Frequently Asked Questions > How they work > How many times can I use them?

Search the FAQ for entries containing:

       It varies with the temperature of the water you are using. Warm and hot water will soften the dried shells faster, releasing more of the saponin and causing the shells to break down faster. If you require a bit more cleaning power, say with your whites, warm or hot water is the way to get it. However, the opposite is also true. If you are doing a regular wash in cold water, the soap is still being released, subsequently cleaning your clothes, just not quite as much as in hot water. If you require more cleaning power in a cold wash, just soak the bag in a mug of hot water for a few minutes while the washer is filling up. Using them in cold water means you will be able to get a higher number of washes out of those same 5 shells as you would using them in hot water, thus the 4-8 load variance you are able to get out of the 5 or 6 shells. Occasionally you will find you can get even more than 8 loads if the shells you selected are particularly large or thick-skinned.

For when to replace them see "How can I tell when to replace them?"

Last updated on Saturday, April 28, 2012 by Katie McIlveen