Last week I posted about my exciting discovery of soap nuts and NaturOli, the company who has turned them into the rock stars of the green household industry. Since that review I have had the chance to try NaturOli's Extreme 18x laundry detergent. It's a super concentrated solution made from soap nuts and its list of ingredients is not only short but 100% natural. I was so taken by the idea of the soap nut, nature's perfectly packaged laundry detergent, that I was reluctant to try 18x. However, I also realized that not having a more "conventional" form of laundry detergent available in my house would give my husband the perfect excuse to leave that household chore all to me.
After reading the instructions and tips I was a bit skeptical. It called for only 1 teaspoon of the solution for a medium to large laundry load! "Yeah right" was my initial reaction, but then I reminded myself that these are the soap nut missionaries. If they say it only takes a teaspoon then who am I to doubt? I poured the solution into my empty washer and filled it halfway, allowing the solution to mix with the water, before tossing in my load of towels.
An hour or so later my towels were dried and ready for inspection. They were clean, soft and smelled amazingly fresh without having any real scent or perfume. The 18x had done its job! I have used it on three loads since then (we crank out a lot of laundry in this house) and have had wonderful results each time! True the solution is not as green as the nuts in their natural form but it is certainly more eco-friendly than any other laundry detergent I know of. The tiny sample sized bottle seen in the picture is enough to wash 12 HE loads or 6 standards loads! The bottle is 100% recyclable as is all packaging.
What I Love About This Stuff
- It's made with only a few simple, all natural ingredients which are given in plain view on the label and on the website
- It is super concentrated so one large bottle will last me a long time, reducing the amount of plastic I have to send to the recycling plant and thus reducing my carbon footprint
- It does not stink, it does not smell like anything. It just smells clean. This is important as my daughter has respiratory issues that can be aggravated by perfumed detergents.
- No need for fabric softener! It softened my laundry naturally.
- It works! My white towels even came out brighter.
- Competitive price. You can purchase an 8 ounce bottle from NaturOli's site for $16.95. That is enough to wash at least 96 high efficiency (HE) loads and 48 standard loads! It will likely go even further than that as you can get away with using as little as 1/2 a teaspoon with low soil loads!
- Easy on your fabrics and on your skin! NaturOli started out initially as a natural skincare company, so they have a strong understanding of how certain ingredients interact with skin. This knowledge was also applied to their Extreme 18x formula. (See my recent review of their soap bar!)
- It's a product I can trust. My experience with NaturOli and it's president over the last month have instilled in me a trust in the integrity of their company and the products they offer. They are committed to educating consumers and this is evident in their literature, their website and in all communications I have had with them. Though they are quickly growing into a major contender in the green market, they continue to run the company as they started it- with that personal, hands on approach that demonstrates their commitment to quality and their respect for their customers, products, employees and, above all, our environment.
A Few Tips On Using Extreme 18x
- Once you've filled and loaded your washer, leave the laundry to soak for 15 minutes before beginning the cycle. This is not necessary but does allow the detergent to be even more effective. I did this every time with fantastic results. I set my kitchen timer so that I wouldn't forget about it.
- Pour the liquid into the water while it's running into your machine. This mixes it up well and even produces a little sudsing. Keep in mind that the presence or absence of suds means nothing. It's just something that we have been trained to look for by conventional soaps and detergents that contain nasty chemical sudsing agents. 18x is low sudsing but very effective.
- Don't over pack your machine. The laundry should have room to move around during the cycle. (This is recommended with any detergent.)
- Play around with your measurements. As I mentioned earlier, it is not always necessary to use a full teaspoon. Some loads will come out perfectly clean and fresh with only 1/2 a teaspoon! After a few loads you'll be able to judge for yourself how much is needed.
This detergent was a hit with me. I plan on keeping my laundry room well stocked with Extreme 18x and soap nuts.
If you want to give NaturOli this Christmas, visit their site and check out their adorable seasonal gift sets! But hurry. They only have so many of their seasonal soaps left and they won't last long!
