream come true. Not only are they the best and purest earth friendly detergent, but they can replace 90% of the everyday chemical cleaners around the house, too. To understand soap nuts is to love them. We veterans realize that to use them is the only way to fully embrace their wonders. So, let’s spread the word about these little gems from Mother Nature with our loved ones, friends and co-workers! We can share these healthy and fascinating green gifts to better people’s lives! That sure beats chocolates or silly things, don’t you think? (Oh, I wouldn’t recommend it as the only gift for your significant other. That might be a problem.)

The NaturOli team has been putting together lots of creative green gift ideas for you. And there are more soap nut products this year to consider – such as soap bars, soap nuts shampoo bars, liquid concentrate and maybe more. You will find a lot of fun soap nut gifts on the NaturOli Store.

However, here’s the simplest, most inexpensive way to share soap nuts and spread the word in a major way: Little soap nut samplers and trial sizes as green gifts and stocking stuffers! You can get soap nut samplers and trial bottles of Extreme 18X Soap Nuts Liquid Concentrate for very little cost. There are packages where you can get a bunch of them for parties and stuffers that are marked way down. You can be creative and even more frugal by simply getting large sized bags and start making up your own special green gifts. You will use about a half ounce (5 or 6 soap nuts) per each raw soap nut sampler. Get as many wash bags as you’ll need. Add some ribbon or a bow and you are good to go! (Eco-friendly embellishments are getting easier to find.) Now you just made lots of very inexpensive, environmentally friendly green gifts that are sure to be a huge hit! How cool is that?

(btw: If you have one of those with huge families, are throwing huge parties or planning the corporate holiday party, don’t be shy about writing for special orders and prices. The NaturOli team can accommodate just about anything. That’s a win-win for everybody! Try to plan ahead – it’s an exceptionally busy season.)

If you choose to get soap nuts from NaturOli, the team will help you spread the word by providing information and directions pamphlets for every gift of soap nuts you give. (Printed on recycled paper with soy inks, of course.) Be sure to add a little note in the comments with your order that you are giving them as gifts. These info and instructions for soap nut use will make your earth friendly gifts all that much more meaningful and interesting. There is a lot of information in the pamphlets. Even Extreme 18X Liquid is described.

So, take a bunch of these great little green gifts to the holiday work party, to family get-togethers, block parties or whatever occasion! Put soap nuts in every stocking. Have some fun with them! One thing is a certainty – Everybody is curious about soap nuts. You’ll be amazed at the responses. Many are still skeptical, but they all want to see, touch, feel and try them! They are so new, unique and just plain cool.

My warmest wishes to you all! Happy green holidays!

November 8th, 2009 | Tags: naturoli soap nuts, soap nuts, soap nuts liquid, soap nuts liquid concentrate, soap nuts shampoo, soap nuts soap | Category: soap nuts, soap nuts detergent, soap nuts liquid, soap nuts shampoo, soap nuts soap, soapnuts | Comments (7)

Storing soap nuts and/or preserving soap nut liquid is simpler than you may think.

This is touched upon in FAQs and various soap nuts related articles, but warrants its own post. I am frequently asked about the shelf life of soap nuts, so here you go.

Let’s break this into two kinds of storage: Storage of the raw, dry soap nuts and preserving soap nuts liquids.

Raw soap nuts:

Whether whole, pieces or dry soap nuts powder, this is very simple. First remember that a soap nut (soap berry) is a dried fruit. They are originally sun dried, and then continue to dry during open air storage (unless it’s very humid, of course). How long will a dried fruit last? A very long time – years. No preservatives are needed. The soap nuts should be stored in a stable, relatively dry environment.  Just for reference, the perfect conditions are approximately 20 to 30% humidity and cool to room temperature. Avoid direct sunlight due to the heat created. Nothing special needs to be done by the average user for short-term storage (less than a year). Use common sense. If you are in a very moist environment use of an airtight container may be helpful. Be mindful of temperature changes and possible condensation. Silica packs can be helpful to dry out excess moisture in some cases. (You can find packets in many products you buy, such as electronics or anything where the manufacturer wants to avoid condensation and moisture. These work great.)

Lots of mukorossi soap berries in muslin bags. Photo: Private collection.

We do not have any culinary use for soap nuts; hence we do not need to be concerned with them becoming stale. The active ingredient, saponin, does not evaporate – but the moisture will. Potency may decrease if very old, and particularly if very dry or very moist from improper storage. (If sealed when overly moist, you’ll end up with a black gummy mess.) So, plain old-fashioned, dry-cabinet storage will be most peoples’ soap nut storage solution. The more stable and moderately dry the environment remains, the more they will continue to resemble the soap nuts on the day you put them away.

For long-term soap nuts storage, the basics are the same. However, use an airtight container becomes much more important. Vacuum sealing is a great option if you have the capability. I personally have soap nuts that are three years old and they are still effective and look good. The trick is to have them just a little pliable and slightly tacky – neither too dry or too moist before sealing them up.

It is common for soap nuts to change in color over time. That pretty golden color from a fresh new harvest will only last for a few months. They will continually deepen in color over time. Color is often your best indicator of age. When buying soap nuts, I recommend buying the freshest ones you can get. The reason being: Why not? I’ve often seen soap nuts that were new out of the box, but obviously a year or two (or more) old. They’ll work, but I’d much prefer big, plump soap nuts (preferably mukorossi soap berries) to ensure I’m getting the maximum level of saponin content.

Soap Nuts Liquid:

Storing soap nuts liquid is an entirely different story. Shy of being professionally preserved, there are two age-old ways to go: Freezing or canning. Period. Unless you really know what you are doing, don’t bother with at home preservatives (e.g., citric acid, tea tree oil, rosemary, etc). These are not full spectrum preservatives and will have limited usefulness. You may be able to extend the shelf life of the soap nuts liquid a little, but not enough to make much of a difference. If you are purely preserving the liquid (that is, strained of the soap berries), I suggest making soap nut liquid ice cubes. These are very convenient to use. Melt them as needed, or just toss some in with your laundry. If you are making other soap nut cleaners, melt as many as needed for the solution. Don’t make up more than you’ll use in a week. Having “ready to use” soap nuts liquid doesn’t get much more convenient.

Canning is another great option – particularly for long-term storage. It’s great if you are preserving the whole soap nut “stew” to play with another day. Most likely you either know or don’t know how to “can” food products. I won’t spend time here explaining how, but it is very simple. If you want to learn, there are many sites that will teach you step-by-step. Grandma could can her garden tomatoes and fruits, so you can do the same with your soap nuts.

So now, how difficult is it to store or preserve soap nuts regardless of form? Not at all. I’ve received emails from people that actually seemed overly concerned about the shelf life of their homemade soap nuts liquids. That’s a bit silly. Any unpreserved plant, fruit, vegetable or food product will go bad over time – particularly if in water. There’s no need to be afraid of it. If it goes sour, you’ll know it. You may still use it in compost or to water plants with it. My plants seem to love soap nuts regardless of state or condition.

Professionally preserved soap nut liquid is available, and also available in a very highly concentrated form. See NaturOli’s Extreme 18X soap nuts liquid cleaner for a highly concentrated formula with a two-year shelf life. You can also find it on Amazon and sometimes on Ebay. It can be used for laundry or a plethora of household cleaning needs, and is to be diluted as desired. I highly recommend it – and it has a long shelf life. Do be aware that there are numerous ways to extract saponin from soap nuts. Some processes use harsh chemical solvents. It’s fast and cheap. Needless to say, that’s not what most of us want to see for it defeats the purpose of safe natural liquid. Look for only products using a water-based saponin extraction process.

Go enjoy your soap nuts for a long time to come. Larger sizes cost less per ounce.  So, I hope this will help you to take better advantage of those significant savings on soap nuts.

October 15th, 2009 | Tags: preserving soap nuts liquid, saponin, soap nuts, soap nuts liquid, soap nuts liquid concentrate, soap nuts liquid shelf life, soap nuts powder, storing soap nuts | Category: soap nuts, soap nuts liquid, soap nuts powder, soap nuts shelf life, soapberry, soapnuts | Comments (9)

Hands down soap nuts (a.k.a soapnuts, soap berries, wash nuts, etc.) are the best HE (high efficiency) detergent or laundry soap available anywhere at any price. Period. Soap nuts actually accomplish everything that the HE chemical detergent producers are still trying to accomplish – and soap nuts do it even better  completely naturally – and totally green.

Typical he front loading washer. Stock photo.

Soap nuts release precisely what the chemists at the major detergent producers are struggling to develop. Soap nuts simply accomplish it naturally and synthetic chemical free. A low sudsing, effective surfactant is the objective of any good HE detergent. Such is saponin – the all-important active ingredient that the soap nut releases to produce the “soaping” effect.

