My chunker just turned sever months old! She has been doing plenty of pushups lately, but still shows no signs of crawling soon. I don’t blame her. Getting those chubby thighs moving would be an ambitious undertaking. She is our most mellow baby yet, so I don’t see her becoming mobile too quickly. I can’t say I am not relieved by that thought. I need to magically grow another arm before yet another baby is up and moving. I am convinced I will soon be pregnant with twins just so the world can force me to throw my hands up and admit defeat. I feel like I am just now really getting into a groove again. Since my body is certainly going with that nine months on, none months off thing, maybe my brain is also on that wavelength. so, I have two more months to pull my head out of the clouds?
Anyway, on with the domestic chat…….
*sponsored by all free clear
How long has it been since we had an edition of the Detergent Wars? If you are an old reader here, you might remember me being a little laundry obsessed. A little. I’ve been known to have nine detergents going at once. Part of it stems from cloth diapering, part of it stems from troubleshooting our stinky athletic wear, and a big part is finding the most efficient way to get things clean in coin operated machines. Now that we have our own washing machine, one would think it would all be easier. Well, our washer is a lovely harvest gold colored beauty from 1972 and it doesn’t work all that well. So, the Detergent Wars continue!
The Detergent Wars started due to the supposed complexities of cloth diaper laundry. Well, it doesn’t have to be that way! It really can be simple. Seriously. I have cloth diapered three babies so far, and my wash routine is simple for simplicity’s sake. How else do we get anything else done?
Let’s talk about all free clear brand products. Remember those commercials with “the power of A-L-L”? I’m no stranger to all free clear. I’ve used the liquid and powder detergents quite a bit over the years. It was a challenge with the outrageously hard water in our previous apartments and house, but in our new neighborhood, we have a new water source. I can basically do the Detergent Wars all over again!
All free clear has been a decent cloth diaper laundry choice since it is free of dyes and artificial fragrances. With all, you are free to be simple.
I originally started using all free clear because it was eczema safe ( National Eczema Association (NEA) Seal of Acceptance™!), affordable, and my local grocery store actually carried it. As those of you who cloth diaper know, it can be a hassle to find cloth friendly detergents that don’t involve obscure websites with heavy duty shipping costs. Admittedly, I prefer powder detergents, and I have had great results with the all free clear powder. However, my local store only carries the liquid, so I decided recently to give the liquid mighty pacs with stainlifters a whirl.
Washing your cloth diapers with all free clear packets
Since all free clear is free of dyes, perfumes, and is 100% hypoallergenic, it can be a decent choice for your diaper laundry.
- Run diapers through a pre-rinse with cold water.
- Add TWO all free clear packets to load. (If you have an he machine, you might want to only use one mighty pac. Also, never put the packet in a detergent dispenser. Just place it right in the drum.)
- Program washer to the longest wash cycle (heavy duty) with hot water wash. If you have a warm rinse option, go for it, otherwise a cold rinse is fine.
- Optional second cold rinse for very soft water or very large loads.
Ingredients: anionic and nonionic surfactants, enzymes, Stablizer, brighteners (Sodium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Ethoxylated Lauryl Alcohol, Sodium Silicate, Sodium Cocoate , Sodium Xylenesulfonate, Stilbene disulfonic acid triazine derivative.
*A note about brighteners – some people are anti-brighteners since they simply make fabrics appear brighter due to reflective silicates. I have never had an issue with these, nor have they aggravated my son’s eczema over the years.We have been using all free clear products on and off on our cloth diapers for five years with out an issue.
Using my normal diaper laundry routine above, my diapers come out smelling clean and looking clean. Luckily, I have not had any issues with repelling or residue while using the Mighty Pacs. The only times in the past I had issues with any all detergent was if I did not do a pre-rinse. I use it as any other detergent for regular laundry. I highly suggest two packets for large loads, or loads filled with stinky athletic wear. The longest cycle on my washer is only 14 minutes, and I have not had any issues with the packets dissolving. For extra savings, I am checking my local Costco to see if they carry these.
Overall, I like the all free clear mighty pacs. It is one of the few liquid detergents I will use, plus the packets keep me from overdosing my laundry with detergent, which is something I tend to do far too often. Way to keep me in line mighty pacs!
Be sure to checkout the all free clear sweepstakes! They are sponsoring a giveaway for a Peanuts prize pack!! Remember Pig-Pen? Post a picture of your own little Pig-Pen child on facebook/twitter/instagram for a chance to win! More details on the all Laundry Facebook page.
*As with all detergents, keep away from children. Sponsored by all free clear.
I love that I have found this blog post. I have been using all free clear for almost 2 years now on my cloth diapers and have not had any issues with repelling, stink, build up, etc and no rashes on either of my cloth diapered babies. I was recently told that all free clear is not good to use on cloth diapers because there is a particular ingredient in the detergent that is caustic to the diapers (I am not sure what ingredient that is though). I have been washing my diapers every other day for almost two years in all free clear and am now a bit hesitant to continue because I need my diapers to last me through as many babies for as many years possible to help save money and I do not want a detergent to ruin (so to say) my beloved diapers. Do you have any input or suggestions? have you heard this too? I would like to know that name of the ‘not safe’ ingredient so I could research myself about it.
(side note: I have tried Tide, Persil, Country Save, BumGenius, and Rock in Green detergents with no luck at all. Can not stand the smell of Tide and Persil; my daughter is allergic to Country Save; and BumGenius and Rock in Green caused major stink and build up issues) I thank you for any help or insight you may have on continuing or not continuing to use all free clear on my diapers.
I do not know what would be “caustic” compared to other detergents. plenty of commercial detergents have similar formulas to natural ones, but with different names for the ingredients. However, all does have optical brighteners. Which are really just little bits of shiny stuff to reflect light to make whites and colors SEEM brighter. Some people seem to have skin sensitive enough to be mildly irritated by brighteners. Most do not. There used to be some speculation about brighteners harming PUL, but it is mostly unfounded considering the harsh ways hospitals wash their PUL containing items without degradation. There is a brightener free all free clear available, but it is generally only found in military commissaries for washing uniforms and fatigues. I would say if your diapers are still going strong after two years of washing very other day, then you are doing all you can. I find if a diaper is going to last, under ANY conditions, it will show what it is made of within the first six months. Most decent diapers will outlast the retailer who sold them.