New Ariel Excel Gel

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Hi Jon,
My thinking behind the test loads. By keeping the hand towels and bath towels separate I will not loose track of what has been washed in Ariel Gel. Its a fair point but if I mix the hand towels with the bath towels I will likely get things all muddled up LOL (All my towels are white velour).

I hope I am making sense?

That's disappointing about the Maytag Top Loaders, I have an 11 year old DD Whirlpool which is a great machine but with any agitator machine Jeans should be washed inside out and all zips and buttons fastened. With more delicate items you need to allow extra room by underloading the machine and always use the Permanent Press cycle as its called.
The Ariel Excel Gel should work well in the commercial Front Loaders and I have never used a detergent that rinses out so easily, it even beats Amway SA8 and that's saying something.

I wish you all the best at University.

David
 
Used the Ariel Gel today, and oh my god it's fantastic! Whites I haven't seen so white in my life - it's equal to that if not better than if washed with bio powder, and a short cycle in a commercial washer lifted out blood (which has always been a let down of the newest formula of Ariel powder I have to say at times, other times it'll be no problem), coffee, and that "dingy" dishcloth colour which were not even touched in the toploader (didn't even get dried on pasta sauce off oven gloves). Way way better than any other liquid I've used, including Ariel Power and Persil S&M which have been the most recent liquids I've used! Will definitely recommend this, not sure how much I used though put I just put one squirt in the dispenser if that makes sense.

David - that's a point I didn't think of :-). Just thought it would be more fair, perhaps you could dab a perm marker on the labels or something. But anyway I digress... it will be interesting to know the results, so far so good this looks like a winner.

Jon
 
Sounds fair enough that a non-bio version probably wouldn't work as well. It's best to stick with a bio format for this lol.
 
Unilever have a major problem with this one!

Hi Jon,
I noticed the whiteness myself as I was folding a load of my hand towels, its especially noticeable in overcast daylight where the whites actually appear to glow LOL.

I done a load of my Grandmothers bed linens which had some urine on them (She has Alzheimers). I used the Dyson on a normal Cottons cycle at 20°C, I selected the pre wash option but did not add the Ariel Gel till the main wash was filling, the load came out sparkling clean and totally fresh. I know that sounds disgusting but I must test the product at the suggested temperature and it clearly works. So far it would seem P&G have successfully developed a cold water detergent that lives up to its promises. There is no doubt this will greatly damage Unilevers market share especially given the current financial climate with people trying to save money on energy usage.

I cannot wait to read the Which? Magazine detergent review in January, I have no doubt Ariel Excel Gel will wash away the competition.

I was in my local Asda at 8:00am this morning and I came home with three cases of Ariel Excel Gel, one of the assistants got them from the store room for me and apparently they were the last three cases till more stock arrives. I love this detergent so much I could not resist stocking up especially at £2 per pack which is less than half price.

David
 
Yup - Unilever definitely have a problem on their hands. They seem to be quite backward compared to other brands, especially seeming as they still insist you dispense their tablets in the drum years after even cheap supermarket brands have developed formulas that dissolve in the drawer. Not just that but the current formulations of Persil powders are awful compared to how they were before they launched this "just washed feeling" rubbish!

I honestly think that this Ariel gel is the next best thing when it comes to washing. Another nice thing is that it doens't leave much of a smell, as the other liquid used to. Although I love the smell of Ariel liquid, it can sometimes be a tad overpowering, so it's nice that Ariel have made a start on products that don't leave much of a smell.

The next thing I'm wanting Ariel to release is a compact powder, in line with the supermarket's own brand ressurections. Would be great to see Ariel Futur relaunched, or perhaps Ariel Excel powder :-D

Jon
 
Stinky Persil

Hi Jon,
Yes indeed the new "Just washed freshness" Persil is just vile and not only have they destroyed the scent it no longer cleans as well as the older Persil formula, and please don't get me started on blue Comfort concentrate. I used to adore the scent of blue Comfort but the new scent is quite literally like the proverbial "Tarts Handbag" LOL. I have no desire to smell like that under any circumstances.

