Zero Waste Wednesday: Soap Berries

by Jamie Simpher, KC Can Compost Volunteer

A natural and compostable alternative to laundry detergent

This is definitely one of the “crunchier” zero waste swaps you can make. If you think of reusable produce bags and a Kleen Kanteen as beginner level hippie, and doing away with paper towels as intermediate level—well, soap berries are definitely an advanced-level swap.

That said, it’s one of the easiest swaps. One could argue that soap berries are easier to use than detergent.

Made from the dried shells of the Sapindus Mukorossi plant, soap berries (also called soap nuts) contain a highly effective cleaning agent called saponin. To use them, you simply put five or six berries into a little muslin wash bag, and toss it in with your laundry. You can reuse them for six to ten loads of laundry before it’s time to put your used berries in your orange KC Can and put some new ones in your wash bag.

That’s it! That’s all there is to it. They can be thrown in the dryer as well, or you can remove them when switching the loads over.

In addition to being zero waste, soap berries are hypoallergenic and can be helpful for people with sensitive skin. Keep in mind—they’re completely unscented, so if you’re accustomed to your clean clothes having a particular scent, consider adding a few drops of essential oils to your dryer ball or to a washcloth when you dry your laundry.

And best of all, this is one of those eco-friendly swaps that also saves you money. You can buy a pound of soap berries—enough for 240 loads of laundry—for $25 on Amazon (don’t forget to use Amazon Smile and select KC Can Compost so your purchase supports a good cause!)

If you think soap berries aren’t for you, consider laundry detergent sheets or laundry pods from Dropps, both of which eliminate the plastic packaging that comes with traditional detergent.