i've known about this for a while and not done anything about it. finally took the plunge and bought some. i now have a verdict to share with you.
soap nuts are a nut or pod which grows on the, wait for it, "soap nut tree" in india and nepal, and has a high saponin content - that means, basically, it exudes a soapy sap. you put half a dozen of them in with your laundry in the washing machine and the warm water encourages the release of the saponin and washes your clothes clean.
we tried a few different combinations over the weekend and found that for most clothes on a 30 degree wash you get a clean load at the end. heavily soiled whites (i managed to stain a towel with leg make-up) don't come completely clean, so you might be better off treating anything like that separately. i used a dozen drops of essential oils on the cloth bag the pods come in to scent the wash, and that was a lovely treat.
soap nuts are wildcrafted and usually fairtraded. there are no chemicals involved in your wash to go back out in to our water supply or to irritate your skin. so, all in all, they're great for the planet and good for you, too.
you can get them all over the place these days, but i bought mine here. if you decide to buy them at the funky raw shop then you should get yourself some conscious chocolate while you're at it. divine stuff.
