Laundry Soap Evolvement

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My whole relationship with laundry soap has been one of evolvement. Yep, I evolve in what is important and what is not to where finally I arrive at just the right place. I have “arrived” at my current laundry soap status for over 2 yrs and I think I am sticking with it.

Over 6 yrs ago, I went chemical free in our home to minimize any chemicals and to abolish potential health issues associated with toxins in cleaning supplies. The change in the health of one of our children was so major that he was released from a pulmonologist within the month of going chemical free with cleaners in the home. Basic cleaners in the home evolved to many areas in the home. Where I am today is on a soap box talking laundry detergent and cleaning simplicity and safety with children: Nowex Ultra Power Plus Laundry Detergent, Norwex Enviro Cloths and a basic spray: 50/50 water and vinager spray with Tea Tree oil as my fragrance of choice and the natural properties of disinfection. Growing up I was trained that a bathroom smelling like “pine” meant clean, so I trained myself to smell Tea Tree and have the same satisfaction. Plus it insures that my kids really did clean the toilet!

Over the last six years I have left couponing for laundry soap.

I have made several homemade solutions.

And I have tried most everything with a “natural, dye free, no fragrance” label

I was never hugely ” Wow’d” to the point where I felt I arrived.

I “arrived” by a friendly twisting of the arm by a friend. She knew I had a front loader washer and that with Norwex you can get 120 loads out of a $20.99 bag of Ultra Power Plus Laundry detergent. Yes, even with a top loader, you can get 120 loads~ just add a magnet ball. So to get her to stop twisting my arm, I bought a bag….. and folks, I’ve never looked back! Our clothes are clean, they smell fresh, and I save a bundle by using 1tsp of soap per load.

Using Ultra Power Plus Laundry Detergent by Norwex does several things for me: Satisfies me with the stain remover properties, the cleanliness and smell, hits a right price point at $ .17/ load as compared to $ .20-$ .35/load, AND it is biodegradable with no fillers so it is safe for our wetland septic system. Oh- did I say it doesn’t have synthetic fragrances which are one of the top toxins(ponder your dryer sheets, laundry soap, cleaners, etc.) in the home?

See the comparison. I spoke to a group of ladies a few months ago in regard to going chemical free and training your children to clean safely. This visual alone blows me away as it is almost 30 days old. The “Clear” is Norwex Ultra Power PLus, the “cloudy one” is a major market brand that claims being “free” with dyes and fragrances, but nothing about fillers, and the “blue, cloudy one” is again a major market brand with other items added for the sport enthusiast. I know which one I am picking!

Happy Laundry Days, Kathy

If you need arm twisting let me know! Otherwise check out some of the current specials:

Comments

10 responses to “Laundry Soap Evolvement”

January 16, 2012

Sandra Houtz

? on the norwex detergent … I have been using Tide due to the fact that we dairy farm and the clothes are always really nasty … it seems to be the only soap that will remove it all … do you feel Norwex is comparable? I also have a front load Electrolux HE …

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1. January 16, 2012
  
  The Urban Homemaker
  
  We live on a “ranchito”, i.e. small acrage, but have triplets and enough dirt to cover another home. We have used Norwex at 1 tsp just perfectly fine and it replaced Tide/ALL. We also utilize a wetland septic system and have high underground water channels. My purpose was to minimize any impact and I got this product which did great in both areas. Also I have friends who have husbands who are machinests, coal miners, and farmers.. The wife says she will use more when it is really bad, but not much more. I have heard 1 1/2 tsp per load to the Tb for the really dirty.. But for most they try a tsp which works, but for chore clothes- your call. I know my boys and husband and I would probably put 1-2 tsp just to make me feel better when the clothes were really bad! When I wash motorcycle gear or camping gear.. I am still at the tsp.
  
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April 19, 2012

Coleen Weller

I have a top loader and want to try the norwex detergent. Why do I need a magnet ball. I am unfamiliar with this? Please share….

Reply
1. April 19, 2012
  
  The Urban Homemaker
  
  Coleen- It is not required to have a magnet ball and use Norwex detergent. The magnet ball can be used in a top loader to reduce the amount of detergent needed. The laundry detergent by itself would be 1 T per load. With a magnet ball, which oftens the water and maximizes the cleaning of the soap the amount is 1 tsp/ load. The magnet ball is just such a help with reducing the amount of soap. It also is a help in the dishwasher if you have harder water. Your dishes get cleaner and no hard water deposits! Hope this helps, Kathy
  
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June 21, 2012

HOlly

I have a HE machine and the Norwex Detergent does not work with my machine. i have tried dissolving it in water first, adding it in powder form in the dispenser, and just putting it in with my cloths and nothing seems to work. The cloths come out smelly and still dirty. What else would you have me do? I really want to like it but I have ruined a few of our cloths by drying them when the stains are still there.

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1. June 25, 2012
  
  The Urban Homemaker
  
  Hi there.. I too have the HE machine and dryer and I thought it was my detergent too! It was not.. HE’s have a lovely history of back flowing when the catch needs cleaning. Once the catch is cleaned with all the tucky stuff the washer will resume it’s freshness in cleaning. Don’t use more detergent because as with our experience and that of other HE blogs the suds will get into the bearings, and cause the bearings to sound like a freight train in the last few minutes of spinning. We have had to clean out the catch ( remove front panel, unscrew catch screw and YUCKO clean out!).. I like to run vinegar through too ! Hope this helps.
  
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April 19, 2013

jo

there are some more recent studies about the Norwex Laundry soap…like it has ph levels between ammonia and oven cleaner…also includes phospates..I don’t know why people assume it’s chemical free…

Reply
1. June 25, 2013
  
  The Urban Homemaker
  
  Norwex Ultra Power Plus Laundry Detergent has a ph of 11.5 and contains a small amount of phosphate – under the legal limit.
  
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June 21, 2013

Beth Victor

Hey,
I am looking into this and wondering if I can put just a tsp of direct powder into my frontload Electrolux machine or if I have to dissolve it in water first before adding it to my machine. Thanks!

Reply
1. June 25, 2013
  
  The Urban Homemaker
  
  You do not need to dissolve the detergent in water with a front-load washer, although I do with my top-loader. -Karen
  
  Reply