It would seem whoever is in charge of detergents and softeners at Unilever is intent on ruining the Persil and Comfort brands.

It has been my experience over the years that Ariel has always been the UK's best detergent and it still is to this day. Love them or hate them but P&G do make high quality products.

David
 
I'm with you on the blue Comfort. Not just that but now it makes me itch, even the pure one, something it didn't do before.

Been using LEnor for almost 2 years now, and although at first I really hated the scent of the blue one, it's almost exclusively the one I use now, although at the moment I'm drying out "A Breath of Fresh Air", one of the new Infusions ranges (2 for £3 at Asda btw), and incidentally it smells more like classic Comfort than Comfort blue does now!

I used to think, 2 years or so ago, that Persil was well superior to Ariel in terms of cleaning and rinsing, but it's rapidly gone downhill, especially seeming as Ariel appear to have solved the oversudsing issues that I always seemed to get.

I'm still not keen on Fairy, though. That's the only P&G washing detergent I utterly hate, same with their dishwasher tablets. Not used their washing up liquids for a while (that while being 3 or 4 years), but when I moved in here I bought Fairy liquid and I'm surprised at it's performance. Mum and Dad use anything between Persil, Sainsbury's own or Ecover washing up liquid at home, and Fairy liquid seems to be better than all of them, especially important considering we don't have a dishwasher here. Persil washing up liquid is another product I won't ever use again! Horrible smell, have to use loads of it, and too sudsy!

Jon
 
I'm Shocked!!

I got some of the Bio Ariel Excel Gel today after being so impressed with the Colour version! Ive got to say this stuff is tottally amazing! I needed to wash a few white bits for my Brother who needed them for tomorow, and as the load wasnt very big, I washed them on the Express cycle, with the temperature at Cold in the Miele! Not what I ever usually do but I thought I just had to give it a go LOL. My first thought was that everything would come out the way it went in, i.e dirty lol! and me having to rewash! But to my amazement everything came out fresh and lightly scented of the Ariel! ( Which I think has a nice sweet scent)

I tumble dried the load just to make sure it wasnt some form of illusion LOL but everything really is clean! I also threw in a white hand towel in for good measure!

Dont think I'll be able to keep up cold washing whites, or towels for that matter but I just had to give it a test out LOL! - Im so pleased with the results though! :D

Can anyone hazzard a guess what the Ariel with Febreeze Excel Gel is like? Somehow I think Im going to have another trip to Asda hehe!

10-2-2008-13-20-43--samsungfl.jpg
 
Ariel Excel Gel with Febreeze Effect

Hi Jon,
I'm glad you like Fairy washing up liquid (Dawn Dish Soap for our US cousins), its in a league of its own for hand dish washing, even burned on crud will come off if you let the item soak for a few minutes. No other washing up liquid even comes close to Fairy and it really does work out the best value for money as you need so little of it.

I don't use Non Bio detergents myself except for washing Woolen garments, I have a box of Fairy powder which is more than a year old now. The Woolens I wash are never dirty so I cant comment on its stain removing performance but everything has came out clean and fresh.

Hi Richard,
I have used the Febreeze version on a load of my white T-Shirts and I can tell you it performs exactly the same as the Bio version, the Febreeze scent is different from earlier Ariel Febreeze varients and is much nicer and not at all overpowering.

I wish P&G would re introduce the Ariel Alpine scent I always loved it.

David
 
Yep, Fairy liquid definitely is great, though I must admit I always squeeze a lot more in than I should, force of habit still!

My sister uses Fairy non bio, she's in the mindset that enzymes harm her eczema (a load of balls, as I used biological stuff on her clothes for ages when she lived with us and she only mysteriously started complaining of itching when she found out that I was using bio washing powder), and I have to say the results are dismal... whites aren't always clean, some stains are left. I was amazed when I switched from a non bio product to a bio 3 years or so ago, that stains actually were removed that I always thought were impossible to wash out!

