Are soap nuts safe for cloth diapers? Soap nuts are safe to use on cloth diapers and for many other house chores. Read the details more!
What are Soap Nuts?
Soap nuts are dried berries that grow on trees and are found all around Asia. They contain a particular component called saponin, which has excellent cleansing properties and works effectively when mixed with warm water. Soap nuts come with no chemical additives, and most of them are grown organically. They are considered to be completely safe and hypoallergenic, making them ideal for washing clothes and utensils without the use of chemicals.
Are Soap Nuts Safe for Cloth Diapers?
Using anything for a baby or an unwell adult is a tricky subject. A mother tries to use the most harmless product for their babies and find chemical-free solutions for every requirement. Also, people look for the utmost natural comfort for adults who have to wear a diaper. Therefore, it might feel weird to use soap nuts to clean cloth diapers; however, it is possible and harmless. One often wonders how a nut plucked from a tree and tossed into the laundry can end up cleaning cloth diapers. The answer to this question is ‘saponin.’ The presence of this compound helps create a natural lather that captures the dirt particles on a cloth in one place and helps washing it away efficiently.
Since a baby’s skin is very sensitive, one has to make sure that the detergent or ingredients used to wash the baby’s clothes should be safe and efficient. Therefore, this unique ingredient is gaining more popularity for washing diapers.
How to wash the cloth diapers with soap nuts?
Soapnut liquids are made out of real soap nuts and work quite effectively. Once they have been squeezed into liquid form, you have to add this liquid to the washing bucket and wait for the magic to happen.
The soap nuts are a unique natural ingredient and do not leave any residue behind on the diapers. They act as natural fabric softeners and eventually help in improving the overall softness of the diapers. Also, once you are done, save the bag of nuts because they can be reused easily about 5-6 times, but just ensure that you check the labels for re-use directions.
Method:
- Scrape off the solid waste from your diapers for the next stage of the cleaning process.
- After that, put the diapers in the washing machine for a pre-wash process with cold water. Add half a cup of baking soda to the washing machine.
- Once the cycle is complete, add a cotton pouch filled with soap nuts to the washing barrel. You can also wash the diapers in a bucket with soap nuts after the pre-wash.
- Finally, wash the diapers in warm water and soap nuts (in a pouch) and three tablespoons of soap nut liquid detergent in a regular wash cycle.
Tip: breaking or crushing the nuts before adding to the pouch will help release more lather. Also, add the soap nut liquid detergent directly to the diapers instead of the detergent slot in your machine.
Other Uses of Soap Nuts
1. Cleaning Food or Vegetables Peels
The nuts are a gentle, non-toxic option to clean your vegetables and fruits. For the process, add the soap nuts to hot water and rub them vigorously to agitate them. Once the soap nuts mix properly, add the fruits and vegetables to this water for fifteen minutes and rinse them with tap water. The soap nuts naturally remove the toxins and residue on the skin of the fruits or vegetables.
2. Washing Dishes and Hands
The soapy nature of these nuts can help you make a liquid soap useful for washing hands and utensils. You can also purchase the liquid soap made from these nuts online.
3. Shampoo
Soap nuts are a popular ingredient for hair masks in Asia, especially India since it has nourishing and cleansing properties. The conditioning properties of the nuts make them an ideal option for a natural shampoo. The shampoo also helps prevent dandruff and prevents hair fall.
4. All-Purpose Cleaner
The soap nut liquid can be used as a multi-purpose cleaner as well. You can use this soapy liquid as pet shampoo, soap for bathing, as a carwash soap, and cleaning jewelry as well.
Takeaway
Besides being an eco-friendly and safe product, soap nuts can also be used for multiple cleaning purposes. One has to take about 4-5 soap nuts in a small, little cotton bag. Add some hot water because, without the hot water, these nuts will not work. With rigorous effort, you can use these nuts, and they don’t require any rinsing as well.
Tip: Once the soap nuts stop producing bubbles, then they are not going to last long.
So, are you ready to make the switch from your harsh detergents to this natural cleanser? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
