Best powder laundry detergent according to redditors
We found 95 Reddit comments discussing the best powder laundry detergent. We ranked the 42 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 95 Reddit comments discussing the best powder laundry detergent. We ranked the 42 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
So if you would like an additional neutralizer which I've found works for a surprising array of things: Charlie's Soap. I'm a farmer, which means that sometimes the damnest things have to go through my washing machine.
What I do is I dump a large amount (about a cup) of Charlie's Soap into the machine with a 'junk' shirt or the like (basically something I don't care about, it's just there for the purpose of running a clean cycle equivalent - may I suggest you use his favorite pair of jeans? ;P) and run it on the hottest, longest, roughest cycle available. I do this two or three times and it really works very well.
As for his damn shop rags, I wouldn't even burn them, I would get rid of them completely. And I would clip an ad for a local laundromat for him; he can do his washing there from now on, on his own.
Rockin’ Green Active detergent. It’s a game changer! Don’t use fabric softener at all or those scent beads for the washer. Soak in this initially then just use as laundry detergent after and going forward. I do pre wash with it and add an extra rise. It’s truly a game changer. No more stank.
Rockin' Green Platinum Series Active Wear Laundry Detergent Powder, 45 oz. - All Natural, Biodegradable, and Eco-Friendly https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075MPKB9X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_vHoPDb17MPGVZ
I think the reason you are having ammonia after 1 wash is because you haven't actually stripped the diapers to "reset them". You need to do a strip.
Mineral Remover Solution:
DIY: 3 TBSP Washing Soda, 3 TBSP Borax and TBSP Calgon OR 1/4 of two ingredients if you cant get all three.
STORE: RLR Laundry Treatment, or Grovia Mighty Bubbles
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THEN apply your new wash routine and level of detergent.
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Another really nice alternative if you don't want to DIY is Charlie's Soap:
http://www.amazon.com/Charlies-Soap-Laundry-Powder-2-64/dp/B00AM16MZO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408644342&sr=8-1&keywords=charlies%27+soap
Rockin Green - Active Wear formula. I soak my band and gloves once a month in it and then run it through the washing machine. I also add a scoop to my laundry. Never have any issues with odor since i started using it.
Rockin' Green Platinum Series... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075MPKB9X?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
So I use this detergent. It's specifically for workout clothes, and I haven't had any stinky clothes problems since I started using it! You can use it as a normal detergent or as a pre-soak--so if you come home, throw them in the tub with a scoop of this stuff then put it in a regular load of laundry. If I'm too lazy to do that, just hanging my sweaty clothes up when I get home (instead of leaving wet clothes in a heap/in the hamper) makes them a little less funky when I go to wash them.
So first off, ignore the "good for the environment" arguments. They've been mostly debunked.
My wife and I switched to cloth diapers because they're cheaper. There's an initial buy-in, but that should be enough to last you a while. We even travel with cloth diapers, we just have a small wet bag in our diaper bag (instead of plastic bags) and a large one at home.
Changing diapers isn't too much more difficult with cloth diapers than disposables. Laundry has become pretty frequent, but with babies that's going to happen anyway. We do a load of diapers every 2 to 3 days, pre-rinsing in cold water, washing hot, using Rockin' Green as detergent. No folding, it all just gets dumped into a bin next to the changing table.
As for the diapers themselves, we've been using Bummis pre-folds with various brands of diaper covers, but we plan on switching to BumGenius when our son is big enough to fit them (his legs are too skinny). No safety pins either, we use Snappis.
As for the kid's reaction, as soon as we switched to cloth, his diaper rash went away. There have been a few leg leaks, but my son has chicken-wing-skinny legs so there's not much we can do about that (every brand of disposables we tried leaked as well).
One piece of advice before you decide: if you already have daycare lined up (if daycare is even a thing for your family) check to see whether they're ok with cloth diapers. Some will only deal with disposables, for obvious reasons.
