I get asked all the time, "Should I make my own detergent out of XYZ ingredients?" Well, let's ask the experts.
Have you ever wanted to put laundry and detergent questions directly to the maker of your favorite detergent? Well, 29 Diapers has been making the rounds lately. Today I have an interview with Sherry from popular detergent maker Charlie’s Soap. She answered some commonly asked questions for me about additive-free detergents, making your own detergent, and more:
Q: Hi Sherry! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer some detergent questions! Could you start off by telling us how Charlie’s Soap got started?
A: Way back around 1976 Charlie Sutherland Sr was working with textile companies searching for something to clean textile machines and the fabrics they come in contact with. They wanted something with industrial strength that was safe enough for use on the most delicate of material. Charlie could not find anything to suit his needs so he and Charlie Sutherland Jr put their heads together and developed a cleaner that would do just that. Now Charlie Taylor Sutherland III is working hard to keep the line going. He is keeping this wonderful product alive and available to the public.
Q: How can parents decide which additive-free detergent is right for their clothes or diapers? Are there particular ingredients to look for that work better than others?
A: The big question will be “is this cleaner going to rinse out of the clothes?” If the detergent is not rinsing out of fabrics then you have that sitting against baby’s skin and baby’s bottom. This means that the fabric is not really clean. Charlie’s Soap is designed to rinse away and take the dirt and odors with it. If it rinses away there is just fresh clean fabric to touch your baby’s skin. Another big thing is whether or not the company will show you proof of 3rd party testing with the results of being nontoxic.
Q: Many 29 Diapers readers have considered making their own detergent. What would you say to them? Is there a best way to try this out? Is it the best thing to do in certain cases, such as when parents are dealing with unidentified allergies or sensitivities to detergent ingredients?
A: If you are making the soap at home you usually have no control of the raw materials. You will not be able to get the chemistry the same with each and every batch. This could cause sensitivity to soap batch number two that did not show up with soap batch number one. It will be a hit and miss game.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like 29 Diapers readers to know about Charlie’s Soap?
A: We have been family owned and operated from the beginning. Our company was green before green was so cool. The product is cost effective and it really does do the job. It will clean without the whiteners, brighteners, and perfumes that other companies put in their products to hide the fact that they aren’t really cleaning so well it just appears to be clean because it smells like a flower. We pick up the dirt and odor and rinse it down the drain.
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Thanks for answering my questions, Sherry!
I hope you liked this interview. If there is another question you would like me to ask Sherry or any other detergent maker, leave it in comments. And don’t forget to enter to win an 80-load package of Charlie’s Soap in our 29 Diapers’ Detergent Week 2011 giveaway.
Can Rockin Green find a way to have the ammonia bouncer be part of their regular mix? It is so expensive on its own.
I think Rockin Green has something in it that makes you NEED that Ammonia Bounce! I never had an ammonia smell to my diapers until I used RNG! BUT the regular stinkies were gone after I used it. The ammonia bounce IS way too expensive and should be a part of it.
I used Charlies Soap and I LOVE it. I cannot explain the “clean” smell of our clothes and diapers after we used it! I know it doesn’t have a scent in it- but I swear I can smell the clean! I love this detergent.
That’s interesting that you should say that, Rebecca. I think you might be right, though that type of problem seems to be far worse with microfiber than other diaper fabrics. Do you use pockets?