Washing soda, baking soda, or borax (or a combination of all three) would be good choices. I'd use each in moderation though. I think they all suggest something like 1/2 to 1 cup which seems like way too much. I personally use a combo of the three. I buy one box of washing soda, one box of borax and one 1 lb box of baking soda and mix all three in a large plastic container. I use a 1/4 cup when I want an extra boost.

The sodium percarbonate in Cheer powder is only a very small amount, not enough to be beneficial to clothing just enough to neutralize chlorine in tap water. A bleach activator? ?? For what? Cheer is marketed for darks who would want a bleach activator in their darks.

Andrew you don't want oxygen bleach boosters for your darks, you could try some Borax or a prewash but I think oxygen bleach for darks is not a good idea.

I never knew Cheer powder to have a bleach activator.

I bought a box of Cheer powder as suggested. I don't DISLIKE it but I don't love it either. I've have only done two loads with it thus far so it's really to soon to give an opinion. I WANT to love Seventh Generation liquid but I can't get stains out with it and as someone mentioned before after a few washes with just it by itself things develop a "funk" hence why I was looking for something to help boost it. Their All Purpose cleaner is to die for.

Anyone have an opinion on All Free & Clear liquid? It seems like everyone at Target has a huge bottle of it when they depart the laundry asile. With it being allergy sensitive maybe it is OBA free?

Sorry but All Free and Clear has OBA's. If you love Seventh Generation, have you tried their ultra plus formula? It's got a four enzyme combo and I've used it for years. I've phoned SG a few times and each time they confirmed the ultra power formula is their most powerful. It's carried at most Targets and Whole Foods.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't allergies typically brought on my the enzymes? Its just, that is what I thought.

Hi Enduring..actually enzymes are the least likely cause of allergies from laundry detergent. ..chemical perfumes are the most likely.

Andrew - you have a SQ top-loader, correct? If so, I honestly think you would love the Clorox Greenworks (either unscented or original). This may have already been mentioned.

Several of us have liked this liquid detergent for a long time but in soft water with a front loader, suds can be a problem. It is a powerful enzyme detergent free of OBAs. It has a really nice scent, too.

I'm not an OBA fan either. Sodium percarbonate is what I use. I don't like 7th generation powder, but the new ultra power plus liquid or something similar at Target seems better than their other products. I personally like Charlies soap, but it's love/hate it seems. Puracy detergent from their website or amazon is really good too, that and their stain remover. Those and German persil color megaperls and Miele ultracolor are probably my favorite non OBA detergents..oh and ecover powder zero is good too, has the sodium percarb in it. I could keep going..but those are my tops

I thought Persil Color Megaperls and Miele Colors both had OB''s. If not than I would see both if these being a much better workhorse detergent than Cheer powder.

My impression was that all the US Persils have OB..but the color German does not

Someone may have answered this by now, but All Free and Clear DOES have OBA's. If you pour the liquid into the cup, you can see a slight fluorescence. Also, I have used the liquid, and I didn't think much of it. In fact, I didn't get much cleaning at all from it. I really don't understand why there is no TOL, power-cleaner without OBA's! Europe seems to get this! When Persil arrived in the US, I was so disappointed that they didn't bring over their color gel without OBA's. I'm hoping that America will get on the bandwagon soon, but unless it is offered by P&G in pod form, I don't think it will get much traction.