8 Reasons Using Liquid Detergent Is Better

Great.. I just recently switched from powder to liquid. I've been going through what's left of my powder and alternating with the liquid I have...but my stash isn't big..

To the comment above: I think it's a false statement that basically all liquids contain enzymes. I was wondering if this Purex liquid I bought had enzymes and from the ingredients list it does NOT... So I was looking at different detergents (liquid) and their ingredients and could only find enzymes in the more expensive detergents like Tide, Gain, Persil... but not Arm & Hammer, Purex, etc.

About gumming up the machine or dispensers... It's funny, the fabric softener (when I've used it) does that to my dispenser... but not the detergent. I keep my dispenser clean anyway but the FS was terrible about doing that...

That was one of my main reasons switching to liquid is because it's just so much easier to find all different kinds of liquids than powder..

Henrik

Yes, I don't know how Unilever did it (maybe they encapsulated it) but the gel had bleach and enzymes in it.

https://wiop.unilever.ch/brands/sun/sun-expert-gel-extra-shine-protect-12825-9138334-1/

Sun Expert Gel

https://www.galaxus.ch/en/s7/product/sun-extra-shine-protect-gel-28-x-dishwashing-detergents-5991081

"Sun Expert Gel is the only gel with oxygen pearls"

That seems to suggest the sodium percarbonate is encapsulated in something that doesn't dissolve in the other ingredients, much like it would be in a powder detergent, but presumably not the same coating.

I'm guessing it is a very thick gel to stop the "pearls" sinking to the bottom.

Lifespan of enzymes in oxidizing conditions about 15 to 20 minutes. That's fine for doing a wash, but not so great for shelf life or product stability.

With powder formats oxygen bleaching agent and enzymes are coated, this keeps each out of other's manor so giving decent shelf life. With liquid products obviously this can become an issue. One way is to have two separate chambers; Vanish or someone long ago had a stain remover/booster product with two bottles stuck together. Enzyme stain liquid on one side, liquid oxygen bleach on other. Miele and others with automatic dispensing systems simply keep two apart in different bottles.

Regarding liquid laundry products in general they aren't as long lasting (shelf stable) compared to powders. This may explain why job lots of unsold products are being flogged on eBay, various online auction sites and discount stores. Each month vast amounts of unsold laundry liquid, pods, etc... are taken from shelves and sold onto secondary markets.

Years ago one had to travel to find job lot stores that sold surplus products. Such places are still about but there is also online. H-Bid and other auction houses have tons of liquid and pod detergents that are shelf pulls from likes of Costco, Target and other such places.

What we consider "old" product versus say P&G or Henkel may differ. Professional take is liquid laundry products "expire" after about three to four months on shelves. They may be perfectly good or perhaps have begun to suffer some degradation in power. Scent may not be as strong in bottle and or lasting on fabrics. Cleaning power not same... Those sort of things.

Far as many European testing groups are concerned liquid laundry product formats (liquids and pods) are more polluting than powders. Just fact liquids require far more stabilizers and preservatives than powders puts them on that list. Then there is the plastic containers liquid products are sold in and or polymers that pods are made from.

Liquid detergents can be fine if used properly

Reply number 19 hi Mark, Pyrex And Arm & Hammer Are terrible detergents hardly worth the plastic bottles they’re packaged in.

If you’re trying to save money and who isn’t, you’re much better off buying store brands such as Aldi premium laundry detergent or Costco’s Kirkland is excellent. There are many ways to save money and still get a top quality product, but national advertised brands that are cheaper usually the worst detergents.

John

"Pyrex And Arm & Hammer Are terrible detergents hardly worth the plastic bottles they’re packaged in."

Oh I don't know....

Use A&M "free and clear" liquid on bed linen and other not so soiled wash and it does a decent enough job. Nabbed stuff on a BOGOF offer at local Rite Aid combined with sale price came out to only a few dollars.

Kirkland powder laundry detergent isn't that much better than A&M, Boardwalk and similar products. Heavy on washing soda and other alkaline substances but not exactly a powerhouse cocktail of enzymes and whatever say like Tide. In fact Kirkland like the rest is a "multi-purpose" detergent. One can wash laundry, clean concrete, floors, etc.. with the stuff.

That's finewith me. I'm sticking with Tide.

Purex: The reason I bought it was a video I saw... A lady had like 15 detergents... top shelf to bottom... and she was totally SHOCKED at the performance of the Purex liquid... It got an almost top score... and she was dealing with all the gross stuff... baby vomit, food stains, etc with all her testing.... and then I saw another video with similar results... so I decided to at least try it... and after using it, I'm not really sure if I notice anything. I mean, the clothes feel clean. I know how to do laundry properly...but most of the stains I deal with are food oil here and there

Purex and Arm & Hammer offer both types, enzyme and no enzyme detergents.

The no enzymes liquids are high in pH just like powder detergents because they contain washing soda whereas their enzyme containing version`s (while still not being very "top shelf") are much milder in pH almost neutral just like any top shelf liquid detergent would be.

Both have their pros and cons. A high pH might be beneficial on certain stains like oil based stains, acidic stains and at odor removal.
Downside of a high pH is it can be hard on some types of colors and fabrics in particular elastics come to my mind.
Anyway this might explain the Lady`s enthusiasm for Purex.

