Seeking Green Alternatives

When we moved from the city to a rural neighborhood (field behing our property and across the street in front -- read: lots of mud, grass and other stainmakers!) I tried Shaklee's line of laundry stuff. I've been using it 3.5 years now (during which time they've renamed the cleaning products collection "Get Clean") and am very happy. My son turns 8 a week from today and the Get Clean laundry soap in combo with the enzyme-based laundry brightner (no bleach, so great with color fabrics, too) have so far taken out whatever he's ground into his clothes. We don't have problems with scented things, but the Get Clean laundry soap comes in an unscented version if you need something scent free.

Oh, and the original reason I switched from what we were using in the city was because out here we're on a septic system, no city sewer, and we need to avoid bleach and use only "green" cleaners to keep the septic system healthy.

Or...

Make your own! It's easy, saves A LOT of $$, and you know exactly what is going into it:

* 1 cup grated soap flakes (Ivory, Zote, etc.)
* 1/2 cup Borax
* 1/2 cup WASHING Soda (not baking soda - washing soda is even higher on the PH level...look for it in your laundry aisle.)

Use 1-2 TBSP per load, depending on how soiled it is. A lot of people recommend 1 TBSP. Experiment! I use 2 TBSP per regular load and 4 TBSP per load for diapers.

I use Melaleuca products in my home. They are all natural & the laundry soap is one of my favorites. The sol-u-mel cleaner is also great. The only draw back is that you have to join & have to order a certain amout of product each month. It is helpful if you can find someone that you know that is already a member & you can add your orders together. The web site for Melaleuca is www.melaleuca.com

D.

I'm going to have to agree with all the others who recommended MelaPower by Melaleuca! It's very economical & effective, as well as being safer for the planet and your family! I use it on my baby's clothes and have not had any problems with it irratating her skin. They also have PreSpot which works great for tough stains. Sol-u-Mel is great for really touch stains (like permanent marker!) Feel free to contact me with any questions!

Try Melaleuca or Shaklee...both have awesome green cleaners and soaps!

R.,
I too need to chime in on the praises for Melaleuca. I started using it because I had major issues with eczema about 8 years ago. I also use their hair care and all of their cleaning products as well as many of their other health products too. What I have noticed, other than not breaking out from the product are 1. the option to have or not to have a scent is wonderful 2. the longevity of my bottle of detergent- it's so concentrated that it lasts a very long time 3. the effectiveness and cleaning power- I washed a pair of snowpants for my friend's daughter last week and the muddy knees came perfectly clean- no scubbing, just spraying them with the pre-spot and washing them in the detergent. 4. my clothes don't get that dingy look to them. 5. our family has had fewer bugs, colds and sickness since we have changed over our entire house to this line of cleaning products. I initially started getting them from a friend of mine who is a distributor, until I was putting in her entire order each month and became a distributor myself.

Right now, Melaleuca has a deal going where if you sign up to have it delivered to your door, they will give you $100 in free product over 5 months. They are a great company and if you have any complaints or anything, they will take care of you completely! Call me if you would like to try something, I'd be more than happy to get you something. ###-###-####. You can check out their website at www.melaleuca.com

Have a great Monday!

M.

I just tried Shaklee for the same reason. If you can find a distributer in the area I would try that. They have powder &liquid. Stuff for H3 washers too.

I have heard that the Shakklee brand is very good. It has been rat4ed in magazines. I have an account with Shaklee but have not tried the detergent yet.

Try soap nuts. http://www.zamuta.com/ That is just one of the sites I found when I googled it. You can also look at the Wikipedia entries for the soap berry tree, which is where soap nuts come from. We have some, but we're trying to use up our other laundry soap first. I guess they really do work and they're super gentle. I've actually found them at my local Co-Op, so maybe you could also find them there. They're about as natural as you can get, fresh off the tree!

Target has a brand. I think it is called Motion.

Charlies soap....do a search. It;s easy to find. I started using it for cloth diapers, and now use it for a family of 6. A gallon lasted 4 months, including cloth diapers!!! Very economical and green. Has anyone found something green for the dishwasher??? I have a friend who does the fells naptha and loves it.

I have used Melaleuca products throughtout my home for the past 4 years and I love them all. They have laundry detergent, fabric softeners, spot removers, and laundry brighteners among many other natural home cleaners and personal products. Check it out at Melaleuca.com. It's great to shop online and have it delivered to your door! contact me with questions!

