August 2009 Detergent Thread

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lavamat_jon

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So, about time for another "what do you use" thread. Will be interesting to see what's changed and what hasn't!

I'm using Daz at the moment - one of the huge boxes Asda have been selling for £6 - and have to say I'm pretty impressed! On my usual Ariel Colour for colours, and currently going through the varieties of Comfort, on tropical at the moment and I've bought Aloe Vera to try next. Also bought the matching Persil Naturals washing powder.

Mum on the other hand has bought Miele washing powder and liquid from the engineer who visited last week (turned out to be a blocked dryer vent) - was shocked at how much she paid for it but it works pretty well. Is made by a company called Dalli - haven't heard of it before?

Jon
 
I have a small box of Dalli Color Plus at the moment that I bought in Germany. Not very impressed. The cleaning is OK, but it's a very sudsy detergent. I bought a box of Ariel Professional and a box of Ariel Professional Color at a wholesale store. Wonderful stuff, although it oversudses a bit sometimes too.
 
Tide With Color Clean Bleach Alternative (liquid; regular & HE versions)
SA8 (powder)
Tide Cold Water (liquid)
Cheer For Dark Colors (or Woolite For Dark Colors when I can't find Cheer)

Also in my much-downsized stash, one small box of each:
Persil Tablets
Ariel non bio (powder)
These came from a friend who went to England a few months ago.

Additives on hand:
SA8 Tri-Zyme (their pumped-up version of Oxi-Clean)
SA8 Stain Removal Spray (aerosol version for greasy stains)
Tide Stain Release pacs
Dissolv-It spray (for really greasy stains)

Softener:
Downy April Fresh
 
what do we use?

all liquid we get a bjs or arm and hammer
occasionally tide liquid, and any fabric softener
we feel like buying either suavitel, downy (all varieties including the ones at the discount store), gain, nice n fluffy, final touch, cuddle soft and, sometimes the pathmark brand
 
Have quite a lot right now.

Mostly using Foca
Canadian Sunlight Fresh Rain (from Big Lots)...still shown as Unilever
Box of Tide (last time CVS had it on sale)
Bottle of Sun (my partner decided to buy some)
Bottle of Arm and Hammer Naturals (I kind of like it even though it doesn't have enzymes)

And my hoard:
1/3 bottle of Fresh Start (what I wouldn't give for a 20 year old bottle of Fresh Start w/phosphates). Don't think there was ever anything I liked better.
 
SA8 Premiun

Eugene. I was wondering how you like the new SA8 premium detergent and the pre-wash. I see it, but I loeved the old formula, but I heard they changed it.

Let me know

Ray
 
we are currently using Radiant powder for front loaders, mum made the error of picking up the one for top loaders, luckily i know someone at the shop we bought it from and they could take it back and change it even tho we had used a teeny amount.
Radiant is pretty much a constant in our house, with occasional uses of Omo or Dynamo, only if i bring them in tho.
Softner is always Fluffy White Lavender scent, smells wonderful on sheets dried on the line.

I don't have any current pics but will try and get some as Radiant have changed there packaging slightly, might even try and get some pics of the laundry aisle in the local supermarket.
Heres a pic of the detergents we used to use in the top loader, Radiant regular and Fluffy Pure and Gentle (now discontinued grrrrrrrr).

Also mixed in some british Ariel i picked up and also Omo Small and Mighty Liquid (blue= top loader, purple= Coloursafe, green= matic/he) and the empty bottle of Drive Matic i think was refilled with Dynamo Liquid.

Matt

mattywashboy++8-3-2009-08-52-3.jpg
 
Matty

You should be able to use the top load Radiant in a front load at half dosage (or slightly less I found) - they used to give you dosing instructions to that effect before they brought out the matic version....same with BioZet and Duo.

