SOAP NUTS - where do i get them from?

[fransmom]

and do they really work?
how do they work?

the ones in lakeland said i had to put them in hot water first and let the water cool down? how do i do this and use them in washer???????

help

tia!

fm x

[normabutty]

I got mine from the local organic shop but there's a few places online. There's a site called Under The Gooseberry Bush that sells them and they also do a cotton bag to put them in.

Sorry can't help with how well they work cos I haven't tried them yet (still using up powder) but FWIW I didn't think you had to do anything with them first.

[Chirpygirl]

This is where I got mine from, and I just put them straight in the machine. They come with a cute little bag to put them in as well....

[Brangelina]

I got them from www.inasoapnutshell.com.

You don't have to presoak or anyhting, you just put a few in a little muslin bag that's provided and bung them in the machine.

I think they work, but only over 40°. I wash my nappies with them and all the poo stains come out fine (that and sunshine). They don't cover smells, though, like normal washing powder, but you can get past that by adding a few drops of lavender oil in the final rinse.

HTH

[fransmom]

can you get fair trade ones as well? am also bit wary of buying things that say they are organice but have to travel halfway round the world to get here!

[fransmom]

hellooooooooo

[Brangelina]

I think they are fair tradish, they're a by product of something pharmaceutical sold by the local peasants or something. With regard to the airmiles, I believe the tree only originates in India or thereabouts, so it's unlikely you'll find a variety grown in Surrey or anywhere local. All the info is on the site as far as I recall.

[bookthief]

I got mine from Cellande

You can buy a tester amount to give it a try. I've been using them to wash nappies and just chuck the little cotton bag in the machine. They've been really good so far.

I've also used them to handwash a couple of things and just squeezed the bag a bit in a sink of warm water. Was amazed how "soapy" the water got (don't know why I was amazed since that's their whole raison d'etre but there you go).