Soapberries, or soap nuts, are a wonder of nature. Found on ancient soapberry trees in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains, the berries have been used for thousands of years in a variety of ways, but are best known for their natural, low-suds detergent called saponin—making it the ultimate green cleaner for the family, pets, home and even the garden.

The traditional use for the soapberry is to wash clothes. Four to five berries are packaged in a small cloth bag and placed directly into the wash to be used multiple times. The berries are free of chemicals and artificial ingredients and are 100 percent hypoallergenic, non-GMO, suitable for grey water systems, septic safe and vegan. Most importantly, they are effective, and at approximately 25 cents a load, they are also extremely economical.

These eco-friendly gifts from nature aren’t limited to cleaning only clothes. The berries are used in a variety of other products such as shampoos, all-purpose concentrated liquid cleaners, hand soaps, body soaps and ready-to-use powder. Soap nuts contains natural anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties can do wonders for plants and the soil—making them ideal for the garden. Plus, these multi-tasking wonders are also an excellent insect repellent.

Tansy Baird, co-owner of The Soapberry Shack, states, “With over 50 percent of all soapberries that grow still dropping to the ground to compost, we are missing out on an opportunity to reduce the pounds of chemical-laden and packaged laundry detergents and cleaners on store shelves in exchange for this eco-friendly cleaner of the purest form.”

The Soapberry Shack is a local company providing soapberry products and raising awareness in the Lehigh Valley area and beyond. For more information, call 610-871-0413 or visit SoapberryShack.com to purchase. Use coupon NATTYAWAKE to get a free 4 oz. bag of soap nuts with any purchase of $50 or more during the months of January and February.