Natural Products: Soapnuts and More

There’s a huge trend in health and beauty that’s pointing everybody back to basics. If it worked for our ancestors, why wouldn’t it work for us? People are eating what our ancestors ate and are doing what they did in terms of beauty as well. If you want to follow this trend and know a little more about natural detergents, cleaners, and soapnuts, read on.  

Natural Detergent You may have seen a lot of people recently sharing anything do-it-yourself in an effort to save money or to use healthier products. People are making their own stain removers, cleaners, and laundry detergent using basic household products. Besides saving money, one benefit of using natural detergent is that it is much easier on sensitive skin because it doesn’t have chemical residues. It is also much better for the environment than your standard soap. These cleaners use extracts and have minimal ingredients. Furthermore, a little bit goes a long way.

Natural Cleaners There are many reasons to use natural cleaners besides saving yourself some money. Vinegar and baking soda are some natural household staples that can clean just about everything. By using natural products, you avoid the toxic ingredients found in bleach and ammonia products, keeping your kids safe. The release of toxic substances can hurt your respiratory system. The toxins can also be absorbed into your blood stream, which is especially bad because many of them cause cancer. To avoid these negative effects, create your own cleaners or buy ones containing vinegar, essential oils, and extracts.  

Soapnuts You may use a standard soap in the shower or bath, but if you want to be careful about what is absorbed into your body, consider using soapnuts. These are berries from the Himalayas that contain saponin, which can lift stains and cleanse skin gently. There are no inks or dyes, and they are grown on trees. They don’t lather up like the soap you might be used to, but that does not mean it is not doing its job. If you’re looking to go back to basics, consider using these in place of your normal laundry detergent, and use household cleaners that won’t harm you, your family, or the environment.

“This is a guest post provided to Up Now and What's Next for its readers.”