Nature’s Shield Organic Soap Nut Liquid Laundry Soap (1L)

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Soap Nuts have been featured on the BBC show ‘Not Easy Going Green’ and BBC Radio 4 as well as many well known websites such as ‘mumsnet’ recommending them. In America and in Germany the use of Soap Nuts is well established as they been imported there for many years now.

Soap Nuts are known worldwide by many names such as soapberry, Reetha (Hindi), Chinese Soapberry and many more. Very simply, Soap Nuts are the dried shells or husks from the soapberry tree.

Based upon its high amount of ‘soap’ content ( 12 – 18% ) and consistency, the highest quality soapnut is Sapindus Mukorossi, which grows primarily in northern India and Nepal. The Soap Nut tree grows uncultivated in poor quality ground and helps fights erosion, particularly in the Himalayan foothills. It also provides needed income to the local population.

It is a relatively hardy tree being resistant to diseases and insects (due to the high amounts of saponin which are a natural pest and insect repellent for the tree!)

The tree grows to 10 to 20 meters in height and begins flowering and bearing fruit after about 9 years. The tree has great longevity and will produce fruit (soap nuts) for about 90 years.

The saponin contained in these Soap Nuts which produces a soaping effect, is a 100% natural alternative to chemical laundry detergent and cleansers. It can replace many chemical detergents such as those containing sodium laureth sulphate (SLS) that are becoming well known by consumers for being a skin irritant and health hazard. The detergent which goes out as waste also has the antimicrobial properties which causes cleaning of the drainage and sewer system and thus becomes eco-friendly.

There are many kinds of shells that have saponin (chestnut is one). However the sapindus (Soap Nut) trees have an abundance. There are actually ten varieties of sapindus, but we only sell sapindus mukurossi, because these yield the most saponin (soap) when mixed with water. In nature saponin is a mild insecticide and anti-bacterial compound, it is used to repel bugs and fungus from tress naturally!

We only sell 100% Sapindus Mukurossi, because it has the highest amount of saponin in the shell and will be most effective when used for cleaning. Don’t be fooled by cheaper, less effective products.

Not all Soap Nuts will clean or sud in the same way. We have test-driven six different varieties/suppliers before deciding on these – sapindus mukurossi. We paid a bit more to ensure we got the right kind of Soap Nuts, so that they will yield the most saponin and as a result more suds and more cleaning power!

You may find Soap Nuts elsewhere on the internet but not all Soap Nuts are created equal! There are other Soap Nut varieties like Sapindus rarak and Sapindus trifoliatus that do not have the same amount of soap and will therefore not be as effective. Some other suppliers may mix these for a cheaper product, which will mean it will not be as effective as our Soap Nuts.