A Natural Alternative to Dirty Laundry (Detergents)

With just three weeks and five days left until Emmy's due date, I'm in full baby prep mode. Unfortunately, life has a way of throwing curve balls when you least expect or desire them, so while I'd love to be scrubbing the house from top to bottom and baby-proofing everything, I'm stuck with furniture pushed against walls, and needing to switch out bowls of water catching leaks from our ceiling. Don't worry, our landlord knows and is having it fixed (hopefully before we're bringing an infant home). Just one of the fun challenges of a rainy September in an older house. But while I can't control everything, one thing I can do is make sure all the baby clothes, towels, sheets, and other fabrics that will get anywhere close to her are freshly laundered in a safe detergent.

If you follow me on Instagram (@Coffee.Clothes.Repeat) you probably saw me post a picture of soap berries earlier this year with the promise of a review. Well I'm finally following up on that promise, and bonus, I've decided to review three natural alternatives to traditional laundry detergent. Now at this point, you may be asking what's wrong with good old Tide, right? In my first trimester, when the natural impulse to avoid anything that could possibly harm baby took over, I read up on the most toxic items in the typical household. Near the top of almost every list? Laundry detergent and dryer sheets. I'm not a scientist, so I'm not going to attempt to explain each unpronounceable ingredient, but if you're curious, check out the Environmental Working Group's guide to laundry detergents. You can search the specific brand you use and see how it rates on health and environmental impact. If you need more convincing, the study referenced here linked prenatal exposure to chemicals found in dryer sheets and air fresheners to a decrease in the child's IQ. Having worked in public education, including our school's gifted program, I can tell you that a 6-7 point difference is kind of a big deal. I know it's nearly impossible to avoid exposure to all harmful chemicals all the time, but the way you do your laundry is such an easy thing to change, I believe it's totally worth it.

Now let's get to the good stuff. It's worth noting that I have been using soap berries (brand linked below) exclusively since May and only recently decided to branch out to other natural brands. However, although my exposure to Planet and Molly's Suds is limited, I've done enough laundry with each to give an honest review.

Soap berries by NaturOli

1. First Impressions

The first time I heard of soap berries was on an episode of Shark Tank when a specific brand, Eco Nuts, pitched a detergent alternative found in nature. Soap berries are the outer shell of a berry that grows in the Himalayas and they work by breaking the surface tension of water to penetrate into clothes, removing dirt and grime. They have a very mild, almost apple scent, but leave clothing completely scentless after washing. After some research, I ended up ordering my soap berries from NaturOli on Amazon. I'm sure many brands are similar, but I was looking for a good starter kit and the price was right. The main things to look for are that they are seedless and not sourced from China where they do not meet the USDA's regulations.

2. Ease of Use

Soap berries are used 5-7 at a time in a muslin bag. As they agitate in the washer, they start to break down and lose their "soapiness." For that reason, you'll need to change them out every 5 or 6 washes, although this number is different for everyone depending on the size of the load and the heat of the water. I ended up switching out the soap nuts more often just to be on the safe side. If you're not into using the muslin bag method, there are recipes online for creating a liquid detergent that can then be frozen in an ice cube tray. I ended up doing this about two months ago and greatly prefer popping an ice cube into the washer over changing out the muslin bag and trying to remember not to throw it into the dyer.

3. Product Effectiveness

I've never noticed any problems with soap berries as our only detergent. Clothes, towels, and sheets are all left completely scentless, absorbent, and soft. One thing I will note is that without optical brighteners, white laundry does start looking a bit less white, even when washed separately in hot water, but I don't think that can be blamed on this product. Thankfully there are natural solutions such as sunning your whites every so often.

4. Cost

As you can see, I purchased my soap berries for $18.95...back in May! We still have at least 20 loads of detergent left, so let's just say this product has lasted us five months. That's only $3.79 per month on detergent, or about $0.15 cents per load given around six loads of wash per week (which is a modest estimate if I'm being honest). Clearly this product is extremely cost effective.

5. Closing Thoughts

If you can get over the fact that this soap literally grows on trees, this is about as natural as you can get with laundry. It is just as effective as any other detergent I've used, and I like that there is absolutely no need for a fabric softener.

