Need Advice on switching soaps

Michelle - posted on 02/02/2010

I buy the Purex Ultra Concentrate, Free & Clear, Hypoallergenic, unscented at Walmart and it's $5 for 64 loads (100fl oz) and I do all our clothes together.

Vilate - posted on 02/01/2010

I suggest Rockingreen soap!
http://rockingreensoap.com/
they are amazing! It is made by a CDing mama that has put time and effort into finding the best! They are also coming out with a soft rock ( for soft water) and a hard rock (for hard water) How awesome is that?

R - posted on 01/30/2010

The problem with homemade soap (I use it on my clothes) is that it contains natural oils that will deposit on the diapers long term and you'll end up stripping them because they'll smell icky.

I just started using BG detergent and so far I've had good luck. Although, I have to drive 45 minutes to the nearest cloth diaper retailer in order to get it (I don't buy online). I keep checking the detergents at the grocery store (so I won't have to travel) to see if any of them have the stuff it shouldn't (enzymes, optical brighteners, oils, etc.). Any one had any luck using Arm & Hammer Free & Clear Powder detergent? I don't see any of the no-no's listed on the box... the liquid version contains an optical brightener or scents (which really irritate my skin).

Melina - posted on 01/27/2010

Charlie's Soap. Still use vinegar, as a "softener" and also need an oxygen bleach (sometimes I use a little regular bleach) to disinfect. It is a bit expensive, but a tablespoon washes a full load of regular laundry. We rinse ours in cold water, do a cold wash with 2T, then a hot wash with one T. Good Luck

Lisie - posted on 01/27/2010

Try www.rockingreensoap.com her stuff is AMAZING and has saved our diapers!

Jill - posted on 01/26/2010

I was having big problems with odor build up in my Bum Genius diapers and then started using Wonder Wash. It's been awesome and last a long time! You can usually buy it in local Baby Boutiques that sell cloth diapers or stores that sell Earth Friendly products etc.

Margaret - posted on 01/26/2010

I use SR8 from Amway. If I need to whiten I use oxyclean. My baby hasn't had issues and I used them on my bum guinius diapers.

Hannah - posted on 01/22/2010

I use Maggie's Soap Nuts detergent, and add a big (prob 1/2 cup) scoop of plain old Baking Soda to my diapers; I do it both for the 1st cold rinse, and then again for the Hot wash. I like the Maggie's cuz they leave no residue and are 100% natural (literally are the berries of the Soapberry tree you out into your wash).

I use the Maggie's on ALL my clothes. It is a natural fabric RELAXER, so you do not have to add any softeners to your wash or dry. They smell fresh and clean- literally like the woods after it rains. You can find more info on Maggie's at maggiespureland.com

Heather - posted on 01/22/2010

By the way, the reason I have to use so much is because we have really hard water. I'm still figuring out how much I need, but for now that's where I am.

Jamie - posted on 01/22/2010

We use Crunchy Clean as well. But I don't use nearly as much as the previous poster in each load. I do a plain cold rinse and then a hot wash with 2 tablespoons of detergent. I wash every 2 to 3 days and have probably had the same bag of Crunchy Clean for 2 1/2 months now --- and there is plenty left. I think it cost about $16/17 for the bag.

Leia - posted on 01/22/2010

I use homemade soup on all my clothes including diapers. I make a powder using baking soda, washing soda, bar soap (castille bar or a brand you trust like Ivory) and Borax. It gets the job done. It doesn't whiten as well as commercial products but I didn't want the whitening agent on my baby's bum anyway!

Jacqui - posted on 01/22/2010

If you want to save on money, I would advise trying to find a detergent that is sold in local stores! I had some trouble finding a detergent that would be good for diapers (ie no bad stuff added) because I live in Canada and most of the useful sites I could find were from the US, and they sell different stuff! Anyway, I finally found a site that had two suggestions. I used the first in Edmonton because they sold them in-store there--it was Nature Clean. Worked great. I now use the other, because I moved, and this is the one they have in-store here. It's called Nelly's, which also works great and is perfect for cloth. Anyway, both these brands are comparable in price to your regular on-the-shelf detergents, so I find it pretty inexpensive. Not having to pay S+H really saves money.



So if you do NOT live in Canada like me, search online for some detergent brands--there are lots of great sites which list several brands and detail the ingredients--and when you find some you are interested in, find their website and figure out if they are in stores near you!

Alicia - posted on 01/21/2010

Thanks for the tips, ladies. I will look into those soaps.

If anyone else has different input let me know :)

Stefie - posted on 01/21/2010

I like planet powder detergent. We get it by the case to save on shipping. We recently tried cotton babies detergent. You get less because the box says 20 loads for planet, but you use like 1/4 per wash. For the cotton babies it says 60 loads, but the scoop is much smaller so it is 60 diaper washes or 30 clothes washes. My husband says he likes it better because he always would use too much detergent.
I have also heard good things about soap nuts. I have not tried them on my Bum Genius because it is not on their approved list. I plan to try it for the diapers I am making for my baby girl due in May.

Heather - posted on 01/21/2010

I was in the same boat! I starting researching and looking for the cheapest per load (which you really can't calculate well because you never know how much of each you'll have to use per load!). Anyway, I started using Crunchy Clean and love it! Ashley has so many different scents available (including unscented...which I found hard to find in others). The shipping is expensive though, but I think all detergents will be because they are just heavy!



Crunchy Clean is made so you don't have to add anything...they even have a hard water detergent so you don't have to add a water softener.



Just to give you an idea on quantity...The large bag from Crunchy Clean is 3 lb and I've estimated it will last me about a month. I wash diapers every other day and use 1/2 T in the prewash and 4T in the regular wash cycle (in a front loader). I do other laundry 2-3 loads per week.