I received a sample of Seventh Generation Natural Laundry Detergent Free & Clear from the GenerationGood Forum. I was originally very hesitant to try a chemical free detergent, assuming there was no way it could handle my laundry, especially my dog's laundry. Spoiler Alert...I'm a believer!
I decided to try it initially on my dog's blankets, as the ultimate pass or fail test. No matter how often I wash these blankets, they're always smelly, muddy and furry. I usually toss their blankets in the wash with 2 Kirkland (Costco) laundry pods and 1/4 c vinegar. I wash them on the cold cycle, extra rinse and then toss them in the dryer. The combination of double detergent and vinegar is usually enough to leave the blankets fresh for a few days.
To really give Seventh Generation a test, I washed the blankets on the same setting (cold, extra rinse) with no added detergent. I used 1 load of detergent, as measured on the cap. This was a little tricky...the cap didn't have the usual 1, 2, 3, etc. markers. There was a small graphic on the back of the bottle with instructions on how to use the indicators on the lid to measure your detergent. Once I found this, it was smooth sailing. I added my usual 1/4 c vinegar (as I add this to all of my laundry) and set the wash in motion. Once the cycle ended, I gave the blankets a quick sniff before tossing them into the dryer...so far, so good. I couldn't believe that they were fresh smelling and clean after 1 wash and minimal detergent. I tossed them into the dryer and back into the dogs little paws they went.
The blankets have now been on our bed for them for the last week and the only signs of dog are some white fur. I am definitely impressed with Seventh Generation laundry detergent. I love that it is chemical free, especially since my weird little dogs love to lick their blankets. I know that they are not ingesting any harmful residual detergent that may have been left un-rinsed. They have been a lickers since the day we adopted them, and this was never something that I considered until learning about #comeclean with Seventh Generation detergent. I have since given the detergent a shot on my own clothes on laundry day and got the same great results. As a sufferer from chronic hives, I'm always happy to remove chemicals and #comeclean whenever possible.
Overall, this is a great chemical free detergent and works well, even on the smelliest, dirtiest of laundry loads. It is more expensive than its competitors, but worth the extra few dollars for the peace of mind. Have you tried a natural detergent? What did you think?
