Detergents Update: What are you using?

[mrsalvo]

Keep the responses going guys! The more the better. I'm a little surprised by some of them, thought maybe the natural bio products (ie..Seventh Generation, etc.) would be listed since there's been a push in advertising and marketing on tv. Also interesting that what is available in one part of the country is often very difficult to find in another. Wisk, Era, Biz comes to mind, for south central Texas. Mexican detergents seem to be much more readily available nationwide, a trend I'm noticing.
Septic systems also play a factor in what is used as well. Water hardness too can determine how well any of them perform.
Strong perfume doesn't seem to be favorite either....ie..Gain Mango Tango.

Eugene, how do you like Rosalie's Zero Suds?

Glen, if I had that much stash I wouldn't need to buy for a LONG time. Where, oh where, did you find Fresh Start?

Keep'em coming!!

Barry

 

[speedqueen]

Tide Powder. I currently have a box of Tide powder Mountain Spring, but I will go back to regular because Mountain Spring powder doesn't have the same scent as the liquid version, which is the same as old original. I also keep liquid around for pre-treating stains

I had a box of the oxygen bleach version but I found it wasn't worth the extra cost despite the fact we have white towels. Regular works just fine.

I usually have some Oxydol too but currently have some dollar store 1 cup formula detergent. The directions for front load machines actually says to start with 1/3 of a cup and add until suds are half way up the window. I cannot imagine what would happen if someone actually followed that in an HE front loader. I bought it for the entertainment.

 

[spacedogb]

Ariel Powder in my Neptune

 

[lordkenmore]

My most recent detergent supply was Tide Purclean. It seemed to work well enough for my needs, and I can see buying more. Except...I have a tendency of buying something different each time. I do return to products that work well for me...but I don't have loyalty of buying that detergent and only that detergent forever and ever and ever.

 

[lordkenmore]

The more the better. I'm a little surprised by some of them, thought maybe the natural bio products (ie..Seventh Generation, etc.) would be listed since there's been a push in advertising and marketing on tv.

 

It doesn't seem like many people here have mentioned using Seventh Generation during my time here.

 

I've used Seventh Generation and other such products, and they seemed to work OK for me. But I used warm water, and my laundry is typically freshening, not really dirty loads. Seventh Generation is priced like Tide, but does not have that cleaning power. At one time, I used it regularly, anyway, because I tend to like natural products. But I quit due to the cost.

 

 

 

[supersuds]

I use the Persil Perls on whites, and either unscented Persil or Tide liquid for much else. However, I've also been running through some of my old detergent stash. Here are the empty boxes from the last year and a half (obviously I didn't use the Spic and Span on clothing).

Of the older detergents here, I liked Drive and White King D the best. The AD was virtually useless, but it was REALLY old. Overall, it was surprising how well many of these oldies still performed.

 

[mrsalvo]

John, oh did you ever bring back memories I thought I had forgotten with White King D. Totally forgot about that detergent. Had a very distinctive smell. Good call. And you are right, it cleaned well from what I remember in 2nd grade!!!

 

[frigilux]

Eddie-- Glad you tried Persil ProClean 2 in 1 and have been getting great results with it. I used Tide Ultra Stain Release in HE front-loaders with excellent results, but found it lost cleaning power in the top-loading Speed Queen. I finished the jug on lightly soiled loads. Been a Tide man for many years, but the Persil 2 in 1 fares much better in the SQ's large volume of water.

 

[mralex]

Currently using Ariel 3 in 1 pods, Woolite for my merino and cashmere and Lidl small & powerful colour detergent, will not repurchase.. it smeeeells soo baaad. All my white washing gets a scoop of Vamish Gold oxygenated bleach.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Rosalie's Zero Suds. I like the Persil 2 in 1 liquid. I use STPP with both.

 

[abcomatic]

Sears in the orange box.

 

[abcomatic]

Sears in the orange box.

 

[DADoES]

 
HEB here carries powder Biz.  I keep a supply on-hand.

I found the Fresh Start (case of 6) at RestockIt.com wayyy back in Nov 2011.  It's NLA.

 

[polkanut]

I recently bought a 40lb bucket of lemon laundry detergent from Wausau Chemical.  It has 34.5% STPP by weight.  Very little suds, but cleans very nicely.  We're also using Sears detergent in the orange box.

 

http://www.wausauchemical.com/produ...ils&product_id=4990&flypage=flypage.tpl&pop=0

 

[mjg0619]

My everyday detergent is Tide HE Turbo Powder, Original Scent. It performs beautifully in my old school top loader but also does equally well in the front loaders I've used at the laundromat for heavy loads.

My mother prefers Tide "Original" liquid, so there is always a jug of that sitting on top of the dryer as well.