My boyfriend and I mayyyy be the sweatiest worker-outers ever. This stuff has been a God send:
Rockin' Green Platinum Series... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075MPKB9X?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I use Charlie's soap, but only 1/2 a scoop. Its cheaper than tide powder (around 17cents/load if you use a full scoop). It works well for us. A lot of it is trial and error with what type of water you have. I've heard that trader Joes' laundry powder is very similar to charlie's soap if you have a TJs around you.
There are a few things that might be the culprit. I see you mentioned deodorant, and that's a good first place to check -- deodorant is designed to trap odors, and if it doesn't fully wash out of your clothes, it can essentially hold your bo on your shirts.
To treat this, I like the other suggestion of white vinegar. It will lower the PH of the water to help remove the deodorant . One thing to try with the really smelly clothes is to let them soak in the washer with the vinegar for 15 mins to an hour.(Turn the washer on, allow the tub to fill, add the vinegar, allow it to agitate for a little while, then turn the washer off for 15 minutes or more. If you have a front-loading washer, soak them in a bucket or bathtub instead.) Other than vinegar, other things to try: Oxygen Bleach (see below; oxygen bleach can even be soaked overnight), baking soda (3/4 cup), and hydrogen peroxide diluted to 3% (1/2 cup).
You might also try stepping up your laundry detergent to something like Charlie's Soap or Nellie's Laundry Soda. They are better than tide etc for removing oils and bacteria that cause odor. You can also try a good Oxygen Bleach like Charlie's Soap Oxygen Bleach (which is safe for colors and whites, and can remove odors).
Follow the directions regarding quantity of detergent. Sometimes people think: my clothes smell extra bad, so I'm going to use double the detergent to get them extra clean. This is a mistake; it'll only lead to your clothes being super-saturated with soap that doesn't wash away, and that can turn or trap odors as well (and your clothes will wear out faster as well).
Finally, if you're using fabric softener, stop; the fabric softener (like deodorant) can trap odors.
Forgive my unsolicited suggestion, but someone mentioned people wanting a product free of harmful chemicals as much as a frugal option. If you are unable/frustrated with making your own detergent I recommend at least giving this one a look. I buy one of these about every 15 months (And I do a lot of laundry for my family of 5). We started using it when we were cloth diapering, but switched over to it for everything and we really like it. There is no smell, which I admit I had a hard time adjusting to most of all because I used to associate a fresh smell with cleanliness. Aside from that our clothes are super soft and clean.
http://www.amazon.com/Charlies-Soap-Powder-Bucket-Pounds/dp/B0044EV0SE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1375811954&sr=8-3&keywords=charlie%27s+soap
We've been using Biokleen powdered detergent and Biokleen Bac-Out since our firstborn was a baby. The laundry powder comes in unscented as well as non-offensive, lightly scented citrus varieties. Both products are great for stains, eco-friendly, and non-irritating. Bac-Out is especially wonderful in eradicating poop and spit up! We've never had any issues with skin irritation with either product, plus the laundry powder lasts much longer than liquid detergent.
I used to have sweaty smelly clothes all the time. I live in Southeast USA and it gets very humid.
Even after I washed my clothes the smell persisted.
Until I found Borax. I dump some of this in directly with my laundry before adding the soap. Works like a charm! My clothes don’t smell after multiple washes anymore !
https://www.amazon.com/20-Mule-Team-Laundry-Booster/dp/B07RHYHW6J/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=borax&qid=1559156790&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&th=1
i use this for my OTF clothes and the boyfriend's mountain biking gear. works like a charm!
https://www.amazon.com/Rockin-Green-Platinum-Powdered-Detergent/dp/B075MPKB9X
I've been converted to one of those "make your own laundry detergent" hippies.