(Just in case: A surfactant is an agent or substance that reduces the surface tension of liquids so that the liquid spreads out, rather than collecting in droplets, hence allowing easy water flow through the soiled fabrics and facilitating the removal or release of dirt, oils, grime, etc.) Saponin does precisely that!

Soap nuts also come with some truly major extra benefits. They are naturally anti-fungal, antimicrobial, biodegradable and hypoallergenic. Plus to top it all off, used properly they are by far less expensive than the commercial chemical detergents. Geeez…what more can we ask for? See the article on affordability.

Virtually everything written in this article applies to all front-loading washers. Front loading washers are essentially HE washers by design. Newer front loaders that are called HE are simply more efficient than older units. They use tumbling as opposed to agitators to clean your laundry and use less water. Tumbling the laundry is the ideal way to agitate the soap nuts. It further enhances their release of saponins.

A very interesting point to be noted is that most HE washers have a maintenance cycle that is required to be run to keep the machine operating at peak efficiency. I very recently wrote an article specifically about purging and cleaning your machine using soap nuts (regardless of machine type). See the article on cleaning up washing machines with soap nuts for more detail. Soap nuts do not leave the residues and build ups that chemical detergents do (even the so called “green” ones). They actually break down such residues. Given that much less water is used in HE washers, a good “flushing” of the detergents, residues and additives out of your laundry and your machine is not achieved. Hence this newly found need for a maintenance cycle to help clean it out periodically.

Chemists are struggling to keep up with the washing machine technologies, and not doing a good job of it. Most of those I speak with that own HE and front-loading machines are not happy at all with the commercial detergents. As the founder of NaturOli, I speak to a lot of people every day about different detergents and the effects of using soap nuts. I routinely hear stories of these nasty odors and gross build-ups – and how well soap nuts work to eliminate the problems.

So, if you have a new or old HE washer (either top or front loader) simply try using soap nuts. It’s my bet that you will be totally astounded. You’ll love what they do for your laundry, your machine and your pocketbook, too!

Electrolux 2007 Design Lab winner. Soap nuts washer prototype. Photo: Electrolux.

I’m certainly not going to try to address every single machine out there. They all don’t operate alike. Fundamentally they are the similar, but there are differences. It is very important to realize that the machine manufacturers are working with the chemical detergent producers and writing their manuals accordingly. They are certainly not addressing soap nut usage. Soap nuts are not even on their radar screens. As of 2009, it appears that only one European manufacturer, Electrolux, has actually demonstrated their foresight and vision by addressing soap nut usage.

Soap nuts are a 100% natural alternative to the synthetic, chemical detergents. Using soap nuts in a wash bag is such a radically different way to wash laundry, some experimentation on your part is going to be needed for you to determine the best method to achieve the best results using soap nuts in your machine. But, that’s part of the fun of them. Soap nut liquid and powder are used much like you would use any other liquid or powder detergent.

When using the wash bag method just forget about the compartments. Even if using liquid or powder, I recommend not using the compartments initially. Simply add the soap nuts (in whatever form) directly in with your laundry. Experimentation over time is the only way to know what works best for YOU. Since washing machines function differently the compartments and their dispersion methods introduce variables. As any good scientist will tell you, if you want to learn more and learn faster, minimize variables. Forget about the fabric softener department, too, since you normally don’t need fabric softeners when using soap nuts.

If you are using soap nuts in the traditional method (soap nuts in a wash bag) and washing in cold, definitely make a cup of soap nut “tea” and pour the tea and bag right in with your laundry. Heat helps to activate the release of the saponins. The starter “tea” method works great. You usually don’t need to make the tea again when doing loads back to back. Alternately, just boil some soap nuts and make a liquid, or grind them to a dust-like ultra fine powder. How you use soap nuts is purely a matter of personal preference. All methods work.

An exception regarding compartments: If you are using EXTREME 18X, dilute it as instructed to whatever amount of liquid is typical for your machine. Use both the wash and pre-wash compartments. It is very pure and void of any oils, hence it works great using the compartments – and immediately starts to work clean up your machine’s internal plumbing.

All in all, simply use good old-fashioned common sense. Know that heat and agitation help to release saponin from raw soap nuts. Using powders and liquids are simply convenient alternative methods. Many people really enjoy producing their own homemade detergent concoctions.

What’s most important to know and understand is that you have available to you (right now) the absolute very best HE detergent you will ever find – soap nuts. Soap nuts are the perfect HE detergent in every way – and again – more affordable, too! I guess Mother Nature is a little smarter than all those laboratory chemists. Why am I not surprised?

October 1st, 2009 | Tags: chemical free he detergents, front loading washers, high efficiency detergent, low sudsing detergent, natural he detergent, saponin, saponins, soap nuts, soapnuts | Category: natural soap, saponin, soap nuts, soap nuts detergent, soapberry, soapnuts | Comments (38)

September 20th, 2009 | Tags: natural laundry detergent, naturoli soap nuts, soap, soap nuts, soap nuts video | Category: natural soap, saponin, soap nuts, soap nuts detergent, soap nuts liquid, soapberry, soapnuts | Comments (5)

NaturOli’s soap nut liquid detergent goes toe to toe with leading chemical detergents in independent laboratory testing to compare cleaning power. This is the first time in history an independent US laboratory detergent comparison included soap nuts.

Just in case: Efficacy: ef-fi-ca-cy, noun. The ability to produce the necessary or desired results. (Courtesy of Encarta World English Dictionary)

Independent laboratory efficacy testing. Photo: Private collection.

Recently documented (June, 2009) via laboratory efficacy studies, soap nuts and saponin are proved equivalent in cleaning power to the some of the most popular mainstream synthetic chemical detergents on the market. The testing was for cleaning power only. There is no consideration given to the “mile long” list of additional benefits (either health or environmental) from the use of soap berries and saponin. For most, soap nuts sound to good to be true – but this is real. These are the facts. Here is the proof.

In June of this year, a diluted version of NaturOli’s Extreme 18X concentrated laundry soap was provided to Specialized Technology Resources (STR) in Canton, Massachusetts for comparative testing and analysis. The dilution of the 18X was done to approximate a one-ounce to one-ounce single load comparison. One ounce of “pure” Extreme 18X will wash approximately six to 12 loads. A full ounce of Extreme 18X would not make for a realistic comparison. It was diluted to equate to a single load dosage to compare apples to apples.

Comparisons were made against Tide 2X Ultra, Tide Free 2X Ultra, Seventh Generation Free and Clear 3X Concentrate and Method’s 3X Detergent Concentrate. Tests were conducted using a cold water (70F), normal wash cycle and used top loading vertical axis washing machines.

In the final analysis it is quoted by STR, “At approximately a 35% lower Use Level than both the Tide and Seventh Generation products and at the same Use Level as the Method product (NaturOli’s liquid soap nut detergent) demonstrated approximately 98% Tide’s, Seventh Generation’s and Method’s Overall Soil Removal Capability.”

That’s using 35% less product in the comparison with Tide and Seventh Generation. The tests were conducted using cold water with vertical agitation – one of saponin’s most difficult scenarios for maximum effectiveness. Amazing! Of the numerous tests, even with additional enzyme boosters by the competitive brands, the very lowest comparative results proved 91-93% effectiveness. There are currently no enzyme boosters whatsoever added in NaturOli’s Extreme 18X saponin laundry soap. This is a due to NaturOli maintaining the product’s purity.

Virtually across the board in every single test the results were comparable. The tests compared soiling by dust, clay, coffee, cosmetics, grape juice, grass, blue ball point pen, spaghetti sauce, motor oil and more. Test evaluated results on fabrics such as cotton, polyester and blends.

Hands down, this is a major victory for saponin over synthetic chemical detergents. Please don’t think that the supposedly “green” products that the saponin detergent was compared are actually “green”. Read the ingredients for yourself. They are far from it. SLS is still a primary ingredient.

Bottom line: The first of NaturOli’s saponin-based detergents went head to head with the leading detergents on the market and the jury called it a draw. Given that the emphasis of saponin-based products is placed on purity from all hazardous chemicals, this is a monumental achievement.

September 7th, 2009 | Tags: NaturOli Extreme 18X, saponin, saponins, soap berries, soap nuts, soap nuts extract, soap nuts laundry, soap nuts laundry detergent, soap nuts liquid | Category: natural soap, soap nuts, soap nuts detergent, soap nuts liquid, soapnuts | Comments (4)

Soap Nuts – Possibly THE MOST Affordable Way To Wash Laundry.

I have read erroneous articles discussing soap nuts as an expensive alternative to chemical detergents. Interestingly I have received more than one apology from journalists that simply didn’t do enough homework on the subject of soap nuts. Anything used improperly will produce unreliable data. One journalist claimed that the cost of soap nuts was in the 50 cents per load range. I promptly set her straight. Frankly, properly used, soap nuts can be one of the most affordable ways possible to do laundry – and the math is very easy.

