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Soap Nuts? That’s Nuts! NaturOli Soap Nuts Review

2013/04 By Lauren B. Stevens 32 Comments

*I was provided a product for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are my own.  This post contains affiliate links.
Select grade USDA certified organic soap nuts

So, I’d been hearing musings about soap nuts in my cloth diapering and natural parenting circles, and my curiosity was piqued.  In my quest to become more eco-conscious, I recently jumped on the wool dryer ball bandwagon and had a strong desire to go completely natural with my laundering.
I will be honest and say that, even after reading about soap nuts, I still couldn’t wrap my mind around how they worked.  How can something that’s not soap create ‘soap’?  More to the point, how on earth would soap nuts actually work?

I was delighted when NaturOli sent me a sample of their soap nuts to give a ‘spin’!  Before I even get to the product, I want to talk about the packaging.  This may sound a little anal, but I am really bothered by the pen in the linen box packaging that often occurs with warehouse fulfilments.  My shipment of NaturOli soap nuts came in an appropriate sized box, small enough to fit just the soap nuts, literature, sample of Extreme 18X (review here), and cushioned with biodegradable packing peanuts.  Eco-friendly – I was already impressed.

Before getting down to the ‘dirty’ business, I took the time to read the literature that was sent with the soap nuts.  Made from drying the fruit of the sapindus tree, soap nuts produce a ‘soap’ with cleaning properties.  From the informational leaflet enclosed in the package, NaturOli Soap Nuts are:

  • Hypoallergenic, fragrance free, eco-friendly and biodegradable
  • Low sudsing – perfect for high efficiency washers
  • Free of synthetic chemicals, fillers, toxins, dyes and perfumes
  • Ideal for cloth cotton diaper laundering
  • Imported only from Fair Trade, Co-op suppliers
  • NaturOli Soap Nuts are cleaned, sorted, & packaged in the USA

So, how exactly do you use them and how well do they work?

I took 5 of the soap nuts and placed them in the small muslin bag that was provided.

I tied the bag securely and placed into my washer before adding clothing.

I added a large load of D’s clothes (2 weeks worth), set the water temp to warm and ran the cycle.  When the load was done, I tentatively opened the lid.  I pulled the first article of clothing out, sniffed and cracked a smile.  I promptly grabbed another piece of clothing, sniffed…and was absolutely amazed.  The clothes smelled fresh and clean!  I say that I was amazed because, to be truthful, I was a cynic.  I also have no idea how the clothes smelled so fresh when the soap nuts had no traceable smell prior to putting in the wash.  I know this because I totally smelled them (hee, hee, hee!).
The ultimate test?  Five days of stinky diaper laundry, mixed in with kiddo towels to put the soap nuts to the test.  No extra rinse cycle.  The results?  Even more amazing!  The diapers and towels smelled fresher than they usually do with my homemade diaper detergent.  Guess what, NaturOli?  I’m sold!  No harsh chemicals, fresh smelling laundered items, super clean results–we’re definitely converting!  With me converting to soap nuts, I won’t have large plastic bottles of detergent cluttering my laundry area.  We currently use 3 different detergents: one for my husband and myself, one for D’s laundry, and one for diapers!
To find out more about NaturOli’s line of natural products (they have an array of different products), you can find a soap nut sample pack here, and search for other great natural soap berry products while you’re there!  Be sure to check NaturOli out on Facebook and Twitter too!
Welcome to NaturOli natural products.

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Filed Under: Accessories, Cloth Diapering, General Topics, Natural Living, products, reviews|sponsored Tagged With: cloth diapers, natural cleaner, natural laundry, soap nuts

Comments

  1. Linda Kwolek says

    2013/04 at 1:43 am

    Replenishing Body Creme is another product I would love to try.

    Reply
  2. Tracey @ www.dontmesswithmama.com says

    2013/04 at 7:48 am

    I’ve always wanted to try Soap Nuts. Hope I win.

    Reply
  3. Susan Broughton says

    2013/04 at 1:46 pm

    I would also like to try the NaturOli 100% Natural Hair Serum – Anti-Frizz, Smoothing Detangler – With Argan Oil! (1.3 oz)

    Reply
  4. Parenting Patch says

    2013/04 at 3:31 pm

    Soap nuts look really interesting. I am trying to avoid chemicals as much as possible in my house. However, I have yet to get away from conventional laundry detergents.

    Reply
  5. Leettle Baby says

    2013/04 at 3:41 pm

    I have yet to try soap nuts (in the natural form, have tried the liquid) but have heard such great things about them!

    Reply
  6. Leettle Baby says

    2013/04 at 3:43 pm

    I would also love to try their soap nuts shampoo!

