Charlie's Soap - the Miracle Laundry Soap!

When looking for a good safe laundry soap to wash my cloth diapers and children's clothing in I came across Charlie's Soap. It came highly recommended by other mothers who use cloth diapers. I thought I would give it a go to see what all the rave was about.

Charlie's Soap Laundry Powder is a revolutionary approach to laundry care. It does not cover up stains and odors with scents and brighteners - it really cleans. It is made with a unique blend of biodegradable coconut-based detergents and high-grade, completely soluble, Green River washing soda. (Charlie's Soap).

I received a small amount of soap from a friend to use as a trail before I made a large purchase. My son has many skin conditions including eczema and I was worried the effect the soap would leave on his very sensitive skin. I was highly impressed with the powder I had received.

I followed the directions on the Charlie's Soap website. I prepped my washer first by using a tad bit of the soap without any wash in the washer. I was impressed at how clean and shinny my washer was after the preparation! Before the preparation cycle my washer was dingy with soap residue left over from my normal store bought laundry soap. My washer was now sparkling clean and left smelling fresh.

I rinsed my diapers in my washer as I normally do before wash day. Then I added the amount of laundry soap directed. Only 1 TABLESPOON per large wash load. I was iffy if the small amount would really clean my son's very smelly and pooped stained diapers. I patiently waited for my laundry load to get done, not wanting to wait to see the results.

My laundry came out clean and soft, with no static. The Charlie's Soap really worked. It made even my worst stained diapers as good as new. The soap even got out red mud, chocolate syrup, and blood! No longer did I have to use stain removing projects on my clothes or diapers! Did I also mention how incredibly soft everything came out? I was hooked. Yet, still their was the real test of my child's sensitive skin issues and if Charlie's Soap would effect his skin.

Again I was highly impressed. Since Charlie's Soap detergents contain no ingredients or additives that are designed to bind to fabrics, and contain no antibacterial agents they did not have any effect on my child's very sensitive skin. This left me wanting to buy a gallon of Charlie's Soap products for future use. Charlie's is one of the only detergents we have used (and we have tried just about everything under the sun!) that doesn't irritate my son's sensitive skin and give him oozy open sores. It is a god-send. In fact, by using Charlie's Soap my son's skin conditions have not flared up in along time.

Charlie's soap was found by the Clemson University School of Textile Science to leave no irritating residues during their test for rinsability. This test was performed with 100% cotton cloth diapers. Poor rinsability was indicated by a weight gain after controlled washing and drying. Diapers washed in Tide Liquid (at recommended levels) gained nearly 2% in weight after only 8 washings. Those washed in Charlie's Soap (at recommended levels and 4 times recommended levels) gained no measurable weight at all, showing that no residues were left behind.

Before Charlie's Soap, my child's diapers were constantly having to be stripped due to the build up of laundry soap. With Charlie's Soap I rarely have to strip my diapers. They are always coming out as soft and as fresh as the day I bought them! It even brought back the absorbency in diapers that I thought were shot for good! I cant help but put a load of laundry to my face and take a big sniff of that fresh, CLEAN smell they have, not perfumes, not additives, not even a whiff of detergent, just fresh clean fabric!

Charlie's Soap products may be used successfully in top- or front-loading machines. It is merely a matter of personal preference. I use mine with my top loading machine and I love it. All of the products are low-sudsing and very efficient. A bag of Charlie's Soap in my house seems to last forever, unlike store bought brands that seemed to run out after only a few uses. I love the fact I am no longer running to the store every few days to pick up laundry soap!

Front-loading machines generally require a bit less product per load because of the water-saving features of front-loaders. One tablespoon of Charlie's Soap Laundry Powder completely dissolves in only one (1) cup of cold water and therefore works extremely well in any amount of water. (Charlie's Soap).

After my first time using Charlie's I found out that Charlie's Soap is not only great for laundry but may also be great for washing your carpet. Charlie's Soap All-Purpose may be used in carpet cleaners such as the ones available for rent at grocery stores. But, be sure to *use no more than half the amount of cleaner recommended* by the manufacturer. Charlie's Soap All-Purpose is currently being used with professional carpet cleaners. (Charlie's Soap). After use on the carpets in my house, I no longer had the horrible smell of dirty feet clinging to my carpets and they were as clean as the day they were installed. My house smelled fresh and no longer smelled of mold and residue as it once did from normal cleanings.

Charlie's Soap is non-toxic, and I have heard it has also been used to clean animals. I personally have not tried this, yet I have a friend of mine who uses Charlie's Soap to wash her dog before a dog show. She says the Charlie's Soap All-Purpose leaves her animal's fur very soft and great smelling. Although my friend warns that you have to be careful not to get the product into the animal's tender eyes.

I personally also found that it also works wonders in the dishwasher. I used 1 tablespoon, and filled the jet dry dispenser with white vinegar, and the dishes came out clean and sparkling with no residue!!! The all purpose cleaner is also great, has a very light and clean smell, and it cleaned my kitchen and removed all the grease from my stove with no streaks.

Charlie's Soap products come in three different types: laundry powder, laundry liquid and the all purpose cleaner. All three are safe to use in your wash, although the laundry powder and laundry liquid is recommended for use on cloth diapers. The laundry liquid is a little more pricey and an amount will get you less loads then that of the laundry powder. Yet, a lot of people prefer the liquid over the powder. I personally find it just as easy to use the powder and measure out the directed amount using a table spoon.

Charlie's Soap is also very affordable. The average price for a bag that will last you 80 loads is $13.03. You may receive discounts from online stores if you buy in bulk. That's less than 15 cents a load! (commercial brands average around 30 cents, natural brands up to 45 cents.) You may also find deals through co-ops on many cloth diapering related forms. Some mothers even go in together and purchase a large 5 gallon bucket of laundry soap. A 5 gallon bucket of laundry powder will get 1280 Loads of laundry finished and while it costs $120, splitting the cost down the middle will cost each person only $60 a piece for 640 loads! now that is a steal!

Shipping direct from the Charlie's Soap webpage is very fast. All orders ship within 2 business days and shipping is free within the contiguous 48 states as well as military addresses. I ordered my gallon of Charlie's Soap direct from their website and my soap arrived in two days flat. I was very impressed at the quality of customer service.

Charlie's Soap may also be ordered through many of their realtors. Some cloth diapering websites also sell the product. Shipping times and prices range on these sites.

Overall, I give Charlie's 5 stars. Not only did it make my clothes smell clean and new, yet it really cleaned them! It left them stain free and did not leave any harsh residue! Charlie's even helped with my son's eczema. The soap has worked wonders in the rest of my house also cleaning the carpets and even my dishes! I can not rave enough about this amazing product! I recommend it to all my family and friends and anyone I met!