Now, it is important to realize that it is not cost effective at all to buy samplers of soap nuts. The purpose of samplers is to try them. Period. If you like them, then you would certainly buy them in larger quantities to reduce your cost per ounce. That’s a very nice thing about NaturOli. Not only do they offer very large sizes of reasonably priced quality soap nuts. They even work well with co-ops, similar type groups and resellers of all sizes on even larger orders.

But let’s first compare the cost of using soap nuts to using commercial detergents – as average consumers. Let’s just crunch some numbers:

You can purchase 32 ounces of high quality soap nuts for around $30. That should be enough to last an average household six months to a year when it comes down to simply doing laundry. Used in the traditional manner, you will use approx. one-half ounce in a wash bag and will average about 5 loads from it. That yields approx. 320 loads. Now I can usually get more loads than that, but that is only because of some tricks I use to extend their life and maximize saponin extraction. To be conservative, let’s even just go with only four loads.

Oh, a note worth mentioning: I’ve seen some soap nut sellers claim less loads being possible. That is very likely a good indicator of the type and quality of soap nuts being sold. I’ve also heard of people claiming to use half the amount of soap nuts I suggest using. (I still don’t get that one.) But let’s bare in mind the many, many variables in how people do their laundry. We will devote more time on this subject later.

Again, being very conservative, at only four loads per half ounce that would yield us only 256 loads. $30 divided by 256 equals $0.127 per load. And we are talking standard loads – not high efficiency (HE) loads that will lower the cost per load dramatically.

Soap nuts affordabilty - cost comparisons. Photo: Private colellection.

Now let’s run some comparisons with NaturOli soap nuts at various popular sized bags with leading “natural” and other types of detergents in typical sizes in which they are available. Note all comparison items were priced from discount yet reputable and respected sellers. All NaturOli prices per load are based upon standard loads, not HE loads. He loads would be approximately half the stated costs per load.

- NaturOli’s 64 ounce bag of soap nuts: $57.95 for 512 loads ($0.113 per load)

- NaturOli’s 32 ounce bag of soap nuts: $29.95 for 256 loads ($0.117 per load)

- NaturOli’s 16 ounce bag of soap nuts: $19.95 for 128 loads ($0.155 per load)

- NaturOli’s 8 ounce bag of soap nuts: $12.75 for 64 loads ($0.199 per load)

- Seventh Generation’s Free and Clear Natural Laundry Detergent 2x Ultra: $11.99 for 50 loads. ($0.239 cents per load)

- All’s Small and Mighty 3x Concentrate for HE washers: $8.49 for 32 loads. ($0.265 per load)

- Mrs. Meyer’s Lavender Laundry Detergent: $13.49 for 32 loads ($0.421 per load)

- ECOS Laundry Detergent, Ultra Concentrated with Soy Fabric Softener: $9.49 for 26 loads ($0.367 per load)

- Tide’s 2x Concentrated Laundry Detergent: $14.99 for 32 loads ($0.468 per load!) This one really surprised me!

- Seventh Generation’s  Free and Clear Powder Laundry Detergent: $10.99 for 42 loads ($0.262 per load) Note: This is based on a package priced 4-pack at $43.99)

- Dreft’s 2x Concentrated Baby Laundry Detergent: $31.99 for 110 loads ($0.290 per load!)

- Babyganics 3x Concentrated Laundry Detergent: $13.49 for 33 loads ($0.408 per load)

- Method’s 3x Concentrated Baby Laundry Detergent: $10.99 for 32 loads ($0.343 per load)

Very quickly it becomes apparent that soap nuts (even when using our very conservative estimates) are very inexpensive compared to commercial detergents. The cost per “soap nut” load is dramatically lower! Used properly soap nuts can cut laundry costs by half or more. And this does not even factor in that you have virtually no more need for fabric softeners or dryer sheets.

(Forgive this brief departure, but at this point I can’t resist mentioning the environmental impact. Can you imagine the mega-tons of big plastic jugs and boxes that are completely eliminated from existence forever when using soap nuts? That’s staggering – and that’s only one of the many ways soap nuts are better for our planet. We will drill into this much more deeply in other articles.)

I gave a single mother, good friend of mine with three children a bag of soap nuts for the holidays. She has been working hard to make ends meet. Since that time she has raved about how wonderfully they worked, how her laundry never smelled so clean and soft, how her washing machine no longer smelled like mold and mildew. She had difficulty describing the scent, because there is no scent. How does one simply describe the scent of clean? Think about it.

She didn’t stop with laundry. She hasn’t stopped experimenting, and I last heard that the liquid she made cleaned her coffee maker better than even CLR did. Amazing.

We are all stretching our dollars as far as possible these days. We are also very concerned about all possible health hazards, and living greener lives. Unfortunately, what usually goes along with even supposedly “greener”, better products are higher price tags. One walk down any aisle in a grocery store, and this becomes immediately apparent. I have recently read numerous articles on the green profiteering that is occurring in nearly all industries.

Soap nuts are not only growing in consumer awareness when green is “in”. It is growing in awareness at a time when we all can use conserving a little more of our own green. No time could be better than now to discover all the wonders of soap nuts.

September 1st, 2009 | Tags: naturoli soap nuts, soap nuts, soap nuts laundry detergent, soap nuts natural detergents | Category: soap nuts, soapberry, soapnuts | Comments (4)

Let’s get to the age-old, traditional method of soap nuts (soapberries) laundry washing. That is, using the dried soapberries in a wash bag. It is extremely simple, but the most difficult method to wrap our brain around. It is simply such a different and unique way to wash laundry. Never use soap nuts without a wash bag. That would be very wasteful, plus you would likely get bits and pieces of the soap nuts in your laundry. Do not put soap nuts into the detergent compartments (either loose or in a wash bag). Doing so will not permit the agitation that helps the soap nuts release their saponin – their all-important active ingredient.

With traditional soap nuts wash bag usage, forget about your washing machine’s compartments entirely. Put five or six soap nuts (approximately a half an ounce) into a muslin or cotton wash bag. Tie it closed and simply toss the wash bag right in with your laundry. Period. That’s it. It doesn’t matter whether your machine is standard, HE, front-loading, top-loading or whatever. All we want to do is get the wash bag to be “washed” right along with the rest of your laundry.

NOTE: Be sure that the soap nuts do not contain seeds. (You can tell very easily if they do. The seeds are large, like a seed in a cherry. There are some soap nuts being sold on the market that are not de-seeded. The seeds are big, very hard and black as coal. They have no cleaning benefits at all, and can potentially leave spots on your laundry. This is not to mention that since you purchase soap nuts by weight, the seed will weigh about as much as the shell (the part that produces the saponin). Beware of very cheap prices.

VERY IMPORTANT FUNDAMENTALS:
Certain things are necessary to understand how to use soap nuts traditionally and to achieve the best results from them. Some basic points:
1) The dried soap nuts must become saturated with water. The dried fruit will become softer when it is releasing saponin at a desirable rate.
2) Heat is a catalyst that can be used effectively to more quickly soften the soap nuts and facilitate a faster release of the saponin.
3) Good water flow in and around the soap nuts and laundry, plus agitation are key factors to effective and ongoing release of saponin throughout the wash. Overstuffed laundry loads will not produce desirable results.
4) Cold water merely reduces the degree to which the saponin is released. There is no need to remove the soap nuts during the commonly cold rinse cycle. Saponin is so benign that a little in the rinse cycle has no negative effect whatsoever.

The traditional method of soap nut usage is the most economical method of use. Soap nuts’ cost per load is far less than most commercial detergents – particularly the so-called “natural” laundry soaps. Plus you will need no fabric softener or dryer sheets anymore. You will typically get around five loads per half an ounce of soap nuts. When washing and rinsing in cold water or when using an HE washer, you can often extend that to 6-7 loads. Tip: If you choose to, you can remove the wash bag prior to the rinse cycle and that will also extend the useful life of the soap nuts. This is not necessary at all. It may simply get you an extra wash or two per soap nuts wash bag.

If using a cold-water wash cycle, it is best to soak the bag of soap nuts in a cup of warm water first. Make a soap nut “tea” so to speak. That will help to stimulate the release of saponin from the soapberries. Then pour the cup of liquid and the bag right into the machine, add your laundry and start washing. If you have a pre-wash cycle, that’s fine. It won’t make a difference. Many people do not do take this extra step, and get great results. Water hardness and the exact water temperature are other variables. One person’s cold can be many degrees different than another’s. Softer water will allow the soap nuts to begin working more quickly, too. Hence, it is best to simply experiment to determine what works best for you.

Over-stuffing laundry loads is the #1 reason for "less than desirable" wash results - regardless of detergent type.

Be certain not to over-stuff your loads. If water is not flowing adequately through the fabrics, no detergent of any kind will work well. You should always be able to see your laundry intermixing and moving about. If nothing appears to be moving about freely, then your  laundry load is packed too tightly. Overly packed loads may save water, but at the price of having laundry that has not been properly cleaned.

