How much Tide powder should I use?

[dixan]

I bought a box of American Tide HE powder. I can't wait to try it, but I don't understand the dosing instructions. The instructions on the package say to fill to line 1 for medium loads and to line 2 for large loads.
I live in Europe and I have a standard European machine: the capacity is 5 kg (11 lbs) of dry laundry. I usually fill it with 4-5 kg laundry. So is this large load or medium load? How much Tide powder should I use? I want to dose it correctly, because I don't want my whites to become grey.
Any help will be highly appreciated.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

American machines are the Double if not more than European standard 5kg ones...so just cut dose by half?
You can always add more later...watch the sudsing...

 

[kenmoreguy89]

That's what I do when using HE in the Hotpoint/Ariston at the seaside home.
In the aquamatic at home, I use 1/3 of line 1 in the scoop for full loads.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Bear in mind what you read on Tide box is granted for medium-soiled laundry in medium water hardness.

 

[dixan]

Thank you! I'll try what you said.

But... I still don't understand the logic behind this instruction. What P&G mean with "medium load" and "large load"? After all there are different machines with different capacity, so "medium" and "large" can be very stretchy. Dosing tables on European products are much better.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

It's not P&G.....nor even just USA.

The "logic" is based on what would be "average" american machines, 12kg and up...and for a product meant to be used in ALL machines... also Traditional Top loaders and HE top loaders included...not only front loaders.
Not all world is Europe:
In most of Europe till recent times Automatic domestic machines were 5kg standard front loaders only, and detergents for automatics (low suds powders) had instructions based on that standard..
American detergents as for every other market and country where there was not a standard size machine and standard type, had to have measurements which are just an indication not a rule, based merely on what would be a medium load for an "average" american machine size... say 8kg? large would be 10-12 and up..you gotta find what's the right amount you need for your conditions, for your machine type and size.
Hence "use more for heavily soiled or large loads" sentence you read in EVERY detergent...they really can't put a standard measurement because in America as in other countries historically there was not a "standard" ever.
The more your machine large is, the more water it uses the more you gotta use....smaller? Use less. Again..granted what's the average american load size.. which again it's only thing they can base a measurement on as washer market is full of different types.
Start lower and eventually add more.
That's the old good gold rule for EVERY detergent, european or not, is to watch the sudsing and sense the wash solution, once you got the right amount then it's really just a simple rapportation job for the next loads...what I call "leaning a new detergent"....in a front loader unfortuantely, it comes a little more difficult but watching sudsing offers a method to get wether the right amount had been used...
If you've ever seen any packet of vintage detergents...and the low foam ones, for front loader machines they all advised to start with X amount and eventually add more checking sudsing level.
That's what I do with every detergent...I don't even remember last time I followed to the letter a measuring chart in a detergent.

A medium load in an average american front loader....would be aprox 7-8 kg.
But again, you can't expect a standard because in America there's not a standard...
IMO tablets and PODS are worse ...for the simple fact that as I've always said you never have a standard same load, a standard same soil level etc. Forget with different size machines.
It's already nearly impossible not to end up using too much or to less only based on loads soil level, cuz there are loads for which 1 tablet/pod may be too less then two it's too much? what you gonna do?
If there's a "logic" I will never get..it's the one behind the PODS and tablets.
Powders and liquids can easily be dosed...once you've used a new one first time and "learned-it" then it's all matter of rapportations for next time...and you can dose every drop or grains of them based on EVERY different condition.

 

[aamassther]

American detergent dosing has always been vague. With high dilution machines the norm for decades, detergent dosing hasnt neededto be anywhere near precise. Now that we're in the realm of HE machines, most Americans are having to learn how to be more careful with dosages and the manufacturers haven't caught up. That said, the "medium" load dosage is for 8lbs and a "medium" water hardness. Which is in the 5-8 dH range.

 

[dixan]

kenmoreguy89, watching the suds to determine whether you used the correct amount of detergent is wrong. I can name dozens of European detergents what make absolutely no suds at all. Does this mean I have to use more and more until I see suds. Of course not.
There are three reasons for detergent to suds less: 1. lower surfactant content; 2. more effective antifoam system; 3. in hard water - less effective builder system.
Suds are not indicator for correct dose. The sense of the lye, too.
Something more, the lack of suds at the and of the cycle is not a guaranty for a good rinsing, especially when softener is used.
Determining the right amount of detergent is not something I have to do at home. There are chemists who do this in the lab and the manufacturer must provide the customer with the correct dose. Otherwise the customers tend to use more than needed and literally waist their money, not to mention the environment impact.

