Poopy diapers.

Laundry.

We sort it, wash it, dry it, fold it and put it away only to wear it and do it all over again.

We have regular detergent, high efficiency detergent, cold water detergent, this one is now "more concentrated, that one is "eco-friendly".  We have bleach, Oxy-Clean and Shout everything we can do to keep stains at bay. Fabric softener. Then we have dryer sheets and dryer bars. 

Does that about cover it?  I am sure that list could double in size easily.  How much is enough?  How much scent do we need to add into our clothes?  Has anyone ever stopped to consider why all of our products have such a strong fragrance?  Chemicals as we know them originated from the industrial revolution.  They were so strong smelling (as most toxic chemicals are) that no one would want them in their homes.  How do you sell something stinky?  Cover up the stink with a stronger smell.  Fragrance.  

Fragrance was voted Allergen of the Year in 2007 by the American Contact Dermatitis Society.  The composition of fragrances aren't usually listed on product labels.  The actual chemicals used to create each fragrance are different and again, where are the regulations for our products?

Do you know someone who has a sensitivity to smell?  That's because most smells are toxic compounds.  Fun, hey?  The real fun is that when we do laundry, the smells (among other chemicals) stick to our clothes so we can enjoy them all day!  I recall a recent commercial for a laundry product that boasted a prolonged release of smell.  If we knew what that really meant, it might not seem so appealing.   Not to mention dryer sheets.  The worst thing you could add to your laundry.  The most toxic.  Are we so concerned with static cling that we need to put a sheet of cancer causing chemicals in with our clothes? 

So how do you do laundry now? 

I have been using the Norwex Laundry Detergent.  No fillers.  No fragrance.  With a high efficiency machine, you need only half a teaspoon for a regular load.  My neighbour ran a couple loads of dirty diapers through my machine last weekend because hers wasn't hooked up during some renos.  That was an amazing time to see what this laundry detergent could do.  We ran her diapers through with a half teaspoon in the pre-wash and another half teaspoon in the regular wash. When lovely D pulled out a diaper, held it right against her face and breathed it in, I cringed.  I didn't really believe cloth diapers could be clean with one teaspoon of detergent, but they came out without a smell!  No urine, no poop, just clean!  We packed that washer FULL.  To top it all off, there were no poop stains left on the diapers.  Crazy. 

I will tell you this.  Most people with top loaders are not totally sold on Norwex Laundry Detergent.  For a top loader, you need to use two tablespoons of detergent which makes a big difference on the bill.  The high efficiency machines make better use of the detergent than the top loaders.  I know a number of ladies with top loaders who save the Norwex Detergent for their cloth diapers because the regular detergent causes skin sensitivities on their babies bums, but they (or their husbands) can't justify the cost of using Norwex Detergent for the rest of their family.   I guess they're saving their toxins for their bigger kids.

As far as stains go, the Norwex Stain Remover does work.  I used it successfully to get rid of a set in spaghetti stain.  I sprayed the stain and let it sit for 10 minutes and washed it.  The stain had faded but wasn't gone.  As the instructions said, I didn't put it in the dryer, but sprayed it again.  I wasn't planning to do another load that day, so I left it for the next laundry load.  The next day the stain got washed again and came out SPOTLESS.  Cool.  I usually give up on stains.  I would suggest using the spray on a fresh stain and then just setting it aside for the next scheduled load instead of waiting a mere 10 minutes.  The enzymes in the spray need a bit more time to get at tough spots.  The thing that made me happy about the spray is that I rubbed it in with my hands and they weren't irritated as they would have been had I used my old Oxi-Clean.   Not bad for my skin, not bad for the environment.  Good enough for me!

I ditched my dryer sheets for a pair of Norwex Laundry Balls.  They are awesome!  Static is easily avoided as long as you don't over dry your cloths.  Our clothes all come out soft and fragrance free.  I never have to buy dryer sheets again!  This also makes me happy.  Each time I realize that I never have to buy something again, I smile.  :)