Soap Nuts Pro

The Most Common Problems Users Have When Using Soap Nuts To Wash Laundry.

PREMISE: Albeit similar to the article “The 12 Tips on How to Buy Soap Nuts” in that there is some overlap, the focus here is YOU. The “Buying Tips” is slanted towards making you aware of what sellers often do, and helping you make better decisions. Here we’ll assume you’ve made a good purchase, and now let’s look at what issues or problems you may still have or encounter.

1) Overly high expectations of results.

This is often more a fault of the seller. Some oversell the consumers. And I’m not talking about the obviously ridiculous zillion loads being achieved. I’m talking the more subtle things. The things that are often subjective – not simple math.

Soap nuts do all the wonderful things that most will feature, however they may not do some things as well as chemical detergents. Remember we are comparing all-natural, and or organic products. If you expect the IDENTICAL results as toxic Tide or any similar commercial brand, then you’re expectations need adjustment. (Note: “Free and Clear” does not mean chemical free – far from it.) Although efficacy test (cleaning power alone) between EXTREME 18X soap nuts liquid concentrate and concentrated commercial brands are very similar, there’s many very distinct differences in the end results.

Ironically, soap nuts will do many things far better – without exposure to toxic chemicals, and without causing irritation, itchiness or rashes. But be realistic. There are no bleaches or optical brighteners in saponin. If you desire ultra bright and ultra white, learn to use some natural supplements. There’s many. Vinegar, salts, sodium percarbonate (washing soda), lemon juice, citric acid, etc. A lot has to do with YOUR specific water hardness and YOUR pH levels. Water is different all over the country. Test your water. Learn to adjust the hardness and pH as required. It’s not difficult. There’s a ton of info online, and there’s very simple, cheap, at-home remedies for problematic water conditions. You don’t need an expensive water conditioning system if we’re simply discussing clean laundry.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with occasionally using chemical products. Be it Tide, Clorox, Spray N’ Wash, or whatever. Saponin will have a tough time cutting through waxy deodorants for example. I’ll usually use EXTREME 18X full strength or a natural stain stick on armpits that are showing their age. However, I’ll break out the Spray N’ Wash in a heart beat if they need a solvent (that’s basically what Spray N’ Wash is). For my nicest bright white dress shirts that I want to shine on a night out, will I break out the real bleach? You betcha’.

Something to remember: This isn’t an “ALL or NONE” scenario. Do as you need, when you need. And the sheer beauty of it is that even if you have bad sensitivities, you can start over with your next load! Saponin works quickly to purge the fabrics of the undesirable toxins. After your night out or special affair, you’re only one load away from feeling all soft and comfy again.

Saponin is a miraculous gift straight from Mother Nature. It is a genuinely safe, natural surfactant that replaces a plethora of toxic sulfates. But it’s not some do-all “infomercial” type “miracle” product. In some areas, saponin will fall short of the perfect product. So what? It’s no big deal if you didn’t expect absolute perfection in the first place. (Frankly, I don’t think that’s even Mother Nature’s way.)

So, be realistic, and be prepared to learn a few new tricks. Have a little patience and experiment. Don’t expect to do one load and start jumping for joy. You may – and many do. Just don’t expect it.

Interestingly, the focus of this is laundry. Most consumers first try soap nuts for laundry purposes. Laundry is only the tip of the iceberg. I’d be using soap nuts for household cleaning, personal hygiene, and hair care – even if they didn’t work as a laundry soap.

2) Over-stuffing loads, and rushing through laundry day.

This is a big problem that is only compounded by our hectic, fast paced lifestyles. One thing the commercial detergent producers got right was developing detergents that would allow us to squeeze four or five loads into three or four. Chemicals enable such things to be done, and done pretty well.

However, time will always be our friend when it comes to good results doing laundry – regardless of using natural or chemical detergents. More time yields better results. Period. With soap nuts it is even more important. We aren’t using any of the chemicals that expedite the cleaning process. Well, such is life. We just can’t have it all. (Kinda’ like our country is going to find out when we’re totally broke, and can’t even print enough money to pay the bills anymore.)

What’s worked for me and many others I speak with is to just slow down a bit. Take a little more time to do that extra load. And use your pre-soak cycle! Regardless of the aforementioned supplements we can use to improve results, use of the pre-soak cycle invariably yields better results. Ever since I began to regularly use the pre-soak cycle (previously thought to waste time) – my laundry results have greatly improved. Particularly with very dirty, stinky laundry. That extra time soaking does A LOT. The saponin is allowed more time to disperse throughout the wash. The soiling is given more time to break up from the fabrics. Bottom line: More time in the water, more dirt down the drain. It’s that simple.

Special note: Many of us have HE washers today. I have both an old top loader and a front loading HE unit. My old unit will outperform my HE washer every time. But, in trying to conserve both water and energy the HE units are the future. So, let time be your friend. A few adjustments in your scheduling, and you can have the best of both worlds. It’s not that hard – and worth it.

3) Not paying attention when loading (akin to #2).

I’ll make this one quick. Be cognizant of the fabrics and types of laundry – particularly when using the wash bag method.

An example will best demonstrate my point. I have some linens that are very stretchy. They’re ultra soft, but very stretchy. Not sure of the exact material blend, but I’m sure you know what I mean. I never use the wash bag method when washing them. Invariably the wash bag will end up virtually tied into a knot in them. Well, if the wash bag isn’t freely circulating about through the laundry, it’s not going to be able to disperse much saponin. If that’s the case, your results won’t be good.

So, when loading your machine just pay attention to what you’re loading it with. With those linens mentioned before, I always use EXTREME 18X or a soap nut “tea”. The wash bag simply won’t work as it should. This is a case when you choose another method. Choose either liquid or powder. You can purchase either or make your own.

Much of this article is simply common sense. Or at least it is NOW – given that you’re thinking about it. Avoid these common mistakes, and you’ll start getting consistently better results from your soap nuts. That’s a promise.