GOING GREEN

Soap Nuts – the Affordable, 100% Natural, Green Laundry Detergent!

We are all stretching our dollars as far as possible these days. We are also very concerned about all possible health hazards, and living greener lives. Unfortunately, what usually goes along with even supposedly “greener”, better products are higher price tags. One walk down any aisle in a grocery store, and this becomes immediately apparent. I have recently read numerous articles on the green profiteering that is occurring in nearly all industries.

I have also read erroneous articles discussing soap nuts as an expensive alternative. Interestingly I have received more than one apology from journalists that simply didn’t do enough homework. Anything used improperly will produce unreliable data. One journalist claimed that the cost of soap nuts was in the 50 cents per load range. I promptly set her straight. Frankly, properly used, soap nuts can be one of the MOST affordable ways possible to do laundry – and the math is very easy.

Now, it is important to realize that it is not cost effective at all to buy samplers of soap nuts. The purpose of samplers is to TRY them. Period. If you like them, then you would certainly buy them in larger quantities to reduce your cost per ounce. That’s a very nice thing about NaturOli. Not only do they offer very large sizes of reasonably priced quality soap nuts. They even work well with co-ops, similar type groups and resellers of all sizes on even larger orders.

But let’s first compare the cost of using soap nuts to using commercial detergents – as consumers. Let’s just crunch some numbers:

You can purchase 32 ounces of high quality soap nuts for around $30. That should be enough to last an average household six months to a year when it comes down to simply doing laundry. Used in the traditional manner, you will use approx. one-half ounce in a wash bag and will average about 5 loads from it. That yields approx. 320 loads. Now I can usually get more loads than that, but that is only because of some tricks I use to extend their life and maximize saponin extraction. To be conservative, let’s even just go with only FOUR loads.

Oh, a note worth mentioning: I’ve seen some sellers claim less loads being possible. That is VERY likely a good indicator of the type and quality of soap nuts being sold. I’ve also heard of people claiming to use half the amount I suggest using. (I still don’t get that one.) But let’s bare in mind the many, many variables in how people do their laundry.

So, at only FOUR loads per half ounce that would yield us only 256 loads (not 320). $30 divided by 256 equals $0.127 per load. And we are talking standard loads – not high efficiency loads that will lower the cost per load further.

Now let’s run some comparisons with NaturOli soap nuts at various sized bags available with leading “natural” and other types of detergents in the typical sizes in which they are available. Note all comparison items were priced from discount yet reputable and respected sellers. All NaturOli prices per load are based upon STANDARD loads, not HE loads. I’m really trying to be very conservative in all my calculations and estimates.

- NaturOli’s 64 ounce bag of soap nuts: $57.95 for 512 loads ($0.113 per load)
- NaturOli’s 32 ounce bag of soap nuts: $29.95 for 256 loads ($0.117 per load)
- NaturOli’s 16 ounce bag of soap nuts: $19.95 for 128 loads ($0.155 per load)
- NaturOli’s 8 ounce bag of soap nuts: $12.75 for 64 loads ($0.199 per load)

- Seventh Generation’s Free and Clear Natural Laundry Detergent 2x Ultra: $11.99 for 50 loads. ($0.239 cents per load)

- All’s Small and Mighty 3x Concentrate for HE washers: $8.49 for 32 loads. ($0.265 per load)

- Mrs. Meyer’s Lavender Laundry Detergent: $13.49 for 32 loads ($0.421 per load)

- ECOS Laundry Detergent, Ultra Concentrated with Soy Fabric Softener: $9.49 for 26 loads ($0.367 per load)

- Tide’s 2x Concentrated Laundry Detergent: $14.99 for 32 loads ($0.468 per load!) This one really surprised me!

- Seventh Generation’s  Free and Clear Powder Laundry Detergent: $10.99 for 42 loads ($0.262 per load) Note: This is based on a package priced 4-pack at $43.99)

- Dreft’s 2x Concentrated Baby Laundry Detergent: $31.99 for 110 loads ($0.290 per load!)

- Babyganics 3x Concentrated Laundry Detergent: $13.49 for 33 loads ($0.408 per load)

- Method’s 3x Concentrated Baby Laundry Detergent: $10.99 for 32 loads ($0.343 per load)

Very quickly it becomes apparent that soap nuts (even when using my very conservative estimates) are VERY inexpensive compared to commercial detergents. Used properly they can cut laundry costs by half or more. PLUS this does not even factor in that you have virtually no more need for fabric softeners or dryer sheets.

I gave a single mother, good friend of mine with three children a bag of soap nuts for the holidays. She has been working hard to make ends meet. Since that time she has raved about how wonderfully they worked, how her laundry never smelled so clean and soft, how her washing machine no longer smelled like mold and mildew. She had difficulty describing the scent, because there is no scent. How does one simply describe the scent of clean? Think about it.

She didn’t stop with laundry. She hasn’t stopped experimenting, and I last heard that the liquid she made cleaned her coffee maker better than even CLR did. (Yuk. I’m sure she would have cleaned out the CLR very well. She’s a smart lady.) Amazing. She tells me her coffee maker works and looks like new again.

Soap nuts are not only growing in consumer awareness when GREEN is “in”. It is growing in awareness at a time when we all can use conserving a little more of our own green. No time could be better than now to discover all the wonders of soap nuts.

About the Author

Founder of NaturOli, a respected formulator of natural skin care products, soaps, detergents, and cleansers, plus distributor of soap nuts. Corporate mission: Setting New and Higher Standards Today.

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