I agree with the other person who answered that soap nuts are pretty cool!
http://tobuildmyown.com/a-cheap-and-easy-alternative-to-homemade-laundry-detergent
Soap Nuts work great for getting the musty/moldy smell out of clothes. Check out this article:
Soap Nuts (Soapnuts) – Nature’s Natural Detergent
I’m not an environmentalist by any stretch of the imagination, but I do consider the impact of what I am doing has on the environment. That is why when my wife started using Soap Nuts as our household cleaner, it sparked my curiosity to learn more.
What are Soap Nuts?
Soap Nuts are actually not nuts at all. They are berries (also known as Soap Berries) that grow on trees in India & Nepal. There are two main varieties of Soap Nuts: sapindus trifoliatus (The Small Soap Nut) and sapindus mukorossi (The Large Soap Nut). The Large Soap Nut is the most commonly used in cleaning (probably due to its size & ease of harvesting), but both varieties are quite effective.
How do Soap Nuts Work as a Detergent?
Soap Nuts contain large quantities of saponin in their shells, which acts as a natural, gentle detergent when it comes into contact with water. Without added chemicals, fragrances or dyes, Soap Nuts are safe and gentle for handwashing delicates, yet tough enough for regular laundry. They will leave your laundry soft, clean and fragrance free, without the use of fabric softeners.
Will Soap Nuts Clean Difficult Items?
Yes and No. Soap Nuts are one of the best detergents out there to get rid of bad odors. Musty towels and wash cloths, even cloth diapers, come out smelling fresh and new. When it comes to stubborn stains, though, such as blood & red wine, you will want to use a stain remover to help the cleaning process.
What About My Allergies to Soap?
Most allergic reactions to soap are due to added chemicals and fragrance. Soap Nuts are naturally grown and chemical free. When we began using soap nuts for our laundry detergent, the eczema which I had across my chest and belly cleared up and has been gone now for 6 months. Soap Nuts are 100% non-allergenic.
How do I use Soap Nuts in my Laundry?
For Laundry Detergent, you can use Soap Nuts one of two ways:
1. Toss 2 or 3 Soap Nuts in a small muslim bag (provided with most Soap Nuts orders) and throw it in with your laundry. (Make sure that you take the soap nuts out before putting your clothes in the dryer). The nuts will do 3 or 4 loads.
2. Boil 100 g of Soap Nuts in 12 cups (3L) of water for 30 minutes. The liquid you have is now a concentrated, chemical free detergent. The leftover shells can be placed in your compost. Use 3 Tbsp or 45 ml of this detergent with each load of laundry. This allows you to do approximately 60 loads of laundry. Not bad for under $10!
Can Soap Nuts be used for More Than Just Laundry Detergent?
Yes. Soap Nuts can be used, in the liquid form, for cleaning just about anything. From dish washer soap, to window & glass cleaner, to repairing oily or dry hair, Soap Nuts are a multi-purpose cleaner. For more information on particular applications visit http://SoapNuts.Wordpress.com
The End Product Still Goes Down the Drain. Does That Hurt the Environment?
No. Soap nuts are antimicrobial. This means that they actually help in breaking down the grey water in the septic system. Also, you do not have to do a rinse cycle when you do your laundry with soap nuts. This can save gallons of water every wash cycle. Don’t worry, though; if you forget to stop your machine before the rinse cycle the Soap Nuts are just as effective. The amount of saponin left in the rinse cycle will just leave your clothes feeling soft.
Soap Nuts are a Win-Win Situation
With great cleaning power, no harmful chemicals, & prices that rival any other detergents, Soap Nuts are one of the best cleaning agents you can buy.
For more information on Soap Nuts & pricing, visit http://Stores.HotterThanHealth.com
When the machine is empty, throughly check the rubber ring *both sides* and behind the ring in the "rubber ring well". You may be surpised to discover socks, small bits of lint or bunched up clothes which have shimmied their way behind the folds of tubing. Run your hand blindly all the way around 360 the entire opening-when ever you happen to notice the odor factor rising.
When the machine is not in use, place a "free wooden paint mixer from Lowes or Home Depot or wooden ruler" to lift up the ring just inside the bottom of the ring-and leave the door open. Using the wooden ruler to gently lift (don't power lift it with force..just slip it under the rubber ring and call it good enough) The airspace left from the lift-will be enough to reduce the mold fold area-when you leave the door open. Just remove the wooden paddle/ruler before loads-then replace when you are finished for the day. Simple fix.
You don't even need to "buy" the wooden rulers-just as for paint stirrers at Lowes paint counter. They give them away by the bucket full. Its a simple fix-honest.
Oh, but don't forget to search for those hidden socks-behind the rubber ring as well. Good luck. Its not a big problem, just a poor designing with most large front loaders.
Hi! I have Kenmore Elite 4t and had this same problem: Musty, Moldy smell in washer and on clothes. The Sears Technician suggested that I use a half a cup of Clorox Liquid Bleach and put it in the tub (not the dispenser). NO CLOTHES! Use the longest hottest setting and when it's done clean the inside (underneath rubber tire thingie) and the undernath part of the door with a papertowel. And to always leave the door open. I did what he said with the bleach and it worked. I didn't want to leave the door open because I have 2 cats & was afraid that they would want to go in it, but ended up repeating the bleach thing again because a few days later the horrible smell was back. I leave the door open all the time now and the cats never go in it. They've watched laundry spin around, so I guess they're smart enough to not want to go in it. I have not had this problem again since I always leave the door open and I did this over a month ago. I hope this helps!
A solution from the internet:
Make a boil wash (with no clothes and detergents) put into the powder drawer a cup of bicarbonate of soda.
It should clean the machine and move out the bad smell.
Another:
I have a front loading machine also and am not willing to have to constantly clean out the machine; the soap and fabric softeners you use are building up between the inner and outer drums (and on the drum itself sometimes). Because the machines door is so tightly sealed (to prevent water leakage) the smell from this buildup is awful. I finally found the solution.
MAGGIE'S SOAP NUTS -- they are all natural (grow on trees) and will remove the grime from your drum and also clean your clothes (you won't even need fabric softener anymore). Stop using commercial detergents and fabric softeners and start using Maggie's Soap Nuts.
They are not very cheap but they work great --
I have found that making a liquid out of the soap nuts and storing it in a bottle works better than putting them in the sack cloth they come with (because front loaders do not agitate constantly like regular machines, the cloth bag sits on the clothes and sometimes leaves a stain -- the liquid will not leave a stain.
YOU WILL SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM AND HAVE SOFTER CLOTHES TO BOOT (without fabric softener so you save some money there). They are also better for septic tanks, the environment and your health!
I believe Whole Foods sells them and they are also on the internet at www.Maggiessoapnuts.com
Note: Also go to www.newstarget.com -- they are going to buy these in bulk to cut the cost in half but don't have them yet. You should be able to buy them there soon.
Note: Forgot to tell you to run some of this thru your machine with hot water before washing your clothing to clean out the buildup that is already in the machine
Try running about 3 cups of vinegar in your washer and always leave the door open when you are done doing laundry
My wife recently purchased a bag of soapnuts to use for cleaning cloth diapers for our baby girl. They worked better than any other laundry detergent she had tried. She was so impressed that she bought them in bulk & opened up an e-store so that she have a home-based business and still raise our daughter. Her site is http://Stores.HotterThanHealth.com Check it out!
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