Cheap detergents (like Sun) for bath towels?

[lordkenmore]

I've wondered off and on about using cheap detergents like Sun or even Xtra for hand & bath towels. Yes, I've heard such detergent aren't particularly great. But I hypothesize that one really doesn't need much cleaning power for bathroom towels. And someone cost conscious like me might argue: why use more detergent power than you really need, since more detergent power = higher cost?

 

But past this... I'm wondering if theoretically such detergents wouldn't potentially rinse out more easily than high end detergents, since, presumbably, the formulae used at the low end are likely to be very simple, with no "miracle" substance to give 2 years of scent retention or whatever.

 

I'm idly wondering if anyone here has any experience with cheap detergents and towels.

 

I could probably do my experiments--but it's one of those things I don't get around to doing. Plus, being forced to be frugal, I'd hate to spend even $2 on detergent for an experiment, only to have it fail, and have a mostly full jug of detergent I'll never use...

 

[askolover]

We used to buy CVS's store brand free and clear detergent that was made by Sun.  We never had any problems with it.  Everything always came out clean...even greasy spots.  They would run it on sale super cheap.  The only reason I stopped was due to dosing issues with our water softener....meaning Tony liked to overdose causing sudsing issues.  So we switched to Tide pods....no more issues.

 

[retro-man]

Have a hair salon and we use Arm and Hammer laundry detergent. Towels are really not dirty just used on hair and a wipe up around the sinks and stations. They come out clean and fresh. Use only 1 rinse in a top loader and no suds left remaining. So they rinse clean easily. I see no problem with using a "cheaper detergent" for your bath towels. We also do hot washes only on towels.

Jon

 

[paulg]

I used to do exactly that

When doing lightly dirty towels and such I too used to buy Sun and (preferably) Trend. I found no problems with either and actually was quite pleased.
I sorta stopped doing it because I simply cannot remember to go to another store to buy Sun. I cannot find Trend anymore which I really liked due to its very pleasant scent.

 

[sfh074]

Walmart .....

sells the big plastic 145 load tub of SUN powder for $9.97, in 2 different scents. We use it for most loads, but also use Tide occasionally. Have been using SUN for 10+ years now with both a top loader and front loader. Don't have to use additives and we like the smell and softness it leaves towels. If you haven't tried it, you may be pleasantly surprised. You definitely can't beat the price per loads cost it sells for!

 

[mrsalvo]

I did an experiment as well. Bought a bottle of regular All Small & Mighty (hate the smell) to compare with Tide W/ Bleach powder, to wash white bath & hand towels and wash cloths. I think Tide cleaned a little better, but not by much, and I could tell also when I washed some nasty kitchen towels and dish rags. The end result cleaning wasn't hugely noticeable, and the All did especially good when I let them soak for a while. It was acceptable to me for the cost difference. (I do think, and I cannot explain why, All Free & Clear seems to clean a little better than regular All.)

I used Fab powder and hot water for many months to wash white towels. I can still get the powder at a certain off brand grocery store. Very economical. But, oh, how it fades other fabrics!!!
I think powders fade out fabrics much faster than liquids, from my experience.

Last year I tried a $1.00 bottle of Oxydol from Wal-Mart and I was very pleasantly surprised at how well it cleaned, but again the fading issue.

I was wondering, does Sun or Xtra come in a free & gentle (clear) version of their detergents? Can't recall seeing anything on the store shelves but my memory isn't what it used to be either.

Barry

 

[lordkenmore]

does Sun or Xtra come in a free & gentle (clear) version

Not that I've ever seen. (And this a product type I pay attention to since I often buy it.)

 

[launderess]

Bath towels, wash cloths, hand towels

Often aren't that dirty, well maybe hand towels, but still nothing any decent detergent cannot tackle. This includes BOL and MOL products.

As usual one's eyes and nose will tell if things are coming totally clean.

Happily all my washers drain into sink, now and then like to look at rinse water (especially final) to see if things are clear. Final rinse water with scum, muck or other flotsam means wash isn't up to one's standards. This is especially true going loads where most of the soil is body oils. Think bath water with all that crud floating about, and you get the idea.

 

[chachp]

We have white towels..

 

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 14pt;">I do a prewash with OxiClean and wash with the Miele Ultra White powder.  I use a warm wash, cold rinse and dry them on high heat.  They come out screaming white.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 14pt;">But I have to say this discussion brings up memories of my Mom doing laundry when I was a kid.  I remember Monday was always laundry day and she loved it when it rained on Monday because she didn't feel like she was missing out on anything.  She was quite the character.  Loved being on the go.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 14pt;">What I remember (she's gone so I can't confirm) was she washed whites in hot water with bleach that went into the laundry sink.  Then she used the SudsSaver option to bring the water back in and used that to wash towels.  She saved it a second time if she had rugs to wash.  I don't remember if our towels were all white or not when I was a kid but I do remember the smell of bleach.  I remember the agitator going as the water starting coming in from the bottom and it splashing as it filled.  I can't find a picture now but she had the mid 50s Whirlpool Washer and Dryer that had the handle in front that you pressed to open the lid on the washer and the door on the dryer.  I remember lots of lights and lots of chrome on that set.  I have seen pictures of this set floating around on the site.</span>

 

[perc-o-prince]

I use All Free & Clear that I get when it's on sale at Walgreens for $2.99 (32 load bottle). However, because of the FL Miele, that bottle lasts maybe 2-3 months or so- we use so little (aprox 1 tsp) or end up with suds in the final rinse. No cleaning issues here.

