If you haven't heard of soap nuts yet, then you have got to check them out here. I'm not going to expound upon their virtues too much here, of which there are many, since many readers will be well aware of these natural wonders. But in short, Soap Nuts are actually the berries of the Chinese Soapbery Tree, which has been growing and been used in parts of Asia for thousands of years. Historical sources have been found that date the earliest use of soap nuts, as we now call them, back to at least the time of the Buddha....
What makes soap nuts so useful is their naturally-occurring saponins, the chemical compound that gives soap its cleaning power. Saponins cause dirt to be released from fabric and dissolve into the water. (And by the way, naturally-occurring saponins are the residue that must be washed off of rice before cooking, as well, or you can end up with a slightly bitter- soapy- taste.) Saponins do not create many suds (great for HE washers!), so soap nuts aren't at all sudsy (suds are a modern chemical marvel), but they sure are good at cleaning! Saponins are also found in yucca, and have anti-microbial properties and so are great for septic systems. Soap nuts are totally natural, totally gentle, biodegradable, compostable, sustainable, and are even a natural remedy for lice on the scalp! Did I mention that soap nuts grow on trees? We're talking centuries-old trees that have been clear-cut in the last few decades, but are now being preserved thanks to their new monetary value. The world is going gaga over soap nuts.
Anyhoo.... soap nuts are fabulous, but they are a little awkward for some people. As my friend Kim says, it's just too hard to get used to the idea of throwing a couple of berries in a wash sack, and then into your laundry. So Maggie's has come up with a solution that should please Kim and all who think similarly: Liquid Soap Nuts! Still as wonderfully natural, the liquid version is simply a concentrated solution achieved by soaking the soap nuts and adding a few organic essential oils as preservatives. We think this product will change the laundry landscape forever. Truly, purely, and uniquely natural- soap nuts are the only laundry product to accurately make this claim.
Click HERE to learn more about Maggie's Liquid Soap Nuts. they are so very brand new that Maggie's does not even have them up on their website yet, so we are thrilled to be carrying them!
(And don't worry, if you are still a little wary of these unusual cleaning berries, you can try a sample first!)
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