To make the detergent, use equal parts (I usually start with one cup, and repeat as many times as necessary.) of the following:
-Washing Soda ( https://smile.amazon.com/Arm-Hammer-Super-Washing-Soda/dp/B00K6ON8BI/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1536841265&sr=8-4&keywords=washing+soda )
-Borax ( https://smile.amazon.com/Borax-Natural-Laundry-Booster-Ounce/dp/B0039BWC9E/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1536841236&sr=8-1&keywords=twenty+mule+team+borax )
-Ground up / run through the food processor / chopped / whatever'd Bar Fels Naptha. ( https://smile.amazon.com/Dial-Corp-04303-Fels-Naptha-Laundry/dp/B00A7ZD9RE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1536841213&sr=8-4&keywords=fels+naptha+laundry+bar+soap )
NOTE: THIS STUFF IS ALL CHEAPER AT YOUR LOCAL GROCERY STORE!!!!! I put the Amazon links in there for reference.
Now, that sounds really weird and kinda complicated. Truth is, once you grind up a bar of naptha, you just dump the ingredients into your storage container, mix thoroughly, and you're done. It works fine in newer high efficiency washers, and doesn't have any smell. No issues with sensitive skin either. The ingredients are dirt cheap, especially compared to even factoring in the time it takes to grind up the naptha bars.
we just switched to using charlie's soap when we started using cloth diapers. at 10 cents a load it's crazy cheap, works well and no mixing involved.
I use some on my daughter's fluffy stuff. She ADORES the smell and the fluff and will just cover herself with robes and blankets. I would never use it on a towel, and actually use "Charlie's Soap" on towels and our sheets to remove any residue from other soaps or softeners.
Bullshit. A quick Google search is all it takes to figure it out.
Tide Pods is $19.97 for 81 loads, which is about $0.25 per load.
Tide Powder is $39.99 for 160 loads, which is also $0.25 per load.
Tide Liquid is $11.98 for 64 loads, which is a little bit cheaper at $0.19 per load.
At most it's about 30% more expensive.
It's a whopping $0.06 per load in savings to use the liquid assuming you measure accurately. Even for a family that's only a few bucks a year difference.
I get exactly the same thing, dermatitis from gi rubbing against my skin. I used to get it back in high school from playing sports with pads, too. It's embarrassing and it itches like hell, plus you don't want open abrasions while training.
Doing these 3 things has stopped me from getting the rash completely. Hope they work for you too.
I like the activewear one best but this one works great too and doesn’t have a strong smell.
https://www.amazon.com/Active-Wear-Laundry-Detergent-Performance/dp/B07L8NJY8W/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?keywords=activewear+detergent&qid=1571006467&sprefix=activewear&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE3NlRHODJCWEY3VkYmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA2MDkxNDYzMEsxNUg0OFczWFFaJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA1NzMyNTlOVDNJQ04zNTU4TFomd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
My daughter gets yeast rashes too, and the only detergent that works for her is Rockin Green original (she's fine with any of the scents). It's a powder detergent, which I like. She used to react to Tide and Arm & Hammer, so I tried Rockin Green and she's been much better. I do have to change her diaper often so she doesn't have wet skin constantly, but this detergent has helped a lot!
Rockin' Green active wear detergent is incredible. Wash with an extra rinse cycle and odor is completely eliminated.
Charlie's soap is better than Persil in my front loader and much cheaper. I never use fabric softener -- Charlie's leaves no residue. Cold water always except for whites. Shout advanced for stain pretreatment.
The Borax you say. Hmm...
Realized that I have Amazon in my phone and I can look it up as I sit in the Savannah airport to go home, it is the: Rockin' Green Platinum Series Active Wear Laundry Detergent Powder, 45 oz. - All Natural, Biodegradable, and Eco-friendly
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075MPKB9X/
I like the reusable dryer balls! They work great and look really cute. You kind find them here. I also saw these on Shark Tank and I have heard they work wonderfully! They are both great when you consider how many loads of laundry the average family does each year.