That's why I wanted to understand what Americans mean by "medium" and "large". However, you say medium is 7-8 kg and aamassther says it's 8 lbs which is about 4 kg.
After all, you are right. I have to experiment with my Tide.

 

[launderess]

Dixan

Don't pay any attention to the dosage directions on the container of Tide. Can assure you I and other Americans do not bother.

For an average 5 kilo washer and a full load start with two tablespoons to 1/4 cup depending upon water hardness. Less in softer water more in hard. If you are adding any sort of oxygen bleaching agent you can lower the dosage of Tide.

Fair warning Tide detergent can be difficult to rinse out and the margin between obtaining the proper dosage for cleaning versus huge amounts of suds can be small. When it comes to Tide start with less and work up.

As for the dosage instructions the American washing machine market has different flavors of "HE" washing machines. Some are the "small" 5kg sized European units such as Miele, Asko and Bosch. Then you have the larger 7kg or so Whirlpool Duets, LG, and so forth. To make things even more fun there are the top loading "HE" washers that can hold up to 22lbs in some models. In theory all these machines need a low sudsing detergent (HE as they are called here) hence all the "medium" and "large" load bit.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Well, Dixan....
It's right for me....and can assure you it always worked magnifically.
It is true that some detergents do foam less than others, and add until you see it WAS NOT what I said to do ....
I know very well the variants why a detergent may foam less... but at least for me is easy to get the right amount from all a series of factors of the suds/solutuion.
But it's more a combination of things you've to watch, and TO ME sensing the solution is the only way....
As for rinsing, I think everybody knows that foam absence doesn't mean good rinsing, but water clearness does...That's why I drain all my machines in a sink.

Anyway...
Make do.

IIRC Duets and most of LG models were sold as 10kg capacity....the top loaders would be much more.

BTW, in US machines are not sold by capience in weight, but cubic feet space of tubs.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Even during the decades after the 70s, when the front loader automatic machines took off almost completely in the US in favor of top loader agitators that dominated the american market you didn't have a standard in the US, every maker made machines in different sizes and capacities, every makes had something different.
You may say that they could've made a chart on machines sizes, but again not all machines were the same there was not even a parificated standard...maytag's biggest model could've hold 10kg, while Ge's 12kg, whirlpool 11kg..etc..
Which was a large machine? Which one regular size? Which one small? What about portables? Etc.
Answer was in an average estimation.
European front loaders with a few exceptions had standard 5kg drums and were about all the same size, so were outter tubs, they all washed with about same water quantity...exception came when automatic regulation machines came along.. infact they all advised to use less detergent than suggested....later becamse the norm and so detergents did adapt.
But there was a standard in Europe.
In the USA not...
Forget already the big difference among solid tub and perforated basket machines, but to make an example it's very well noticeable how much less detergent I need to use in my belt drive whirlpool or Speed Queen,when in the Filter-flo I need more...that lies in simple technical aspects of the machines, filter flo have a fix outter tub, only wash tub is suspended, that means a very large space between wash-tub and outter tub say 8cm....
The filter-flo fills more water quantity to wash same load size as the whirlpool, that instead have a suspended outter tub and space among wash tub of barely 2-3cm.
Load size it's the same, water level (in the tub) may appear to be the same but water quantity instead is greater in filter-flo,that calls for more detergent needed.
Detergents couldn't keep up with all these different variants.

 

[rp2813]

After the reformulated Gain HE powder "for both (he and standard machines)" created sudsing issues in my Affinity, I switched to Tide HE powder.  The first thing I noticed was that the scoop included with the Tide was larger than the Gain scoop.

 

I tossed the Tide scoop and use the Gain scoop instead.  If the user were to follow P&G's dosage instructions for Tide, they'd be buying it twice as often as necessary.

 

[mrboilwash]

Last time I used American detergents in a beach rental in the States, it was Tandil "compare to Tide" and Publix liquid, both HE compatible.