Molly's Suds Laundry Powder

1. First Impressions

If you've looked into cloth diapering, you've probably come across Molly's Suds before since they make a product specifically for cloth diapers. Since I'm going the easy flats, prefolds, and fitteds route of cloth, I don't need a specific detergent, so I decided to pick up the normal powder. If you're like me, the first thing you do when you get a new detergent is to take a big whiff. Do not, I repeat, do not do this with Molly's Suds. Although the product is artificial fragrance free, it is scented with peppermint essential oil and it is strong. Overall, I like the packaging and that it comes with a cute little scoop for the powder.

2. Ease of Use

After going to the freezer to grab a detergent ice cube for a few months, simply adding a spoonful of powder to the washer is super easy. I will say that Molly's Suds could work on their resealable packaging though, because it's not exactly easy to close.

3. Product Effectiveness

At first I was worried that the strong peppermint scent would linger in the clothes, but I was pleasantly surprised that it disappears after you run the washer. I decided to put this detergent to the test right away by first using it on a batch of beach towels that may or may not have been left in a ball to dry. Gross. After a scoop of Molly's Suds and a hot water wash, the towels smelled fresh and clean with only the tiniest possible hint of peppermint. Keep in mind that I have a super sense of smell thanks to pregnancy. I've also used this detergent with cold water on clothing and didn't notice any lingering smell. Score for Molly's Suds!

4. Cost

A bag of Molly's Suds, which is 70 regular size loads, runs $13.99 at retail price. Normally I'm a huge believer in the theory that the more you have on hand, the faster you'll go through it, but with measured things like laundry detergent, I know that you can typically save a lot of money by buying in bulk. If you have a Thrive Market subscription, the cost of a bag of Molly's Suds drops to $9.95. Let's say you buy five bags at a time to qualify for free shipping, and you've saved $20.20 by buying in bulk. Since a not-so-natural brand such as Tide is also around $10 or $11 for 64 loads, I'm willing to bet you'd at least break even by switching to Molly's Suds.

5. Closing Thoughts

There's something appealing about the brand overall, possibly the cute owl on the packaging. Compared to how long soap berries have lasted, this might not be quite as cheap, but I'm willing to drop a few extra dollars on a product that I feel truly gets the job done. After the beach towel test, I believe this is one of those products!

Planet 2x Ultra Laundry Detergent

1. First Impressions

This is the most traditional looking of all the products I've used since it's a simple liquid you pour into a cap and then into the washer. It also suds up the most, which I know a lot of people associate with better cleaning power. However, this is my least favorite "scent" out of the three. It doesn't smell bad, but it kind of smells musty, and slightly like plastic.

2. Ease of Use

Pour to the first line for a normal load. Pour to the second line for a large load. Can't get much easier than that!

3. Product Effectiveness

Much like the other products, this one leaves no smell, so the initial scent doesn't really matter. I decided to test this on a load of baby clothes in cold water and then our sheets in hot water, and both came out clean, soft, and scentless. Maybe it's the bubbles, but I feel like this product would do pretty well on some more heavy duty laundry, so I'll be sure to update this post if I'm less than satisfied once I've had the chance to wash some gym clothes.

4. Cost

Planet Laundry Detergent retails for $12.99 and can be found on Thrive Market, Amazon, and in some Wholefoods locations. I ended up ordering the 2x Ultra variety, which is supposed to contain 32 loads, from Thrive Market at their member discount for $7.95. If you don't have a Thrive Market membership, another option is to subscribe to this product on Amazon for $8.34 per jug. Either way, this product is definitely the least cost effective of the three, though still not bad when you consider how much better it is for your health compared to typical detergents.

5. Closing Thoughts

I have yet to decide if this is a detergent I'll re-purchase, even though it works very well. One cool thing about the jug itself is that is is 100% recyclable and is made from mostly-recycled materials. Based on cost, scent, and brand-appeal, I'm more likely to return to soap berries or Molly's Suds, but this is still a solid option and the most "traditional" if you're looking to make a very easy transition into natural detergent.

What about dryer sheets?

