Yep, Norwex. Just the teeniest amount is all it takes. Very environmentally friendly. Great for when we travel, too.

DD1 has been using Molly's Suds unscented powder for several years now. Sensitive skin and allergies.

DD2 has been using Nellie's All Natural Laundry Detergent for 5+ yrs. I used it for awhile.

Another here who uses Nellie's. Tiny scoop about a tablespoon came with the ones I've bought. I bought my last 2 tins way pre-pandemic at TJM and still have some left. When I finally run out I want to buy the big container from Costco -I usually see it advertised in the Spring, don't know if it's available all year long.

I've been using Nellie's, too, for about two years. I hate fragranced soaps.

You gals are great - as usual! Sounds like 3 good options to check out - thanks ❤

Do you have a Buff City Soap near you? Ours is new, and I was drawn in by the laundry display…LOVE it!! I was questioning the price, but the little thing is going to last forever. I got a scented one, (a ”local” scent, called The Hill), and it is just right!

I saw a big bucket of Kirkland powder at Costco today. Used to get great reviews before everyone switched to pods LOL. Thinking about trying it when I get through the + jugs of liquid I have on hand.

I recently started using Nellie’s powder based on recommendations here. So far, so good.

I rarely use liquid as it is not great for the machine. I use Cheer for colors and Grab Green which is available on line or natural stores for whites. Cheer has a very light sent, which I don't smell after the clothes dry and Grab Green comes in fragrance free. Grab Green is available as powder or pods.

This has been interesting reading tracking individual ingredients, the good and bad ones. We're on a septic system for the first time and also have a wonderful creek that we want to protect. Lots of places to buy, lots of size options and now I just want to find packaging that makes sense to go along with an all natural product. You'd think that would be automatic.

Indigo Rose it appears Nellie's is available at Costco online.

Whatsayyou, could you guess how long a bottle of Norwex would last if I did maybe three loads week? When we are traveling on our boat, we will be doing a lot of laundry by hand, and most likely the water will get pumped overboard. I'd like to use something safe for the environment, but I looked up Norwex and wowza is it expensive!

aok, yes, it is $$$! In the interest of full disclosure, I'm fortunate in that I have a friend who sells solely for the discount which she passes along to her customers. I would guess one package lasts me about six months for the two of us. When my friend felt I was going through it too fast, she suggested the magnetic ball which has cut down on the amount I use per load. I've found that when I wash by hand when traveling, I use just a very small amount....perhaps about 1/2 tsp per one bathroom sized sink.

I assume you've checked into laundry detergent specifically intended for nautical use?.

Tide Free

I assume you've checked into laundry detergent specifically intended for nautical use?.

Not yet, I just started looking into it. So far we just do laundry when we're back at the dock.

I rarely use liquid as it is not great for the machine.

Yikes. News to me. More info, @hcbm? Only fragrance-free laundry detergent here as well. I'm in Canada and use La Parisienne or President's Choice (Loblaws store brand). Years ago, when fragrance-free detergent was rare, I discovered Charlie's Soap through the GW forum. Truly scent-free. Just Googled and see it's still around. Home Depot Canada is selling a 100-load bag for $37. Hmm. That might be why I stopped buying it... :)

I began using Earth Breeze about a year ago, as part of my overall effort to be more environmentally conscientious. It looks almost like a dryer sheet, and you toss it in the washer with your clothes. It works beautifully! A sixty-load envelope of these little sheets is maybe 6x8 inches, and 1/2" thick. It's easy to store, easy to use, and gives great results. After deciding that I wanted to stick with it, I signed up for their subscription program so the next envelope just shows up in my mail. They offer both scented and unscented. EarthBreeze

Tartanmeup, I use a liquid detergent and have for a long time with no issues. Just in case I had missed something, I googled it and quickly came up with several trusted pages that said liquid is safer for your machine and also better for pretreating or spot treating as well as for greasy and food staines. Powder tends to be better for dirt and grass stains. Using too much of either (which can be one of the problems with pods -- along with the pod itself) can gunk up your machine, but liquid washes away easier. The quality of your water supply could be part of the equation too, but I have no issues with liquid laundry detergent. I've been using Method for years but cannot find it now. It has worked well and not been heavily scented. I want my clothes clean , not announcing my entrance into a room (I cannot believe they sell fragrance boosters on top of the heavily scented detergents, but that's another discussion). Picked up a bottle of Seventh Generation and will try that soon.

Ugh, I just wrote a long reply and puff, gone. Here I go again.

Tartanmeup, I used to be fairly active on the Laundry Room of Garden Web and learned a lot. There is a member Dadoes, who is a professional appliance repair person and generously helps many repair their machines. He has posted many photos of machines that he has repaired. They are often covered in gunk where you can not normally see. He has explained as others have that it is a combo of cold water and liquid detergent. He is not the only one, but he is the most experienced. I never wash in cold. I mostly use hot and sanitize and only use liquid for a few specialty items, like my down quilt. Since following the advice on the Laundry Forum I have noticed a vast improvement in my laundry and stain and freshness. My compact front loader came with my apartment and I have used it for 4-6 loads a week for 7 years. It is a total of 16 years old and going strong.

@hcbm - slightly OT but do you wash synthetics, that say wash in cold, on hot? DH has some relatively expensive golf togs that say wash in cold. I never wash anything in cold but have a hard time going warmer than warm for some of this stuff. I know hot isn't really that hot and I use hot quite often but not always. What say you?

Good to know - thanks!

We use Biokleen unscented powder. We have been happy with it.

The main reason I'm looking to switch to powder is an ingredient in liquid detergent is animal fat - a contributor to stinky washing machine syndrome. Whether that's all liquid detergents, some liquid detergents, or not even really a factor in odor, I figure it's worth trying powder. I always leave my FL door open, regularly run a clean cycle and hand clean around the gaskets - so gross. Knowing what builds up where I CAN see I can only imagine what I'm NOT seeing.

Method detergent is vegan - so no animal products, and the Seventh Generation lists ingredients -- all plant or mineral based. You could try either of them and avoid animal fat. I used other detergents in my old machine, but my current one has had only Method and Mrs Meyers Lavender (also plant based and no animal by-products) for about 3 years. My gasket is clean, my machine is clean. I will note that I have not been able to find the Method recently.