Costco Kirkland HE Powdered Laundry Detergent

[mark_wpduet]

I just bought this exact detergent pictured...I hope I don't regret it. I've been using Gain HE powder for a long time. When I was at Costco, they didn't have any so I thought I would try this...

A long time ago, I bought a big bucket of Sears detergent (the kind that came in a large pail) and I kept the pail and put any detergent I guy into that pail. So I opened the box of Costco detergent and it was just like a freaking mass of lumps. They broke up pretty easily once I put it into the pail and kind of stirred it around. I'm not sure I'm loving the smell of this detergent either. Has anyone used it? Is the clumping normal?

Thanks

 

[retropia]

I used the previous version of this. At least, the box looked different and it didn't say anything about color-safe bleach, that I remember.

It did a good job of cleaning in the top-loader. It seemed a bit sudsy in the front-loader, though.

When I was using it in the top-loader, I believe I was using one to two scoops per load, depending on water level. I would buy it again for the top-loader.

As you mentioned, there were some clumps, but they broke up pretty easily.

 

[aamassther]

Make sure you keep the package. Costco will return it, without question. I had to return the regular powder, as it was too sudsy. Performance was fine, not great enough to try to work with it to keep sudsing down.
I was just in the new Lexington Costco the other day. Beautiful store, it's huge compared to some of the older ones.

 

[whirlykenmore78]

I've seen it @ Burnsville MN Costco

But I always use regular Tide in my DD WP TL so I have not used it. I will be interested to hear how it works.
WK78

 

[mark_wpduet]

Ok.....

I will report back once I've tried it. I really don't think I will have a sudsing issue. Every single detergent I've ever tried doesn't make the first bubble in my front load washer....so if this does, I'll be surprised.

 

[passatdoc]

question about Costco's HE detergent

Last time I looked, the package stated "for use in convention and HE machines". I never understood that part, since products like Tide and Gain powder are sold in both HE and conventional forms. My guess is that a TL formula would be too sudsy in an HE, and HE detergent would not suds enough for good TL results. My understanding is that in countries like the UK, Ariel and Persil are sold in both FL and TL forms (TLs mainly being twin tub machines I guess), but of course the TL market share in UK is much smaller than in USA. From the package directions for Kirkland HE, I believe they advised using more of the product for a TL, less for an HE, but I was always reticent to use a powder marketed as being suitable for both types of machines. Since I use 1-2 tbsp/15-30 ml of HE powder, any brand I use lasts a long, long time, so price is not really an issue. I pick up packages of Tide or Gain HE powder when on sale at Target, or on Amazon (they sometimes offer four-pack or six-pack specials), and supplement this with Persil and Ariel brought home from trips to Europe. 

 

[retromania]

If you like it, next time see if they offer it in unscented. I can't handle the cheap perfumed scent that is in so much of the detergent today. The scent of a lot of the detergents and household cleansers has changed to cater (it seems) to a new market of buyers.

 

[sudsmaster]

In the past I've noticed that Kirkland HE powder detergents tend to be higher sudsing than most legitimate HE detergents. On top of this, until recently the package directions are to use MORE detergent in HE washers than in top loaders, which is the exact opposite of what one should do. Someone at Kirkland just doesn't get HE washing machines.

 

[mark_wpduet]

I will take note to see if it suds very much....I haven't done any laundry yet.......But I never use that huge scoop that comes with the Gain HE powder or Kirkland. The scoop for both look the same. I kept the smaller scoop that came with the Sears detergent and I use like one and a half of those...sometimes just one scoop if it's not a very dirty load. The amount the directions say to use on the Gain HE and Kirkland are both overkill I think. It is a cheap perfume smell unfortunately. Gain HE smells much better to me. It's my favorite. I still can't get over how clumped up this detergent was. It was terrible.

 

[mich]

Dosing..

One could "recommend" dosing more "HE" detergent, than a top loader dose, for soil suspension. In Low Water washers (HE), laundry soil & dirt can redeposit on clothing more easily, than with a larger 16gal fill top loader. Most companies use Borax or CMC (modified paper pulp) to grab onto removed soil, and hold it in suspension, but some companies don't use any anti-redepositing agents whatsoever. 

 

That's the only thing, that'd make sense to me. 

 

On another note, is this a Huish Product? I'm curious

 

 

[passatdoc]

I use a coffee measure to dose detergent, tossing in 1/2 or 3/4 or 1 full scoop. 

 

[mark_wpduet]

The texture and look of the powder almost has a shine to it......hard to explain....almost like a silky look. The smell almost gags me.

I already threw the box away but I went out to the garage trash and looked at the box again, it's not the exact box pictured. The box I have says Kirkland improved premium laundry detergent, but it doesn't say anything about bleach.

I use white vinegar to rinse in the bleach and fabric softener compartment, but I put a little liquid fabric softener mixed in with the vinegar on colored clothes. I don't use fabric softener at all on whites. Usually, there's not much of a smell left on the laundry..So I H O P E this is the same case with this nasty smelling stuff.

 

[mark_wpduet]

OK

I didn't notice many suds at all. It seems to clean well and that God awful cheap perfume smell is pretty much gone once the wash is done.......I'm glad honestly..I liked the Sears powder better than this stuff, but I will use it. Unfortunately it will take me a freaking year to get through it. At least it rinses well and cleans clothes.

 

[retropia]

In the Kitchenaid top loader, that thing fills with lots and lots of water. I experimented with dosing the Kirkland powder, until the water gave me a "slimy" or "slick" feel when I rubbed my fingers together in it. For a large load setting, I had to use two scoops, and yes, those are big scoops.

The funny thing is, even with so much detergent, I had NO suds in the top loader.

Then, in the front loader, I would use perhaps a half-scoop with a large load, and it would suds like crazy. Of course the front loader uses much less water, but still I was surprised at the difference.

The scent pretty much disappeared by the time everything went through the dryer. I do use the extra rinse setting on the washers, which helps in that regard.

 

[mark_wpduet]

Hmm

I know that slimy (ness) that you're supposed to get from laundry detergent. I need to open the door of the FL washer during the wash and see...

I can say that with Tide HE and Gain HE and Sears powders, I used the Sears scoop (one level scoop for normal load) and a scoop and a half for a dirty load. I've never used the scoops that come with them because they are huge. I never thought to do this but I'm going to experiment. Since front load washers don't use much water, it always freaks me out to use too much detergent even though I always extra rinse....I know on the box it says "premium detergent" but not exactly sure how "premium" it is. It seems ok I will just have to get used to proper dosage with this.

 

[launderess]

Suds In A Front Loader

Are to an extent caused by the type of washing action. This is why it can sometimes be impossible to use high foaming detergents in H-Axis washing machines.

The lifting and dropping action used by H-Axis washing machines creates lots of air that will whip up froth. Top loading washing machines where washing is mostly submerged in water does not usually have the same affect. Though with certain high foaming detergents and strong agitation you'll get suds, especially if dosage is too much, just ask Bobby Brady.

 

[launderess]

Has anyone used it? Is the clumping normal

Agree with other comments, clumping of powdered detergent usually means it was exposed to moisture and or is "old" product. Either way it should be returned for fresh box.

With one's vintage detergents have come to expect a certain amount of clumping. This is quite true of those built with phosphates and especially after such are opened and exposed to air. However for new stuff it shouldn't happen, and certainly not for what prices are being charged these days.