Allavare: four-ingredient unscented laundry powder

Allavare is a beautiful little brand, which keeps things simple. By only offering three products. And although you can buy them separately, it makes sense to buy the affordable starter bundle which gives enough laundry powder and oxygen bleach for 60 washes, a stain removal bar and a laundry guide.

Then you can just top up as and when, either ordering one product or three, as one purchase or on subscription.

Each batch carefully mixed from natural ingredients, it’s unscented and in a recipe that has been used by generations to keep clothes clean. It only contains four ingredients:

• Coconut oil (to naturally clean and soften)
• Sodium carbonate (washing soda, to boost cleaning and soften water)
• Sodium percarbonate (a chlorine-free alternative to bleach, with lifts stains using the powder of oxygen)
• Sodium gluconate (a salt that prevents residue.

Choose unscented laundry powder/liquid for pregnancy/nursing, and baby clothes/bedding and pet bedding. Launder synthetic fabrics in a microfiber filter (or hand-wash in sink filters)

For stains, use natural oxygen bleach (never mix bleach with vinegar). You don’t need fabric conditioner (it usually has palm oil and makes clothing flammable when tumble-dried).

Instead, add half a cup of cleaning vinegar to rinse cycle (or half a cup of bicarbonate-of-soda to wash cycle.

How to use Allavare laundry powder

This laundry powder works in all kinds of water (hard or soft, just adjust the amounts). To use:

• Add 1 tablespoon to the washing machine drum
• Dissolve in warm water, before washing by hand.

Use with Bette’s stain bar soap

Bette’s Stain Bar is made using coconut oil and comes wrapped in paper packaging. Just wet the stained area and rub the damp bar on the stain, and massage into the fabric. Rinse and wash item.

You can also use this bar for household cleaning. Lather with a damp plastic-free cloth or sponge, then use it to clean dishes, sinks and kitchen surfaces. Rinse with warm water.

Where to recycle toxic laundry products

You can recycle empty bottles at kerbside. For products leftover, don’t pour down drains, take them to your council’s hazardous waste department.