Here's another thing...

A&M liquid in one's stash is quite low on froth and rinses quite easily. That always gets one's vote so there you are.

Kirkland powder detergent

Is not a very good detergent we buy it sometimes to wash rags at the shop, but I wouldn’t use it for my own laundry.

Funny thing about how well detergents rinse out arm and hammer and purex rinse out beautifully because you’re not starting with anything. It’s generally very easy to rinse out smaller amounts of detergent and weak detergents.

John

I don't think I'd go THAT FAR....To me, it doesn't look watered down.. and the clothes come out clean with a slight scent. It's not like you're washing clothes with just plain water. I think I may try Gain when I run out because I know it has enzymes.. and I always liked gain. I noticed on amazon they still make powdered gain..

I also noticed on the samsclub website I saw ERA detergent... remember that? I forgot all about ERA... that was like a liquid detergent before liquid was even a common thing.. Only the price was CHEAP... I'm guessing it's not the same ERA

Era detergent is another example of a mediocre brand that is basically Watered down performance detergent.

If your clothing isn’t that dirty, I’m sure it works well enough, but we see machines every week that are the victim of cheap detergent and two little detergent, etc. etc.

All of the companies (Henkel, P&G, Unilever, Kao, etc etc etc) make detergents with differing components; on the highest level to make sense for the local conditions/market but also in the cheaper lines to reach their price point and expecation point regarding fragrance, viscosity, etc etc.

A good rule of thumb is that Tide/Persil/Omo/Miele/etc generally gets the all-singing, all-dancing (sic) multi-enzyme (5-6) cocktail together with the truly optimized formula for local conditions.

(In North America) the next-tier are the Gain/Cheer/Purex Advanced/All/A&H Power/Seventh Generation with 3-ish enzymes and a slightly diluted/de-optimized local conditions formula

The next tier are 0-1 enzymes like Simply Tide/Era/A&H basic/Purex standard/house brands.

I'm being a little figurative here, but the point stands----there's an enzyme cocktail for every purse and purpose (thanks General Motors )

Calibrate your detergent to meet your needs and you'll probably do best...every load isn't always needing Tide Ultra Super Mega Max...but washing twice in cheap Purex is no savings either.

I think anyone who knows how to do laundry properly... even working with filthy clothes can keep their machine perfectly clean... even if they use cheaper detergents..I mean, I could be wrong... but I don't think I'd blame cheap detergents over the actual user... as almost everyone here knows how many people out there have no clue what they're doing when it comes to laundry

Have often spoke of laundry "Sinners circle" and four basic principles of washing (time, temperature (water), mechanical action and chemicals.

Whenever one of above parameters is changed the others must also to compensate. That is if wash water temperature is decreased chemical, mechanical and wash time each or all must move as well. Opposite is also true; that is if mechanical action is increased other parameters can decrease.

https://jtmservice.co.uk/blog/sinners-circle-for-a-hygienic-wash-cycle/

Mechanical action compromises a bulk of what gets wash clean. If one did nothing but beat wet things against a rock they would come clean to some extent. Addition of soap, detergent and or other chemicals simply brings more benefits to party.

Given enough mechanical action, proper water temperature and so forth even a "poor" detergent by some people's standards can (and often will) deliver acceptable results.

Reply number 34

Very, very true laundress, however, since all of us have the machine we're going to use the only thing we really have choice about is cycle selection, water, temperature, and the most important thing for most of us is the detergent brand and the amount.

It's certainly true that these watered down Products can do an acceptable job if you using enough of them and if you compensate in other ways for their lackluster performance.

One of the reasons I know these cheap national brands are lackluster as I have used all of them. People often give me bottles of this stuff because they don't like it when I'm on service call and I'm too cheap just to throw it away. I'm going to use it often just to wash rags with at the shop where I don't really care about perfect results.

John

OK so I'm clear. Tide actually optimizes their formulas differently for local conditions? So if someone in Cali buys Tide and moves to DC...and take their Cali Tide with them, it's not the same tide had they bought Tide in DC?

If that's true... I had no clue

Not for nothing...

People rag on A&H, Kirkland and other (what they consider BOL) laundry detergents, yet rave about niche high end products such as Molly's Suds, Nellie's and so forth. This as such products are no different really than Kirkland or A&M, least far as powders are concerned.

Molly's Suds powder is nothing more than mostly all salts. Washing soda, sodium bicarbonate, etc... Yet people rave about how "clean" it makes their laundry.

https://mollyssuds.com/products/original-laundry-detergent-powder

As have said obtaining clean wash can be done largely by mechanical action alone. Add bit of chemicals and there you are.

I'm done....

Cleaning clothing in water alone

Hi laundress you're certainly correct. You can get many things clean in water alone when you live in an area such as you do where the water is extremely soft most people don't have that advantage and you need to use good detergent to suspend and carry away the soils that are beat out of a clothing.

I always thought it was too bad that consumer reports is located in a soft water area so their detergent testing temperature recommendations and appliance testing of both dishwashers and washing Machines is a little suspect. It doesn't really take into real world situations for most of the country.

John