    Reply
  7. MotherhoodLooms says

    2013/04 at 4:34 pm

    I’d love to try any form of soap nuts for my regular laundry. 🙂

    Reply
  8. Bianca @ The Pierogie Mama says

    2013/04 at 4:42 pm

    I’d love to try the effervescent bath thing – who wouldn’t want a champagne bath? 😉

    Reply
  9. Simply Sherryl says

    2013/04 at 5:09 pm

    body cream

    Reply
  10. Elle Emme Bee says

    2013/04 at 1:55 pm

    I’d really like to also try their Alta Dish Washing Liquid. I love that they have a whole line of alternative, natural items.

    Reply
  11. terri says

    2013/04 at 8:09 pm

    i would like to try the Anti-static Dryer Puffs, Soap Nut Shampoo, Pure Cocoa Butter, Rich & Invigorating Body Wash and Calendula Anti-aging Soap Bar.

    Reply
  12. Rachel Griesmer says

    2013/04 at 1:55 am

    I would also like to try the rose hydrosol- flower water with mister 🙂

    Reply
  13. Ranu Tanu says

    2013/04 at 4:32 am

    I would love to try one of the Soap nut shampoos.

    Reply
  14. Mighty Knitting Chick says

    2013/04 at 4:43 am

    I’ve read about soap nuts before but never tried them; I’d like to try the NaturOli 100% Natural Hair Serum.

    Reply
  15. lockwk17 says

    2013/04 at 6:48 pm

    I would love to try the Sunkissed Sunrise All-Natural Soap Bar

    Reply
  16. brittneymerck says

    2013/04 at 2:33 pm

    I would like to try the bath soak.

    Reply
  17. Melissa Storms says

    2013/04 at 7:40 pm

    I would also like to try the anti-static dryer puffs.
    upstatemissy@gmail.com

    Reply
  18. Sarh Snarski says

    2013/04 at 3:21 pm

    I’d love to try dryer puffs! I currently use Dryer Balls.

    Reply
  19. Helga says

    2013/04 at 5:31 pm

    The soap nuts shampoo sounds nice.

    Reply
  20. Lianne says

    2013/04 at 12:59 am

    I’d try the dryer puffs!

    Reply
  21. Miller says

    2013/04 at 11:38 am

    I have always wanted to try these.

    Reply
  22. Ashley says

    2013/04 at 5:36 pm

    I for sure want to try the SOAP NUTS (Soap Berry) SHAMPOO – ALL NATURAL, ORGANIC HAIR CARE

    Reply
  23. Danielle says

    2013/04 at 2:40 am

    I would like to try the Soap Nuts Intro Starter Package

    Reply
  24. Alisha L. says

    2013/04 at 3:14 am

    I’d like to try the Soap Nuts Shampoo

    Reply
  25. Erica Loves says

    2013/04 at 8:05 am

    I’d like the Soap Nuts Deluxe Packaged Set – Home, Personal & Hair Care. Seems like a great deal to try to many products!

    Reply
  26. judi says

    2013/04 at 3:47 pm

    I would like to try the liquid soap

    Reply
  27. Leslie says

    2013/05 at 5:02 pm

    I have been wanting to try soapnuts for a long time, this review has me convinced!

    Reply
  28. Aimee P. says

    2013/06 at 6:07 pm

    I was always curious how well soap nuts would work on getting cloth diapers clean. Thamks for the informative post.

    Reply
  29. Sara L. says

    2014/12 at 9:27 pm

    I have actually never heard of soap nuts before. I may have to read more on them and give them a try.

    Reply
    • Lauren Stevens says

      2014/12 at 7:54 am

      Soap nuts are the gateway to the rest of NaturOli’s amazing soap nut products! I swear by their shampoo and skin treatments, and I’m about to try their new conditioner.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. NaturOli Skin Care Products says:
    2014/05 at 5:20 pm

    […]  We are an environmentally conscious family with sensitive skin, so NaturOli’s cleaning and laundering products are the perfect fit for our household; we’ve even traveled with NaturOli!  Once I […]

    Reply
  2. NaturOli Skin Care Giveaway | Parenting Patch says:
    2014/05 at 10:21 pm

    […] to work with NaturOli several times and has loved all the products she has tried. The cleaning and laundering products from NaturOli are perfect for her household. She has even traveled with NaturOli. Lauren […]

    Reply

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Lauren B. Stevens is a former publishing rep-turned-writer, whose work can be found on ChildVantage, The Huffington Post, Scary Mommy and Care.com, among many other websites. When she's not chasing her precocious preschooler, Lauren pens hilarious and heartwarming stories about her life as a mother, ghostwrites blogs for businesses, and sometimes even finds the time to write a bit of creative non-fiction.
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