This past summer I introduced you to Rockin Green Cloth Diaper Detergent. Kim kindly sent me some samples and I eagerly used them all up. I was pleased: clothes smelled clean, cloth diapers smelled clean, no rashes occurred… two thumbs up.
However, after the samples were gone I went back to using my Kirkland’s Environmentally Friendly. I had a system that was working very well and I wanted to stick with it.
I still wondered after seeing Rockin Green everywhere on the internet how it worked out in the long term. Everyone was singing its praises and on paper it seems to be a fantastic natural, inexpensive, WAHM laundry detergent.
I contacted Kim and asked her if I could communicate with some of her long-time users. After typing up a questionnaire I sent it out to Rockin Green Customers.
The following Q&A is from Lynn:
1) How long have you been using cloth diapers?
I’ve been cloth diapering for almost 4 years (older child born 2005, cloth diapered her through potty learning in early 2008. Second daughter born early 2009 and have been cloth diapering her 100% since then)
2) What detergent were you using before Rockin Green?
Charlie’s, and I have also used Ecover and Allen’s.
3) Why did you make a switch?
I switched from Charlie’s because my daughter was getting a nasty burn from it – initially thoughts were that it was a yeast related issue, but changing the soap worked wonders for her redness.
4) What type of water do you have?
Average
5) What type of washing machine do you have?
Top loading HE machine (Whirlpool Cabrio HE)
6) How much Rockin Green do you add to each load?
Generally two Tbsp.
7) On average, how many cloth diapers are in each load?
15-ish.
8 ) How long have you been using Rockin Green?
Since June 2009.
9) Have you had in stink, repelling, or rash problems since using Rockin Green?
None whatsoever!
10) What scents have you used? What is your favorites? Any you don’t like?
My favorite scents are Cherry Almond and Cherry Lemonade, and will eventually try all the fruity sort of scents. I am not a big fan of Baby Powder (but not just in the soap, I don’t like “baby powder” anything).
11) Where did you purchase your Rockin Green?
Online at www.rockingreensoap.com
12) Have you had any customer service encounters- good or bad?
Picked up my order locally, Kim is a wonderful person to talk to and bring your concerns about cloth diaper laundering to. She genuinely cares and stands behind her products, so she does whatever she can to help troubleshoot an issue.
13) What do you store your Rockin Green in? Scoop?
I keep it in a Tupperware container (sealed) and use the Rockin’ Green scoop from the website.
14) Do you use Rockin Green on all your laundry?
Absolutely! I am not one for a fancy routine so if I have to use more than one detergent… well it’s just not going to happen.
15) How clean do you feel your clothes are on a scale of 1-10? (1 being not clean, 10 super, fresh clean)
10! Rockin’ Green has helped get out stains that Allen’s And Charlies had let behind! I also feel like my whites are whiter.
16) Have you ever used Crunchy Clean or Tiny Bubbles? If yes, how would you compare it to Rockin Green?
I have not used the mentioned brands.
Lynn has been using Rockin’ Green for over 5 months. This is an adequate amount of time to test a detergent and determine if stink or build-up problems are going to occur. If you have specific questions about Rockin Green please ask them in the comments. Lynn (and myself) will answer them as best we can.
I am interested in her washing machine! We may have to get Lynn to talk with us about washing cloth diapers in an HE machine 
Many of you have questions about them and by golly my husband just won’t run out and get me one…until my current one dies.
I can’t wait to hear more testimonials as they come in! Stay tuned to Rockin Green for several new things they have in store for 2010!
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for this! I’ve been wanting to try Rockin Green for a while now! I definitely feel more confident about giving it a test drive now
Thanks for posting this!
I am curious about how well it works in hard water. I have SUPER hard water – I am talking it give you a concussion in the shower it is so hard (lol).
FWIW, I have a Kenmore HE 3T Front loader that I have used for diaper washing since 2006 – no real problems with it. The only detergent I have had work on a regular and long term basis is Tide Free. I would be happy to find a greener option.
I only recently have been researching cloth diapers and options for them. I hadn’t even thought of special detergent for them until one day on Facebook I saw the add for Rockin Green and I followed it and I liked what I saw both in cost and the option to get samples, oh and the unusual scents too. I fully intend to give it a try when I begin actually using the cloth diapers. My biggest question at the moment is… How does it work with hard water? We live about 10 miles out of a smallish town in Utah and so we actually have well water… So it’s pretty hard and unfiltered. Has anyone, you’ve known to use it, had hard and/or well water along with a regular efficiency washer? How has it worked for them?
For the love of your cloth diapers…don’t get a front loading HE machine! I have one and it causes me so much grief with my cloth diapers that I’ve actually considered going out and getting a second-hand top loader just for my diapers (and I’ve heard this from other cloth diapering moms using front loaders – it’s not just me).
I suppose my issues are compounded by being on well water, but it is treated (softener, UV filter, carbon filter) and I tried the Rockin’ Green detergent (as well as Crunchy Clean, Allan’s, Ecover…you name it) and all have caused stink build up (or not prevented it) and I have to wash my diapers 2 or 3 times until it doesn’t stink like pee when I open the washer door after the cycle finishes.
Although it sound like I may be, I’m really not domestically challenged…I can get my other laundry clean! If anyone using a front loader with success for their cloth diapers has any advice I’d love to hear it!
Thanks for the info Autumn! I use RG and have for months now. I have found that it really does get the diapers clean and they are stink free. I have to work a little harder at it since I have a front loader and they use very little water…but it is possible! I just have to wash a really full load, like 12-15 diapers and I use Bac-Out at least twice a month.(I usually stop the washer and let them soak) No repelling, no stink! I still have breastfed bright yellow poop to deal with so sometimes I have to sun the diapers for a day to get all the stains out, but so far so good.