I am not sure of the spelling but there is company called Malaluka that has all kinds of products, including laundry soap...

We use Charlie's Soap. It works great.

Hi R.,
Have you tried Melaleuca products. Their laudry soap and spot remover work really well for me.

I use Snap Laundry Detergent.
It is a Market America product
One 40 OZ bottle does up to 80 loads, because you use
1 oz or less per load. It is safe for the environment and
is safe for delicates and baby clothes.
My kids gets "itchy" from name brand laundry soap and
I've never had a problem since I've been using this.
You can also use it in front and top-loading washers
Check out: www.marketamerica.com/vanderson

I am a SAH home of 4, a was an elementary teacher but have chosen to stay home with the kids. I also have a home-based business.

I believe Shaklee is Green. My mom sells it if interested.

We also make our own laundry soap. Put 4-5 tbsp of Washing Soda in the washer while it is filling, and add 3-5 squirts of simple green, which is a non-toxic, biodegradable household cleaning product. We still use fabric softener to give our clothes the fresh smell, but save lots of money and the environment using our mix!

I use Method which is sold at Target. They are pretty earth conscious. If yours doesn't carry the Method line you could probably ask them to start. I think it's relatively new to the shelves, and Wal-mart does not carry it. Also, our Hy-Vee Grocery store sells Seventh Generation products (and Method). I really like Method though, just a little bit goes a loooong ways. I also use their dryer sheets, and while it doesn't do as much for static as Bounce does, it leaves our towels still absorbent, AND soft. So I can deal with a little static, it's worth it - and better for everyone! Oh and Method has both baby and regular soaps.

I don't know where you live, but I like Trader Joe's detergent.

I would recommend looking into the LaundryPure system by EcoQuest. It is a unit that you hook up to your washer and it treats your water with Ultraviolet light and Ions before it goes into your machine and the best part is...no laundry detergent is needed. We have had this machine for over 6 months and I love it. The water smells so clean and fresh and it really gets the clothes clean. All of our laundry is softer because it does not have detergent residue remaining after washing.

I do use detergent for some loads, like loads that might be especially soiled, but even then, I only need to use a fraction of the detergent that is normally needed.

Another "green" thing about it is that it only uses cold water, which is a great energy saver. I would totally recommend this product!

Fels Naptha is a laundry bar soap that your great-grandmother just might have used, if she didn't make her own soap.

You can use this bar soap (or whatever bar soap you want) to make your own laundry soap for machine washing (the directions are on many websites, just google it). The other ingredients are borax and washing soda. You can prepare it as a liquid or a powder, and it is MUCH cheaper than detergents. It won't seem like it at first, but it is very concentrated & goes a long way. Some people like to add essential oils.

www.charliesoap.com is made of washing soda and coconut oil. We use it because my son has severe eczema, and it washes clean off our cloth diapers. It will rinse totall yclean, no scent or build up at all. Check out thier website, its great, and the washing soap lasts forever, one tablespoon per wash load (I use less for most loads).

I'd agree with the Shaklee Get Clean! We've switched and started actually saving money, too. In fact, I loved the laundry detergent so much that it made me start selling the products (I've only been "selling" them 72 hours.) And this is from a gal that will try any trick to avoid going to any kind of sales party! (PartyLite, Tupperware, jewelry, Pampered Chef, etc.) It's so good, you use so little, and we don't even buy Dreft or anything for my son anymore since it's so gentle.

Have you tried Charlie's Soap? You can order that online and the shipping and handling is free. That's what works well for my family. www.charliesoap.com
I learned about the Charlie's Soap through the lady I order my cloth diapers and diapering accessories from. She also swears by this soap. Personally, I prefer the powdered form. Hope this helps!

Shaklee.com has alternative for all cleaning supplies.

Check out Shaklee--my neighbor sells it, and it works great--I was using Tide HE, and it works just as well, plus it's green, from a very green company.

Seventh Generation makes some great laundry products that are green. Whole Foods and some specialty grocers in the Twin Cities will carry Seventh Generation products including the laundry detergent, but you can also find it online. If you go to www.realgoods.com there are a few alternatives listed for laundry soap including Seventh Generation products. Cheers!