Chuck

 

[lotsosudz]

I USE ALL WITH OXI

I use the All with oxi on all our loads. I have a LG fl washer with turbo wash. When washing whites I always use the Sanitize Cycle with hot water, and with liquid bleach. As I said I use it on all our loads, and have great luck with stains coming out, as well as greasy stains. Our whites, even non bleached whites come out well, and it rinses out well, with no lingering suds.
Hugs,
David

 

[askolover]

Question answered...

Free and clear Sun.  You can also buy CVS Basics free and clear....same thing made by same company. 

 

[lakewebsterkid]

Cheap detergent and towels

In short, no.
We generally just use either the Tide liquid or powder we have on hand. I wash towels in hot so the enzymes really don’t make a profound effect. A cheaper detergent would like prove sufficient, but many of them suds up like you wouldn’t believe. Because of this I will continue to use the more expensive Tide. Generally I use an extra rinse, and a warm rinse when using Tide powder. All of our towels are white as well. Dingy towels are NOT an option. Not quite sure I could wash towels in warm.

 

[sfh074]

Sun powder ......

in our fl and tl do not overly suds up. We use the included scoop which equates to about 1/3rd cup per load in the fl. Scoop and a half in the top loader. Minimal sudsing. The mountain fresh scent variety is quite nice. And I hate overly fragranced towels and such.

 

[chachp]

Towels

 

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 14pt;">I used to use the Sanitary wash cycle on my white towels because I thought I had to do that to get them white.  The cycle takes over 3 hours which isn't an issue with me if that's what I need to to but I discovered the Miele Ultra White does it in warm in about an hour.  I use the PreWash option and an extra rinse.  I still dry them on High Heat.  I thought I had read from someone here that High heat to dry was more effective at sanitizing things so I started using it on my towels.  </span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 14pt;">I do however still use Sanitize for other things like my husbands nasty white socks, underwear, dishtowels, cleaning rags, etc.  I feel like I need to do that for these things because it would seem nasty not to.  But, honestly, as I'm typing these words I'm thinking maybe I need to just shut up and go back to Sanitize for the towels too.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 14pt;">I guess for as many posts as we might see on here, we would see that many opinions on what is most effective at cleaning and sanitizing.</span>

 

[sfh074]

I haven't .....

heard anyone talk about using bleach to sanitize and get whites white. We use bleach for whites and all of our whites are bright and the added chlorine kills any germs. Why waste power and water for sanitizing? Am I missing something?

 

[chachp]

Bleach....

 

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 14pt;">I quit using Chlorine Bleach years ago because of what it did to my clothes meaning they were white but they seemed to disintegrate more quickly than I thought they should.   I started using OxiClean when I bought my first Bosch washer in 2002.  The machine did not have a bleach dispenser and the book stated using chlorine bleach would void the warranty.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'book antiqua', palatino; font-size: 14pt;">A few years ago we replaced the Bosch with a Samsung that does have a dispenser but I never went back.  In my experience, my clothes last so much longer and I think the Oxygen bleach does a better job.</span>

 

[launderess]

Chlorine bleach is actually the de facto standard

For laundry sanitation; it works in cool or cold water, and against a wide variety of gram positive/negative bacteria, viruses, spores, etc... On the down side it does have that pesky problem of harming colors and causing loss of fabric tensile strength.

This being said not all chlorine bleaches sold today disinfect/sanitize. Key thing to look for is an EPA registration number on container. Over years many brands have been diluting things to point product will still whiten/remove stains, but no longer effectively work against bacteria, viruses, spores, etc.....

Same thing with another once frequently used disinfectant, pine oil cleaners. There again you have to read label to see if product is EPA registered.

 

[ea56]

I really don’t get what the obsession with sanitizing laundry is all about. I seldom use LCB anymore, I don’t like the smell and I think that oxi clean whitens better anyway.

I my mind if any germs can survive detergent, hot water and a hot dryer or hanging in sun to dry, then they deserve to live. LOL.

Now if you are doing laundry for someone that is ill with an extremely contagious disease or illness, then extra sanitization may be in order, but for normally used bath towels, laundering in hot water with a good detergent should suffice. After all, aren’t they being used to dry off after taking a supposedly cleansing shower or bath?

Eddie