Ritha (Sapindus mukorossi) with its large leaves is a handsome deciduous tree found in India. It is also called doadni, doda and dodan in Indian dialects. The dried fruit of Ritha is most valuable part of the plant. Its fleshy portion contains saponin, which is a good substitute for washing soap and is as such used in preparation of quality shampoos, detergents, etc. In fact the skin of the fruit is highly valued by the rural folks as a natural produced shampoo for washing their hair. They also use these for washing woolen clothes. This is why some botanists have named the species as Sapindus detergens. Soap nuts have become popular as an alternative to laundry detergent among those who are trying to live in an environmentally friendly style. It removes dirt from clothing - not only highly-effective but also gentle. Because of its mildness, it preserves the colours and the structure of your valuable clothing longer than normal detergents. It's so gentle that it's even not necessary to add a softener: The laundry turns out amazingly soft! Because of these characteristics, soapnuts are the perfect Detergent.