Check out this website http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm

Hi R.,
I use all green things from one company. I love their products they are called Melaleuca and they have everything you could want to use. If you want to know about them and how to get some of their products let me know. I love the laundry set it really helped my son when he was broken out with a rash from the time he was born. My father in law gave me some of the laundry supplies and his rash went away with in days. Good luck with your search. I hope you find what you are looking for.

Hi R.,
My friend just loves these "green" products, she recommended them to me. There are from a company called Melaleuca.
Here is their web site:
http://www.melaleuca.com/ps/index.cfm?f=ps.mainPage
They have lots of safe laundry products among other things.
P.

Hi R.,

I am a distributor for a company that has wonderful "green" cleaning products called SNAP. They are specially blended and concentrated for everyday use. I use them on a daily basis and find them affordable and great because of the concentration. My husband has allergies and these products are great for helping to control them. No big bottles to carry. You can check the laundry detergent and others out at marketamerica.com/pamatkins
P.
____@____.com

A friend of mine just became a distributor for the Shaklee Corporation. I haven't tried their products yet but she swears by them. She became a distributor after only using the products herself for about 6 months. The web site is: http://www.shaklee.com/

Try Maggie's SoapNuts. Love them!

i REALLY LIKE SEVENTH generation

Check out this website for all cleaning supplies. All very eco friendly and work great.
www.marketamerica.com/shamshoes/

I don't know of any "green" but I do know that everyone in my family but me has very sensitive skin and the only thing that I can use that does not make them break out is the "ALL FREE AND CLEAR". I don't know if you have tried that but maybe buy a little bottle and see if it works.

Hi R.,
I have been purchasing cleaning and laundry products from a wellness company called Melaleuca for the past 8 years. I order monthly from them and the products come right to my door. I started ordering from them when my daughter was about 18 months because I didn't want dangerous products under my sink and worry about her getting into them. These products are awesome and I couldn't be happier with my experience. If you are interested, checkout www.saferforyourhome.com to see their philosophy and why it is "eco-friendly". Let me know if you'd like more information on how to join or any other questions. Good luck!

R.,

Target carries Seventh Generation, including laundry soap. If I remember correctly, they kept it on a different isle next to the other "green" cleaners. I used it and it works well. They have one for high efficiency front load washers if you need that.

S.

Try Seventh Generation...

I think Melaleuca is supposed to be environmentally friendly. You can go to their website www.melaleuca.com. It's a little expensive (not too bad if you become a member) but you use a lot less. They also have tons of other great products that are non-toxic and better for the environmant.

Hi R.
I have found seventh generation or method laundry soap. I use Method and I know that only Target sells it. The seventh generation I am not sure where you can find that. I have found some of there products at Target and at a health food store. I hope this helps.
N.

Hello R.- I know Watkins has Organic cleaner that can be used for laundary. I love it becouse it is actually multi-purpose and eliminates having to buy many cleaners. They have many great natural products. Maybe you know someone you can order from, otherwise I could refer you to someone. -S.

The Wellness Company - Melaleuca has the best green laundry detergent!!! It is fantastic at cleaning and stain removal and also very inexpensive. It is about 40% less than the Tide I was purchasing at Target.
If you are a runner you would also Love their Access Bar. It is a fabulous fitness product.
If you want to learn more about it please call me at
###-###-#### or email me at ____@____.com.
Sincerely,
V. Klasell

Hi R.,

I'm sure you have had a lot of responses to this one, we do offer a "green" laundry soap. No phosphates, no chemicals and the best part is that when you are doing laundry & you forget you left the clothes in the wash for a few days, with our laundry soap you can just toss them in the dryer. It has saved us a lot of time & money. We do have several options and more.

If you'd like to learn more about safer products please visit our website:

www.300Green.com/yourchoice
http://yourchoice.healthyhometour.com

J.

Hi R.:

I am located in WI but I would try The Red Radish in Neenah, WI. Also, you can check Botanical Indulgence in Neenah too. (They carry the Caldrea line of household cleaning products.) Have a great day!

www.botanicalindulgence.com
www.theredradish.com

D. M. Diedrich
Jewels By Park Lane
http://myparklane.com/sparkle

I think Costco sells a "Green" laundry soap... or at least one that is advertised on the bottle as such! Otherwise, you could also check out some of the organic stores around town, such as Trader Joe's or Whole Foods.

