Review/Giveaway: Charlie's Soap
Monday, May 10, 2010 at 1:06PM I feel like being way into soap is all part of a mothers work, work which is never done. The task I hear the most complaints about be it from my own mouth or from other moms is laundry. Laundry is literally never done. If only we could wear the same clothes all week long I might have a chance of catching up! Unfortunately with a baby that eats food comes very messy clothes. Not to mention my husbands bike to work clothes, nice work clothes on top of towels, blankets and sheets, it is a virtual mountain of work. If you hate doing laundry, kids might not be for you. I jest but really, it’s all about the laundry.
We try to be green but I also need to be economical and make things easy. I don’t want to wonder if my laundry soap is doing a good job. I don’t want to worry about what is in it that might irritate sensitive baby skin. I don’t want to think about it at all to be honest, I want to put the soap in and be done with it. Having a blog means thinking about things maybe a bit more then the average person. I need content for you after all and that means I basically obsess over small things like finding the best soap.
Cloth diapering brings its own problems since you aren’t “supposed to” use regular detergent on your diapers. Many diapers have strict policies on the soap you can use, meaning you void your warranty if anything else is used to wash them. One more headache none of us needs. So like most of you that leaves me searching for a cheap, effective soap that I can use on clothes and cloth diapers. Something natural or eco friendly is a huge bonus.
Enter Charlie’s Soap. Now I’m not going to sit here and pretend I came across some hidden gem or that you haven’t read a million reviews of Charlie’s Soap from cloth diaper mamas all over the internet. That just wouldn’t be like me. There are a thousand reviews out there for Charlie’s and if you cloth diaper I would venture to say at least 5 people have told you to use Charlie’s Soap. I won’t tell you what to do, but I can tell you what I think.
Charlie’s was nice enough to send me a bunch of their soap to test out. I got a bag of the powder, a small bottle of the liquid and a small bottle of the stain spray.
First the regular laundry powder. I was sent a 2.64lb bag of soap, using 1 tablespoon per load even in my HE washer that gives you 80 loads of laundry. Retailing for $15.49, that seems pricey but it actually equals .19cents per load of laundry. OK, that didn’t mean much to me either until I looked further. A 150 oz bottle of Tide at my local grocery store is $19.99. Based on the measurements, 150 oz will yield you 78 loads of laundry; simple math tells me that Tide will cost .25cents per load. That’s some good savings.
So, you can be green and save money, see, because Charlie’s Soap is totally all natural and biodegradable. Don’t you wonder what regular laundry detergent is pumping into the ecosystem? I mean, that dirty laundry water goes someplace after all and it goes there filled with phosphates and bleach alternatives, enzymes and brighteners. Those things are all well and good. I’m sure year’s worth of research went into bleach alternative. Millions of dollars even, to get you the whitest shirt possible. Personally though, I could care less about having the whitest shirt on the block. Keeping up with the Jones’ is not really my thing. What I care about is that my daughter’s clothes don’t come fresh from the laundry filled with chemicals and dyes. I care that the banana gets off her shirt and the grease is off my husband’s shorts.
I learned some other very interesting things while researching Charlie’s Soap, things I would not have thought about on my own ever. Like washing your children’s sleep clothes in other detergents, actually reduces the flame retardant quality. Charlie’s Soap on the other hand, increases the safety actually making it more flame retardant. Neat, right?
The best part about Charlie’s Soap for me is that it works. What other proof do I need? I read the information; I know it’s hypoallergenic, biodegradable, cost effective, all of it. But the fact that it does its job is all I need to know. I can throw my clothes in the wash, and know that yes, the banana is coming off. I can also accidently toss a cloth diaper in with the clothes and know I’m not voiding my warranty or worse, ruining a $20 diaper.
Charlie’s is the brand in this house. You will always find an adorable canvas bag sitting near the washing machine at the ready for my .19cent load.
Buy!
I encourage everyone to try Charlie’s Soap because you might just like it as much as we do! Take the plunge, visit Charlie’s Soap!
(If you hate Charlie’s Soap they will refund you, that is how confident they are that you will love it!)
Win!
Charlie’s Soap was gracious enough to offer one very lucky reader the same pack I was sent! It’s super easy to enter for this awesome prize!
Rules:
Mandatory entry must be completed before any additional entries will be counted
Each entry requires a separate comment
You must leave a valid email address so you can be contacted
Winner will be announced May 24, 2010 and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen
Mandatory Entry
Visit Charlie’s Soap and tell me three things in your comment…
- What kind of soap you use now
- What you would buy from Charlie’s
- Where you can get Charlie’s Soap
Become a Fan of Charlie’s Soap on Face book
Become a Fan of The Girl Is A Mom on Face book
Follow The Girl is A Mom on Twitter
Become a public follower via Google Friend Connect
Add one of my buttons to your blog! Post the link where I can find it (2 entries)
Subscribe to The Girl Is A Mom via Feedburner
Tweet about the giveaway, 1 Tweet per day please
“Win a Charlie’s Soap Pack from Charlie’s Soap @dosergirl http://ow.ly/1Jbtw
"
Good Luck!