Once you begin using soap nuts you will quickly understand just how simple they are to use. I feel that much of what I write is not because we need to learn so much about how to use them, but rather to explain the many things that we have come to believe about doing laundry that are just plain wrong. Given the fundamentals above, you would figure most of this out for yourself through trial and error. However, I hope that to help shorten your learning curve, bring clarity to certain issues about using soap nuts, and minimize any confusion that occurs during the course of changing our ways of doing laundry.

Through the course of business I meet many people in the laundry business. As one professional specialty laundry cleaner of many years put it, “Most people shouldn’t do their own laundry.” He stated that there are just too many things that most people do not fully understand about what actually causes the proper cleaning of their laundry. That’s very interesting, don’t you think?

We learn more about soap nuts and saponin every single day. The list of benefits that the soap nut offers us and our environment gets longer all the time. It is ultimately my goal to move on to addressing all these wonderful benefits and the many other soap nuts uses. Mother Nature handed us a remarkable gift when that first soapberry tree took root. I look forward to sharing all I have learned from soap nuts. They will change our lives forever.

August 15th, 2009 | Tags: natural laundry detergent, saponin, soap nut, soap nuts, soap nuts laundry, soap nuts laundry detergent, soap nuts laundry instructions, soap nuts saponin, soap nuts tea, soap nuts uses, soap nuts wash bag, soapberries, soapnuts | Category: saponin, soap nuts, soap nuts detergent, soapberry, soapnuts | Comments (9)

Soap nut liquids and powders are growing rapidly in popularity because they are more inline with how we typically wash laundry today – primarily liquids. Statistics show liquid detergents are over 90% of the detergent market and are still growing. The traditional soap nut method (the dried fruits in a wash bag) is so radically different it warrants its own post. I will discuss the traditional method of using soap nuts or soapberries in a separate article. For now we will look at only the pro and cons of soap nuts liquids and soap nuts powder.

Use of soap nuts date back to antiquity, but modern manufacturers know little to nothing about them. Hence, don’t expect to find a machine with a soap nuts compartment for quite some time. So, where does that leave us? The answer is very simple: Use of our common sense. All that is required is a basic, understanding of how your washing machine and soap nuts work. Armed with that fundamental knowledge, you will find all your answers.

During a recent trip to look at new washers and dryers, I must admit that they appear to be quite complex, but appearances are just that. The fundamentals are still similar to that 20-year-old Maytag.

An aside: Ironically, if we would have ever been taught the real science of washing and cleaning (other than the technologically improved energy saving mechanics), we could use that 20 year old Maytag and get fabulous results without ever using a drop more water than absolutely necessary. We have been trained to wait for “somebody” to come out with a better way so we can purchase that better way. In essence we are trained to be dependent on businesses to offer “push-button” solutions. That is exactly how big business wants us to think. I believe that we finally are beginning to realize that if we use our brains and learn more, we can stop waiting for the next solution to be sold to us. Knowledge is power. There is truly a great deal to know about effective cleaning and washing that most of us simply do not know and have never been taught – or taught properly. I believe the Internet and information age are going to change many routine and everyday ways we do things in our lives. I believe the future holds many age-old fundamentals that will be rediscovered. The time is coming when less money and resources will be wasted on needless things, and those resources will be rerouted to development of products that will genuinely improve the overall quality of life. The recent economic downturn coupled with the green movement has provided very good reasons to take a second look at how we live our lives. That “second look” is very likely to evolve into an entirely new era for mankind. A very interesting thing about knowledge – when you get a little, you want more.

Getting back on track: There are more bells and whistles in the new machines. There are some extra features and cycles available. Some of them can be very useful. Just keep in mind that we must simply think a little differently and make adjustments as needed to accommodate proper use of soap nuts. Experimentation is always helpful. From household to household there are many variables. Some are environmental. Some are due to our personal habits. Regardless, we are all different and we do things a bit differently. Finding our own personal best way is a function of thought and such experimentation.

Soap nuts are available in liquid and powder forms in addition to their raw form (right off the tree). The soap nuts liquids and soap nuts powders can be made at home or specific formulations can be purchased from a handful of developers. That makes usage much more similar to using standard and HE detergents, and therefore much simpler. However, note that the manufacturer of your machine has written instructions based upon typical “store-bought” detergents and additives (be they chemical or natural or somewhere between) not soap nuts detergents. And once you are using soap nuts, it’s a whole new ballgame. For example: the fabric softener compartment. It is simply not needed at all anymore. (That is going to make some companies unhappy.) Some other compartment will prove to be useful.

Now stick with me on this for it is very important: If you have a high efficiency (HE) washer that requires HE detergents, soap nuts in any form are ideal when used properly because they are naturally low sudsing. They blow away every HE detergent on the market. If you have a standard machine, they are still ideal. Many people get confused at this juncture. What you must realize is that suds are not required to clean. Nor are they a barometer for evaluating the cleaning that is occurring in your washer. That is one of the big myths regarding detergents and soaps. Regardless of machine type only two things are required for effective cleaning in most circumstances:

1 - A surfactant to lessen the water surface tension allowing it to break up and loosen dirt and grime.

2 - Adequate water flow. That’s it. So, for now try not to get hung up on the whole suds issue. I am going to address suds at great length in another article.

Given the above, now let us get to the nitty-gritty of using soap nuts liquids and powders. The variables here (aside from amounts to use) are primarily the concentration of the liquid, and/or the fineness and potency of the powder. If you are making your own liquid then the potency of saponin in the liquid will vary depending upon how you make it. You will have to experiment again. Be certain to strain your own liquid extremely well, to avoid clogging anything (a coffee filter or muslin fabric for straining is a good idea). If you are using a CleanNut, Terra, or Maggies soap nut detergent, they will be used very much like all others (a little more or a little less depending upon the machine type. Water hardness is a big factor here. If you have hard water use a little more. You just have to experiment and let the results speak for themselves. Back to the suds issue, do not use suds as a barometer to gauge results. Results are determined when your laundry has dried. Does it look and smell clean and fresh? Is it soft and absorbent? This is where you gauge results. This is where it counts. I had to laugh one day as a woman explained her first experience with soap nuts. She said, “I felt like I was just washing in water.” But stood in amazement at the dirtiness of the water coming from a “not all that dirty” load of laundry. She was astonished at how fresh, clean and soft her laundry came out. (She’s another one who will never look back.)

Comparison: 96 loads with 18X soap nut liquid concentrate

If you are using NaturOli’s EXTREME 18X soap nuts liquid concentrate this is quite different. The same “little more” or “little less” principle still applies, but this is a very highly concentrated soap nuts detergent. You will typically use only a half to one teaspoon per load. No kidding. If you are using a top loader you can simply pour it directly into the water in the basin. That’s a no-brainer. If you are using compartments as with most front loaders just dilute it in an ounce or two of water (whatever amount you typically use). Then use that diluted liquid exactly the same as any other detergent. You are probably best to start with a teaspoon and then cut back and compare. Overcome that feeling of needing more – and let the end results speak for themselves. This is where “concentrated” takes on an entirely new meaning. It is actually more of a pure soap nut extract. A small 8 ounce bottle of EXTREME 18X will have as much or more cleaning power than those  that come in a big 32 or even 64-ounce jug. I know, it’s tough to grasp that, but that is only because of the brainwashing factor again. NaturOli set out to produce the greenest detergent and cleaner possible – and did (winning a major award in the process). There is no laundry soap on the planet with a lower carbon footprint. Why do companies  ship all that water anyway? For that totally pure, unaltered, soap nuts clean and fresh result, you will be happiest with EXTREME 18X. It contains no essential oils that can leave residue and cause “wicking” of the fabric fibers, plus it is totally unscented. If you desire a scent I recommend using an absorbent cloth with a little of your scent of choice and tossing it in the dryer. Use more or less as desired. The oils will not impact the cleaning effects when used in such fashion.

If you are using soap nuts powder poured directly in with your laundry, you want it to be as fine as you can possibly get it (dust like is preferred). You may not get an adequate release of saponin for a laundry load from a course grind and a short wash cycle. In this scenario it is best to use a fine powder, or put it in a wash bag or similar carrier for multiple loads, but be sure to pre-soak it first. This will allow the course ground soap nuts time to become well saturated. Approximately a half-ounce of very, very fine, quality soap nut powder (added directly in with your laundry) will wash only one load. The powder will be flushed out during the rinse and then out the drain. This is the least economical method of using soap nuts, for one-half ounce of quality soap nuts such as sapindus mukorossi contains enough saponin to wash five loads or more. A course grind in a tightly tied wash bag will be work for multiple loads and be more economical.

