Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Every teacher knows there are certain words you just never say in a middle school classroom unless you want instant giggling. The name "soap nuts" absolutely belongs on that list. Even as a fully grown adult, I still snickered when I first saw the bag sitting in the Trader Joe's cleaning aisle. Naturally, I had to buy them.
Trader Joe's Laundry Soap Nuts were marketed as a greener, more natural alternative to traditional detergents. No dyes, no fragrance, no liquids to spill. Just dried berries that look like nuts and act like soap when you toss them in the washing machine. If you have never used soap nuts before, the concept feels like a gimmick. But they are very real, and they have a loyal following among people who prefer natural cleaning products.
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Review
Note: Trader Joe's has discontinued these Laundry Soap Nuts, but this updated review remains available for readers who want information about the product, how it worked, and whether soap nuts in general are worth using.
Let's start with what these actually are. Despite the name, soap nuts are not nuts. They are dried berries from the Sapindus genus, commonly known as soapberries. The variety Trader Joe's sold came from Sapindus Mukorossi, a species native to Northern India. Each dried berry has a naturally occurring compound called saponin. When the berry gets agitated in warm water, saponin releases and behaves like soap.
Trader Joe's bag included two small muslin bags. You add four or five soap nuts into the bag and toss it into the washer. Each cluster can be reused three or four times before being replaced. After every wash, the nuts looked more broken down and soft, but they never completely dissolved. Once they turned grey and squishy, it was time for a fresh set.
I wash most of my clothes on warm, and none of my typical loads involve excessive dirt or stains beyond a standard food spill. Under these conditions, the soap nuts did a surprisingly decent job. Clothing came out clean, with no residues. There was no scent added to the laundry, which will be a dealbreaker for anyone who lives for the classic Tide smell. The only scent I detected was a slightly nutty aroma from the bag itself after each wash, but nothing that transferred to fabric.
In the name of curiosity, I tossed in a very dirty potholder. The potholder did not come out fully clean, which did not shock me. Soap nuts are best for lightly soiled laundry and will never replace a strong detergent for kid messes, dirt, or heavy stains. I would never use them on my son's kindergarten clothing. Pretreating stains remains absolutely necessary.
But for regular laundry, they worked. They are environmentally friendly, naturally biodegradable, and safe for people with nut allergies since the product is botanically a berry. They are also fragrance free and gentle for people with sensitivities.
For five dollars and ninety-nine cents, the bag contained enough soap nuts to run many loads of laundry. In terms of cost per load, they were comparable to a large container of detergent from Costco. The tradeoff is cleaning power. They simply do not match conventional detergents for heavily soiled items. For general clothing, they are fine. For stains, dirt, and anything involving a five-year-old, you will want something stronger.
Directions for Better Results
Use warm water
Soap nuts activate more easily and release more saponin.
Add baking soda or washing soda
Helps when washing towels or odor prone fabrics.
Use vinegar in the rinse cycle
Boosts softness and helps remove any remaining residue.
Pretreat stains
Kids clothes, workout clothes, and spills still need stain remover.
FAQs about Trader Joe's Laundry Soap Nuts
The following are commonly asked questions about this product:
Yes. Soap nuts are actually berries, not nuts, so they are safe for people who avoid tree nuts or peanuts.
They work best in warm or hot water. Cold water does not release saponin as effectively.
Typically three to four washes per set, depending on water temperature and load size.
Final Thoughts
Trader Joe's Laundry Soap Nuts were one of the quirkiest and most natural cleaning products the store ever sold. They were affordable, environmentally friendly, and effective for lightly soiled laundry. They were never meant to compete with strong detergents, and once you understand that, they make sense. Although they are discontinued, soap nuts remain a popular option outside Trader Joe's and can be worth exploring if you want a fragrance-free, low-waste laundry routine. They fit nicely into a rotation if you want to cut back on detergent use but still need something stronger for heavily soiled items. While this item has been discontinued, Trader Joe's still offers another eco-friendly laundry product: lavender dryer bags.
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Trader Joe's Laundry Soap Nuts
Product Name: Trader Joe's Laundry Soap Nuts
Product Description: Trader Joe’s Laundry Soap Nuts offered a natural and fragrance free detergent alternative. Here is how they worked, what they cleaned well, and how they compare to regular detergent.
Price: $5.99
Currency: USD
Availability: Discontinued
Summary
Trader Joe’s Laundry Soap Nuts offered a natural and fragrance free detergent alternative. Here is how they worked, what they cleaned well, and how they compare to regular detergent.
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- Natural alternative made from real soapberries
- Good for lightly soiled laundry works well in warm water
- Cost effective one bag lasts many loads
- Fragrance free great for sensitive skin
- Environmentally friendly biodegradable and low waste
- Safe for nut allergies botanically a berry
Cons
- Not strong enough for serious stains requires pretreatment
- Works best in warm or hot water less effective in cold cycles
- No classic detergent scent clothes smell neutral
- Discontinued at Trader Joe’s cannot be repurchased
- Can leave a mild nutty smell in the dryer bag but not on clothes
Alek says
Might give it a shot. Need to add essential oil to give it a scent for the clothes. At first I thought it was a new edible product.
Dagmar Kessler says
Thanks for your review on these. I didn't even know they had them. I tried other soap nuts and wasn't totally impressed either. Didn't seem to get certain stains out and hard to tell if things got really clean. I may still give them a go. Let me know how your continued usage goes.
becomebetty says
Hey Dagmar! Still using them. They do get mushy so that is when I know to change them out. I'm not wowed, but I'll finish this bag. Thanks for always stopping by!
Nikki says
Why would you want to add scent?
becomebetty says
It's a matter of preference. I like my laundry to smell fresh. To each their own.
Nikki says
I get it -- and Im sorry if I sounded critical.
I think that because most of us were brought up with scented laundry detergents, our idea of what smells "fresh" & "clean" has become somewhat warped.
I married someone who has perfume allergies & so I had to start using unscented laundry & hair products. Over time it's made me realize how crazily overly-scented many things are! Fresh & clean to me now means having no scent.
As you said, to each their own:)
becomebetty says
Here you are always welcome to your own opinion and I wish allergies didn't exist for anyone. Did you try this product by chance?
Nikki says
I bought some but havent yet, will let you know!