Charlie’s Soap Laundry Powder (100 Loads, 1 Pack) Fragrance Free Hypoallergenic Deep Cleaning Laundry Powder – Biodegradable Eco Friendly Sustainable Laundry Detergent

I have sensitive skin and migraines, and figured out that I am allergic to regular scented laundry detergent. It makes me very itchy and the smell gives me a headache - I cannot even walk down the laundry aisle in the grocery store without feeling sick from all the overwhelming scents and perfumes. I have my own washing machine in my apartment, which is HE certified top-loading without an agitator, which is much safer and more gentle on clothes. Just because I have sensitive skin does not mean I am willing to sacrifice cleanliness. I expect my laundry detergent to still get the job done. I have tried several different brands of natural, non-scented, hypoallergenic, etc. which claim to be just as effective, but in reality do NOT work, and are an expensive waste of time and money, just to end in disappointment. This brand in particular is the best one I have tried, and the ONLY one I will use now. I live alone and only have to do my laundry once or twice per month. The one bag I purchased still lasted for over a YEAR!!! The bag is resealable which is a huge bonus. It comes with a little plastic scoop, and the recommend "one scoop per load" is plenty enough to get even a large wash cycle clean, using cold water. It has a gentle clean soapy scent that is not overwhelming and I do not get any headaches or itchy skin. I do not use traditional fabric softener anymore (like Downy), don't even get me started on that... It is terrible for sensitive skin, builds up a nasty residue on clothes and can damage your washing machine. I simply use vinegar and baking soda in addition to this laundry detergent and the combination is perfect, otherwise for whites I throw in a bleach tablet to help keep them white, or for sanitization. Since this laundry detergent is powder, I like to let my machine fill up with a little bit of water for a few minutes before adding the powder, so it will dissolve more easily. I have had no issues and have not needed to clean out my machine, which is something you are supposed to do regularly if you use traditional detergent and softener, since it builds up in the machine and makes it less effective over time. I hope this review helps people make smarter choices with laundry, since it can be difficult these days to know which products you can trust.

I have now used the soap in my high efficiency washer using only the measured cup for over two months and can write an informed review.Firstly, as stated elsewhere, after a few washes clothing does become softer and shinier if it has synthetic fibers in it (this probably because the fibers are not saturated with excess detergent). The overall stain removal of the detergent is excellent to very good and clothing does feel very clean to the touch, and works especially great in cotton linen and underwear.However, because it does not contain fragrances it can be a bit disorienting. Further, if one item with a strong smell is washed with others on occasion the other items might acquire the smell. For example, to be good to the environment we use 100% cotton terry shop towels in the kitchen as opposed to paper towels. If one towel is saturated in oils, its smell can migrate to other clothing items. This, of course, might happen with standard detergents but due to the perfume that they include it might be hidden away. So some thought might help when planning the wash (I confess we have not separated colors for years with rarely a problem).A particular plus of this detergent is that it amazingly removes **all** sweat smell from synthetic running clothes, something no other soap had ever achieved in my many years of running and biking and hiking. The clothes leave the wash and drier as new, which is quite something.An additional plus is that I am fairly sensitive to allergens and occasionally had unexplained "itch" attacks where I just felt itchy all over... even with hypoallergenic detergents. These "attacks" have not been repeated while using this detergent.Highly recommended and highly economic (do not use more than the amount specified by the included measured cup).*** 2011 Update ***I am adding an update to my 2010 review.First, I am lamenting the new packaging. From an eclectic canvas bag to a conventional plastic tub... Bring back the canvas bag!!!After using it for over a year I have to say that I have found synthetic clothes that do keep some smell in them even after using this soap... Still, the soap has outperformed all other soaps I have tried before.I am also finding that this detergent can get some natural pigments over cotton bleed (something that did not happen with Tide and other conventional detergents). Of course, I should be sorting the wash... so this is more of an operator error than a problem with the soap.Still, I continue to be pleased with this detergent and I have saved many dollars and weekly trips to the grocery store to get more detergent. Rating remains at a well deserved excellent.** 2013 Update **I am sorry to say that I found that after many washings, it appears that the detergent might make clothing stretch and turn "bigger". Keep an eye on it. I have compared it to (horror of all horrors) Tide Coldwater, and suspect that this Tide formulation is on pair...