I used Charlies for 5 months and had to switch when i noticed my clothing was not getting clean. Rockin green solved that problem and took stains out of my diapers I had assumed were normal…they apparently were not normal ewwww! We were also getting major stinkies when the diaper was just wet, from bacteria and build up I assume. Now that is gone.
AS far as a HE machine here is my #1 love of it: The spin cycle is FAST and gets water out. I have a older cheapo dryer and just having a HE machine gets my clothing so much dryer in the spin cycle it decreases my drying time by at least half. This also helps in the summer by not having the dryer heat up the house by being on so long!
I am interested to hear how and when she puts in the Rockin Green for her machine…we have the same machine and I’m having some problems getting my diaps clean!
I have a front loading HE machine and haven’t had any of the problems Wendy mentions. For the most part I love it (especially for the spin cycle!). I will say we have to do a double-rinse on the diapers because once or twice we have ended up with a little bit of poo sitting in the door jam.
I have been using Crunchy Clean on my diapers for awhile now, and it seems to work fairly well. I would be curious how others think it compares to Rockin Green or the other detergents.
I have an HE front loader and hard water and I love Rockin’ Green Soap. I feel like I have to use a lot of it to get my diapers really clean (about 2 or 3 tablespoons) but its worth it. FWIW, I don’t use calgon or anything like that. I’d probably have to use less soap if I did. I usually just use it with my diapers to keep the costs down, but sometimes I’ll wash the rest of the laundry in the “good” soap. There’s a page on the rockin’ green site about using the front loaders and it gives specific directions for each one: http://rockingreensoap.com/?page_id=378
Rockin’ Green was formulated in moderate hard water of South Texas, and I am working on another formula in 2010 for really hard water. I am so excited about it- and I think you guys will love it to.
For those of you struggling with front loaders- you can check out the database that I started that has the different routines by models. http://rockingreensoap.com/?page_id=378
One of the biggest problems with front loaders is the lack of water but you can usually combat that by doing a full wash cycle instead of rinses…and then finding ways to trick the washer into having more water. Throwing in a wet towel, finding the setting that has the most water…etc.
I’ve been wanting to try a new detergent since I’m having major repelling issues with Country Save. I have to do a cold cycle, hot wash with 1/2 cup of detergent, hot wash again with nothing, then another cold wash with vinegar. My machine has no separate rinse option, it’s a full wash or nothing. If I use less detergent, or don’t run that many cycles they repel??????? So I don’t know if it’s a problem with what I’m doing or with the detergent. I’m all for trying Rockin’ Green but I need to know it will work for sure before I spend a lot of money (I’m in Canada and the shipping costs more than the detergent itself!).
here is a canadian retailer http://www.oneposhbaby.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=54
I have been using Rockin Green ever since your post about it. I LOVE IT! My son has sensitive skin and I have a newborn daughter and it hasn’t caused a rash yet. I mainly use BG diapers and I have NO stink with the inserts. It has been a heaven sent detergent. I have a top loading HE machine (The same Cabrio mentioned in the above post) and have no trouble with it. Also, I was able to reduce my wash and rinse time by half. I have used Crunchy Clean and another popular one whose name escapes me right now and Rockin Green is by far the best. I have also used several (ok 5 or 6) store bought detergents.
I have been very interested in trying Rockin Green. I, too, have a front loader and have been using Crunchy Clean. It’s fine, but I would like to see if there’s something better. My only concern is borax. I’ve just heard TOO much that borax is NOT good for diapers (especially elastic, and we have fitteds and pockets that I expect to last for this baby!), and I can’t tell if it’s in there or not! Any clue?
ah, you know – I’m a dummy. I finally found on the website the list of ingredients…and it does NOT have borax. yay!
I have a Kenmore HE front-loader and I love it. I had a regular washer before and it wasn’t getting my clothes clean (before I started cd). I do rinse my poopy diapers so maybe that is the difference. I sprinkle baking soda on or soak in water with baking soda first, do a cold rinse, then wash warm. I use soapnuts or pc free- I find the soapnuts don’t get the stains of bf poo quite as well. And I occasionally use vinegar (in the softener compartment). I have never had any stink issues. I have heard it is important to leave the washer door open when not in use.
Ha! I just ordered some samples last Friday, so funny this post should come up. I expect that my goodies will arrive today and I am so excited to try it! I have an old-school washer, but pretty hard water (in Phoenix), and some definite staining on my BG. I look forward to “rocking a soak” and seeing what kind of miracles might occur.
I have been using Rock’n Green for about 3 months now and I am very happy with the results!!! I have used Allen’s, & Charlie’s and I like RG the best. My sink problem is no more and I have not had to strip my diapers once in 3 months. This reminds me… I am running low and can’t wait to reorder and try a new scent!!!
I heard great things about Charlies Soap.
I LOVE Rockin Green detergent. I have been CD’ing for 6 months and found rave reviews of this product. At first I had it shipped to me, but just found it at a new local store called Cutie Poops and Bottoms in Orland Park, IL. Love that she has samples there of all the great scents. I think the cherry almond is my fave!
Hey Rose,
Too funny, I just went there this weekend. Their site is http://www.cutiepoopsandbottoms. Really cute store with loads of cloth diapers to look at and feel!
Sorry, I forgot the .com! LOL
http://www.cutiepoopsandbottoms.com