I was recently introduced to these fascinating little fruits from the fruit nut tree which are a 100% natural alternative to laundry liquids and powders perfect for people with sensitive skin issues such as eczema, psoriasis or dermatitis. They are very effective whilst being very gentle and leave laundry completely fresh and clean. These wonderful little berries are native to India and Nepal and contain saponin a natural detergent and can be used to clean not only your clothes but vegetables, kitchens as a shampoo and so much more.
As a laundry detergent which at present is all I have used them for all you have to do is pop your soap nuts in an unbleached cotton bag or a sock (the number of shells you use depends on the size of your laundry load and whether it is a hot/cold wash) throw them into your washing machine and let them work their magic. 
If you are washing with cold water, then just soak them in hot water for a few minutes before putting both the water and bagged nuts into your wash. Soap nuts have natural hypoallergenic, antibacterial and antifungal properties making them perfect for washing baby clothes. The smell of your freshly laundered clothes is completely natural but if you feel the need for scent all you have to do is put a few drops of your chosen essential oil on the soap nut bag and hey presto you will have lightly scented freshly laundered clothes.
And just to add to add to their wonder they can be reused for more than one wash (you will get more washes if using cold water) making them possibly the cheapest washing detergent on the market. Definitely worth a try and I firmly believe that once you’ve tried them you will realise that soap nuts work, and work well, well at least that’s my opinion.
Eimear xx