Today is Tree Hugger Tuesday! And it includes a giveaway!
Today’s giveaway is green and clean! (there’s a clean and green one coming up this week too! 
)
Let’s talk about green cleaning!
We carefully watch ingredients labels on our foods, but what about the ingredients in the products we use to clean our dishes, kitchens, bathrooms or clothes?
Many common manufactured cleaners contain alcohol, ammonia, bleach, formaldehyde and lye — substances that can cause nausea, vomiting, and inflammation and burning of the eyes and throat. Environmentalists have linked these ingredients with asthma, cancer and damage to the neurological system, liver and kidney. (source)
I know I’ve definitely inhaled some pretty awful cleaning fumes, and certainly not felt so hot afterwards.
What about once the cleaning products leave our homes?
After bubbly cleaning liquids disappear down our drains, they are treated along with sewage and other waste water at municipal treatment plants, then discharged into nearby waterways. Most ingredients in chemical cleaners break down into harmless substances during treatment or soon afterward. Others, however, do not, threatening water quality or fish and other wildlife. In a May 2002 study of contaminants in stream water samples across the country, the U.S. Geological Survey found persistent detergent metabolites in 69% of streams tested. Sixty-six percent contained disinfectants. Another environmental concern with cleaning products is that many use chemicals that are petroleum-based, contributing to the depletion of this non-renewable resource. (source)
There is a silver lining to these problems… they have easy solutions!
- You can make many green cleaning products yourself (a future Tree Hugger Tuesday post!)
- There are excellent eco-friendly alternatives available to buy
One of these eco-friendly alternative companies, Buy Soap Nuts sent me samples of their Coconut Scrub Pad, and Soap Nuts for review.
The scrub pad is made entirely of coconut fibres – I used it to wash dishes with, and it worked excellent! I’ve been using it for a few weeks now, and it hasn’t degraded at all.
You’re probably wondering, what is a soap nut?
Soap nuts are small berry like fruits that grow in warm, tropical and sultry climates. They are native to India, Nepal and some other South Asian countries and consist of a small yellowish brown fruit covered by a hard outer covering. It is the former that is mostly used in the various products that are now available in the market. The main ingredient in soap nuts is saponins which make them an excellent cleaning utility that can be used to clean almost everything ranging from clothes to dishes and regular household cleaning. (source).
Saponins from soap nuts are used especially in cleaning agents. Soap nuts are a dried fruit containing saponin in their shells. When the shells are wet, they will foam and release a pleasant smell. They act as a fabric softener and will keep color in your clothes better than any chemical agent. Using soap nuts as a household cleaner is especially beneficial if you or a family member suffers from soap allergies or dermatitis or if there is a baby in the household. Simply put 6 to 10 soap nuts in a small, washer-friendly bag and throw it in to be washed with your clothes. (source)
I was really surprised how easy the soap nuts were to use! For laundry, all you have to do is place 4-6 soap nuts in a bag. Toss the bag into the washing machine, instead of using conventional laundry soap. The bag can be reused for 6 loads!
The soap nuts worked great – every load of laundry I’ve done the past few weeks have come out smelling fresh, feeling soft and sparkling clean. Well, if the cotton could sparkle, it would!
You can also boil the soap nuts with water to make a soapy liquid, for other cleaning. I’ve been very impressed with how easily sticky-sugary substances come clean in the kitchen! The soap nut liquid is sort of an ugly brown, which I shouldn’t have been surprise considering the soap nut fruit is brown! Regardless, the colour doesn’t impact the function! 
The only thing I haven’t converted to using soap nuts for is in the dishwasher. I tried it once, and it didn’t really work. To be fair, the bag says the dishes should be well rinsed, and mine definitely weren’t
But for laundry, and general household cleaning, I am a soap-nut convert! I will absolutely be buying more once my current sample runs out. And I won’t be breaking the bank to do so: a 500g bag of soap nuts costs $22, and is enough for 150-200 loads of laundry! That definitely works out to be cheaper than a conventional brand.
Want to try Soap Nuts yourself? Buy Soap Nuts is giving one Eat Clean Live Green reader a Coconut Scrub Pad and a 500g bag of soap nuts!
To enter, leave a comment telling me how you would use either the scrub pad or the soap nuts!