Hi R.,
I remember when I was looking for a "green" dishwasing liquid over 11 years ago when my son was 2. I wanted safer products in my home. I found that and more with the company I am with! Check it out, select creating wellness when you look at my website.
Blessings,
S.
http://www.YesToSuccess.net/S.

7th generation. I've seen it lots of places.

When my 8yr old was diagnosed with ecxema at 6months old, we started using All Free&Clear. It was the only detergent his sensitive skin could handle. We have used it ever since. It contains no dyes or perfumes and now with the 3x's concentrate there is less plastic being used to bottle it and less to recycle.

My husband has alergies to everything and my son has sensitive skin, so we use Tide Free. It has no additional junk and it is safe for the envirenment. It is also very easy to find. You can check at almost anywhere that sells laundry soap.

I use Melaleuca as well. It is a great product and is very concentrated so you do not need to add as much to your wash. I have used it for 7 years.

have you tried the one shaklee has?

We use the Method products from Target which are environmentally friendly, and have been happy with their laundry soap thus far :)

Have you tried looking at Recipegoldmine.com? I have seen homemade/green laundry soaps on diaperswappers.com as well, perhaps if you went to either of these sites you can get the recipe.

H.

I would recommend using a Product called Melaleuca. My grandson has exzema really bad and when I gave some of the Melaleuca laundry detergent to my daughter to use his exzema cleared up really fast. I have been using this product in my home for two years and would never switch back to a store brand. E-mail me if you'd like to know more. ____@____.com

I only use alternative products from use with cleaning, colds, cuts, energy, etc. For my laundry I have been using Young Living's Thieves(RM) Cleaner. 1 -2 capsules and then add about 2 scoops of Borax Laundry Booster (you can get that at the local stores). The Thieves Cleaner you can order from Young Living, I am actually a distributor and you can view that product on my website. http://L..younglivingworld.com
I like that the clothes come out fresh, white, and clean. Esp. without all the harsh and harmful perfumes and chemicals.

R.,

Have you heard of Melaleuca? I have been using it for almost ten years now and love it. It is gentle on your clothes and safe for everyone. I didn't use anything else when all 3 of my children were born and no one has had any problems with it. You can read about it and all the other safe cleaning and personal products on www.melaleuca.com.

If you want more information, please let me know.
____@____.com

Good Luck, K.

have you tried 7th generation, i have seen it at cub and target i think, but cub for sure

Hello R., My name is L. and i'm a market executive for Melaleuca they are a health and wellness company that have been in business for 23 years. I rave on there eco friendly laundry soap. I'ts awsome I used to use the method stuff from target, but this stuff is awsome. If you are interested in becomeing a customer and trying all our GREEN!!! products let me know you can call me at ###-###-####. I look forward to hearing from you.

I'm also going to have to say Melaleuca and I am NOT a sales rep for the company, i just use the product and love it! www.melaleuca.com

Hi there - good for you looking for those healthier alternatives!!!
I can hook you up with Melaleuca - I use all their cleaning products and laundry products - my 8 1/2 yr. old even made a comment to me this morning; saying that he likes the way the laundry smells after it's washed.
Everything is safe and natural - best part, if the little ones accidently swallow any of these products- they aren't going to harm them, like say, bleach would. It may seem higher in price, but you need to remember that these products are concentrated so you don't go through it as fast - Products such as Tide-add water to their detergent; isn't it wonderful that we pay for water! so the Melaleuca products go alot further, so you really are saving in the long run.
also, if you are looking to find all natural skincare alternatives, cosmetics, aromatherapy, safe skincare for kids/baby, kids vitamins, your vitamins; I am a consultant with Arbonne and I would love to let you try the skincare out for 3-4 days if you're interested. Great for any eczema, or any other sensitive skin issues as well.
Both the Melaleuca and Arbonne products have been incredible for our family - who has asthma, allergies and eczema issues.
Call or email me, I'd be glad tp hook you up with reps. for both companies.
____@____.com; ###-###-####

Restore the Earth has the most gentle-on-the-Earth laundry soap. It is available at many coops and Whole Foods Stores in refillable bottles. Another bonus! No phosphates, no dies, no sulfates. You'll love it.