In either case, if you are adding salts, water softeners, potassium sorbate (oxy-bleach basically) or any other cleaning boosters, that’s all totally fine (part of the fun of experimentation, too). That goes for liquids, too. Since ground soap nuts do not entirely dissolve as commercial detergents do, it is not recommended to use compartments at all. Depending on how your machine functions, the powder may not receive a sufficient water supply, plus it could cause clogging. I do not recommend using powder due to these variables. It is also not as economical for more saponin ends up down the drain than when using other methods. Coarsely ground soap nuts powder  does make for an awesome green scouring powder though.

There is no rocket science here. Most of this is plain, old-fashioned common sense. The only real hurdle is changing the way we think, and some old habits. Good results are what we are striving for. It may take a couple loads to dial in the best results for your particular scenario, but you will soon know exactly what to do. If you have a pre-wash and a main wash cycle, simply use them as your owner’s manual suggests.

It is noteworthy to point out that with soap nuts you really don’t need a second rinse cycle unless your laundry is very dirty. In most cases, that second rinse is to help flush out all the chemicals in the fabrics. Since we aren’t using chemicals with soap nuts it is no longer needed. It becomes a matter of choice, not necessity. So you do have an opportunity to save quite a bit of water. That’s a nice plus.

I hope this has helped you. It is actually hard to really do something very wrong when using soap nuts liquid or powder. If you are not satisfied with the results, take a look at what you did and make some adjustments. If you have very hard water then you will typically need to use more than average amounts. Once again, let the final results be your finished laundry. Once you have dialed in what is right for you, your laundry will be clean, fresh, soft and absorbent – unlike you have ever experienced before. If you are like the vast majority, you will never want to use anything except soap nuts detergents again.

August 7th, 2009 | Tags: NaturOli Extreme 18X, sapindus mukorossi, soap nut liquids, soap nuts, soap nuts detergents, soap nuts forms, soap nuts HE detegent, soap nuts laudnry detergent, soap nuts laundry, soap nuts liquid, soap nuts liquid concentrate, soap nuts liquids, soap nuts powder detergent, soap nuts saponin, soap nuts wash bag, soap nuts washing machine instructions | Category: saponin, soap nuts, soap nuts detergent, soap nuts liquid, soap nuts powder, soap nuts powder usage, soapnuts | Comments (39)

Soap nut trees are one of nature’s greatest gifts.

Sapindus mukorossi tress with ripening soap berries.

Man has used soap nuts since ancient times – primarily in Far East lands. They go by many common names such as soap berries, washing nuts, soap nut shells, wash shells, soapberry nuts, Ritha nut shells, Chinese soapberry and many more. Until recently, they have been obscure and virtually unheard of by most. There are logical explanations for this obscurity – many are sad and tragic, but true. However, what is most important is where we go from here. Integrating the benefits of soap nuts into our daily lives will be one of the greatest accomplishments of our age.

Soap nuts are more appropriately called a soapberry. I will use both terms. There is no difference whatsoever regardless of the term used. To visualize a soapberry, think of a golden colored cherry while still on the tree – they are very similar type fruits in appearance. Being more specific, the soap nut that we use for cleaning purposes is actually the pulp and skin of the dried soapberry. The seed is not used for cleaning. It is for cultivating new trees. Research is being conducted for other uses of the soap nut seed, but no other benefits have yet to be documented. Please note that all soap berries are not alike. This will be discussed in detail.

This pulp and skin contain an extremely important natural substance called saponin. Saponin is a truly natural soap (in effect at least). More precisely, and MOST importantly, it is a 100% natural surfactant. By definition a surfactant is an agent, chemical, drug or substance that reduces the surface tension of liquid. It is this reduction of water surface tension that makes cleaning easier. Soap nuts contain this all-important saponin that makes our everyday cleaning needs not only easier, but much healthier, safer and totally free of synthetic chemicals.

So, a soap nut is the vehicle that releases this highly effective, 100% natural substance that is the best alternative to the synthetic chemicals used in the virtually all commercial detergents and cleaners. Even today’s supposedly “natural”, “organic”, and “green” detergents and cleaners mainly use synthetic chemicals as their primary active ingredients. Saponin is the only all-natural substance known that works as effectively and diversely as synthetic surfactants – and therefore is one of the greatest re-discoveries of our age.

I state “re-discovery” because soap nuts are far from new. There are many ancient and Ayurvedic treatments that soap nuts have been essential in producing. They are still commonplace and the primary cleanser used in many remote regions of the world.

They key here is that Mother Nature has freely provided us a substitute for the man-made chemicals that have been coming out of the factories and labs of many of the largest companies on earth. This simple all-natural substitute has profound health and environmental benefits for all mankind. With only a little thought, it is easy to understand why soap nuts are not well known. What does man crave and Mother Nature cares nothing about? Money.

People across the globe are taking a hard, close second look at all the hazards and problems created by exposure to and release of all the synthetic chemicals in our world. Soap nuts are now in the right place at the right time. Soap nuts will be one of the leaders of the new, green age that lies ahead. Their time has come.

Growing Soap Nut Trees from Seed:

(Courtesy L.R. Sacks, www.Soap-Nuts.info)

Initial Note: It is extremely common to see a ring of moldy-looking “white fuzzy stuff” around the umbilical area of the soap nut seed. This is perfectly normal. It does not mean the heart has become rotten nor will it affect germination in any way. No need to wipe it off – and it may even be a good thing.

1. Scarify the seed. Because the soap nut seed coat is so hard, the plant embryo inside cannot breakthrough the seed coat on its own. You must help it by damaging the seed coat. You’ll have to be a little creative. One option is to use a nail file and wear down a notch in the seed coat. I found the seed coat to be so tough that sand paper and fine-grained files did not leave a mark. Another option is to hammer the seed. Be careful not to crush the seed; we just want to weaken the seed coat. I gave about a dozen hard whacks to my seed against concrete, and felt like I was weakening it, but did not see any visible change. Another option is to soak it in hot water. Don’t use water that is actually boiling, but it can still be very hot. I boiled a kettle, let the hot water sit for five minutes, and then filled up a vacuum insulated thermos with the seeds and water, and let it soak for 24 hours. The thermos will keep the water quite warm throughout that period. I used all three methods (filing, hammering, soaking) and it worked ok, but I’m sure there are other good methods too. Soaking is particularly important though, as the water is what activates the germination. If you choose the hammer method be careful not to fully break the outer shell of the seed because once it’s in damp soil it may begin to rot. Remember sapindus mukorossi (and many species  of soap  berry trees) grow in rough rocky mountainous soil not in wetlands so don’t over water.

2. You need to plant the seed. I would do this in spring or early summer in a pot either outside or in a greenhouse. Choose a pot that is deep, as soap nut trees send down vertical taproots. If you don’t have a deep pot, a 2 liter plastic bottle works well – cut off the top and drill several holes in the bottom. Bury the seed in potting soil (not dirt – use good quality potting/germinating soil) to about three times the seed’s depth. Put it in a place where it will not be in direct sun, and where it can catch some rainfall. Water the pot if the soil starts to dry, but don’t water if it is still moist – that can promote fungal growth. Also, avoid fertilizing the soil before germination occurs – high levels of nitrogen in the soil can actually inhibit germination in general.

3. Wait. Your soap nut seed may take a long time to germinate. It could be 1 month to 3 months, perhaps even more. Not all of the seeds will germinate, but if you follow these directions, you should get 80% or more to grow. Once it does begin to grow, it will shoot up fast. About 1 foot in 1 month should be about right, then it will slow down a little. Give it plenty of full sunlight, and water when soil begins to dry. Again, remember these trees grow in rough rocky mountainous soil not in wetlands so don’t over water.

4. Taking care of the tree. My trees are still very young, so I cannot provide a lot of personal experience. I will be growing mine in progressively larger pots, keeping them on a sunny patio. They should be moved inside once freezing weather begins next winter. Since they are mainly grown in northern India and southern China, they may or may not be able to sustain freezing temperatures. Soap nut tress are known to be and appear generally quite hardy, so should not need a high level of care once well established.

July 15th, 2009 | Tags: natural soap, natural surfactant, nuts, saponin, saponins, soap nuts saponin, soap nuts trees, soapberries, soapberry, surfactant | Category: natural soap, soap nuts, soapberry, soapnuts | Comments (20)

To make soap or grow soap? That is the question.

Soap making within ancient civilizations (primarily Roman, Greek, Babylonian and Egyptian) can be traced to Biblical ages (centuries B.C.). Animal fats, tallow, vegetable oils, clays, ashes, salts and numerous ingredients were commonly used. For this article, the different types of soaps are not relevant to soap nuts. Only the fact that they were man-made is very significant.

The soaps used by most of mankind throughout history were not picked from a tree, as are soap berries. Hence, soap producing berries are exceptionally unique. Just the idea of a fruit producing soap is tough to grasp. However, once embraced it becomes very intriguing. The level of excitement in people continually amazes me once they begin to see all the possibilities soap nuts offer us.