I'm currently using 2/5 of a scoop of BioZet in the Zanussi/Westinghouse and getting good results on the 40c quick wash...(1:08)
 
Ray---Something has definitely changed with SA8 detergent, because it doesn't remove stains as well as it used to....unless you use 3-4 scoops, which makes it quite expensive to use. I like to use it on my bath towel loads, because it rinses cleaner than any other US brand I've come across. This is especially true when using my front-loader. Towel loads in the front-loader using Tide (even in very reduced doses) tend to stay sudsy even into the final rinse, although I've never had any skin reactions to it. I have mechanically softened water, so suds are quite tenacious.

If you pre-treat stains, you probably won't notice a difference in SA8's performance. I don't pre-treat loads of highly-stained kitchen whites, because it would take forever, and I'd use a prohibitive amount of pre-treatment. I do, however, pre-treat stains on shirts, pants, and tablecloths, as those loads don't get bleached and they're usually done in warm or temp-controlled cold water.

I have both versions of Amway's pre-treat, but the aerosol version, made for grease-based stains, is the one I use the most. It's great for grease stains on shirts, ring-around-the-collar, that sort of thing.

I'm liking the new Tide stain treatment pacs. I washed a medium-sized load of kitchen whites, yesterday, in my Frigidaire top-loader, using hot water (well, about 125 degrees, which passes for hot these days), Tide with bleach alternative and 2 stain treatment pacs. Everything came out clean, although to be honest it wasn't a super-tough load.

I usually use liquid chlorine bleach on those loads (in the last 4 minutes of the wash cycle), but I wanted to see how the Tide pacs would do on their own. Not bad! I'll have to try it again with a really large, super-stained load and see how they perform without the aid of LCB. I'll probably test that load in my front-loader, as it would concentrate the power of the pacs in a much smaller amount of water.

I'm a big fan of using chlorine bleach, as I don't worry about cross-contamination when I wash kitchen items that have raw meat liquids on them, or when I wash kitchen items together with briefs and white ankle socks.
 
Eugene. Thanks for you comments. A while ago I called Amway, (Quixtar) and they told me the changed the formulation. I told them people were complaining and to bring back the old version which was rate #1 by Consumer reports 2 years ago. I do not know why they changed this, because it was the best detergent I ever used along with the TriZyme. I think it fell to number 6 of the ratings. They had such a good product. I do not understand this. I also agree it rinsed out the best in my LG frontloader, and I also have mechanically softened water. But...I am glad that you like the aerosol pre spotter. I will have to give it a try.

Did you try the TriZYme and all fabric bleach? It is quite good.

I to like to use Liquid chlorine bleach, and mix the whites like you do.

Let me know if you have used the trizyme and all fabric bleach and if you liked them

Thanks, Ray
 
Am hooked on Ariel Gel (Bio and Colour)since it came out and have also tried M&S Gel and am pleased with that too but Ariel is my absolute fave. As the mains cold is about 18 degrees at the moment have been washing in cold water and am more than pleased with the results.
 
SA8 no more

I used SA8 for years because it cleaned well and didn't break me or the boys out at all, which almost everything else did. Then sometime in the last year or two they reworked the formula because it really started causing problems for us... I ended up having to go on a Medrol dose pack I was so irritated at one point.

I switched over to Charlie's and haven't found anything that's better overall yet. I tried Sears UP but it wasn't that much better than CS at straight-up cleaning, and when I found out it had NPE I pitched it (that stuff is bad!) For "organic" / smelly stains that CS isn't so great at I add a bit of Biokleen Bac-out to the wash which both works and smells great.

I recently tried the Greenworks laundry liquid (lavender) and it was repellent -- ~hideously~ strong smelling and a bad cleaner to boot!

I am looking forward to trying some of the Vaska products when they come out into wide distribution since they are both "green" / gentile and yet effective enough to be used in a commercial environment which is where they got their start.
 
Ray---I love Tri-Zyme and use it regularly, especially if I'm pre-soaking a load. I also have SA8 All-Fabric powdered bleach, but I don't use it much. I like to use Tide or SA8 and Tri-Zyme with loads of kitchen whites in the front-loader. The Tri-Zyme gets spun out and the liquid chlorine bleach goes to work during the first rinse.

