It simply doesn’t get more “green” than soap nuts. However, we must first clarify how soap nuts “green” and “organic” relate to each other in the context of this article. So, green – what is “green” anyway? Not that many single words are nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs. But “green” has become all of them. Personally I don’t even like using the terms due to their many various and often vague, ambiguous definitions. fyi: I counted 24 definitions in Word’s dictionary for green. The vast majority of them had nothing to do with the color at all. As far as “organic” it is not nearly as bad, but it means VERY different things to different people.
IMPORTANT: I am purposely writing to the person of average knowledge regarding these terms. I am NOT talking of certification and the like. This article also has nothing whatsoever to do with the plethora of other meanings of green or organic. Let’s please just keep it simple.
Hence, for the purpose of this article, I am defining “green” and “organic” combined to mean: Provided or produced by Mother Nature and completely void of alteration or manipulation by man.
Nope, that’s NOT a definition from the dictionary, and I’ll probably still get some heat for using organic in this. BUT the fact is that is what the terms mean is something very close to MY definition to many (if not most) of the average people I speak every single day – particularly when it comes to natural detergents, other household cleaners, skin care products, etc. As the founder of NaturOli and one of the largest sellers of soap nuts in the US and Canada – that’s a LOT of people. So again, for the purpose of this article, the definition works great. Yes, man harvests soap nuts, removes their seeds, allows them to dry and packs them, but man does NOTHING to alter soap nuts from their pure and 100% natural state. Man only facilitates getting them from the tree to your door. Nothing more.
Soap nuts are a 100% totally natural, green, organic cleaning product that is entirely and completely void of any man-made substances. Period. By my definition it is right on target. The supposedly “green” detergents and cleansers all over the market all have additives – many, many additives. Relative to the purity of the soap nut they are chemical soups. They have been formulated (which says it all). Some are better than others, but nonetheless they are not 100% pure. Mother Nature has NOT handed down these other products on a silver platter for us to use – AS IS. She did so with soap nuts. ONLY soap nuts in their RAW form are totally natural, green and organic. The soap that soap nuts produce is completely pure and natural. It contains ZERO additives. No other detergent, cleanser or soap anywhere in the world can make that claim. End of story.
So, if you want a highly EFFECTIVE, truly natural, “green” and “organic” detergent, cleanser or soap by the definition I provided above – soap nuts are your answer. Your ONLY answer. I intentionally use “effective” because there are other genuinely natural ways to clean, but none clean as well as saponin (the natural active ingredient in the soapberry / soap nut). You can beat your laundry on rocks in a river or stream and they will become cleaner, but let’s get realistic in regards to what we want. We know that saponin is hypoallergenic, biodegradable, anti-fungal and antimicrobial. It is a highly effective surfactant making it a great detergent/cleanser/soap. It is all this – and is still 100% natural, green and organic.
If you are having issues with the products you use, try soap nuts as an alternative. Many people suffer from eczema, psoriasis, and a myriad of irritating skin conditions. Many of these conditions have been linked through clinical studies directly to the chemicals and additives man has used in the production of detergents, cleansers and soaps.
I have personally heard SO many people tell me that since using soap nuts previous irritating skin conditions are gone – totally GONE! Eczema and rosacea sufferers have reported dramatic improvements. I have documented only ONE case where a gentleman actually developed a minor rash from saponin. He even did a skin patch test to be sure that was what caused it. There are always people that will be allergic to something. But only ONE known case out of thousands of soap nut users! Interestingly, he and his family STILL use soap nuts for they believe soap nuts remain the better alternative to today’s commercial detergents. Incredible.
Odds are that 99+% of people suffering from skin irritations caused by the commercial products (even the “SUPPOSEDLY” green, natural detergents, cleansers and soaps) they’ve been using will benefit greatly from using soap nuts. There is an EXCELLENT chance soap nuts may be the ticket to living far more comfortable lives. If you change to soap nuts (and go totally green in doing so) and you find relief, don’t thank me. I’m just a messenger. Thank Mother Nature for soap nuts. Soap nuts are HER 100% natural, “green” and “organic” gift for us all.
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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