So I tried the soapnuts out for the first time yesterday. I placed 5 shells in the washbag provided and placed it in the drum of the machine and set the temperature to 30 degrees.
The Good:
The thing that impressed me most was the general softness of the clothes. I put a fleece jacket in the wash and it came out very soft, as if I had put fabric conditioner on it. I think this was because all of the detergent residue was removed from the clothing.
I was also generally happy with the cleanliness of the clothes. My son's collars are always grubby, but the soapnuts did a good job removing the marks. most stains were removed and they even did a decent job getting a bloodstain out of a pillowcase, a common problem for TSW'ers.
The Bad:
No scent! I am getting some essential oil to add to the wash though.
A couple of armpits of T shirts still smelled of sweat/deodorant.
No brighteners means that whites do not get really white.
Conclusion:
Soapnuts are ok for general wash purposes, but you may want to use Vanish to boost the whitening power. Some items, especially sweaty stuff used for sports will still need traditional detergents to get the sweat smell out of the fabric. Soapnuts work really well on fleecy items and fluffy towels.
I had heard that regular use of the nuts stops the must smell you get in the machine and reduces the grey sludge you get. I did notice less grey sludge round the door, but the machine still smelled a bit fusty.
I also used the nuts in the dishwasher. You just place 3 shells in the cutlery tray. the results were very good. There was no residue on the plates and everything came out clean. The only downside was that the machine didn't smell as fresh as when I use detergent. I used regular rinse aid along with the nuts.
1 comment:
I use dryer balls with my clothing in the dryer and I have noticed that they're super soft and no static electricity. Before I started using the dryer balls, my clothing would feel so scratchy and rough. Now they're super soft.
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