Thanks for thinking of this; I know we all love to help the planet when we can! : )
Forgot to add, this is what I use to do laundry in my apartment complex's washers:
Towels and sheets: Hot water, always. For white towels and sheets I use Persil liquid detergent, 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup chlorine bleach. For color towels I use Tide + Oxi powder and 1 cup of ammonia. I pretreat any greasy kitchen stains with dish soap. Oxygen bleach cannot be used with chlorine bleach, which is why I use two different detergents. NEVER mix ammonia and chlorine bleach.
White clothes: Hot or warm water with Tide + Oxi powder and 1 cup ammonia. If the clothes are looking a little dingy or extra dirty I'll add Biz Powder.
Color/dark clothes: Warm water wash. Persil liquid detergent + 1 cup ammonia. If clothes are very dirty I add Biz Liquid Booster Pac's.
I use the Smartwool 150 baselayer as my hiking shirt and I find it's 80/20 merino to synthetic combination really helps enhance the durability of merino without the stink of polyester. I also find that Defunkify detergent works well on 100% polyester.
https://www.amazon.com/Defunkify-ACTIVE-WASH-Laundry-Detergent/dp/B06Y3ZJKTS
We had the same problem. We tried sun and that worked really well, but when that wasn't an option we used this stuff (rainy days, busy weeks, whatever).
Cloth diapering is SO much easier than I originally thought. Just keep in mind that EVERYTHING is negotiable. There is no one set way of doing things that will work for everyone. It really is a lot of trial and error.
Laundry Detergent
Vitamin drops
Dog treats
Shampoo and conditioner
I’m going to save you all some trouble and stinkiness. I was close to throwing out every gi and rash guard I own. This detergent works.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075MPKB9X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-2UtDbMD0C08Q
Reading this thread makes me wonder if we should be doing a prewash? We have a bidet hooked up to the toilet for the BM and just do a single hot cycle with this detergent and do not get any pee smell or residue on the diapers.
Is there another reason to be doing a prewash?
Additional tip:
Oxyclean no longer has the same concentration of active ingredient it once did. But you can buy the active ingredient, sodium percarbonate, and it's much cheaper and more effective overall.
There’s a great enzyme cleaner called biz
BIZ Stain & Odor Eliminator Laundry Detergent Powder (80 oz.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NNDD1N4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KevkDbBBDDCGS
I use this for all my kitchen towels pet towels sweat stains etc.
If you're worried about ammonia smell from pee, your best bet is actually to use an ammonia kicker in a washer rinse. This is actually a pretty good practice to do every few washes or so, or if you have a particularly stinky batch. We use Funk Rock, which is generally affordable and comes via Amazon Prime if you're in a rush (Funk Rock also does a pretty great job with clothing and such that have cat pee on them, as long as you get them rinsed and treated relatively quickly): http://amzn.com/B004D5KJJA
Ummm...Amazon perhaps? $31.86 actually. Even more at mom and pop stores of course.
[https://www.amazon.com/Tide-Powder-Laundry-Detergent-Original/dp/B00CGCRIZ0/ref=sr_1_5_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1506694884&sr=1-5&keywords=tide%2Bpowder&th=1]
Where the F are you paying significantly less for Tide?
So what's your steps? Bleach wash, then RLR, then regular wash to get off all the chemicals? I'm looking at a giant lot of BG AIOs on craigslist and thinking of whether to do this.
Also, assuming this is RLR? https://www.amazon.com/RLR-Laundry-Treatment-Pack-5/dp/B007E2E706
I have "slightly hard water" but they recommend just using the hard water treatment I have this on my registry and hopefully will be able to try it out.
There will probably be a lot of different suggestions. I've always soaked my first gi in vinegar overnight (it supposedly keeps the color from fading, who know if its true but it doesn't hurt), then run it through a wash cycle in cold and hang dry.
As a lot of others have mentioned on Reddit, Charlie's Soap is fantastic and affordable for getting bad smells out of gis. It's non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and most importantly, has gotten even my oldest gis (close to 4 years old) smelling clean.
