Frugal and Natural Laundry Soap

Well, I had heard of them before, but never tried them until I won a sample bag of these SoapNuts on the Spring Bloggy Giveaway.


I decided to give them a try, even though I make my own laundry soap. So this past week, all of our laundry was washed with these little strange looking berries (they are not actually nuts even though they look like them) from Laundry Tree. Surprisingly, they worked quite well! And it is my understand that a large bag that costs about $30 will last for about 300 loads of laundry. That's more than a year for me (we average about 5 loads a week). BTW, my homemade laundry detergent costs about $12.00/year, but if you don't want to make your own and still would like something natural, this would be a great alternative.

Here is what the site says about the SoapNuts:

Soapnuts are an amazing, 100% natural cleaning product.
Soapnuts are the fruit of a tree (Sapindus Mukorossi), found primarily in India, Indonesia, and Nepal. The fruit is harvested and de-seeded, then dried in the sun — and then it’s ready for you to use!

How do soapnuts work?
The outer shell of the soapnut contains saponin, a natural substance known for its ability to cleanse and wash. (That’s what makes them so GREAT for cleaning your laundry!) In fact, soapnuts have been used to clean all kinds of fabric for centuries, but they are just recently gaining popularity in the Americas and Europe as a natural alternative to modern chemical detergents.

Soap nuts are organically grown and are chemical-free, so they are gentle on clothes AND skin. They are especially great for those with sensitive skin — including babies and those that suffer from allergies, eczema, and psoriasis! They’re totally biodegradeable, so they’re better for the environment than regular detergent, and they’re antimicrobial, so they’re even good for septic and greywater systems!

There ARE natural and healthy alternatives to harsh laundry detergents that can really save you money, too! For more frugal ideas, please check out the Festival of Frugality over at The Financial Blogger - it's the If I Had a Car Edition!
Also, check out more tips over at Works For Me Wednesday hosted by Rocks in My Dryer.