With all three natural detergents, your clean clothes are left completely scentless. I'm fine with that, but if you'd prefer a traditional "clean" smell to your clothes, one option is to use essential oils on a wool dryer ball. Wool dryer balls, like these, are a natural way to soften laundry and reduce drying time. Mine just stay in the dryer (except when they get caught in a fitted sheet) and run with every load. After letting your clothes dry completely, you can add scent by putting a few drops of your favorite essential oil on one of the dryer balls and running a heat-free spin cycle for 5 minutes. The quality of essential oil does make a difference, so don't go cheap! Use a reputable brand that you'd feel comfortable breathing in during aromatherapy, because you'll basically be doing the same thing by breathing it off your clothes. Cheaper oils can also leave stains on your fabrics, I know from experience, so save yourself the pain and use a good oil.

I hope you've found these reviews helpful! I'd love to hear about your experience with natural detergents, and whether your favorite made my list.

Cloth Diapering: What and WHY?!?

As soon as I found out we were expecting, the research began. At some point in those early weeks, I stumbled upon, and decided to go with, cloth diapering. That announcement always gets a reaction. Some people are genuinely excited to hear our choice to cloth, and eagerly want all the details. Other people respond with disgust, as though I had just announced we had decided to give up all technology and live in a hut. My husband has heard, “I give it a week” from many co-workers, to which I respond, “they clearly don’t know me.”

Just like everything else related to pregnancy, birth, and babies, people seem to have very strong feelings one way or the other. Now I’ll be honest, I can’t exactly remember what made me decide to cloth diaper, but as I look back, here are some of the main reasons we are going with cloth. This is based on my own opinion, lifestyle, and research, so if cloth is not for you, I’m not trying to say there is anything wrong with disposable diapers. But if you’re on the fence, maybe these are some reasons worth considering.

*I am 34 weeks pregnant, so I’ll come back and write a follow-up once we’ve actually started cloth diapering. However, for those who don't personally know me, I tend to be over prepared and over-researched on topics that interest me, so I feel pretty confident posting this before we actually start cloth diapering. Here’s to hoping I don’t eat these words later.* :)

My Reasons to Cloth Diaper

1. Cost
Pretty much anywhere you look on the topic of cloth diapering, you’re going to find wild claims about how much less expensive cloth diapering is. I’m always a bit wary of such extreme claims ($500 rather than $3,000!) and figured I better do the math for myself. The first thing I have to admit is that I am not a bargain shopper. I don’t clip coupons. I don’t hunt for deals. And I also don’t pick a brand just because it’s affordable. I have plenty of friends who are amazing deal hunters and probably spend as little on disposables as I will on cloth, but I know myself, and I know that would not be the case for me. Also, after researching the different types of cloth diapers, we decided to go with flats, prefolds, and covers, with a few all in one diapers for when we are out and about, so our cloth diapering style will cost us around $13 a month if Emmy is in diapers for 24 months. Maybe that can be done with disposables with the right amount of coupon stacking, but I think $13 sounds pretty amazing, and I’ll take it.

2. Health
The first point and second point are very connected for me. The main reason I’m not a coupon clipping bargain shopper is that I try to be health conscious with everything I buy. Before becoming pregnant, I was already switching my personal care products from traditional brands to organic brands. At the risk of sharing too much online, I switched to organic tampons and pads as well. Now, if I’m going to be that careful about what goes on my body, why would I feel comfortable slapping a mainstream diaper on my newborn? Many of the materials and substances in diapers, what makes them so absorbent, are chemicals that I can’t pronounce and that don’t seem very safe when you research them one by one. Babies spend at least their first two years of life constantly in a diaper. That kind of exposure to chemicals I’m not comfortable with is an option I’d like to avoid. To choose organic “green” disposable diaper options would more than triple the cost of disposable diapers for my baby, so back to point one, cloth makes more sense for my family. It's worth noting that the quality of cloth diapers can vary quite a bit, but we're choosing organic options for the cloth that will actually touch the baby's skin.

