When I first discovered soap nuts on a cloth diapering forum I was both intrigued and incredulous. There is no way a nut plucked from a tree and tossed in my laundry is going to clean my clothes or diapers. Despite reading the mostly rave reviews of them I was not convinced. Somehow, the thousands of people who were washing their clothes with soap nuts were not getting their clothes clean but were under the impression that they were. And, so what if they were clean? They don’t have the delicious fragrance of “Sunny Day” or “Mountain Rain” or the infamous “Spring Flowers.” I said all of this before I had even washed my first cloth diapers. I still did not understand that less was more. Less detergent, less fragrance, less additives, less brighteners, less everything but plain ol’ soap.

Fast forward to today and I will tell you that soap nuts actually work! Yes, they clean diapers. I took my diapers out of the dryer and cautiously sniffed them fully expecting to detect a urine or poo odor. Nothing. There was no scent, just nothing. Nothing to me means that they worked!!! I remember after my first load of diapers were dry and clean I was pretty darn amazed. I have used them many times now and am still impressed with the way they clean. They leave no residue which is awesome, you won’t have to strip as often, if ever.  I don’t think you can find a “greener” way to wash your clothes or diapers. Plus, they have even more uses!  I will give you one bit of advice if you are using soap nuts; make sure you tie the muslin bag very tight!!!  I learned my lesson.

Eco Nuts™ has offered to give one lucky reader a 50-load family size box with a trial size that the winner can give to a friend. What an awesome way to help spread the word about soap nuts! Here is a little information about their soap nuts from their website:

Eco Nuts™ are completely sustainable dried fruit shells that come from the Sapindus mukorossi tree in Nepal, India and Indonesia. The ones we harvest come from high up in the Himalayas and are the highest quality “soap nut” on the market. These fruit shells have been used in India and China for centuries, and are now gaining popularity in America and Europe as a renewable, biodegradable and organic alternative to chemical detergents and expensive “Green” laundry soaps.

Eco Nuts™ contain saponin, a natural cleaner that works as a surfactant, breaking the surface tension of the water to penetrate the fibers of your clothing, lifting stains from the fabric and leaving dirt suspended in the water that is rinsed away. Because Eco Nuts™ leave no residuals on fabric, the rinse cycle is not needed. If you wish, you can stop your machine once the wash cycle is done and save gallons of water per cycle.

Eco Nuts™ are gentle on both clothes and skin, making them ideal for those with sensitive skin, eczema, allergies and psoriasis. Because they are so mild and leave no residuals, they are perfect for baby clothes and cloth diapers. The antimicrobial properties of Eco Nuts™ also make them great for septic and grey water systems. But don’t expect these shells to foam up like commercial soaps, which have artificial foaming agents. Foam simply does not represent cleaning power.

I love so many things about this product and company. I am especially impressed with their dedication to the environment by using recyclable and environmentally responsible packaging. There are so many companies that claim to be “green” but ship their items in yucky and wasteful packaging.

Giveaway is CLOSED.