3 Cool (and Green) Alternatives to Your Laundry Detergent

It's really sad when you suddenly realize just how many dirty pieces of laundry you can create in under a week. I'd never really noticed it before Mr. Bean and I moved to an apartment that has a community laundry room rather than washers and dryers in each unit. Previously I could get away with washing a small load here, a small load there, and fluffing a stale smelling winter coat...all at no charge to me aside from electricity. No massive laundry day that I dreaded and procrastinated against for days and days. With the coin operated machines downstairs, these same loads can cost $3 or even $4 depending on how much I need them to be dry!

The good news, however, is that I've come across a few laundry acoutrements that make the whole task a little, shall we say, dull. No, I have not yet found a detergent that will do your laundry for you, but I have found a few products that are a bit unique and even interactive:

SoapNuts, which appear to resemble prunes (or cat poo!), are actually the fruit of a tree found primarily in India, Indonesia, and Nepal. They are 100% natural and are organically grown and processed. The outer shell of the soapnut contains saponin, a natural substance which company Laundry Tree claims is known for its ability to cleanse and wash. Accordingy to the website, SoapNuts “are incredibly gentle on clothes AND skin. They are especially great for those with sensitive skin — including babies and those that suffer from allergies, eczema, and psoriasis! They’re totally biodegradeable, so they’re better for the environment than regular detergent, and they’re antimicrobial, so they’re even good for septic and greywater systems!” Samples are available for $1.99.

Dropps are detergent packets made with a casing that dissolves in water (similar to Listerine Breath Strips). Toss 2-3 into your laundry load and you’re set. They are not tested on animals, won’t irritate your (or your baby’s) skin, and do not contain anything bad for the environment. Out of the three detergents this post covers, Dropps is the only one that I have actually samples so far. It seems to get my clothes as clean as All Free & Clear does, but the lack of smell (I bought unscented, it does come in a Fresh scent) made me wonder if my clothes were actually getting sudsed up enough. You can buy Dropps online or at your local Target or WalMart (I bought mine at a local WalMart for a dollar or two cheaper than what the Dropps website charges and saved on shipping, too) for about $5/bag.

Crunchy Clean is named after people who are “crunchy,” or who decide to “go green.” Made by a fellow Etsy seller, Crunchy Clean is a homemade laundry detergent that contains all natural ingredients, is phosphate-free and non-toxic, and planet friendly. It also claims to be safe for sensitive skin and babies. The cool thing? You can get this detergent in unscented or in your choice of over 50 fragrance oils and essential oils! I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited to wash clothes before seeing Crunchy Clean’s available fragrance list! Samples for $3.50.

Have you tried any of these, or are you planning to do so soon? Leave a comment and let me and everyone else know!