They had instructions to use line 2 for regular loads or was it called an average or medium load, I don`t remember exactly... However there was also a clear reference that an average load meant 6 Pounds of dry clothes and line 2 also indicates the number of loads you get. So if your Tide box says 40 loads for example, I`d say you can wash 40 half full loads in a Euro FL as long as the water isn`t too hard.

I had to use line 5 (almost a full cap) to get somewhat acceptable results in very soft water in an old Frigidaire FL, which wasn`t so big at all, but still much larger than any euro machine I know. Others seem to get stellar results with tiny amounts of detergent, so your mileage may vary.

 

[launderess]

Front loading washing machines have only become "favorable" in terms of US market sales within the past ten to about fifteen years. Prior to Maytag's Neptune pretty much all that could be found were the European units and offerings by Westinghouse. If the silly federal government hadn't begun messing about with water usage mandates top loaders would still dominate the market.

From about the 1950's until really rather recently most TOL, MOL and even some BOL American laundry detergents gave dosage instructions for the several types of washing machines commonly found: Top loading automatics, Front loading automatics, and Semi-Automatics (wringers and twin tubs), along with fully automatic portables.

Early wringer and automatic washing machines in the USA held about ten to eleven pound of laundry. Later by the 1960's or 1970's you had new "larger capacity" washers that held up to eighteen pounds (or a bit more). Again many detergent makers indicated one should use a bit more detergent for the new larger load machines.

Being as all this may housewives and others doing laundry were long advised not to rely upon dosage instructions on packages but their own eyes. That is to adjust usage levels to suit load size, water conditions and stain/soil levels.

Also over the years detergents (again at least the top shelf) began to remove much of the fillers in favor of more concentrated product. You also had things like All, Fresh Start, Dash, and so forth that were always "concentrated" so you could use less.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703808904575025021214910714

 

[jerrod6]

I agree with Laundress.  Ignore the instructions and start small.  That's what I do with every detergent I use. A lot of manufacturers want you to use more so they can sell more, that's why the size of the detergent measuring cup keeps changing,  so line 1 in one cup may not be the same amount as line 1 in another cup even within the same brand.  I have a 6K machine and when using Tide or any other detergent at first, I start with 1 tablespoon...something like 15 mls.  I do a few loads and look at the results of the wash, rinse waters, and the clothes. If that doesn't work I increase to 30 mls.  I keep doing this until I get amounts that clean and rinse well and  In time I find the right amount for my water conditions and various soil levels. There are some detergents that just don't work well(good cleaning along with rinsing) with any amount you use -  so there's that. 

 

If you have hard  or softer water you may need to use more or less, but after doing a few loads of various soils  you will know and adjust accordingly. 

 

[dixan]

I've got an answer from Tide:

"Thanks for contacting Tide

We appreciate the inquiry and hope we can help make things easier for you. 4-5 kgs is the equivalent to 9-11 American pounds. So if your adding that much laundry to your machine, that would be considered an extra-large load, and we would recommend you fill your scoop up to line 5 with powder to ensure your clothes get cleaned thoroughly.

Hope this helps!

Josh
Tide Team"

Unfortunately, there is no "line 5" on this scoop.

 

[DADoES]

 
I by-and-large follow the stated dosage instructions.  My water source is a private well, not softened.  I typically run large-ish loads.  Dosage is reduced accordingly for smaller/lighter loads and the occasional "special" load of a couple/few black t-shirts and so forth.

I ran two queen-size pillows today in my Calypso.  Used 2 tablespoons of STPP, 4 tablespoons of Tide HE with Bleach powder (equiv to Line 1 on the scoop), and 3 tablespoons of Biz powder.

Also a load of 12 or 13 shirts ... 2 tablespoons STPP, 3-1/2 tablespoons Persil powder (equiv Line 1 on the cap), 2 tablespoons Biz powder.

 

[jerrod6]

9 to 11 pounds is considered extra large?  I have a 6K Miele machine  which is considered a compact in the USA compared to other machines, and absolutely would never use up to line 5. Maybe your water conditions may required it, but WOW  so you are supposed to fill the cup?  

 

No line 5 on the cup? Josh really knows what he is talking about doesn't he.    I think its best never to ask a detergent manufacturer how much to use because they always seem to tell you to use too much.

 

 

 

[launderess]

LIke I say....

Ignore the or any directions from Tide and......