I love Melaleuca's detergent! You on;y need about 1 oz. and it comes with a pump that makes it so fast and easy.

I have read all of the requests to your responses and I would have to recommend using the Melaleuca brand of products. We switched over about a year and a half ago and have seen huge benefits in our overall health. My kids had eczema, muluscum, ear infections, tons of colds. I had sinus infections, chronic headaches and migraines. AND NO MORE!! I had tried other products before like Method and Seventh Generation. On Method's products I had a hard time really finding an ingredient label and with Seventh Generation, their products were okay but very, very expensive. With Melaleuca's products, they are so concentrated you will save a ton of money on your laundry and cleaning supplies. Then that helped us re-direct our money and get safer products ALL over our house and focus on our health as well. Now we save a ton of money not going to doctors and getting prescription meds all the time on the illnesses we were dealing with. It has been the best thing we could have EVER done in our house. If you'd like to know more about any of the products let me know.

I use Seventh Generation and we love it! No fragrance, which I love! I think you can buy it at Target (and maybe some grocery stores) but I buy it in bulk at www.diapers.com. Hope you find something that you like that works!! :o)

I've been very happy with Seventh Generation brand laudry detergent. Some Targets have it and Babies R Us does too. I'm sure you could also get it at Whole Foods.

I use Melaleuca laundry soap and love it. It is purchased through distributors. It has a good spin on it, and even cleans greasy and stinky farm clothes.

There are three "greener" laundry detergents that I have found to be good:

Melaleuca has a good liquid. (I have used the scent free as I have chemical issues as well)

Shacklee - this is what I am using now and am really liking the results - comes in regular AND high efficiency types - great liquid.

Norwex - has a great powder.

All three of these (if you aren't familiar with the names) are ones that you can buy from independent consultants (they do the in-home parties) or you can sign up online and order yourself for most (if not all).

All three are great companies to support and all three are focused on greener/less chemical more natural alternatives for MANY cleaning products...including dishwashing detergent, automatic dishwashing detergent, laundry supplies, and household cleaning supplies.

I have tried Seventh Generation, Shaklee and Melaleuca. My infant actually got a rash from the Shaklee which then became worse and required a steroid cream. I love all their other products but this just didn't agree with my infant. The Seventh Generation is great, but I recently joined Melaleuca and use their fragrance free and it is highly concentrated so it lasts longer. So far it it works great!!

hello R.. my girlfriend is a rep. for a company called "Melaleuca". it is a green company! the laundry soap is awesome. i use it all the time, i have 4 boys and their clothes get dirty!!!! the phone # is 1-800-282-3000 or the website is www.melaleuca.com
sure hope you can find this info helpful....check it out!
sincerely, C.
p.s. all of their products are awesome!!!

Hi R.- Have you tried Whole Foods for these products? They are such a huge market. I would think if anyone locally carried this, it would be them. Just a suggestion and hope it helps. A. B

R.,

We are using the Shaklee laundry detergent, fabric softner and dryer sheets. We started using all the Shaklee products since we had our son (he is now 14 months). We also use the Get Clean cleaning products which are all natural, contain no toxins, and are so concentrated that they will last you way longer than any other cleaning products, and you will save money in the long run! Let me know if you have any questions or visit www.shaklee.net/bettertomorrowtoday. THANKS!

I have just started using Shaklee's products, including laundry soap and fabric softener, and they work great! I think they actually clean better than commercial detergents like Tide, and they smell nicer, too. The products might seem expensive at first, but they're not because they're concentrated and you only need to use a tiny little bit. A friend gave me a bunch of Shaklee stuff as a gift, so I'm not sure how the ordering process works exactly. Go to their website at www.shaklee.com. You can't buy Shaklee stuff in stores -- you have to order it.

I love the brand 7th generation. Their products are found in most grocery stores. The laundry soap leaves no smell at all, and is gentle on the environment.

Look into Charlie's Soap....you can do a google search, and check out their website. It is great stuff...we use the laundry powder and the household cleaner. It takes a bit of getting used to, but once you switch, you won't believe what you save, economically, environmentally, etc. Good luck.

I also use method laundry soap because it had a baby formula. I love it and it smells great. Plus I use their fabric softner (in a Downy ball) and it works great!!!! I love their products and you can purchase them at Target or Hy-Vee or on-line at www.methodhome.com