1. Why is it necessary to clean out the machine with two scoops of Charlie’s Soap Laundry Powder on the first use?
Most detergents leave perfumes (cover scents), brighteners, and/or fabric softeners on your clothes that can cause chemical allergies.
These additives are designed to stick like glue (how else could they leave all those things behind?), and therefore stick to
your washing machine as well. Even detergent manufacturers that claim to not include these additives really do because their detergents
don't really clean at all, but cover up that fact with these masking additives. Amazing!
Two scoops of our powder, along with some old towels or shop rags, will be more than enough to loosen these deposits.
No problem. After this first load, shake the towels and your machine should be properly prepped for use. It may also be
necessary to wash your garments twice to remove old detergent residue from them. Very hard water can leave irritating residues
on your clothes even with Charlie's Soap. Adding a small bit of CLR® (the soap scum and rust cleaner) to your wash on occasion
will dissolve these built up residues.
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2. Can Charlie’s Soap for Laundry be used to clean cloth diapers?
We believe that clean, dry, residue free and sanitized (frequently changed) diapers are best
for babies and babies' bottoms.
(See: UVA Health
and Mayo Clinic) Our detergents contain no ingredients or additives that are
designed to bind to fabrics, and contain no antibacterial agents. Subsequently, Charlie’s Soap
is residue free. Since your results using Charlie’s Soap may vary due to your particular water
conditions and your baby's sensitivity to bacteria, we suggest you follow a successful procedure
like those listed below and determine which is best for you. Our own recommended instructions are available
here (PDF File).
Always follow care instructions on your diapers for your diapers, but follow the medical authorities for your babies.
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3. Are there animal-based raw materials in Charlie's Soap, and are any of the ingredients tested on animals?
We do not have any animal-based raw materials. However, we cannot be absolutely sure of the total history of all of our raw materials.
But, to the best of our knowledge and sources of information, the answer is No. We have not performed any in-house, nor paid for any animal
testing of our products.
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4. Can Charlie’s Soap detergents be used when my washer calls for HE detergent?
HE means that less water is used per washing cycle.
HE detergents are often merely lesser amounts of the same detergents, because most detergents on the market do not dissolve well in small amounts of water.
Charlie’s Soap is completely water soluble, so it needs very little water to dissolve it completely.
Therefore, a normal wash load size of the powder or liquid is small enough to use in HE machines.
We do have customers that use half of our recommended dosage (for their own peace of mind) and have remained very happy with its abilities, even with this low amount.
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5. Which is the best for front-loading washing machines, the powder or the liquid?
Any of our Charlie’s Soap products may be used successfully in top- or front-loading machines.
It is merely a matter of personal preference. All of our products are low-sudsing and very efficient.
Front-loading machines generally require a bit less product per load because of the water-saving features of front-loaders.
One tablespoon of Charlie’s Soap Laundry Powder completely dissolves in only one (1) cup of cold water and therefore works extremely well in any amount of water.
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6. Are Charlie’s Soap products good in hard water?
All of our products are good in hard water, but no detergent is AS effective in hard water vs. soft water.
We do not add the necessary chemicals to handle the hardest water problems because that would unnecessarily burden soft water areas with unneeded chemicals.
However, we are glad to assist individuals in those areas with special needs to get the most satisfaction out of using our products by providing information on special procedures that may be necessary in those most difficult hard water areas.
Please contact us if you are concerned about hard water.
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7. Is it safe to combine the whitening and disinfecting power of bleach?
If a chlorine bleaching agent is needed, we recommend that it be added to the wash at the end of the Rinse cycle.
Color-safe (oxygen) bleaches can also be used with Charlie's Soap, but chlorine bleaches are a bit more powerful and better disinfectants.
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8. Will this product ruin my colored fabrics?
Charlie's Soap is safe for all Color-Fast Washables.
In situations where one is in doubt, we recommend applying some to a small area for a test and rinse.
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9. Should I add a fabric softener?
Fabric Softeners are used to cover the residues that normal detergents leave on fabrics.
Charlie’s Soap is designed to clean all the way to the fiber, and leave no residues, and so no fabric softeners are needed.
