THE ECO-FRIENDLY WAY TO WASH YOUR CLOTHES . SOAPODS "We're nuts for the Environmet!"
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THE ECO-FRIENDLY WAY TO WASH YOUR CLOTHES . SOAPODS "We're nuts for the Environmet!"
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ARE CLOTHES WASHED IN SOAPODS SAFE FOR VERY SENSITIVE SKIN? Yes, Soapods are completely chemical-free so they are safe for the most sensitive skins. We are proud to say that we have had some great reports about allergies clearing up with the use of Soapods. BAG - for Laundry soap nuts HAVING TROUBLE UNTYING THE BAG AFTER IT COMES OUT OF THE MACHINE? Dry the small bag out REALLY well (till it is bone dry) and then it will be easy to Untie and Retie! MY BAG HAS BROKEN WHERE CAN I GET ANOTHER ONE? Send us an email and we will send you a bag free of charge. Email: info.@soapods.com SOAPODS Laundry Soapnuts HAVE A SLIGHTLY VINEGARY SMELL, HOW CAN I MAKE MY LAUNDRY SMELL NICE? Soapods lose their natural slightly vinegary smell when you use them, so your laundry will smell completely neutral. However if you prefer a fragrance: Add 10-15 drops of Soapods pure essential oil to the fabric conditioner dispenser or if using Laundry soap nuts you can add them directly onto your bag before placing in with your washing. WHY ARE SOAPODS Laundry Soapnuts WRAPPED IN PLASTIC? The reason Soapods laundry soapnuts have plastic around them is to protect them and maintain quality when travelling by ship. As a natural product, our high quality soapnuts can sweat and leak saponin onto the sacks. We did not want to have plastic and tried the first delivery without plastic, however they arrived damaged with brown spots on some sacks, so we could not use them. To maintain quality we had to compromise and include the protectice plastic bag. Another reason for the plastic is that as you may have noticed our pods are a little sticky, this is because as soapnuts gain popularity in the west they are sold quicker and not stored for long periods up to a year, where they dry out. However, on the positive side our fresh (dark and sticky) soapnuts seem to work better that lower quality soapnuts and than when they are pale, old and dry. We hope and encourage our customers to recycle the plastic. CLOTHES - Delicates, Hand washing, Heavily Soiled, Whites ARE SOAPODS SAFE TO USE ON MY MORE DELICATE CLOTHES? Yes. Soapods are the skin of the soap nut berry, and unlike the soaps produced by pharmaceutical companies, the substance in this fruit does not have a high acid content. It is the delicate action of the soap nut that has made it the favoured Indian washing medium for the most valuable fabrics and shawls; It does not bleach out the delicate natural dyes of Kashmir embroidery or harm the gold and silver threads woven into India's most expensive brocades and silks. And it has also been used for cleaning jewellery for centuries. CAN I USE SOAPODS TO HAND WASH MY CLOTHES? Yes you can! Soak the nuts, while in their cotton bag, in a little hot water a few minutes to release the saponin (the soap in Soapods) then add the water more water to your hand washing. Or you use the Cleaning Liquid you can make from Soapod soap nuts. I HAVE A REALLY DIRTY LAUNDRY LOAD WHAT CAN I DO? With a really dirty load use the same amount of Soapods but only fill the machine half full and do a half load at a time - as the laundry will have more room in the machine to really swoosh around. WILL MY WHITE CLOTHES STAY BRIGHT & WHITE? Yes, for best results to keep clothes white, separate your colours and whites when possible. And if you feel your white clothes need a boost use an eco-friendly laundry bleach now and again. FRAGRANCE - fragrance and smells SOAPODS Laundry Soapnuts HAVE A SLIGHTLY VINEGARY SMELL, HOW CAN I MAKE MY LAUNDRY SMELL NICE? Soapods lose their natural slightly vinegary smell when you use them, so your laundry will smell completely neutral. However if you prefer a fragrance: Add 10-15 drops of Soapods pure essential oil to the fabric conditioner dispenser or if using Laundry soap nuts you can add them directly onto your bag before putting in with your washing. ORGANIC & FAIRTRADE ARE SOAPODS ORGANIC? Yes, Soapods are organic and we are in the process of getting an organic stamp. ARE SOAPODS FAIRLY TRADED? Unfortunately, at the moment