Charlie's Soap

[washabear]

Does anyone here use or know anything about Charlie's Soap? I see it mentioned frequently on another laundry forum, where it seems to have an almost cult-like following. I rarely see it mentioned here, though, so I was wondering whether anyone here has anything to say about it. Is it good?

Thanks.

 

[dixieland]

Charlies Soap

I have used the powdered version. I wasn't exactly blown away with it though. I also did not find the claim that no fabric softener is needed to be true.

If you're looking for a biodegradable detergent, Whole Foods has a good product from their store brand, 365. It smells like countrytime lemonade mix and washes/dries out to just a faint scent. At only $9.99 per bag of 80 loads it is not a bad deal either. The wash water has that great slippery feeling.

I would like to try the Charlies all purpose cleaner though.

 

[phillygrl]

Here's a link

It's for the FAQ page at Charlie's Soap, which by the way is a coconut based surfactant (detergent) and washing soda. Not a soap at all.

http://www.charliesoap.com/faq/

 

[srswirl]

It is a detergent...

If you read their site, you'll see why they call it "Soap" even though it's really a detergent. I am a convert. It's the best stuff I've ever used. The problem is, it DOES take time to realize their claim of not having to use fabric softner. Things have to be washed multiple times before you'll begin to realize the softness. You'll probably have to go through 1 80-wash load bag first. But...I stuck with it...and it's true. The stuff really works. For things that have never been washed, they retain the softness they have when new (and sometimes, depending on the fabric and how it has been treated, are actually softer than when new). For things that have been previously washed in other detergents, they'll need a few washings to get back to their original softness.

I absolutely hate the fragrances in detergents. Even the Tide Free I was using has a scent now. That's why I was trying to find something that was truly scent free. The Charlie's fit the bill perfectly. And...I haven't had any stain it could not get out.

It's certainly not a "miracle" detergent like some of that "cult-like" following you were alluding to claims (as in one wash and everything is miraculously soft)...but it is, in my opinion, better than Persil or other high-end detergents I have used. You just have to give it time for the full results. Once you see what it can do, you'll be hooked.

 

[washabear]

Thanks for the info!

 

[mihi]

We use both Persil and Charlie's Soap. My wife like the smell of using the Persil. I tend to prefer the Charlie's Soap myself, no smell. Both are excellent detergents and really clean the cloths well. Charlie's is a lot less expensive than Persil of course, which is very expensive.
But they're both excellent, just try them and use the one you like best. My guess is you'll want to keep both on your shelf. I do hear that using Charlie's all the time has some benefits, but we use both anyway and will continue doing this and are totally satisfied with both of them.
Mike

 

[whirlcool]

Is Charlie's Soap low sudsing?

 

[jeffg]

That's one of the FAQs. Yes.