Want an extra entry? Leave another comment for each of the following:
- Follow me on Twitter and tweet this phrase (or similar!): Want to win green cleaning products? @EatCleanLiveGrn is giving away soap nuts! Visit www.eatcleanlivegreen.com to enter
- Subscribe to Eat Clean Live Green
- Link back to this giveaway on your blog
Giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents, and ends tomorrow (Wednesday Oct 7) at 10 pm MST. I will announce the winner Thursday morning
Winner will be drawn as a random entry, determined by random.org
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe for updates!
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
I would use the pad on dishes. I’m always looking for something to scrub dishes with that doesn’t fall apart.
[Reply]
Hmmm is there a way I could use this on our disgusting toilets I hate to clean or our gross shower? My husband is yucky.
[Reply]
I would like to use them in the laundry for sure, since my skin can react to certain detergents randomly I would love to see how these work out!
[Reply]
I’m over buying detergent – these would be perfect! I am cycling out all of my household chemicals and replacing them with vinegar, dish soap, and Murphy’s oil soap! Great giveaway!
[Reply]
mmmm the coconut pads – I would give it to my bf, so he could wash the dishes;)
[Reply]
this was a fab post, i never have looked into green cleaning. thanks for the info! i would definitely use them in the kitchen.. since i do ALL the cleaning in there and my roomies do none!
[Reply]
I’d use them for everything and anything. We’re big time into natural cleaning and would love to see how these work!
[Reply]
linked back!
[Reply]
Soap nuts sound great. I have really sensitive skin so I have to be picky about what sort of soap I use. I’d definitely be using it to get my whites bright!
[Reply]
I’d use the soap nuts for laundry, cleaning, and as an sls-free shampoo!
[Reply]
I would use the soap nuts as an eco-friendly laundry solution.
[Reply]
The soap nuts are something I have never heard of. Thanks for all this useful information. I would use them for my laundry.
[Reply]
follow on twitter and tweeted here:
http://twitter.com/TheSkinnyPlate/status/4676590181
[Reply]
I would like to try soap nuts for my laundry and also as a insect repellent for my plants.
[Reply]
follow on Twitter and tweeted http://twitter.com/vlbsweeps/status/4678873013
[Reply]
email subscriber
[Reply]
blog http://vickieb52.blogspot.com/2009/10/win-soap-nuts.html
[Reply]
I would love to win! Every week I scrub clean my apartment and I feel guilty about not using more environmentally friendlier cleaning products.
[Reply]
And you’re already on my Google reader
[Reply]
Awesome giveaway!
I would use the scrub pads ALL the time since I share pots and pan with gluten, we keep separate scrubbies.
[Reply]
i just might be interested in the soap nuts. this is fascinating! i’m always looking for something that’s budget friendly! Though I’ve tried a few green friendly products, and there have been some that i jut feel like things don’t get clean.
[Reply]
Great post, as I’m always looking for natural ways to clean. With that said, I’m totally OCD about cleaning, so they would all be put to good use!
[Reply]
those soap nuts sound awesome! I usually buy a special kind of detergent that’s organic and has no harmful fumes/etc, but these sound great! I would love to try them in my laundry.
[Reply]
How awesome! I’ve never seen either of those:) Pretty nifty.
The scrub pad looks ultra cool, so I think I’d like to try that out. Coconut fibers? Heck yea!
[Reply]
I can’t use regular detergents because of sensitive skin. I’ve tried all kinds and would LOVE to try the Soap Nuts.
PS: I’m not an email subscriber, but you’re in my Google reader. Does that count?
[Reply]
I just used the last of my laundry detergent last night. I would love to try the soap nuts in my laundry. I have 4 kids and we do lots of laundry! I would also love to try the scrubber on my dishes. I’m a huge fan of anything coconut, so I’m sure it works great.
[Reply]
I’m a subscriber via Google Reader.
[Reply]
i had NO idea about soap nuts – LOVE them! and your blog – i get some many green ideas, love it!
[Reply]
I’m subscribed with Google Reader!
[Reply]
I just recently started using alka seltzer to unclog my drains and get out tough stains so I’d definitely be interested in using the soap nuts to clean clothes. I’m always looking for a good, non-abrasive scrub pad as well!
[Reply]
Oh, and I’m already subscribed in Google reader!
[Reply]
Well I finally joined Twitter so now I’m following you! I already had you on Google Reader so I had to enter one way or another!
Definitely have my fingers crossed! The Soap Nuts seem so intriguing!
Night!
[Reply]
I would love to win! Coconut fibers, how cool!
[Reply]
You’re in my Google Reader!
[Reply]