I use 7th Generation. Can't say I love it, but it's at least ok and is fragrance-free.

I've used all the varieties featured above except for 7th Gen and Biokleen liquid. None of them worked well at removing odors or stains except for Ecover. Ecover worked pretty well here, but it's sudsy and my drain pipe...couldn't keep using it. I tried, but we need to have chemical laden detergents here.

Thanks, mxh3 for your response. It's always appreciated. I never used either of these but I see a lot of people on here mention them from time to time so I was just curious.

SEA SEA, thank you as always for your insight. I know you've mentioned the Seventh Generation powder. I never seen it. I went to their website recently and it appears to have been removed.

Hi MWJ,

I got the 7th Gen powder (in a large pail) on Amazon during the wiped out shelves time of the pandemic. I don't think I've ever seen in it in a box or pail in a store, but we don't have the largest selection here; mostly liquids anyways. I have seen Planet powder on a shelf in the grocery, but since we didn't do well with more natural liquids, I passed.

I wonder if they stopped making powder over at 7th Gen? If you are not seeing it on their website, maybe? That's too bad if that's the case. I am on the fence about that powder (labeled as Professional), but overall, it was good to have and did well at keeping whites white.

Those liquids you have listed above are quite popular, even though we didn't have good luck with them.

Sea sea....I don’t know if you remember, but quite sometime ago we had a conversation about our Speed Queen washing machine problems when draining. I’m still struggling with it but, like you, am trying low suds in detergents. Right now, Kirkland. I put like 2T in a load. :-(

not sure if it’s helping much.

What are you using now?

In todays Sunday paper there is a coupon for a new detergent called '9 Elements'. They have 2 scents, eucalyptus and a lemon. I want to try the lemon. Still like my powders, tho.

Our Products - Vinegar Powered Laundry Care (nine-elements.com)

I have used Mrs. Meyers and Method detergents. I prefer both the scents and performance of Method detergent. I does a commendable job!

@doreycrouse thank you for the input! I've always wondered how these types of detergents worked. Especially when it seems as if the big news vendors such as Consumer Reports and the like, are suddenly pushing these brands over more traditional brands. I just wanted to be sure it wasn't just a marketing ploy as with so many other things unfortunately.

elbits, that's one I forgot to include. I remember recently seeing that brand as well. If you ever try it please let me know how it does.

@SEA SEA, Planet Powder? is that a newer "natural" brand as well?

Hi MWJ, I think it's been around a while, I haven't used it though. It's a natural type of detergent.

I haven't tried any of those but have tried Defunkify. I tried it in desperation when I was having stinky clothes due to my piece of junk Electrolux front loader. It didn't solve anything. I prefer powder detergents but will continue to use it on delicates until it's gone.

Recently got a bottle of Seventh Generation and must say it works pretty good. I've been using it for my colored and dark clothes, because it has no optical brighteners, so can't say how it works on whites or very dirty clothes. I always add STTP and ammonia with it though.

I have recently looked into Puracy.

They seem to have a fairly decent formula. Plus, their stain remover boasts SIX enzymes. Crazy.

Also, if anyone tries the 9 Elements detergent or 'softener', please make a review!

I was just flipping through the April BH&G magazine and there is an article about natural and newly available laundry products. One was a laundry wipe-like a dryer sheet-meant for washing. The amount of products on that one page was fascinating.

I think if one has laundry that is barely soiled, whether dirt or body oils, many of the natural detergents can and will work well. If you are like my family, no. We have to use heavy duty detergents. I've tried, given it a good long try in the past and all we got was perma-stink. But not every household has big laundry challenges. We are not one of them though. One of my kids was working in Europe for her university and traveling to different universities there to teach. I got her laundry sheets detergent to use while there to lighten her suitcase load. She said they seemed to not clean her clothing. She was not pleased with those and left them behind in Europe before she flew back to the US.

Doreycrouse,

If Puracy truly does have 6 enzymes than it would be on par with Tide.

Method by far, imo. A lot of their products truly clean. I've never been a fan of Seventh Gen, but would put them in a close 2nd. Eco's while smelling lovely, is actually the worst of this bunch.

I so appreciate all of your comments. Very helpful info, as always.

Anyone use Molly's Suds? Shop Now – Molly’s Suds

The stain booster has 6 enzymes, and the detergent has 4.

mxk3, I recently saw that on amazon, but never used it. I'd love to hear more about it if anyone has any experience with it.

I can’t vote as I don’t use any of them- most not available where I am except I have seen ecover in some stores.

momof5x, thank you for your input. I've yet to use any of these myself. But I'm interested to hear other people's experiences with these, seeing that these type of brands are becoming more common nowadays.

Tide PureClean unscented. Mostly plant based. Cleans same as regular Tide. Beats everything on the limited list.

I agree that Tide PureClean is a very good detergent. However, it's a bit too sudsy for my frontloader.

We use it in our Miele W1 front loader using the TwinDOS auto dispensing. No sudsing problems. Sudsing problems are usually from too much detergent or detergent build-up in clothes due to insufficient rinsing. Insufficient rinsing is a common problem on many modern front loaders. They simply use too little water. Relying on anti-foaming agents (which many cheap detergents use) is a just a chemical solution to poor rinsing. The detergent is still there in your clothes. You just don't see the extra suds.

I read some while ago on a report about detergents that some surfactants (cleaning agents that generate sudsing) are "engineered" to cling to fabric as a defense against soiling and to facilitate future washing/cleaning.

Luna

Just to clarify. Overdosing is not the case for my situation. My Frigidaire FL does an excellent job of rinsing. It does a hard spin after each drain and has a recirculating pump that sprays rinse water on the clothes during the rinses. I also add an extra rinse to all my loads for a total of 3.
Also, my area has hard water so over sudsing rarely happens. Over sudsing only seems to happen with the P&G made liquid detergents, such as the Tide line, Cheer, ERA etc. The P&G line of powder detergents do not do this. Also, liquid versions of other manufactures do not do this, such as All, Arm and Hammer, Sun etc. I have also been lucky enough to have access to European liquid detergents and they also do not oversuds like the P&G liquids.

TideMan_59, interesting that you don't get excess sudsing from A&H liquid. I don't use it but my mother does. I've occasionally run a load there when sitting with my dad and it can throw billows of suds if not carefully dosed, in an agitator toploader.

Dadoes, I agree. However from my experience (at least the one I use) the suds tend to collapse quickly once it has agitated for a while. The three A&H liquids I prefer are

1. Clean and Simple (crisp linen scent)

2. Scentsations (sun-kissed flowers scent) although it's becoming rare in the bigger containers

3. Fade Defense (sparkling waters scent) which seems to be a Dollar General exclusive.

if Dorey and Laundry Mich like Method, I'll have to give it a try again.

@MWJ '90: "Especially when it seems as if the big news vendors such as Consumer Reports and the like, are suddenly pushing these brands over more traditional brands."

Huh? The only one of these that CR tested is Seventh Generation, its performance was mediocre, and CR isn't "pushing" any of these products.