Ariel still make the Alpine formula in industrial sized boxes - if you haev a cash and carry near you, they will often stock it. JTF near us often has it, as does Costco and Makro from what I've heard.

Jon
 
Non Bio

Hi Jon,
Yes I agree about the non bio situation. Its not enzymes that cause allergic reactions its synthetic scents, for example you have reacted to Blue Comfort and the new Comfort Pure. What is it with the UK and non bio detergents?

Enzymes are amazing at removing stains as they act like a catalyst and remain unaffected after digesting stains. Bleach on the other hand works by oxidization and is neutralized as it works, the likes of Fairy Non Bio relies heavily on oxygen based bleach for stain removal.

Ariel was the UK's first Biological Detergent, introduced in 1969 it was truly a washday miracle. Can you imagine the advance in cleaning for housewives throughout the UK moving from the old non biological soap based powders to the new Ariel, a synthetic detergent with enzymes.

I must call into Makro and have a look for some Ariel Alpine; I had no idea it was still available.

David
 
Hey guys!
Well today i bought myself two bottles of the new excel gel! The colour & febreze varients! I love it! Its brilliant, though i've not brought myself to drop below 30! I did my 1st load with the colour gel on cottons 30. I really liked the gel formate, it washed really well and rinsed beautifully! At last my dream combo Ariel with perfect rinsing!!!! It has improved bit by bit over the last couple of years and this is now the best!

I'm going back to asda to buy a few more bottles, my good laydee suggested it! lol! As it is on offer for £2.

One thing i did do was wash some of my delicate trousers and jumpers on wool cycle (they're not wool don't tell me off for using it! on a wool cycle lol) in the hotpoint and because it spends alot of time static a small bit was left in the dosage ball.

Speaking of the funky dosage ball, it remained in tact after a 20minute hotpoint final spin!!!!

Darren
 
just did some darks !!

i bought the whites and colors version tonight at my local tesco and its on a very low price offer of £1.88!!! the card board merchandiser at the entrance was empty! and in the detergent isle there was only a few bottles left!, i used the color liquid , i cannot get a 15 degree wash with my machine but set it to fill up on pure cold about 6 degrees and then selected a hot wash to heat up till the door felt slightly warm, i used regular round bauble dispenser as i felt the one supplied was a bit sharp on the corners , there was a high level of suds on even a dirty load but we must have the softest water as everything suds up but i do like to see suds at the door! , it rinsed well and smelled nice at the end! as its colors i cannot test its stain removal as nothing had particular stains, even if we dont wash at 15 degrees it may good to have something that is so efficient that at 40 60 or 90 it will be even better, i wish ariel still had its orginal smell the big bottle of blue liquid had in the 1980s with the big arielette bauble , it would so remind me of my school uniform and my Mams Servis slimline 320!!
 
Hi Folks,
I'm glad everyone so far is enjoying the new Ariel Excel Gel. I must say I am well impressed thus far, it is simply amazing on whites.

Yes Richard the original Ariel Liquid did smell wonderful and the distinctive noise of the Arielette clunking around and thumping off the door glass of our Creda Debonair Micron 17201. The Arielette was huge by today's standards, if memory serves me correctly they went up to 220ml. I have an original Arielette somewhere in the workshop I must have a look for it.
You must have been at school around the same time as myself as I can remember the Ariel Liquid scent from my uniform too.

David
 
Ariel liquid fragrance on school uniform

I tried it too, when it first came out. My classmates kept mentioning a fruity smell! Everyone else probably used powders.
 
Hey again guys,
I was just thinkin while watching my hotpoint, it was about time a detergent was made with the mindset of modern machines that wash and rinse in small amounts of water.

For people who own the bosch maxx's of early 2000s with their 2 low level rinses & the indesits & hotpoints with 2 rinses as standard. The excel gel is perfect! as it washes and rinses beautifully!

I do LOVE this detergent!

I've taken a pic of my hotpoint in action on cotton 25degrees with whites with the two bottles i bought in front of it, though i've just got a new samsung G600 phone and i'm still gettin round to uploading the software for piccies and such.

