Need laundry detergent recommendations

[ReadingMama]

Laundry detergent is one of my last hold outs in the switch to cruelty-free, more natural home and body products. I use All Baby Care for all of our clothes because my son has really sensitive skin. However, I've noticed that our clothes fade in color really quickly. Plus, I prefer to buy products from companies that don't test on animals. So here's what I'm looking for:

light to no scent
cruelty-free company
very gentle on colors
won't leave liquid detergent spots on clothes
easy to find without having to pay for shipping
not too expensive

Any recommendations?

[deditus]

I have used Allen's, Charlies, and Biokleen F & C and I like them all.
I never use liquid detergents, I just let the washer fill part way, add detergent, swish to dissolve, and then add clothes.

[sweetirishCT]

You will get the best bang for your buck with the Allens, by far. If you have a FL washer, you use a half a scoop which is I think 1TBS per load. A 5lb box is around $15 if I remember right. I have tried many natural alternatives, especially since I started with Frontier coops, and i have yet to find any that last so long. My personal best was a 5lb box that lasted 4mos. And I was washing cloth dipes at the time.
Can't beat that. And it has all the stuff ( or none of it) that you are looking for.
So I say Allens is the way to go. I am buying more asap myself, and giving up on the other naturals.
~kat

[SleepyMamaBear]

Charlies its free shipping too.

[JamSamMom]

I second Charlies! I just love it on my DD sensitive skin!

[ReadingMama]

Wow, Charlie's is affordable! But how is it with colors? Are there any "optical brighteners" or chlorine? I read some reviews that said it works well in dishwashers too. Hmmm. I need a safe dishwasher detergent too, but the only other non-toxic one I tried was Method, and it left food crusted on.

[sweetirishCT]

Originally Posted by ReadingMama

Wow, Charlie's is affordable! But how is it with colors? Are there any "optical brighteners" or chlorine? I read some reviews that said it works well in dishwashers too. Hmmm. I need a safe dishwasher detergent too, but the only other non-toxic one I tried was Method, and it left food crusted on.

I love the Allens dish powder too. Again, it lasts forever b/c you use so little. But hands down the most convenient is the Ecover tablets. Drop the little block of deterg into the silverware basket and viola! clean dishes!

[sweetirishCT]

Is the Charlies ok on cloth dipes? I would be very willing to try it if it is... I know from experience that you have to be very careful with build-up on dipes...

[pixiepunk]

Charlie's is supposed to be great for cloth diapers - in fact there are probably like 3 threads about Charlie's right now in the diapering forum

we just switched to Charlie's about a week ago. we're really liking it so far. i bought it at sunshine diapers (online store), and went in with a friend. if you buy four bags at a time, it's only $11.10 a bag and shipping is in a priority mail FRB free. they say the tiny little bag lasts for about 3 months - you use 1 Tbsp. with each load. in fact, i was finally convinced to try Charlie's after reading a blog from a mama with like 9 kids who said that even washing clothes for 11 people it still lasted her 3 months! and she had run out and started using something else, and her clothes were getting all dingy and gross. so i'm giving it a whirl. i love that it's a powder that comes in a tiny little sack, vs. a liquid that comes in a huge plastic bottle i have to recycle.

[sweetirishCT]

Well, you sold me. I just ordered a bag to try. I love that there is free shipping, makes it less $$ than the Allen's and looks like it uses about the same amount. Does anyone have a FL washer? How much to use?
Thanks!

[christina78]

Another one for Charlies. I have heard a few people say they can't use it on their CD though.

[delphiniumpansy]

Originally Posted by sweetirishCT

Well, you sold me. I just ordered a bag to try. I love that there is free shipping, makes it less $$ than the Allen's and looks like it uses about the same amount. Does anyone have a FL washer? How much to use?
Thanks!

I use the full scoop in my FLer with dipes and with regular clothes. If I have a small load, I use half a scoop. It is recommended by the maker to use the full amount even in a FLer. I always do an extra rinse of dipes. Do not use other detergents in your machine as that can cause problems with dipes. Buildup in the machine can affect dipes. I use biokleen's bacout in a prewash for stinky work out clothes and dipes. Then rinse and wash dipes with Charlies.

[SleepyMamaBear]

first wash with charlies should be rags, or play clothes, something gungy anyway, and use two scoops, then use just one full scoop with each load, even diapers.
it works GREAT for diapers for us. and i cant use any other detergent or dd1 and i get oozey sores from our eczema.
also it doesnt contain fillers or anything yucky, so its great for whites and colors.

[lovemyfamily6]

Another vote here for Allen's. We started using it when we started cloth diapers. I love it. We have a front load machine. It was expensive initially but I bought it in July and have used it for diapers and our family of six regular clothing since then and I just now will need to order more soon. It was very much worth it.

As far as dishwasher detergent goes, we use the Ecover powder. I have been happy with it. I'm so impressed with the Allen's laundry detergent though, that I'm going to buy it next time.

[TheWAHMMall]

I'm surprised no one mentioned homemade laundry detergent! It costs pennies a gallon.

I use recipe #1
http://www.thefrugalshopper.com/arti...etergent.shtml

You can usually find Fels Naptha and washing soda at grocery stores, not major dept stores like Walmart or Target. You can use Ivory soap instead of Fels Naptha too.

[Rhiannon Feimorgan]

I've been using ECOS I get it at my local Costco and per load it is cheeper than Tide. I find it works really well. It's all plant baced. They also have a free and clear virsion without the essential oils and soy baced softeners but my costco doesn't carry it so I don't know what it's like.

[sweetirishCT]

Originally Posted by christina78

Another one for Charlies. I have heard a few people say they can't use it on their CD though.

yup, that is what I have heard too. And I already have had problems with wicked stinky buildup, even though we presoak, and extra rinse. I have started to strip dipes in the dishwasher, and that helps a bit.
But, DD is almost out of CD's so we will try the charlies for a bit and see what happens...

[lovemyfamily6]

Originally Posted by TheWAHMMall

I'm surprised no one mentioned homemade laundry detergent! It costs pennies a gallon.

I use recipe #1
http://www.thefrugalshopper.com/arti...etergent.shtml

You can usually find Fels Naptha and washing soda at grocery stores, not major dept stores like Walmart or Target. You can use Ivory soap instead of Fels Naptha too.

Fels Naptha is made by Dial which tests on animals. I made homemade detergent for awhile with Dr. Bronner's, but it wasn't recommended for my front loader or for doing diapers.

[mamaheids]

Shaklee works great. The price seems steep- but you need to use hardly any at all- 1 ounce per load. It lasts forever, comes in fragrance free and the company is very environmentally responsible.

[GenB]

Originally Posted by lovemyfamily6

Fels Naptha is made by Dial which tests on animals. I made homemade detergent for awhile with Dr. Bronner's, but it wasn't recommended for my front loader or for doing diapers.

I make our laundry detergent using this recipe but not the Fels Naptha. I just use leftover ivory soap when the bars get too small to use. I grate them in the food processor and add them to borax and washing soda. I've also made liquid degergent using borax, washing soda, boiling water to dissolve and adding a couple of cups of Arm and Hammer Essentials or some other eco-friendly detergent. It stretches out the expensive detergents and because I use less, they last tons longer. Also get incredibly white whites and my colors don't fade.