Naturally Clean with Soapnuts!
By Jamie Sutherland
My family became aware of chemical exposure sensitivity when my mom got sick with MCS-Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. She was exposed to many different chemicals at work, which eventually overloaded her immune system. Her symptoms began gradually. First, she became very sensitive to scents, so she could not use regular body care or cleaning products. Then, even unscented products began making her sick. Even though they may say they are scent free, these products are still full of synthetics and toxins.
Before she developed MCS, Mom was outgoing and active. This illness has forced her to become very isolated. Many people do not understand how seriously sick people with MCS can become. Mom’s energy level, strength and ability to do stuff is always at a very low level. Other symptoms include severe asthma and cognitive impairment. She has the same symptoms as people with fibromyalgia, and her skin is very sensitive to touch. If she is exposed to the smell of someone who’s used scented products, she doesn’t just sneeze or get a little headache. She will be bedridden for days, and may have to go to the hospital to be hooked up to oxygen.
This is when I came across an incredible natural plant based cleaning product called “Soapnuts.” These are actually the dried shell of a berry that grows on the Sapindus Mukorossi tree in Nepal. Soapnuts are loaded with saponin, a natural cleansing agent and surfactant. Soapnuts clean very effectively, but they don’t create suds. We’ve been programmed to think that the sudsier a product is, the better it cleans, but suds don’t really have anything to do with its cleaning ability, they’re just there for the show! In fact, the suds are created by yet another toxic chemical, sodium lauryl sulfate, which is usually the first ingredient listed in all of our shampoos, soaps, toothpaste…it’s even added to pancake mix to make it bubble and foam!
This lack of suds can be deceiving if you are used to using regular detergents, but soapnuts do a great job at cutting the grease on your dirty dishes. Soapnuts are economical to use, too. They have many different uses, and can replace all your cleaners.
The nuts themselves can be used in a muslin wash bag to do laundry. You just toss the bag with 5 soapnuts inside into your washing machine with your clothes. Those same 5 nuts can be reused for up to 8 loads of laundry. You can also boil the soapnuts to make a liquid soap. The liquid soap can then be used as an all purpose cleaner. They even clean windows and glass when mixed in a spray bottle with vinegar and water!
The soapnuts liquid is so concentrated that it only takes about 2-3 TBSP of liquid for one full bottle of all purpose cleaner. This liquid can also be used to make liquid pump soap, dish soap, shaving cream, bug spray and dishwasher detergent. You can even use it as a non-toxic spray on plants in the garden to keep bugs away. Soapnuts are very mild, so they are great for people with allergies or sensitivities. I can’t count the amount of people that have developed skin ailments from laundry detergents, especially babies. Their skin is so delicate. They do not need to be exposed to all these toxins that are in everyday products.
I make hand soap, body wash and shampoo for us at home. And, during the spring and summer months, I make natural bug spray that is great for keeping mosquitoes away. Soapnuts are also compostable, so when I’m finished with them I just toss them in my garden. They are a very inexpensive and safe way to go. A 500 gram bag of soapnuts cost $20 and can do up to 200 loads of laundry. I have yet to find a downside to them.
We have been using soapnuts for about 2 years now and we love them. We were forced to find an alternative to chemical based cleaners when my Mom got sick. This whole experience has opened my eyes a lot and made me much more interested and concerned about the effect chemicals are having on us and our environment. Everything is becoming overloaded. We need to help change that in any little way we can.
I have been trying for some time now to introduce people to soapnuts. I know not everyone has sensitivities or allergies, but there are so many people that do. Soapnuts are a such a great alternative. Not only do you control what you put on your body, whether it be the soap you wash with, or the clothes you wear that have been washed in a chemical free detergent, but you also control what you are putting back into our ground and water. Using soapnuts for cleaning, laundry and soap cuts down on the amount of toxins going back into our environment. Who needs that fake “after the rain” smell for their laundry? You can live without that smell and I’m sure someone down the line will thank you for it. If my clothes are clean that is all that matters. Removing all these toxic chemicals from your day to day life will not be a bad thing. Everyone needs to do this for themselves, the people around them and for OUR environment. Don’t wait to reduce chemical exposure when you or someone close to you becomes sick. Start switching over now! You will spend less money on a cleaner you can feel good about and lighten the fog a little bit.
Jamie Sutherland and her family do their best to live without chemicals! They live near Plaster Rock.