Darren
 
Oh and another note! I was right, the hotpoints with the ECO programmes are being used in the advert for them, i should think it won't be long before their is an ARIEL excel & Hotpoint Eco cycle collabortating advert!

Darren
 
Hey..
I've also got the colour version from tesco, they were not many left, everyone were after them.LOL
managed to get one.....this was due to asda selling em at £2 and sainsburys at £2.99 and Tesco at £1.88.
Well my dysons lowest temperature is 20oc so will be using that...20oc 1400rpm A class and on dirt and stains with extra rinse like always!
Cool!
 
Stocked up too! Back home this weekend, so bought 2 bottles at Asda for £2 each (though they only had the colour variety left as it was 1am), then I went to Tesco as I wanted grapes and as usual they had skanky ones at Asda, and saw that they were selling Ariel Excel for £1.88 - so bought another 4 bottles! Really loving this stuff, really is such a washday advance!

I saw that Asda were also now selling 1.5l bottles of Ariel, Daz and Bold Power liquids too! Another great liquid detergent there I must say!

Darren! I see you've moved from Nokia's! Wise choice, can't wait until I can update my phone when my contract runs out in March, this Nokia's the worst phone I've ever had!

Jon
 
Got some too!

In Tesco, £1.88, green bio version.

I do agree with 'ricky5050'; the dosing device has a very sharp rim. It won't do fabrics any good at all. So I used a Persil dosing ball from several years ago (the soft, squidgy, rubbery one).

My machine cannot get below 30 deg C., so that will have to do. The wash became quite foamy towards the end of the actual wash phase.

Can't comment on rinsing yet: wash still in progress!
 
Mmm, have to agree that the dosing devise seems a little harsh but as the wash is still in progress, can't comment on performance. My machine only goes down to 30 so have had it on cold and the longest cycle time and will see what happens. However, I adore the scent; such an improvement on the previous incarnation. Looking forward to he results and as I have a TL, the anticipation is even greater!!
 
Done 3 loads in this today - first two were darks, with the Colour liquid - they came up great, no suds at all during even the first rinse with the 37ml dose. Forgot to turn the temp down from 40 to 30, however I remembered to turn the white load to 30*C and have to say the results were still impressive. Was only a half load of whites, however it got the bottoms of socks clean (rather than leaving them "dingy" as liquids normally do). Definitely an impressive product.

In terms of the dosing ball, I don't see how it can be that harsh... not damaged anything so far (yet), and tbh is no "harser" on clothes than plastic drum paddles are...

Jon
 
RESULT!

just took the whites out of the machine and am VERY impressed - red wine, coffee and tomato ketchup removed from dish cloths and tea towels on a cold wash. Will deffo get the colour varient now. Incidentally, does anyone know what the average temp of UK cold water is at this time of year or during winter?
 
Dosing device

It's the outer edge of the oval shape I'm concerned about. It may be sharp enough to slice finer fabrics.

It is odd that they chose this design; it is like a measuring cap. Didn't they say not to put the cap (regarding previous liquids) into the machine?
 
Rolls,
I've used it on loads of loads and plenty of 1600rpm spins and a delicate load and its been fine! I def see your point though, it did cross my mind when i saw it. then i saw the advert and i thought, well that must be how you do it!

It definately goes in their on the advert they show you how "bottom is the new top, squeeze is the new pour *squeezes it into the cap and puts it in the drum* & then cold is the new hot! & they've subtley changed a wmf760 hotpoint temp button for a dial lol!

Darren
 
Another thing that crossed my mind:

What with all this 'liqui-tab' stuff, and educating people in the art of washing with liquitabs, I wonder why P&G decided to go back to fiddling about with dosing balls?

Haven't they missed a trick?

Wouldn't it be better to put the new concentrated gel into a liquitab pouch, albeit a smaller size, cram more of them into a container for a similar price, and sell them along the lines of "more washes per box, helping to save the environment"?
 
Yes!

One per wash.

I thought the emphasis of modern formats was on speedy ease of use, fling it in and walk away.

This seems like a retrograde step.
 
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