Soap was originally produced in large part as a medicinal product. Centuries later it became recognized as a cleanser. The early ancient Romans used olive oil for personal hygiene – not soap. A mixture of olive oil and sand was applied and scraped off in order to cleanse and exfoliate the body. Ancient Greeks also used exfoliation by other means as their primary method of cleansing and maintaining personal hygiene. At some point during the height of the Great Roman Empire soap (Latin: sapo) became widely recognized as a personal cleaning product. A soap making facility and soap bars of man-made soap were uncovered in the ruins of Pompeii. Soap nuts were not in the picture - at all.

There is little evidence that any form of soap was used in cleaning fabrics during ancient times. Water and agitation were the primary means of washing laundry. I’m certain that we’ll never go back to water and rocks for doing laundry, but this indicates just how little we know about how to clean fabrics properly – even today. A surfactant (such as soap nuts or any soap) would have simply made laundry day a little easier.

Sadly, after the fall of the Roman Empire, the importance of personal hygiene took a major dive throughout the lands ruled by the Empire. It is suspected that this decline in personal hygiene resulted in many of the major plagues in Europe during the Middle Ages. It was man’s greed that led to this decline.

During the centuries after the fall, European soap making began to really take off. It began being produced at commercial levels. In the 1600s, English King James I granted the exclusive rights to a single manufacturer in exchange for huge annual payments. It was even taxed and essentially became a luxury item. Soap was not readily available to the average consumer due to its high cost.

Bottom line: Man-made soap has been a major moneymaker for ages. Fortunes were made then – and still are still being made today. For all of Europe and the new western hemisphere the stage was set. There was no incentive for businesses to look for a natural soap – particularly something like soap nuts which abundantly grows on trees. Many powerful people had a great thing going. People were getting rich, and nobody wanted to change a thing – with the exception of making the businesses even more profitable via producing cheaper commercial soaps, detergents and cleaners.

Soaps, as we know them today, did not appear until around the early 1800s – not far off from when P & G first opened their doors. (Old-fashioned, glycerin-rich soap is nothing like what comes out of the factories today. Ask any true soap maker sometime.) For a great article about what man did with soap to trick us, visit: http://www.naturoli.com/mission/powermarketing.html

Does anyone find it ironic that one of the earliest known sources of a cleansing medium was naturally growing on a tree (olives), and today we are discovering another totally natural cleansing medium (soap nuts) growing on trees – over 2,000 years later?

Thankfully, a huge grassroots movement – the GREEN movement – emerged in this century and has placed an enormous emphasis on safe, chemical-free alternatives to today’s chemical laden products. In many ways the re-discovery of soap nuts is a direct result of this newfound emphasis and energy. Soap nuts are, as the “Green Dot Award” jury put it,  “…possibly the most significant green innovation in history for everyday cleaning needs…” Soap nuts will change what and how we think about soap. And also what we DO when it comes to cleaning.

Important note: In no way is this article to cast a shadow on today’s handmade soap making – quite the contrary. Real soap making is an art and a science. Soap-makers are a very special, wonderful breed that cares about healthy, nutrient rich formulations. Some small businesses and people at home are making genuinely fabulous, luxurious soaps - nothing whatsoever like today’s commercial soaps. At NaturOli we still hand pour pure, glycerin-rich soap bars and produce amazingly effective, moisturizing, chemical-free liquid soaps and washes. Most true soap-makers I know embrace soap nuts and saponin. Soap nuts make for another wonderful ingredient that can be used in soap making, plus they are appreciated for their myriad of other uses. Soap nuts will never replace true, pure, chemical-free soaps. Such soaps are a must-try if you have never experienced the quality and richness of them.

July 1st, 2009 | Tags: saponin, saponins, soap bars, soap ingredients, soap making, soap nuts saponin, soap nuts soap, surfactant | Category: natural soap, soap nuts, soap nuts liquid, soap nuts powder, soapberry, soapnuts | Comments (12)

Soap nuts (soap berries) are baffling and confusing to us. We simply do not think of detergents, soaps and cleaners as something growing in the wild. The interesting question is, “Why?” The eye-opening answer is that we have been TRAINED to think of all cleaners as being MAN-MADE products via hundreds of years of politics and generations of powerful marketing and advertising. We’ve been brainwashed.

Procter and Gamble was founded in 1837 as a commercial soap and candle manufacturer. By 1860 annual sales exceeded one million dollars. That was a LOT of money then. During the 1880s, P & G introduced Ivory soap and has continued expanding their lines. For over 150 years we have been associating soaps and all types of cleansers with commercial manufacturers. We have been shown nothing else. Most of the world knew of anything else. Our OPTIONS have been limited to WHICH of the COMMERCIAL brands we buy.

Today P & G is one of the largest companies in the world – with billions allocated to ongoing marketing and advertising. Let’s remember there are other major power players such as Colgate-Palmolive, Clorox, Lever Brothers, etc. throwing more money into the pot. They compete against one another, but the important thing to realize is that collectively they virtually CONTROL how we think. They have done exceeding well in brainwashing us to think exactly the way they want us to. They produce the soaps, detergents and cleansers that most people use every single day. Even the notion of “growing” soap is EXTREMELY difficult for us to comprehend. Changing how we have been doing something our entire life is a daunting task. But times are changing. Most importantly – we are getting smarter.

Soap nuts did not just pop-up out of nowhere as an alternative to commercial products. They have been well known for their cleaning power in many other parts of the world for ages – particularly those remote areas of the world where they are plentiful and grow wild. This takes us to the mountainous heartlands of Central and Southeast Asia.

Cleaning was certainly not unknown to the cultures outside the boundaries of the Great Roman Empire. Within the other cultures of the world, cleaning was accomplished in various ways. In some, the soap berries (soap nuts) played a major role.

Throughout most of the more developed parts of the world, soap has been being man-made for over 2000 years. Soap nuts are obscure outside their areas of origin. Their uses are equally obscure. Albeit well known in the more remote corners of the world, the rest of the entire world had already found its solutions – and the soap-making businesses of the times were quite happy (and still are).

Consider this: How could a big, profitable soap-making business ever exist if anybody could go gather soap  – FOR FREE – in the hills a few miles away? Remember, for a long time soap was a luxury item that the average family could not afford. There were no big soap-making enterprises near the regions soap nuts grew. Free soap nuts would have put the soap-makers out of business in a hurry.

So, let’s tie all this together. For centuries there have been no major companies with any interest in finding natural alternatives whatsoever to man-made soaps, detergents and cleansers. P & G and the other behemoths are perfectly content to continuing to manufacture and patent chemicals and products to make massive profits. Only in recent years have we seen a demand for more earth-friendly, “green” products.

I don’t think I need to explain “green-washing” here, but caveat emptor (buyer beware). Be it from the heat generated by consumers, or the opportunity recognized, both old and new companies are creating new facades under the guise of being green – Seventh Generation being one of my personal favorites in the art and science of green-washing. Many smaller companies emerged with sincere missions of developing healthier and safer cleaning products. Sadly, the conglomerates have bought up some of the best ones.

Due to the emergence of the information age, the Internet, heightened consumer awareness, public concerns and governmental intervention regarding the health and environmental hazards of all these mass-produced chemical products – we now seek alternatives more than ever before. Large manufacturers are now marketing their products to APPEAR safer and healthier, but they remain primarily synthetic chemical-based formulations. Many of which we may not know their full effects for generations.

As the saying goes, “A leopard can’t change its spots.” Most detergents, soaps and cleaners come from companies with enormous, complex and incredibly expensive infrastructures that rune very deep. Such companies are not about to convert to importing fruits (soap nuts) anytime soon.

The simple fruit of the soap nut tree now poses a serious threat to big business. For big business it has now become the typical – and anticipated – “smoke and mirrors” game. As with the tobacco industry, given their enormity it’s a game that can last for decades – even generations. For an interesting article that discusses the similar scenario encountered by the tobacco industry visit: http://www.naturoli.com/mission/timeforchange.html

Soap nuts are the primary source for Mother Nature’s own soap (saponin, the active ingredient in the soapberry). Saponin is found in many botanicals, such as agaves, yucca, soapwort and more. What is unique to the soapberry is its EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH level of saponin concentration. This high concentration of genuine 100% truly natural soap is the IDEAL alternative to commercial soaps. Now known via new and independent studies, soap nuts and saponin are equivalent in cleaning power to the most popular synthetic chemical detergents in the world. When considering all the heath and environmental problems that soap nuts resolve, soap nuts become the proverbial “dream come true”. (See Efficacy Testing Results in posts.)

Soap nuts are simply a better mousetrap – PERIOD. Now that we have re-discovered them and there is a growing demand for them, we will see more soap nuts and saponin products. Soap nuts are marking one of the greatest turning points in history. Nature’s free gift of the soap berry tree is at the forefront of a better, healthier, greener life for us all.

