The name "Charlie" has special significance to me as my grandmother's second husband was so named. We called him "Daddy Chuck". Furthermore, and more importantly (to me, anyway), is that my dad's middle name is "Charlie". No, not "Charles" ... "Charlie". Jon Charlie. I love it.
I've been on a mission for several months to find a laundry soap that is convenient, cleans our clothes well, and is kind to the environment. Is that really hard to do? Apparently, it is.
In college and when I first started housekeeping, I used Tide. I liked the fragrance and didn't know how to judge a laundry soap other than by its cover. I didn't know how important it was to read ingredients on anything but groceries, and I only cared that my clothes smelled clean. As our young family outgrew our budget, I switched to brands that were more budget friendly, then came back to Tide ... for the smell! ... then, due to pressure from the tree-huggers in the PNW and my own desire to learn, I started investigating environmentally-friendly ones. I eventually found Mrs. Meyer's and fell in love. Then I learned about making my own so used that for a short while. A very short while! It didn't end up being very thorough so I found it a waste. Then it was Mrs. Meyer's again.
Then ... enter Charlie's Soap. I think I hear the angels sing when my washing machine is running now.
You assume that I jest, but I fully do not.
The packaging is rather old-school and there's no added fragrance--not even essential oils. The text on the bottle says something like, "If you want fragrance, go pick some flowers." Their premise is this: If the detergent gets the fabric clean, you don't need fragrance because the smell of clean is so wonderful. Neither do you need fabric softener because clean clothes apparently don't become static.
I fully concur ... I've washed several loads (even sheets, especially known for static cling in the winter!) and the smell of clean is definitely there and static is a thing of our past. Clean clothes will last longer, too, so I'm saving money there, too. The small bottle in the photo with the two black caps will wash 32 loads and costs me $8.99. Since it also covers softener AND cleans thoroughly yet safely, I find it budget friendly.
I can buy Charlie's Soap at my local grocery store, but after an internet search, I found that you can purchase it at Whole Foods and at many children's clothing stores (as it is safe for baby clothes and especially cleansing for cloth diapers). It is also available at Amazon, but it is quite a lot more expensive.
So there ya go ... the Laundry Detergent Saga at the Circeo House. What's your saga? Do you know what the ingredients are in your detergent and how they can not only affect the environment, but also your skin health? What detergents do you use? Read the ingredients and learn!
[PS-just like with my reviews of restaurants around these parts, I don't receive remuneration for promoting Charlie's Soap. A year's worth of laundry would be great as would be a laundress, but you know ... I just do my thing.]
