Skeptic's Choice: Cleanuts and Balls

Here we have some more “natural” solutions to a problems most often solved by science. That means it’s time for another round of Skeptic’s Choice, wherein we present the products’ claims and why we’re just a little dubious.

THE CLAIM

There are two items here.

First, there are the Cleanuts. Despite their name, they’re actually berries that harden as they dry, thus making them appear nutty. According to Vitagoods, they are “a natural, chemical-free alternative to harsh detergents.” This is because they contain saponins, which is essentially natural soap. They need hot or warm water to be activated, but fear not cold-washers, you can activate them first, then add them to a cold load. Basically, the selling points are what you’d expect: you can reuse them, so they cut down on plastics (no bottles to get rid off); and since they don’t have chemicals, they’re good for sensitive skin.

Second, we’ve got dryer balls, which are a dryer sheet alternative. They apparently do all the same stuff–soften and help with static and wrinkles–but, like the Cleanuts, are reusable and don’t have any chemicals.

THE SKEPTICISM

Seemingly comparable dryer balls (as in dryer balls that make the same claims as these) have been covered by others–like Popular Mechanics who concluded: “Difficult to detect a noticeable difference–other than increased noise–when drying with the Balls.”

Thus, we’ll focus on the Cleanuts, since they’re more of a mystery.

Let’s start here: not only are these soap nuts hypoallergenic, but they’re also “fragrance-free.” Which, to my mind, begs the question: do they do anything at all? Like, isn’t scent the primary indicator of whether clothes are clean or not? Generally, running water over dirty things is going to make them at least marginally cleaner. So, how can we really be sure if your Cleanuts are not just going for a ride in the washing machine and then taking credit for what always happens in a rinse cycle?

One thing we can do is check the Amazon reviews. Surprisingly, these score very high marks. Or maybe not so surprisingly, once you read them.

For example, danielle writes of the Cleanuts:

These are great! I use them for my daughter cloth diapers, and so far no problems and them smell fresh coming out and soft. I have also used this for hair wash once a week and it works great as well!

TAW229 expresses a similar opinion:

I make my own dry laundry soap and thought I’ll try these. I’ve used these a few times and the nuts last for 2-3 washes then I toss them. So far they seem to work.

Hmm… cloth diapers, alternative hair washing methods, and homemade dry laundry soap, you say? Methinks we might dealing with a very specific type of person here. Even in this negative review of the dryer balls from Pam P, the complaint is not about their usefulness as a product. Instead they write:

I will stick with the locally made dryer balls.

That’s right. These wool dryer balls are simply TOO CORPORATE for Pam P!

Which is all to say, it’s hard to trust any of these opinions in terms of how they stack up next to standard laundry soap, because it’s likely these people haven’t used normal detergent since an herbalist in Brattleboro told them it might be why they’re so tired in the mornings.

THE CONCLUSION

While we remain skeptical about both the soap nuts and the dryer balls, there were a fair number of reviews that claim they work. And if you’re looking for ways to live a more natural plastic-free life, it’s only $8 for 300 loads worth of soap nuts and two dryer balls. Might just be worth a shot, right?