For Use in Laundry

Just place 4-6 whole shells (8-10 halves) in the muslin drawstring bag provided, close bag securely and toss in the drum of the washing machine before your clothing as you would any other detergent. Use fewer shells for less soiled loads, or more shells for more heavily soiled loads. It is recommended to only fill the machine with clothing or linens to 3/4 capacity. For the saponin to work efficiently there needs to be room for the articles to agitate. These same 4-6 shells can be used up to 8 times in cold water washes, or about 4 times in hot. It is time to replace once they become a light tan or grey colour, and begin to break into small pieces. Due to their low sudsing qualities, they are an excellent match for High Efficiency washing machines. You can either follow the directions above, or if you have made your own soap nut liquid you can use that in the detergent dispenser drawer as you would chemical detergents. Say goodbye to fabric softeners! Leaving the bag of soap nuts in the wash through the rinse cycle leaves just enough of the saponin on the fabric to soften your clothes as they dry. They will come out of the dryer smelling like they've just come off the line, and will be as soft or softer than if you were to use commercial chemical softeners. And you needn't worry about chemical buildup or strong scents which often irritate your skin. Soap nuts are gentle, hypoallergenic, dye and scent free, and don't leave any chemical residue that can cause irritation. If you would like your clothing to have a scent, just put 8-10 drops of your favorite essential oil on the drawstring bag before putting it in with your clothes in the washing machine. As with any other detergent, tough stains will need to be pre-treated. We also recommend an oxygen based bleach if you want to brighten your whites.