Best Cheap Laundry Detergent

[j2400]

I started another thread about Kirkland at Costco, because a person had been asking me about it. I gave her a brief summary of the responses so far.

It turns out that a major reason for her interest it appears to be a cheap choice. She is feeling the effects of this current lousy economy.

Therefore, I'm wondering something that may be of interest to many--what is the best choice in cheap laundry detergents these days?

In the Kirkland thread, a couple of interesting names came up, like Sears (one box for about $9 that does 120 loads). Any others?

 

[maytagbear]

Cheap?

I live on next to nothing a year, and have found that most "bargain" detergents are anything but.

Xtra is not very good. Arm and Hammer Powder is somewhat better. However, all Small and Mighty is very good for a detergent without enzymes. It isn't as good as Wisk, which is essentially the same, but with enzymes......but, around here, Wisk is more.

My suggestion is for your friend to watch for sales and coupons. The Sunday paper coupons often pay for the paper and more.

Right now, I am using SA8-All Fabric Bleach-Tri-Zyme, thanks to a kind friend.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[~sudsshane]

well~

3 brands come to mind if you are looking for decent detergent at an inexpensive price.

Fab Powder is Fabulous- Great for Front Load machines!
Arm and Hammer Powder- (the liquid is so so)
Ajax Powder and liquid.

all smell great and do a decent job overall.

 

[jaytag]

My two cents

Walmart in Marietta sells FAB powder in a box everyday for $2.96 and it does like 32 loads. You have to let the powder soak in before adding clothes but it cleans and smells wonderful.

 

[jaytag]

specific

Cobb pkwy accross from Dobbins. Sorry, I forgot we have 7 Wal Marts. I haven't look at the Cobb Pkwy by the Big Chicken to see if they carry it.

 

[peterh770]

Try the K-Mart on 120 and Powers Ferry... I have had luck with good prices at K-Mart and they are not nearly as crowded as WalMart... And you can look at the washers there while you shop...

 

[volvoguy87]

K-Mart has good prices and a great selection.

I use regular Cheer Original powder (original my rear end!) for all my colors because it does not fade them. For whites and lights, I use a variety of detergents because I like to try new things. Tide Original powder is my standard, but I have had good luck with Gain Original powder. My favorite cheap brand, however, is Roma, especially on whites and lights. Roma is cheap cheap cheap and it does a WAY better job than Extra liquid and Costco Kirkland of any kind. Roma has even gotten out some grunge that Tide couldn't handle. If money was no object, I would still buy Roma. The fact that Roma is cheap is an added bonus. I never buy liquid, but I have used it when I am using other people's laundry facilities.

Roma: Cheap and Effective, what more could you want (Quiet Toggles!)?
Dave

 

[kirbykid63]

I like the mexican detergents

For the price and performance,I buy foca and roma these perform great with Tucsons hard water. They also dont leave a strong sent on the clothes.I use one half cup per load in the kenmore front loader. You can wash about 100 loads for $4.00.

 

[mihi]

if yours is a standard top loader.....

I would go with Ariel, Charlies Soap, Foca. I've seen Ariel and Foca at Walmart. Charlies you have to catch on sale to get it cheap (the last couple of bags I bought were $6.99 for an 80 wash bag, which is really about 60 washes for me).

 

[dixieland]

POWERHOUSE

I got this at a local drug store for $1. It barely has a scent and makes the water very slippery. Low dosage at 1/4 cup per load and it has enzymes.

 

[vintagesearch]

pathmark and duane reade are really amazing detergents believe me they took out stains and grunge from my work clothes the duane reade detergent is lower sudsing than the pathmark. both rinse out pretty well.

 

[whitekingd]

I've been getting Oxydol at the local Grocery Outlet store for less than $5 for the 40 load box. It works really, really great!!

 

[kenmoreguy64]

The last time I saw Oxydol powder in a store here was when the brand had just been sold, and it smelled and looked exactly like the Oxydol when it was P&G's. I'd love to try it again but no store that I've seen carries it.

Believe it or not, my recent success with cheap detergents has been with Sun products, in specific their regular liguid non-bleach, non-softener formula in the white bottle with the yellow cap.

I make my judgement based on how my clothes look that I wore when I was working on a machine, or changing the oil in one of the Mustangs, etc. I lay directly on the garage floor when doing car work, and washers can get you surprisingly dirty, which rubs off on my shirts, shorts, etc. Then, I will often walk thru the garage later, wearing white gym socks, and even though I swept the floor, the socks get dis-colored on the bottom and only Tide or Tide with Bleach gets them back to their original white. Sun has shocked me in doing the same thing, and 33 load bottles can be had here for $2.

 

[iloveoldstuff]

A woman my mother works with uses a small amount of Ajax liquid dish soap and swears by it. My mom tried it and said it actually worked pretty well not to mention it's very cheap. I use Tide but very sparingly because it has the most enzymes of any brand (4). I use an old wringer Speed Queen and if I use more than 1/4 scoop I end up with suds everywhere. Amazingly my clothes are getting cleaner then with my previous "modern" automatic and a full scoop of Tide.

 

[toggleswitch2]

~Ajax liquid dish soap (washing-up liquids, => UK).
as laundry detergent.

I was under the assumption that these are ridiculously high-sudsing.

SEARS has become my favortite powder, and it's a bargain too.

Since my adoring fans love when I pontificate: CHEAP Traditionally means low-quality or whorish or stingy. "Inexpensive" may be the word of choice... *LOL*

If I may digress for a moment. How's this for thrifty:

HOME-MADE SHAMPOO
1/2 cup dish detergent
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons mayonnaise(NOT low-cal)

Where 1 cup = 230ml and one teaspoon = 5ml.

We now return to our regulary scheduled program.

 

[sudsmaster]

You Inexpensive Hussy

Love the cheap shampoo recipe. Seems like a waste of good mayo, tho ;-)

 

[toggleswitch2]

There is something about Mary.

or better yet there is something about Mary-s.

Dont worry it rinses out, and the protein is good for your hair's shine.

 

[danemodsandy]

Sun by Huish

I've had very good results with Huish's Sun range of laundry products. I use their "Clean and Fresh"-scented liquid detergent, $2.49 for a 125 fl. oz. jug that does 40 loads. Their Cuddle Soft fabric softener comes in the same size jug, at the same price, and also works well (it's especially good at flowing out of the softener dispenser in my Maytag A108 centre-dial machine; it does not leave a sticky, sludgy residue in the dispenser cup like Suavitel does). Best of all, they make a very good oxygen cleaner, $2.00 for a 30 oz. tub. All of this is bought at Big Lots. I'm pleased with both the cleaning performance and the lack of a flowery P&G scent.

By the way, a shout-out to all our Mayretta contingent - I'd no idea there were so many of us. I'm off Sewell Mill Road myself.

 

[jaytag]

OXYDOL found in Illinois

My hometown of Jerseyville, Il has a local grocery store Sinclair's, that carries Oxydol. It is about $6.00 a box. Wonderful. I stock up when I go back, can not find it anywhere in Georgia.