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Soapnuts - calling all regular users / experts!

16 replies

FourPlusOne · 06/03/2008 10:37

Have just bought my first box of these. Usually use ecover but wanted to venture down the soapnuts/eco balls route and thought I'd try these first. Instructions on box are badly (though hilariously) translated so need to check on a few points.

I gather that I put a 6/7 half shells in a bag and this lasts 2 washes. I did a coloured wash with them yesterday with tea tree in rinse drawer, and a nappy wash last night with the tea tree and some sanitiser in the powder drawer. Use tea tree/lavender in rinse drawer anyway so this is no different to normal.

The coloured wash have come out fine but there were no significant stains before washing. The nappies do not look as clean as usual, so am hoping that hanging outside will eliminate some of the staining! Am not concerned about cleanliness as the sanitiser will have done its job and they were washed at 60. Am just worried that they will get more and more stained, especially when I have to dry indoors without the sun bleaching them. Is says on the box to add baking soda/powder to help with white washes. Does anyone do this, and where can I get hold of these things in larger quantities (not little pots for baking use!)?

Have more questions also re using on hair and body. Tells you how to make a solution which I would like to try, but does this keep long (thought I would transfer to an empty bottle), or does it need to be used within a couple of days? Also, is it ok to use this to wash the children? DD has had a rash recently that I have not had checked yet. It looks excema ish and have been avoiding products to see if it clears up (just using water). So was wondering if this was ok, or being nut based not good for washing children. It says on the box that children shouldn't handle the nuts themselves so just wanted to be cautious before using a solution on skin.

Sorry about the long post - has taken ages to write as keep getting called away by children!

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aDad · 06/03/2008 10:49

Not an expert as we have our first soapnut wash on right now funnily enough, but bumping for you.

I wonder if the children not handling them thing is more to do with choking hazard rather than anything else?

As far as I know there is no risk of allergy to them (they are not nuts), and they are recommended for eczema sufferers. We got them specifically as DD2 has terrible eczema right now that we are simply not finding the trigger for.

FourPlusOne · 06/03/2008 11:01

Oh, that's interesting. Didn't know that about the eczema. Yes, the choking thing does make sense. Good luck with your first wash, hope it helps with your DDs eczema. My DDs is not that bad but has not improved in the week or two that it has been there, so I hope to solve it without having to seek medical intervention (though might go to confirm that it is eczema).

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aDad · 06/03/2008 11:16

would describe our DD2's eczema as out of control - been building up over a number of weeks and months despite most creams under the sun and great care to avoid potential triggers.

Have switched washing powders once or twice, but still think that is what it must be. So crossing fingers for soapnuts!

FourPlusOne · 06/03/2008 19:21

Can any evening mumsnetters help?

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mammatulip · 06/03/2008 20:00

Message withdrawn

mammatulip · 06/03/2008 20:02

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mammatulip · 06/03/2008 22:15

Message withdrawn

Lmccrean · 06/03/2008 22:59

Ive had mine a few months and the nuts have lasted 6 or so washes each. stained clothes were soaked asap (chocolate/tomato based things etc) and some got a tiny dose of ecover stain remover. I use cloth sanitary pads, and soak them in cold water before washing. No stains remained.

Do you soak the nappies?

Can get large amounts of baking powder and soda (my instructions didnt say either, tho I would imagine its the soda) from wholesalers like makro. Also think I saw some in the tesco "naturals" cleaning range too...or maybe they were soda crystals. hmm

Lmccrean · 06/03/2008 23:07

yup 500g box for 99p in the "household eco friendly shelf" in tesco

FourPlusOne · 07/03/2008 08:55

No, I dry pail them and put sanitiser in the drawer of the machine. Hung my nappies out for a good few hours yesterday so that has faded most of the staining, but that obviously won't be do-able if I wash on a rainy day! Will try tescos for the baking powder - thanks.

Might give them a go on my hair this weekend. Hope I don't end up in a sticky mess!

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Brangelina · 07/03/2008 09:12

I've been using soapnuts for a while now and have been quite pleased with the results, although I do tend to use them on the warmer washes 40° and upwards as I find at 30° they don't seem to do anything. Re the bf poo stains on nappies, no traditional chemical powder has ever been able to shift them either so I see no difference in the results with the soapnuts.

The only thing is that soapnuts do not contain artificial whiteners like commercial powders, which is why white washes won't appear as "clean", but that's easily overcome with the use of bicarb as mentioned earlier.

I used them for nappies for ages, never used sanitiser (although I use vinegar in the rinse drawer), and have never had any problems with cleanliness or hygiene. Ditto with sheets and towels

FourPlusOne · 07/03/2008 12:39

Have just tried a white load with some soda crystals that I found in my cupboard. They are looking pretty white though did not need to remove any major stains. I do really like the (faint) smell that the clothes have when using the soapnuts. Will see if I still have that nice smell over the weekend when I'll have to dry on the radiator and clothes horse (according to bad weather reports!).

Brangelina - that is good to hear about the nappies. I really want them to be a success with the nappies more than anything as DD is prone to outbreaks of nappy rash, and despite only using a tiny amount of ecover in the nappy washes I would like to eliminate that as a cause.

Haven't tried them on a 30 wash yet though I do a couple of those a week so should find out soon how they fare. Do you use something else for your 30 washes Brangelina?

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Brangelina · 09/03/2008 21:39

Sorry, went away for the weekend.

For 30° washes I tend to use half the recommended dose of non bio liquid detergent (usually the one with marseille soap in it) plus a tablespoon or two of either soda crystals or bicarb, depending on how stained it is (ie soda if quite stained). We don't get Ecover where I live and other eco brands are difficult to get hold of, so I compromise with the commercial stuff but at very low doses. I've never noticed any decrease in cleansing power by doing it that way, I do the same with my dishwasher (am not courageous enough to use soapnuts there!)

FourPlusOne · 12/03/2008 21:28

Thanks! Will maybe continue with the Ecover (v small dose) for 30 washes if I find that they don't do the job. Did a 30 wash the other day and it seemed fine, but maybe I'll see otherwise on a more stained wash - some of my nappy bits are 30 only so will see if it works on those.

(Can't find the 'degree' symbol on my keyboard!)

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CarGirl · 12/03/2008 21:32

best thing for stain removal on nappies is to rinse them in cold water in the washing machine before washing I also found the occasiona blast at 60 with a small amount of bio powder worked wonders!

FourPlusOne · 13/03/2008 10:16

Yes, I do the cold water rinse too . Didn't when DC1 was first born but someone told me it worked and have been doing it since - suppose it logically makes sense. Put the nappies outside to dry yesterday in the v strong winds - lost 3 boosters! DH found one on the lawn, then I found the other 2 on the neighbours path and in a tree! Have never had that happen before!

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