Disclaimer: I did receive a free product for the purpose of review. I was not paid for a positive opinion. The opinions and ideas expressed above are my own, based on first hand experience. You may have a different opinion.
Laundry, charlie's soap, cloth diapers, giveaway, review in Giveaway, Reviews 
Reader Comments (99)
I use Charlie's, but that doesn;t mean I dont; want to win it, and try more Charlie's products!
I would like to try the laundry liquid soap one day.
I can get Charlie's from a cute organic store in Milford, NH called "Stork"
I am a fan of Charlie's on FB
a fan of "the Girl" on facebook
I follow"the girl" on twitter
subscribe to the feed
i follow va gfc
i have one of your buttons on my blog
http://www.treeswillbend.com
i have one of your buttons on my blog
http://www.treeswillbend.com (#2)
and tweet tweet
http://twitter.com/treeswillbend/status/13738836341
1. What kind of soap you use now - I make my own, but was using Tide FOREVER.
2. What you would buy from Charlie’s - laundry powder, wouldn't mind trying the all purpose cleaner as well!
3. Where you can get Charlie’s Soap - http://www.littlepaddedseats.com/ - a local shop for me!!
Fan of Charlie’s Soap on Facebook - heatherscholten
Fan of The Girl Is A Mom on Facebook - heatherscholten
public follower via Google Friend Connect
Subscribe to The Girl Is A Mom via Feedburner
I use Arm and Hammer, but that is because I don't have kids yet. I am trying to get a better system together before we are blessed with a bundle (or two)
I would like to try the Laundry Powder as well as the all purpose cleaner. I especially like the idea of the cleanser for toys and such.
Unfortunately, it is not available in my location. Thank God for the internet! I will just order online!
I'm a facebook fan of The Girl!!
I am subscribed on FeedBurner!
I use Charlie's and love it. Just wanted to give you a heads up on flame retardant clothing. It is BAD news. You don't want to buy it or put it on your little girl. The chemicals used in making clothing flame retardant are nasty and can cause neurological disfunction. Check out the book, "Death By Rubber Duck" for an in depth review of flame retardants in baby clothes. The likely hood of your child catching fire while wearing those clothes are close to 0. Use cotton nighties instead :)
1. i am trying out crunchy clean & rockin' green on my diapers.
2. i'd buy the all-purpose cleaner. and maybe the laundry detergent if i found it works well
3. there's no place really close to me that sell's Charlie's Soap. Bundle in Boulder, CO, might be closest
fb fan of charlies soap
fan of you on facebook
follow you on twitter @simplymerrier
public follower via google friend connect
button:
simplymerry.wordpress.com
entry #1
button:
simplymerry.wordpress.com
entry #2
subscribed by feedburner
http://twitter.com/simplymerrier/statuses/13753669428
I follow on twitter
I would buy their laundry detergent, currently we use some homemade, I can buy this at Earthfare
We use All Free and Clear now. However, I'd love to try and buy the Laundry Powder. It isn't available very easily however I can get it at Baby Awearness.
I'm a Fan of Charlie’s Soap on Face book.
I'm a Fan of The Girl Is A Mom on Face book.
I follow The Girl is A Mom on Twitter.
I'm a public follower via Google Friend Connect.
Tweeted ~ http://twitter.com/susanlanai/status/13772261121
I subscribe to The Girl Is A Mom via Feedburner.
tweet tweet
http://twitter.com/treeswillbend/status/13783483307
1. Kirkland Signature Lavender
2. All purpose cleaner, Laundry liquid, Laundry powder
3. I think it's only available online for purchase. The Whole Foods around me do not carry it yet.
1.I was using All Free & Clear, just switch to Charli Soap
2.Liquid Landry Soap & All Purpose Cleaner
3. @Green Bambino in Oklahoma City, OK
I follow Charlies Soap on facebook
I currently use Thirsties Pre & Super Wash for cloth diapers, All baby for my DD's clothes, and Purex for my boyfriend and I. I like that I can use this on all of our stuff!
I would buy the liquid detergent
I can buy it online or at Dancers Pointe in Pitts, Pa.
I follow This Girl is a Mom on Twitter
I like This Girl is a Mom on FB - Bethany Hritz
I follow you
1. I currently use Allen's Naturally on our cloth diapers and my daughter's clothes and basically any "name brand that happened to be on sale" that's unscented on the rest of our clothes.
2. I would buy the Laundry Powder.
3. I can get Charlie's soap from the Health Connection in Lincolnton, NC. (I'm really glad to know that!)
hotpepper71 at bell south dot net
tweeted: http://twitter.com/SnowflakeDay/statuses/13833786005
following on twitter as SnowflakeDay
email subscriber
I use All-free, tide detergents
I would get the laundry power
I can get it from medical park pharmacy in nc
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
charlie soap fb fan (michelle b)
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com