there are no criteria for fairtrade for Soapods, but we hope that the Fairtrade Foundation will establish and implement fairtrade standards in the near future. In the meantime, we have done the next best thing and have visited plantations and natural areas where soap nuts are cultivated to see for ourselves. SOAPODS/SOAPNUTS WHAT ARE SOAPODS LAUNDRY PRODUCTS MADE FROM? Soapods come from the soap nut tree. The soap nut tree is a large deciduous tree with fleshy fruit like a berry. The skin of the berry (the soapod) contains 12-15% saponin which is similar to soap. Saponin is the active cleaning ingredient in Soapods, and it has a dermatologically sound lathering and cleansing effect. HOW DO SOAPODS GET TO THE UK? ARE THEY FLOWN? Soapods are sent by ship. They are not flown, one way to help keep carbon emissions lower! WHERE DO SOAPODS SOAP NUTS GROW? The soap nut tree is an important tree of tropical and sub-tropical regions of Asia. The tree grows in many places from Afghanistan in the west to China in the east and also Florida,the Caribbean and Africa. The tree can reach a height of 25m and a girth of 3 to 5m and flowers for at least 70 years. I HAVE FOUND A BLACK "SEED" IN MY SOAPODS Laundry Soapnuts WHAT IS IT AND WHAT SHALL I DO WITH IT? Because our Laundry soap nuts are natural occasionally you may find a seed. In India the seed is used in Ayurvedic medicine, in China it is considered good luck, and we like to grow our own soap nuts plants!
1. Firstly you must scarify the seed. Because the seed coat is so hard, the plant embryo inside cannot breakthrough the seed coat on its own. You must help it by damaging the seed coat. One option is to use a nail file and wear down a notch in the seed coat. Another option is to hammer the seed. Be careful not to crush the seed; you just want to weaken the seed coat. 2. Secondly soak it in hot water. Don't use water that is actually boiling, but it can still be very hot. Boil a kettle, let the hot water sit for five minutes, and then filled up a vacuum-insulated thermos with the seeds and water, and let it soak for 24 hours. The thermos will keep the water quite warm throughout that period. three Soaking is particularly important , as the water is what activates the germination. 3. Thirdly, you need to plant the seed. Do this in spring or early summer in a pot either outside or in a greenhouse. Choose a pot that is deep, as soap nut trees send down vertical tap roots. If you don't have a deep pot, a 2 litre plastic bottle works well - cut off the top and drill several holes in the bottom. Bury the seed in potting soil (not dirt - use good quality potting/germinating soil) to about three times the seed's depth. Put it in a place where it will not be in direct sun, and where it can catch some rainfall. Water the pot if the soil starts to dry, but don't water if it is still moist - that can promote fungal growth. Also, avoid fertilizing the soil before germination occurs - high levels of nitrogen in the soil can actually inhibit germination in general. 4. Fourth, wait. Your seed may take a long time to germinate. It could be 1 month to 3 months, perhaps even more. Not all of the seeds will germinate, but if you follow these directions, you should get 80%+ to grow. Once it does begin to grow, it will shoot up fast. About 1 foot in 1 month should be about right, then it will slow down a little. Give it plenty of full sunlight, and water when soil begins to dry. About 3 weeks after germination. It is ready to be repotted in a larger pot. 5. Fifth, taking care of the tree... Put in progressively larger pots, keeping them on a sunny patio when temperatures are above freezing and moving them indoors when it gets cold as they will not be able to sustain freezing temperatures. MAKING AND USING SOAPODS HOME-MADE MULTI-PURPOSE CLEANING LIQUID Did you know you can make Multi-Purpose Cleaning Liquid from Soapods? This natural product could wash and clean as effectively as commercial detergents and could save you money. You could also stop using many different types of household cleaning products. Window-cleaner, bathroom-cleaner, kitchen-cleaner, floor-cleaner, conventional multi-purpose cleaner, stainless steel-cleaner, wood-cleaner, liquid hand-wash, washing-up liquid, laundry hand wash and shampoo ( both human and pet!)