Big business will do everything possible to hide the truths, misguide us and delay the inevitable. Don’t expect saponin to appear in the ingredients of a P & G product anytime soon. I hope that vast numbers of consumers will band together to derail the strategies and plans mapped out by these huge companies. The REAL power is in two places: Our brains and our wallets. We tend to see ourselves as small and ineffectual. Alone we are. Together we create a force beyond the influence of big business. Will we be smarter, or will we be herded around like the sheep of the past?

Unlike the days of the major battles with the tobacco companies, we consumers now have new and far better tools than at any time in history. We can connect and communicate with each other as never before possible. It’s OUR lives and OUR world being discussed in board rooms across the globe. Where we go from here is OUR choice – not theirs. No longer are our options limited. TOGETHER we can change this world forever.

May 18th, 2009 | Tags: natural soap, soap history, soap nuts, soap nuts history, soapberries, soapberry, soapnuts, soaps detergents | Category: natural soap, saponin, soap nuts, soap nuts detergent, soap nuts liquid, soapberry, soapnuts | Comments (2)

It’s time to look at how to use soap nuts (aka: soapnuts, soapberries, wash nuts, etc.) in your particular type of washing machine. Depending upon the type (and some other factors), the way you use your soap nuts will vary. This post is an introduction purely to get some fundamentals out of our way. We will drill much deeper into all the little nuances of soap nuts and your specific machine later.

Let’s start with a look at these basic machine types. We don’t need to bother discussing the size of machine. Regardless of size they will all work similarly to their bigger or smaller brothers and sisters. There are top-loaders and front-loaders. There are standard and high efficiency (HE) washers. Basically, that’s it. (Okay, somebody is still using a washboard with rollers somewhere, and I’ll even get to that some other day.) Please note that any front-loader is essentially a higher efficiency unit simply due to its design. It is simply that extra water and energy saving features have been incorporated into the newer models.

Electrolux 2007 Design Lab winner. Soap nuts washer prototype. Photo courtesy of Electolux.

No washing machine of any type currently on the market addresses the use of soap nuts in either their designs or owner’s manuals. Only Electrolux to my knowledge has a soap nuts washer on their drawing board. Some soap nuts (saponin) based detergents are being developed to be used in similar fashion to the typical commercial detergents (supposedly natural or not). That is the path of least resistance in reaching the average consumer. Given that the popularity of soap nuts is spreading like a wildfire, it is only a matter of time before more machines are designed to utilize them, and manuals will specifically address their usage.

For the soap nut users that prefer the traditional method of soap nuts in a wash bag, I suspect it will take a bit longer to be addressed by manufacturers. It is simply so different in the way they are used it will be more difficult for to address. Ironically, it is probably the easiest way. (Soap nuts used properly in the traditional method is the most economical – and even fun – way to wash laundry.) Let us be aware that there are strong relationships built between the hardware manufacturers and the detergent producers – similar to the relationships between computer and software companies. They need and help each other. Given that, the fruits of the soap berry tree are not likely to be embraced by the makers of Tide, Gain, Clorox, Cheer (or whomever) anytime soon, the traditional users of soap nuts are going to be left to information such as this (and their common sense) for the best guidance in the meantime.

The numerous benefits of the soapberry are now being found in soap nuts (saponin-based) liquid and soap nut powder detergents that can be used in very similar fashion to the commercial brands. I highly recommend soap nuts liquid for many reasons. See the upcoming post on “Powder vs. Liquid” for in-depth information and rationale. For the sake of brevity, let’s just leave it at this: Liquids are cheaper and simpler to use regardless of machine type. There are more variables that must be considered when using powder. Soap nuts liquids are essentially a no-brainer.

Possibly the most important thing to realize from this post is that when it comes to soap nuts – in any form – are fantastic for every type of machine. Don’t get hung up on the newer HE models that discuss using only appropriate HE detergents. All they are really saying is to avoid high sudsing detergents. Soap nuts are naturally low sudsing. Due to their very nature, soap nuts work equally well in all machine types – and far better than the chemical-based detergents for many reasons. Don’t get hung up on how to use soap nuts in the machines that have various compartments. Some will be used and some won’t be required at all. That stated it now becomes a matter of how to improve upon the way we use soap nuts, and ultimately obtain the very best results from each type of machine. Have no concern. It will all be addressed in great detail in separate posts.

May 8th, 2009 | Tags: chemical free he detergent, low sudsing natural detergent, natural he detergent, natural low sudsing detergent, saponin, saponins, soap nut washing machine, soap nuts detergent, soap nuts liquid, soap nuts liquids, soap nuts popularity, soap nuts powder, soap nuts wash bag, soapberry, soapnuts | Category: saponin, soap nuts, soap nuts detergent, soap nuts liquid, soapberry | Comments (3)

Let’s look purely at what soap nuts do for us – and keep it simple.

This may be the most elementary, yet most important article on Soapnuts.pro. Let us get right to the heart of what the heck a soap nut (soapberry) is, and lift the veil of mystery surrounding them. This segment is focused on only the VERY basics of what soap nuts are and WHAT THEY DO in the BROADEST sense. We will get more detailed regarding soap nuts’ origins, history, benefits, economics, uses, botany, science, FAQs, reviews, and more in other segments. Let’s first understand soap nuts at a purely CONCEPTUAL level. It is so simple. Soap berries are fruits that offer us a better, greener way to clean. Soap nuts produce natural soap. That’s it.

I am intentionally skipping ALL the nuances about soap nuts that create confusion and debate. Some statements and terms will be technically wrong – but VERY true and purposeful in understanding the fundamental concept. My purpose here is to help change HOW we think – to open up parts of our brains that have been clouded and stifled due to a lifetime of programming by big business. This is not an article that will nit-pick details. We are taking a bird’s eye view of the primary things soap nuts DO FOR US.

So, what are soap nuts? Nature’s soap. Plain and simple. And what does soap do? It cleans things. Now, we have just connected soap nuts to cleaning. We are on our way! Therefore, what do soap nuts do? They clean things!

Don’t worry about HOW just yet. What is critical is to understand is that soap nuts can replace virtually ALL synthetic, commercial, chemical cleaners in our homes. You can keep your laundry and home wonderfully clean, fresh, bacteria and pest free – and never purchase another big jug of Tide, fabric softener, dryer sheet, bottle of Windex, canister of Comet or can of pesticide ever again! A bag of soap nuts can replace them all. Herein is our paradigm shift – the beginning of our deprogramming. This is the beginning of recognizing safer, better, natural OPTIONS in how we do our most rudimentary, everyday cleaning and household maintenance.

Think of soap nuts this way: They are Mother Nature’s soap. Soap nuts do not come out of a chemical processing plant. She just grows them on trees. How is this possible? Mother Nature can do whatever she wants. She doesn’t get paid for it, nor does she promote them. Same as accidentally discovering fire, thousands of years ago man discovered a fruit that produced lather. What does lather do? It facilitates cleaning. What did man discover about soap nuts? They clean things!

“I thought it was a detergent.” What does a detergent do? It cleans things. Is it a soap or detergent? Both. For the purpose of changing HOW we think, this doesn’t matter. What DOES matter is that our brains accept that soaps, detergents, cleansers and cleaners DO NOT need to be manufactured by man – that nature’s soap nuts clean things (as well and even better).

Where do they come from? Trees. Let’s just call them soap trees. Most trees produce something that enables them to start growing baby trees. Right? Who cares if it is a fruit, nut, berry or acorn? If you take a handful of them – and can lather up and clean with them – it’s a soap. That is EXACTLY what soap nuts do. Certain special trees produce fruits that produce soap. Those special fruits are commonly called soap nuts and/or soap berries.

Mother Nature has her own ready-to-use “brand” of soap. Natural cleaners have been around for ages in various botanicals long before man ever started making soap. Soap nuts simply clean EXCEPTIONALLY well – plus offer us even MORE benefits that we’ll deeply probe into.

Where have soap nuts been all this time? Since Mother Nature doesn’t work for profit – that’s WHY they are new to most of us. She doesn’t market or advertise. It is mainly ancient Far Eastern cultures that have knowledge regarding uses for soap nuts. People elsewhere around the world found other ways to make and profit from producing man-made soap ages ago. There was no motivation for man to seek alternatives. Everybody was happy, and money was pouring in. If Mother Nature was in it for the money, soap nuts would be on store shelves around the world.

As an Asian Indian gentleman explained to me: His family knows soap ONLY as soap nuts. They grew up with them. Be it to bathe, wash clothes, clean jewelry, repel pests or whatever – when they started cleaning, they pulled out the soap nuts.

Go get yourself some soap nuts. Put a handful of them in a wash bag, sock or wrap them up in a washcloth. Get them totally wet and start rubbing and squeezing them. Guess what you get? Suds. These suds indicate cleaning power and much more.