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10. What happens if I use more than the recommended amount?
It is wasteful, but not necessarily harmful.
In extreme cases, an extra rinsing cycle may be needed to get rid of the suds and thus retain the hypo-allergenic properties.
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11. May I wash my animal with any of your products?
You may use Charlie’s Soap All-Purpose in special circumstances where the pet has gotten into some particularly disagreeable stuff or you are preparing your horse for show. Our All-Purpose Cleaner works particularly well on hooves, manes, and tails.
Charlie's Soap is non-toxic, but be careful not to get any of our soaps in animal’s eyes. It may cause some discomfort.
Be sure to rinse your animal thoroughly and apply a conditioner after rinsing because Charlie’s Soap All-Purpose can dry out their hair or fur.
For years, our local veterinarian used Charlie’s Soap All-Purpose for cleaning dogs and cats, but they were not always careful to make sure the soap did not get into the eyes of the animals, so they discontinued use. However, they still use it exclusively for washing cages and floors.
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12. Can that little bag of Charlie’s Soap Laundry Powder really wash 80 full loads?
Charlie’s Soap was formulated to include only those ingredients that actually enhance the cleaning process. The big soap manufacturers still haven't figured out what really cleans after years of their almost monthly "New & Improved" formulas.
Without all the extra fillers, Charlie's Soap only takes one tablespoon for a full wash load.
However, if you are a new user of Charlie’s Soap it is possible you may only get 78 loads. See question 1.
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13. Can Charlie’s Soap be used in a carpet cleaning machine?
Charlie’s Soap All-Purpose may be used in carpet cleaners such as the ones available for rent at grocery stores. But, be sure to *use no more than half the amount of cleaner recommended* by the manufacturer.
Charlie’s Soap All-Purpose is currently being used with professional carpet cleaners.
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14. What other uses are there for Charlie’s Soap products?
Almost daily, someone calls us with a new use.
All the uses stated on our bottles come directly from customer comments. You might find a use no one else has discovered. If you do, we’d love to hear about it.
For instance, we’ve had recent reports that one scoop of Charlie’s Soap Laundry Powder can work effectively in an automatic dishwasher. Your results may vary, depending on the softness of your water - the softer, the better.
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15. Is Charlie’s Soap a “soap”, or is it a “detergent”?
Charlie’s Soap is really a blend of natural-based surfactants (detergents) derived from coconut oil, treated with a product of natural gas (real soaps are treated with caustic soda or pot ash), and salts in water (Laundry Liquid) or pure Green Mountain washing soda (Laundry Powder).
There is a good reason that it is called Charlie’s Soap and not Charlie's Detergent. Thirty years ago, the product was first created for the textile industry. It worked so well that workers in the plants started stealing it. And, they eventually found their way over to our office asking for it. Everyone in the textile plants knew Charlie Sutherland, Sr., and so they started asking for some of Charlie’s “soap”, not knowing the chemical difference between soaps and detergents. Charlie Sutherland, Jr. actually created the product, but it’s not his name on the bottle. After years of trying to name the product everything under the sun, the name “Charlie’s Soap” just stuck.
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16. Are your Laundry products low-sudsing?
Yes, All our products are low-sudsing.
For your first few washings, you may notice an excess amount of suds. This is due to the old detergents being drawn out of your machine. After a few cycles, the suds will greatly diminish.
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17. Do you ship to Canada or other countries?
Yes, we can ship to Canada. There is an additional $21.85 S&H charge minimum per item. Please call for an exact shipping quote.
To avoid extra shipping and handling charges, as well as Canadian duties and shipping company fees, we suggest you call our Canadian distributors (JBR, Inc. - 905-854-3061). They can either ship products to you themselves or direct you to a store they service.
We also have distributors in the UK and Japan.
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18. Do you ship to APOs?
Charlie's Soap supports all our men and women in uniform and their families, and we deeply appreciate their sacrifice. So yes, we ship to all APO and FPO addresses.
There are no extra shipping charges to these addresses, and often there is an additional discount. Call or write for more information.
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