If I have a really huge, terribly stained load, I'll do a pre-wash and soak with detergent and Tri-Zyme, then a regular wash. I don't use SA8's powdered bleach often, because I use LCB. Their bleach seems to work well, though.

Before they changed the formula (or did they just add fillers to it, to cut manufacturing costs?!) the holy grail of cleaning stained whites was SA8, Tri-Zyme and their powdered bleach. Blazing whites!

John---While I've noticed a change in the cleaning ability of SA8, I can't say it's caused any skin reactions. Having said that, I've never really had a problem with any detergent irritations. I wonder what they've done to SA8?
 
at the moment,

I have Daz powder (both Original and Mandarin and Lime) use this on whites, its pretty good =]

Surf Small and mighty Tropical and Tempting nature (love the tempting nature one, it has a grassy sort of smell) - Use this on dark stuff and lightly soiled stuff.

BOLD 2in1 Gels - Lavender and Camomile and Sparkling Pomegranete and Orange blossom - Love the cleaning power of this, really good on grease and dirt, not that good on some stains that are dried in, like curry, ketchup and pasta sauce.
need to catch the stains when they are fresh, so i can squirt a little bit of gel on the stains to pretreat it.

I use the Lavender one on my bedsheets and towels, always nice to have a nice relaxing scent on bedclothes.

Also have Ariel Excel gel, which i use occasionally.

Softeners I have aldis ancosoft Silk, which is alright, but doesn't smell of anything but softens well.

Using the Comfort Naturals Olive Blossom and Cotton Extract, only put in half a cap, does the job.
 
daily drivers...

im useing daz powder which i bought walst on offer at morrisons 3 quid a box so it would be rude not to buy two box's :) got two bottles of lenor softner (spring awakening and gold orchid) and a bottle of comfort (tropical burst) tryed the daz on a 30 and to me it didnt cut-it so back to washing at 40 and above.... i must admit im very impressed with the daz and i love the smell..

NorthernMaryx

NorthernMary++8-4-2009-09-22-2.jpg
 
SA8

Hi Eugene. I have to agree. SA8 Premium detergent and Tri_Zyme were fantastic. Tri zyme still is. I do not know whey they changed the SA8. It was some detergent. I have to same around 10-12 years ago I bought it from a friend and you could get the SA8 detergent with phosphates. It was another formulation. NOW this was some detergent. So.....have you really seen a big difference in the formula and are you still using? I am refraining from buying more. Need your advice. I also can get Skaklee detergent which is called Fresh. This is really nice too.
 
Ray---I still use SA8, but it takes 3-4 scoops to do the job on tough stains, which makes using the detergent very expensive. However, I like to use it in my front-loader, where Tide products tend to stay sudsy right through the final rinse. SA8 rinses cleaner.

Buy a small box of SA8 and see what you think. I find it's still worth it---it's just not the blockbuster cleaner it once was.

Otherwise, I'd recommend Tide with Color Clean Bleach Alternative.
 
i use tide he and gain he and sears ultra plus in the orange box.I have stopped using liquid because it makes the clothes smell sour.
 
SA8

Hi guys-- I still use SA8 with bioquest mainly because its low sudsing and smells fresh. They quit making the old formula with phosphates and I think that is what "decreased" its cleaning ability. I rarely ever really have "Dirty" clothes or towels so it works well. I actually also like the Kirkland signature Ultra Detergent liquid sold at Costco. It is a low-sudsing detergent as well. I have about quit using any detergent Proctor and Gable makes because it has too many suds even at reduced quantities. I have a traditional top loader, but I think the clothes get rinsed better using low suds detergent.
 
My arsenal:

I have:

For work clothes:
Tide Total Care HE (keeps the shirts blue)

For everyday:
Tide Coldwater HE

For white laundry:
Clorox Coldwater

For stains:
Spray N Wash Max Stain Stick, Tide Stain Release pacs

For softening:
Downy Almond Cream Bliss (I love the smell)
 

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