So, soap nuts grow on trees and they produce soap. Understand THAT and the rest will follow. Using soap nuts are a very important option that we have – that we were not aware of. They are putting us on a path to a healthier, chemical-free age. Soap nuts will change how we think about cleaning – forever.

We are beginning a new, “green” age. There are many age-old, natural ways to do many everyday things. Cleaning is only one of them – but a HUGE one. Understand all your options and choose what’s best for you. Soap nuts are a great one to know about.

Freedom of choice has taken a quantum leap with soap nuts. Today our cleaning product options are no longer limited to deciding between which “commercial” brands we buy. Soap nuts are now an option, too – and one of the greatest ones ever discovered.

March 18th, 2009 | Tags: greener cleaning, history of soap nuts, natural soap, nature's soap, soap nuts, soap nuts cleaners, soap nuts cleaning, soap nuts detergent, soap nuts laundry, soap nuts soap, soap nuts wash bag, soap tree, soapberries, soapberry, what are soap nuts | Category: natural soap, saponin, soap nuts, soap nuts detergent, soap nuts liquid, soapberry, soapnuts | Comments (6)

Soap nuts were originally discovered and used by locals as a cleansing medium. They were primarily used for bathing and personal hygiene and a plethora of cleaning uses. They make an exceptional jewelry cleaner for example. Soap nuts were also used in numerous medicinal treatments and worked as an effective, yet safe, chemical-free pest repellent. These same uses prevail today – PLUS there is a long list of NEW uses in our modern age.

The botanical term Sapindus is derived from the Latin word “sapo” (soap) and (Indian) indicus, referring to its lather-producing fruit. It is this genus of tree that produces soap nuts – and there are many varieties. Saponin is found in many plants such as yucca, agave, soapwort, and others. What makes the soap nut SO special is their extraordinarily high concentration of saponin (the active ingredient and natural surfactant in soap nuts). Extracting enough saponin from other plants would simply not be feasible. However, Sapindus trees produce a fruit that not only makes it feasible, Sapindus trees make it easy AND SUSTAINABLE.

Soap nuts are a common name for the ripened and dried fruit harvested from a Sapindus tree. There are two primary species being harvested today: Mukorossi and Trifoliatus. Both are found mainly in Southeast Asia. Both are of the family Sapindaceae. I am often asked why does NaturOli use only Mukorossi soap nuts. The Mukorossi species consistently produces the highest level of saponin of the many soap berry varieties. Hence, consumers get the best possible experience from them. Also, other than Mukorossi and Trifoliatus there is no infrastructure and supply chain for the other varieties. When ordering tens of thousands of kilos, the Southeast Asian exporters are the only suppliers that can meet the demand. With time, increased consumer awareness, and increased demand this scenario will change. In decades to come, we will find suppliers in many regions around the Rocky, Andes, Sierra, Appalachian and other mountain ranges. Most likely it will be the Mukorossi variety being grown and harvested.

Sapindus Mukorossi is a large soapberry tree growing primarily in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains of China, northern India and Nepal. It is a prolific fruit producer and lives around ninety years. It is native to China and considered alien to the Doon Valley in India where it flourishes in poor soil conditions. It aids in the reducing soil erosion in these regions. The soap nut flowers are small, white and grouped in panicles (clusters). The fruits are round, yellowish berries that become gummy and wrinkled as they ripen. It produces large, colorful and glossy soapberries compared to other species. It is the most highly valued species.

Sapindus Trifoliatus is a smaller soapberry tree typically found in Southern India, Pakistan and numerous countries in Southeast Asia. It prefers lower altitudes and warmer climates. It produces a smaller soap nut (about half the size of the Mukorossi soap nut). It contains saponin as do all Sapindus fruits, however not as high of level as Mukorossi soap berries. Harvesting and de-seeding the smaller soap nuts is more difficult. Being sold by weight makes Trifoliatus less desirable in many ways. There is more work for the harvesters for less money. There is less money involved per kilo for the exporters. And they are of lower quality and effectiveness for the consumer. Trifoliatus soap nuts are certainly a valuable resource for saponin. HOWEVER, they are also the primary species sold deceptively to be its far superior cousin, the Mukorossi soap nut.

Local villagers, farmers, families and co-ops harvest the soap nuts after the fruit falls from the tree. Properly processed, the seeds are removed and the shells are dried in the sun. They are then sold to the exporters. Currently only about half of the Mukorossi soap nuts available are harvested annually. The rest go to waste. Harvesting provides an economic stimulus for these economically depressed regions. Increased global demand will provide additional stimulus and encourage more cultivation.

Many other varieties of these remarkable soap nut trees grow around the globe with differing data with regards to their fruits. There are actually many types of saponin, too – also with varying properties. We will be studying these soap nut varieties and their individual properties for many years to come. We have much to still learn. The consensus at NaturOli is that the further we drill into the benefits of soap nuts and saponin the more we continue to discover. Who knows how deep this rabbit hole goes?

March 10th, 2009 | Tags: mukorossi soap nuts, natural soap, sapindus mukorossi soap nuts, sapindus trifoliatus soap nuts, saponins, soap nut saponin, soap nut variations, soap nuts, soap nuts fruit, soap nuts quality, soap nuts saponin, soap nuts shelf life, soap nuts varieties, soapberries, soapnuts | Category: natural soap, saponin, soap nuts, soap nuts liquid, soap nuts powder, soapberry, soapnuts | Comments (4)

Are they soap NUTS or soap BERRIES? A little botany

Soap nuts are not “nuts”. Of course you can take that a few different ways, but I am referring to only the botany. A soap nut is not a nut at all. It is a berry – a fruit. This has confused many people. Most consumers have never seen a soapberry growing on the tree. Most only see the dried fruit. Being hard and crinkled it looks like a nut. It erroneously began being referred to as a soap nut, and the name stuck.

One can become very confused when trying to determine what is rightfully a “nut”. It is a very broad term. Using some definitions, a soapberry could be referred to as a nut or seed. Botanically speaking, a nut is a dried fruit with one seed. That fits for a soap nut. However, the BIG catch is that with a true NUT – the fruit cannot be separated from the seed. A freshly picked ripe soapberry will resemble a cherry. They vary from species to species, but they have a large single seed in each berry and a juicy pulp and skin. Of course, some can get nit-picky here because some nuts have shells, hence they can be separated. However, those “shells” were never a fruit-like pulp. They are woody – nothing like the pulp of a cherry. A soap nut is NOT a nut. It IS a fruit.

Even in India, the soapberry exporters refer to them as soap nuts because that is what most people call them. This does not help the situation. Most all sellers call them and brand them as “nuts”. It is common to see both the one and two word versions of each name to further complicate matters. As usual, the consumer is left confused. I use all the terms interchangeably mainly because “nuts” is so ingrained now, but would prefer for readers to think of them as berries. Again, think of them much like a cherry – a de-seeded (hopefully), dried cherry at the consumer level.

Many different species of soapberries grow around the globe. Simply visit Wikipedia searching under the genus sapindus for some of the many types of soapberries:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapindus

Be they shrubs or trees, we know that soapberries come from sapindus vegetation. We know the species differ significantly. A great deal more study is required to isolate all the differences.

Please be wary of what you read. As stated on Wikipedia, “Common names include soapberry and soapnut, both names referring to the use of the crushed seeds to make soap.” This statement is VERY misleading. It is not the crushed seed that produces soap. It is saponins (the natural substance within them) that produce soap. If it helps, think of saponins as soapberry juice. Saponin predominantly is derived from the pulp and skin of the fruit. The seeds have yet to be determined of significant value.

Personally, I feel much of the confusion is semantics. Much is written by those other than botanical experts and then copied and pasted over and over. I try to write to how I believe most of us think. Is a cherry a fruit or a seed? That depends upon HOW you think. However, most of us think of it as a fruit or berry. It has a big seed inside and we eat the pulp and skin. It is with THIS mindset that I describe soapberries.

I have read claims that soapberries are closely related to the goji berry or wolfberry. This is a little troubling for they VERY different in most of their characteristics. Goji berries are more similar to tiny tomatoes, and often are for culinary and nutritional use. They do not come from the same order of the plant kingdom – and you DO NOT want to eat soapberries.

One seller (that I am not yet permitted to disclose) will soon launch a massive campaign that may earmark a turning point. The soap nut may begin to become more rightfully known as a soapberry. In the meantime, don’t get confused. Regardless of the term, they are all a fruit, and there are different types that yield different results.

That is all that the average consumer NEEDS to know – for now.

March 1st, 2009 | Tags: highest quality soap nut, himalayan soap nuts, natural saponins, sapindus mukorossi soap nuts, sapindus trees, saponin, soap berry, soap nut, soap nuts, soap nuts detergent, soap nuts soap, soap nuts tree, soap tree, soapberries, soapberry, soapberry fruit, soapberry tree, soapnuts | Category: saponin, soap nuts, soap nuts detergent, soapberry, soapnuts | Comments (2)