Soap nuts!

I heard about these today and they sound amazing - SoapNuts are small magical berries from the SoapNut tree (sapindus mukorossi) growing wild in Northern India. The berry is gathered by hand, dried by the sun, and then deseeded ready for use.

SoapNuts contain saponin that release rich soapy suds when wet and have strong antibacterial properties that effectively replace chemical detergents, soaps and shampoo.

What is saponin? I consulted the Wikepedia on this one. The Wikepedia reveals some interesting facts like SoapNuts are a popular ingredient in Ayurvedic shampoos and cleansers. They are used in Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment for eczema, psoriasis, and for removing freckles.

However, saponin (from the SoapNut) is poisonous if swallowed, so must be stored in a child-proof container.

The SoapNuts web site has load of uses for SoapNuts (crushed or liquid) not just for washing your clothes, but for your dishwasher, and cleaning around the home.

Ecobots, who also stock resuable cloth nappies, are stockists of SoapNuts and recommend them for chemical and fragrance free nappy washing!