Lets talk detergents!!!

[mrsalvo]

Ok Guys, what detergents have you tried and which ones do you keep going back to? And why.
Has anyone ever experienced a build up of soap residue in their machines? I found this to be the case with high sudsing
detergents in my machine, so I cleaned it all out with Limeaway
and switched to a more concentrated detergent. I found that the
Sears brand cleans about as well or better than Tide and I don't have that build up of "gunk" on the inside. Also, I found that some detergents sold at the grocery store speeded up the fading process in my clothes, I noticed this with All and Gain. Does anyone actually use Amyway's SA8 anymore?
Because I have sensitve skin, I did switch over to a lower sudsing detergent but found other benefits as well. Of course my mother would roll over in her grave (rest her soul) if she knew I don't wash in hot water and Tide with every load.
Anyones thoughts?

 

[appnut]

I too have liked the Sears HE dtergents in my top loader cuz of low sudsing and they clean well. I've been experimenting with others, but will be giong back to Sears.

 

[david]

I have never had the chance to try Sears detergent, but would like to. Here all we seem to use is Cheer. It's ok, but I think there is better out there. I am a Tide guy myself, but my wife won't use it. That's primarily my 2 favorites. Haven't used All or Surf in years, liked the smell of Surf but neither was a terrific cleaner in my book. Liked Dash when it was available as a low-sudser in the red box.

 

[westytoploader]

Have tried many, but keep going back to Original Tide w/Bleach. Tide liquid, Purex, Surf, Fab, and Gain powders are good as well based on experience.

 

[maytagbear]

I've tried a bunch of detergents

through the years.

I like Tide, but it can be a little pricy, if not bought with a coupon.

For years, I used Era when it was a true quarter cup.

I used Amway SA8 for a while, but haven't in years, I like Amway (and its politics) even less than I like Procter and Gamble.

Sometimes, I will use all. Right now, I am using the liquid version, and have a box of the powder in the pantry.

I had a flirtation with Arm and Hammer powder with bleach. It worked well enough.

When P & G still had Oxydol, there was one magazine ad that drew my attention. (It was sometime in the 80s!) I wonder if Redox still makes the powder Oxydol, all that's around here is the liquid.

Once in a while I have no choice but to go really cheap. For the cheap stuff, Xtra with Bleach Alternative works well on the soils and stains I get.

I wish P & G would revive Dash.

Water here is not extremely hard, so choosing a detergent is not as crucial as it could be.

As for residue/buildup, I do a white vinegar wash twice a year, and that seems to work. Makes me feel virtuous anyway, don't know if it aids my machine at all.

Last time I was at "bulls-eye boutique" (Target), I looked at Method Laundry, and thought about it, but thought again.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[mrsalvo]

It's been a long time, but didn't Dash have a really sweet
smell to it? Help me refresh my memory.

 

[veg-o-matic]

I've tried 'em all, and generally go with what's cheapest. I live a pretty low-dirt life, so they all seem pretty much the same to me. I used to like Trend in the huge box but can't find it any more. Since last August (I found the receipt under the seat in my car!) I've been using Sears and it works just as well as any other. The nice thing about it is that when it goes on sale, I can get a 180 load box for like, 10 bucks. That's a year's supply!

veg the cheapskate

 

[tlee618]

I too find that the Sears with Oxi-clean works very well in my front loader. Not to many suds and rinses well. Terry

 

[appnut]

Sure wish Sears would put their detergents on sale again. It's been 4Ever.

 

[kenmore1978]

favorites

I've been using Arm & Hammer's Xtra with bleach alternative, and it seems to work fine. Any detergent seems to work fine since only 2 of my roommates actually get "dirty" clothes. For him I add a cup of sudsy ammonia and oxygen bleach in addition to the detergent. I keep a small bottle of "Coolove" detergent for woolens and silk items

 

[kenmore1978]

Sears & Costco detergents

So does any body use Costco CLOUT detergent? I wonder who makes it and Sears detergent?

 

[gyrafoam]

I am currently working on a (32lb) bucket of the Costco powder "Kirkland Signature) "Institutional" detergent (about $9.00 and change). It has a mild citrus scent to it. I DO get my (work) clothes really dirty from either working on my machines or from the garden. Cuts grease as well or BETTER than Tide! Cleans really well and appears to rinse out better than most. So far here in Atlanta's water, I have yet to get it to make ANY suds. Perfect for front loaders (or 1-18's!)----use as much as you want without worrying about suds-lock.

Last year Georgedon introduced me to Fab. It has a few (fairly strong) fragrances to choose from and is available in either liquid or powder. It works really well and I really like the "Spring Magic" fragrance. "Ocean Breeze" is really nice in the summer. It is almost always "on sale" at Kroger. Fab is also VERY low sudsing----so no worry about suds-lock in your front loaders. Fab does seem to contain quite a bit of anti-caking agent (talc?) as it will leave a visible powdery residue on a stainless steel or black tub. I'll continue to use it anyway---I love it for the colored clothes.