Here's a Link:
http://www.amazon.com/Charlies-Soap-Laundry-Powder-2-64/dp/B00AM16MZO/ref=zg_bs_15342921_2
Hey! I really recommend this powder:
https://www.amazon.com/Charlies-Soap-Friendly-Laundry-Powder/dp/B00AM16MZO/ref=dp_ob_title_hpc?th=1
The nice thing about it is that it can come along the ride with you on a carryon luggage -- I haven't had any problems with airport security with it, at least. I don't have sensitive skin, though. Amazon lists it as at least being sensitive skin friendly, though?
I wash mine immediately after practice (I live 1 mile from my gym, so maybe 15-20 minutes of after class chatting/getting changed/driving home). I use Charlie's Soap and hang dry everything when it's done. That tends to keep everything odor free. If something does start to smell, I'll wash it then while it's still wet I spray on some Clear Gear and hang dry.
i would love some soap nuts to help with laundry. i am unemployed and looking for work. right now i have only a bit of soap left for 1-2 loads. these soapnuts are more economically and environmentally friendly and last a long time. http://www.amazon.com/Eco-Nuts-Organic-Laundry-Detergent/dp/B0037G39IO
http://www.amazon.com/RLR-Laundry-Treatment-Pack-10/dp/B007E29GV6
I had a similar problem where about 1/2 hour in to my commute my skin would start to get irritated. I solved it by switching over to an active wear detergent. It seems regular old laundry detergent doesn't get out all the stuff you'll sweat in to a chamois, so it just builds up over time and starts irritating your skin and also smelling bad. I use https://www.amazon.com/Rockin-Green-Platinum-Powdered-Detergent/dp/B075MPKB9X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Active+Green&qid=1562694602&s=gateway&sr=8-1 , but I'm sure any active detergent would work fine. And as a bonus my bike clothes never smell now even after long rides.
I had the same problem and then I found this stuff, it’s been a game changer
Rockin' Green Platinum Series Active Wear Laundry Detergent Powder, 45 oz. - All Natural, Biodegradable, and Eco-Friendly https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075MPKB9X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_LWsRDbP4BWAM5
I use this stuff on all my BJJ clothes. Gi in cold water and nogi stuff in hot. Hang dry everything. Rockin' Green Platinum Series Active Wear Laundry Detergent Powder, 45 oz. - All Natural, Biodegradable, and Eco-Friendly https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075MPKB9X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DQyTDbRCPZ8KT
I'll throw in a recommendation for Charlie's Soap. I'm so sensitive that even the dye & perfume free detergents cause me to break out, but Charlie's Soap rinses out clean and I've never had a reaction. It's non-toxic, biodegradable, inexpensive, made in the USA, and works better than any laundry detergent I've ever tried. It's the only detergent I've used in my HE washer, and I have zero soap buildup after using it weekly, an average of four loads a week, for five years. It's not just the laundry soap, either - every cleaning product I've tried from Charlie's Soap has been fantastic.
I met the president of the company a few years ago and gushed at him like a fangirl for a good five minutes. It's beyond brand loyalty at this point; it's more like brand fanaticism. Seriously, the stuff is amazing, and as long as the Sutherland family keeps making it, I'll keep buying it.
Yep, Rockin Green's ammonia detergent is Funk Rock.
vinegar definitely helps but this stuff is awesome too: https://www.amazon.com/Rockin-Green-Platinum-Powdered-Detergent/dp/B075MPKB9X. my husband and I just add half a scoop to the load when it’s workout clothes or towels, and it’s made a huge difference.
If you have hard water you might want to try something like Charlie's Hard Water Treatment. Our diapers were getting stinky after we moved to AZ and this has helped us tremendously!
I’ve never bought sodium carbonate before...
does this look ok?
“Natural Washing Soda or Soda Ash, or Sodium Carbonate, 2 lb (32 oz) Multi-Purpose Cleaner, Water Softener and Stain Remover, Eco-Friendly Packaging (Also Available in 4 oz, 11 oz, 1 lb, 5 lb)”
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y3C8WKJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_x6OMBbQGT0W1Z
Charlie's Soap