Put 15 whole Soapods or equivalent and 2 Litres of water in a heavy bottom pan and bring to the boil. Be careful, as they will boil over like milk! Put a lid on and simmer very gently for 10-20 mins. Leave overnight. This is enough for a normal liquid for cars and floors etc. For all other cleaning you need to make a stronger concentration. So the next day repeat the same; bring to the boil then simmer for 10-20 mins. The liquid should then be deep golden colour. When cool strain well through sieve in to a jug and decant into plastic bottles as Put in empty clean spray containers (old windolene bottles work well). If you wish your cleaning liquid to have a smell you can add your favourite SOAPODS essential oil, or any essential oil such as: 1) Teatree for bathrooms 2) Lavender for household cleaning 3) Orange/lemongrass/jasmine/geranium for kitchens. The liquid will keep 4-8 weeks depending on how much light and heat gets to it so try to store out of sunlight. FOR SHAMPOO Put some liquid in old shampoo bottle and mix with 10 to 15% shampoo. Use a quarter cup full and shampoo as normal. As a dog shampoo; use neat liquid in a spray bottle, wash with shower spray in the bath. FOR WASHING UP LIQUID Mix soapods liquid to 10-15% regular washing-up liquid, or use neat. FOR MULTI-PURPOSE HOUSEHOLD CLEANER Use for: bathrooms, kitchens, wood, floors and all surfaces. For windows, glass and stainless steel, spray and use clean cloth or newspaper. TEMPERATURES & USAGE TIPS AT WHAT TEMPERATURE DO I USE SOAPODS LAUNDRY PRODUCTS? We recommend washing your clothes at a lower temperature setting of 40 degrees to save energy. If using Soapods laundry soap nuts washing at 30 to 40 degrees yields usage of 3 times/3 washes per bag. While washing at 60 degrees will yield a usage of 2 washes per bag of pods and for 90 degrees use once. CAN I USE SOAPODS Laundry soapnuts IN A COLD WATER WASH? Yes, to wash in cold water, soak the nuts, while in their cotton bag, in a little hot water a few minutes to release the saponin (the soap in Soapods) then add the water to the wash. HOW MANY SOAPODS Laundry soapnuts DO I USE AND HOW MANY TIMES? We recommend 6-8 whole pods or equivalent, but if your clothes are not very dirty and/or you live in a soft water area you can use up to HALF THE AMOUNT! Feel free to experiment. CAN I USE LESS THAN THE RECOMMENDED 6-8 SOAPODS IN MY SACK? AND CAN I USE THEM MORE THAN 3 TIMES? We have found that people in soft water areas need only 3 or 4 pods, and can use them 4 times. Please feel free to experiment. Additionally, if your clothes are not very dirty or you are not filling your machine you can use less pods. CAN I USE THE HOME MADE LIQUID FOR WASHING MY CLOTHES IN THE MACHINE? Yes. Just add 1/2 a cup onto the clothes in the machine. WATER USAGE CAN USING SOAPODS HELP ME USE LESS WATER? Yes it can! As Soapods are completely natural you don't have to rinse them out as much (They are good for your skin and your clothes!)So, if your machine has a cycle that uses less water and a shorter rinse cycle, you can use this setting. WASHING MACHIINE CAN USING SOAPODS PROLONG THE LIFE OF MY WASHING MACHINE? Yes it can! As chemical washing products can eventually damage the workings of your machine. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE SOAPNUTS DURING THE RINSE CYCLE? Saponin (the soap in Soapods) is only released in hot water and the rinse cycles are cold. I CAN'T SEE AND BUBBLES OR FOAM IN THE MACHINE? The amount of bubbles in any soap or detergent has absolutely No bearing on its cleaning power. Although some soaps by nature are high foaming, commercial laundry detergents are mainly low foaming and a foaming agent is added to fool customers into thinking its superior product. © 2007 SOAPODS TM "We're nuts for the Environment" | All rights reserved.
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