Used to use Tide and Gain but they lost me with their outrageous pricing. I never could see the first bit of difference in the "HE" versions either. The "HE" types made the same amount of suds in my FriGEMore as the "regular" types and the "HE" versions were even MORE expensive! In any event, they ALL caused suds lock in my front-loader and my 1-18 so I gave them up in favor of the Costo brand. Some of my clothes just get too dirty from the yard and garden----I almost always need to add extra detergent anyway-----not less to keep from suds-locking!

O.K.--------- thats my two cents.

 

[cleanteamofny]

Right now I'm using Tide with Bleach, Era, Cheer and Arm and Hammer. They all works well and rinses out pretty good.
I'm willing to try the Costco Clout detergent in a front loader but I will have to pass using it in a top loader for it will strip the shine off the porcelain basket after years of use. My sister always used that detergent in my old belt drive 1982 Kenmore and if it takes the finish off the basket I know it will cause the color to fade.

 

[re563]

OH god!!! where do I start with this. Years ago when I had a westy front loader I used Dash and Loved it. They had phased the red box out and were down to the lemon scent--still loved it. Now since having the HE3 I'ved tried Arm & Hammer, Purex, Fab, Tide HE, Gain HE, All HE, Cheer HE. I do have a tub of Sears Ultra Plus with fabric softner right now. At first I loved it then I did whites with it and wasn't very impressed. However, I am on a well here in florida, and switched my Water Softenr salt to an Iron remover type, Yesterday I washed the dog bedding and It came out perfect. So Today I will use it on a load of colors. Like many of you, I love the P&G products, but they do get pricey, and I get tired of hunting down coupons and sales to make their products reasonable. So i guess I have to say I keep going back to Fab and Sears. If P&G were to bring back Dash, at a reasonable price--That would be my one and only detergent.

 

[state-line]

A Cheer and Tide Fan...

I typically buy Tide, though I will get Cheer from time to time. Have you noticed that Cheer is getting a bit hard to find? Our local Wal-Mart has rows upon rows of Tide and Gain, but a SMALL section of Cheer. I used to enjoy how Cheer smelled in the 70's and 80's. When they added "Color Guard" to it, they changed the scent and I didn't like it after that. And David from LA, I liked Dash, too. I didn't use it much when it was out, but I liked it. Here in NC, in the mid-80-'s, we were a test market area for "Low Price Dash" which was a forerunner to the Lemon Fresh Dash that came out after that.

 

[peterh770]

In general I try to avoid P&G brands, not because of the aminal testing (because they all do), but more for not supporting that behemoth company. So I tend towards Lever products.

My all time favorite is ALL powder. Love the scent, love that it does a great job alone, and if I need boosting of bleach or enzymes, I can add what I need. Now and then it will oversuds my FL, but in general, it tops my list.

Next is Fresh Start. They must have reformulated it again, but cause I cannot get it to suds much at all in my FL. Has a great vintage chemical scent.

Third is Mexican Viva detergent. The original formula made by Colgate-Palmolive is hard to find as Viva Total. It was updated to Viva con Activas Perlas when C-P sold the brand to Henkel. I'm stockpiling Viva Total as I find it. Mexican Lirio is really good too, and I prefer this to Viva con Perlas Activas.

I have been using the Method fabric softener from Target. The blue one is super nice, very fresh and clean; the green one is ok but the scent if a little funky to me. The self-measuring cap is really convenient and neat (no product dripping down the cap and bottle).

And then there is grated Fels Naphta and STPP, for a real vintage smell. Works great on greasy stains and shirt collars.

 

[mrsalvo]

You guys are just too cool, have learned so much about not only
detergents but everything we talk about.
I've wondered about the Target brand, looked at it then walked away, I just wasn't sure. Now I might give it a try.
Also, I wondered about the dull finish in my machine, now I'm
wondering what detergent caused that effect. Hmmm.
They still make Fresh Start???? Hadn't seen it in years. I'm beginning to suspect that different areas of the country have more selections in detergents (and other things too).
I read somewhere here on the internet that Amyway was going to
repackage and redistribute SA8 through a national chain, I think this has turned out to be just hype though. SA8, now that
was a good laundry product, probably the best, but expensive.
Their car products were excellent too, esp. the waxes.

Appnut, is the finish in your washer basket dull?

 

[spiralactivator]

Being an impoverished student, I stick to the bargain brands. 1-cup Sun powder has never let me down. I've used Xtra with okay results and I tried Lemon Viva once. I did try Fresh Start with good results; the bottle is so cool. As a kid, I remember using Kleen (McCrory store brand in an orange box) and Instant Fels right before they exited the market. My mom only uses liquids (usually Purex or Dynamo), and my aunt is a Tide freak when she can afford it. I know it's heresy, but I'm not overly impressed with Tide, considering the price.

 

[maytagbear]

behemoth companies--

Unilever is not much smaller than P & G.

Rather like the difference between a 6' 6" guy and a

6' 3" one!

Love and laughter,

Lawrence/Maytagbear