I like Persil ProClean Original for towels, jeans, and other heavy loads. It does froth a bit, so I tend to use less of it. I absolutely love the scent of this one. It's simply fresh.

Work clothes get half a scoop of BIZ thrown in for good measure.

For fabric softener, I use just a small drop in the cap of Snuggle Blue Sparkle with the rest of the dispenser filled up with water. It leaves just enough of a pleasant scent behind without being overbearing.

I don't use softener every time or with every load. Towels get softener every other wash, my regular cottons get it every other or every third wash. I think the only thing I use it with every time is my jeans, but those don't get washed too terribly often these days since I don't wear them much.

 

[superocd]

I use Persil Intense Fresh liquid or Arm & Hammer powder for everyday loads, and Boardwalk Huracan 40 for suds-sensitive/white loads. The Huracan 40 is great for pillows and mattress pads, basically anything that would act as a giant sponge and create air pockets which would cause suds to flourish. I made the mistake of using 1 or 2 tablespoons of Persil on pillows and the suds were phenomenal, and not in a good way.

 

[washman]

Correction, I use the A&H with OXyclean. The plain jane stuff doesn't carry the freight otherwise. With regard to scents, I have no particular preference.

When using ammonia, I use 1/2 to 1C depending on load size. For instance when I wash 4 bathroom towel sets I might use less than half a cap of the detergent with 1 C ammonia. With that dose, the towels don't reek of ammonia when done.  Ammonia seems to be just the right amount of boost plus I can use it to clean my tile floors.

I've also taken to using vinegar in the rinse cycle.  Not sure how much I put in, once the bedding smelled like a jar of pickles but it sho' was soft.

I also use vinegar in the DW. My H2OH! runs slightly on the hard side, but not quite hard enough to warrant an total in house softener, not that I have any place to put it.

 

Dad's H2OH! on the other hand was soft as could be. He did not have a water softener. Run a full cap of A&H on any load in his SQ and it was suds city.  However he religiously used the 2nd rinse option no matter what.  And I do mean religiously. 

His formula was pretty straightforward

Hot wash..for everything  (verify WH is at 140 or higher before starting!)

Wash it all in one load, the more diverse the colors, the better. Throw in a few whites too for good measure.

Pack the darn machine full.  And if that isn't enough, grab a broom handle and stuff the thing like a thanksgiving turkey.

1/2 cap of A&H

2 cold rinses.

Dry on HIGH be sure to crank the dial all the way over to more more more more dry. Add 2 tennis balls to load in dryer.

put away, wrinkles and shrinkage and all.

Repeat with next load. Et cetera.

 

Oh and use the most aggressive agitation cycle cause by golly that is how mammaw's Maytag worked and by jove her stuff came clean. 

 

[jamiel]

Bunch of options: powdered lavender Gain (stocked up when it was on sale at K-Mart), a big bottle of SmartSense 4 in one from KMart; a couple of half bottles of Simply Tide, some Tide pods....lots to use up, at the moment.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Have a big pile of detergents to give to charity this season...I do that this time of year every year. I enjoy buying this stuff too much but can't use it as fast as I would like, so I donate 12-18 bottles or boxes to a couple charities including the Ronald McDonald house in Charlotte.

I am currently using an old non-ultra Tide w/bleach powder in Clean Breeze scent, and a Tide w/Downy liquid, as well as Ajax pods. I expect to finish the Ajax this weekend and start my last bottle of Total Care Tide liquid.

Gordon

 

[maytagbear]

I used to think pods

were largely a marketing gimmick. I have, through real-life experience, changed that view.

I now use Persil Proclean "Power-Caps" in Original.

I had to move recently. I needed a new bathroom (no way at all to remodel my former bathroom..no way at all. Landlocked and not easily accessible.)

To get a bathroom I can use, I had to sacrifice my Maytag Dependable Care team. And my 2011 Whirlpool Gas range with self-cleaning and Accubake, which worked well for me...

This apartment building does have laundry rooms on each floor, I am grateful to say. "Commercial" Speed Queens, with an electronic money card reader on the backsplash. Three washers, a single utility sink, three dryers, and in the corner, a security camera.

Schlepping a jug of detergent or a normal size box is difficult when you're at #106, and the laundry room is at #113.

Therefore, I put a Persil Power-Caps in a zipping sandwich size plastic bag, and whatever extras--Oxi or Borax in with the pod, and throw it (without the reusable zipper bag) into the machine of my choice, which is almost always the lone front-loader.

As for dishwasher detergent-- I have only and always used Cascade Platinum and Jet Dry in this Frigidaire by Electrolux, and so far, no yibbles or rewash.
Even on the Energy Cycle!

Lawrence/Maytagbear