3. Cuteness
If you’ve never looked into modern cloth diapering, look! I know I haven’t even started diapering yet (6ish weeks to go!) but I’ve fallen in love with the variety of styles and prints available. From tiny newborn all in one’s by Lil Joey’s, to watermelon printed covers from Thirsties, there is something undeniably adorable about cloth diapering options. Enough said.

4. Fewer Blowouts and Rashes
The majority of people I know who cloth diaper, but who have also experimented with disposables, swear there are fewer blowouts and rashes with cloth. My mom old-school cloth diapered four children, two at once most of the time, and said she never experienced problems with either. Although the look and functionality of cloth has changed since then, the absorbency and comfort of natural fibers hasn’t.


Now that we’ve covered my main reasons for going with cloth, here are a few of the FAQ’s I’ve been asked by curious family/friends.

1. What about the cost of electricity and water? Won’t that undermine your savings?
This is a valid question and something I looked into extensively. With the addition of any family member, you’re going to have more laundry. However, with the flats, prefolds, and covers I’ll be using, I’ll only be adding three small loads of wash per week, and line drying. Because we had already switched to an organic, natural detergent, baby clothes can be washed with mommy and daddy clothes in our home. I know many families use a different detergent for their baby, so I imagine three extra loads of wash a week is pretty standard for all homes welcoming a new baby. So in short, no, I don’t see our water or electricity bills going up because of cloth diapering.

2. What about the poo? Why would you want to deal with that mess?
Newsflash about babies, guys. They poo no matter what kind of diaper they’re in. Now, the great news is that exclusively breastfed babies have water soluble poo. Those first six months of diapers get a rinse in the wash and then a normal wash cycle. Easy! After food is introduced, I’m hoping to be messing with less poo than I would in disposables simply because we won’t have the diaper blowout issue. At that point, my plan is to use organic disposable liners inside the diapers until the poo becomes the solid sort that can be flicked into the toilet.

3. What about when you’re out and about?
Wet bags. Just like you’d politely tuck a soiled disposable diaper into a plastic baggy and put it in your diaper bag to dispose of at home (because who wants to stink up a family member or friend’s house?) cloth diapers get tucked into a reusable wet bag. Once you get home, you can simply drop the diaper into your diaper pal, and throw the turned-inside-out wet bag in there as well. They get washed and you’re ready to repeat.

4. Well that’s cool, but what about daycare or staying with family members? They won’t use cloth.
Actually, just like day care and (hopefully) family members will give breastmilk rather than formula in a bottle if you provide it, most daycares have no issue with the pocket or all in one styles of cloth diapers. They’re exactly the same as disposables except you drop them in a wet bag instead of a trash can once they’re changed. If you provide it, and possibly give a quick tutorial to the staff if they’ve never cloth diapered before, you shouldn’t have a problem using cloth on your child.

Our Cloth Diaper Stash
We have been lucky enough to find some amazing deals and also have been given some generous gifts to help us get started with cloth diapering. Because we'll have enough changes to get used to with a newborn, I decided it would be worth it to have a dozen all in one diapers to make nighttime changes easier. Our current stash should last us quite a while, but adding the next size up of covers and organic prefolds will be under $150. Rumor has it that many cloth diaper suppliers have good Cyber Monday sales, so you can bet I'll be shopping those!

12 Newborn size all in one diapers (Lil Joey’s and Bumgenius)
12 Newborn (5-10 lb) size prefold diapers (Osocozy)
12 flat diapers (big squares you fold into diaper shapes…it’s actually really fun!)
12 Infant size (6-15 lb) prefold diapers (Osocozy)
4 Newborn size diaper covers to go over the flats or prefolds (Rumparooz)
6 size one (6-18 lb) diaper covers (Thirsties)
2 one size all in one diapers (Thirsties)
1 size one pocket diaper (Applecheeks)
3 Snappis (these hold the prefolds and flats in place like a modern safety pin)
36 cloth wipes (although we will be using the free Honest Company samples we got first)

I hope you've enjoyed this post on why cloth diapering is the right move for our family. Once again, if cloth diapering isn't for you, that's totally fine! I appreciate when people don't judge my choice to go old-school, so I also respect anyone's choice to embrace disposables. If you have any questions, or maybe recommendations if you're an expert cloth diaperer, leave me a comment below!