Now I'm Getting Scared

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launderess

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Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage
Went down to our local Ace Hardware as my Jiffy Steamer was leaking (again), and was out of my favourite epoxy (Seal-All), and as per usual found myself stopping in the detergent section. As with several other stores I've visited recently, powdered detergents, including Tide were almost totally absent! Did notice that the 2x liquid version of Tide Coldwater is now in the same Tide bottle as every other liquid detergent from Tide, but we're not on that right now.

Tide with Bleach powder is the number one selling detergent in the United States, with other versions not far behind. As liquid detergents cannot have oxygen bleach, what is going to happen? Who is responsible for this?

May have to stock piling Persil in case this anti-powder hate spreads across the pond.

L.
 
In my area, Target seems to have the best powder selection, albeit small compared with the liquids. It is dominated by Tide variants, but I usually see others as well, including Cheer, Gain, Arm & Hammer, and Surf. My mom buys Gain powder there; most of the supermarkets here don't seem to carry that anymore.
 
Unilever Persil

Is Omo, or Omomatic.

No sign of powders dissappearing in Australia.

Omomatic is reccomended by most FL Manufacturers here.

I doubt Powders will dissappear any time soon in the rest of the world outside the US.

Our powders are that concentrated, that a 50mL scoop (1/5 of a cup) is ample for most loads.
 
I heard that to push people into cooler temps. powders are getting out of order because of their slower dissolving acts. But that's rediculous! It takes only a few moment longer to dissolve them completly. Over here powders are still prefered above liquides for price and cleaning perfomance. All powders are concentrated over here as well. So 1/5 of a cup will do the trick.
 
I'm noticing the same thing, Launderess. The powdered detergent sections are shrinking rapidly around here, too.

I'm using powdered SA8 as my daily driver now, along with UK Persil (rinses cleaner than even SA8, so I use it for loads of bath towels) and UK Ariel (love the scent!). I doubt any of those will go liquid-exclusive any time soon.

Except for Woolite For Darks and Cheer For Dark Colors, I've not purchased a laundry product off-the-shelf for quite awhile. I'm loving Quixtar's SA8, Tri-Zyme Booster and All-Fabric Bleach.

The dollar's weakness overseas has meant getting my fix of UK detergents is costing a ridiculous amount of money. My last order (one large box each of Persil and Ariel) came to nearly $175. It's the shipping, of course, that's the killer.
 
Gene, do you mean shipping from overseas or from the dealer to your house? Places here that sell Miele vacuum cleaners sell the Persil detergent, not that it is cheap. Vacuum dealers up there don't sell it? Targets by me usually have powder Tide HE. Keep Warm! Tom
 
A few months ago WalMart announced that they are phasing out powdered detergents completely. They cited enviromental reasons (packaging) as one reason.
We've switched back to powders after we noted that it seems that liquid detergents can make out TL machine smell musty. When we use powdered detergents this doesn't happen.
Our local Miele dealer sells both Persil powder and liquid detergents.
But I am worried about them. We have been dealing with this particular dealer for several years. They have always been very service oriented. But when I went in there a few weeks ago to buy a new HEPA filter for our Miele vac I noticed that all the floor displays were gone. No demo units at all. They were also a sewing center, and all the sewing machines were gone. I asked to talk to Taylor, their repair guy and was told he no longer works there. This was a family owned business and the woman that was in there was one I had never seen before. When I looked at their stock of bags and filters almost all was gone. They didn't even have my HEPA filter in stock. I asked the woman working there what was going on, she said that the place was still owned by the same family, but that they are "reorganizing". Hmm, looks more like going out of business to me.
 
Hy-Vee Store Plumb Out of Gain Powder!

That's what I found out this morning while at a local Hy-Vee Store, but managed to buy four 63-load boxes of Tide with Bleach. Got enough powder in the closet to last at least a year or more. *grins*--Laundry Shark
 
"A few months ago WalMart announced that they are phasing out powdered detergents completely. They cited enviromental reasons (packaging) as one reason."

Yes, you know those plastic bottles break down in landfills SOOOOO much more quickly than those cardboard boxes...
[/sarcasm]
 
Pardon my ignorance...

...but I thought liquid detergents cost more to ship around (they are comprised of water after all!).

Surely powders are the most concentrated form; and the 'Compact', 'Micro', 'Ultra', 'Futur' concentrated versions, even more so. (Concentrated/compact powders disappeared years ago in the UK, to be replaced by those infernal tablets). Bring back Ariel 'Futur', I say!

Standard powders are still available in the UK, as you know, but they seemed to go through a bit of a packet 'downsizing' a few years ago: their concentration may have been improved at that point.

So what is WalMart thinking???
 
Tom---I get German (Henckel) Persil online from a source in the USA, but I've come to prefer the British Unilever version. The only place I know to get that is from a British product importer (Brit Foods Superstore). I believe the Miele dealers sell only the Henckel version.

In short, yes, the UK detergents are shipped to my house from England. The Unilever version has a different scent than Henckel's (which smells of fresh rosemary) and it's hands-down the best rinsing detergent I've ever used.

I love the scent of Mexican Ariel (as I've said many times, it reminds me of a bag of crushed up Sweet-Tarts), but the citrusy scent of UK Ariel is probably my all-time favorite-smelling detergent. I love the smell of the laundry room and adjacent area when I'm using it.
 
Whirlcool

We've switched back to powders after we noted that it seems that liquid detergents can make out TL machine smell musty.

I've used Sears HE powdered detergent for over a year since I got my Fridgemore FLer. Not a hint of mustiness or mold. I thin the U.S. public has been sold a bill of bad goods when it comes to liquid detergent. A friend sent me some liquid Purex HE and Fresh Start detergent as well as some form of Ariel. The Purex liquid and Ariel rinse much better than the Sears powder. Really makes me mad WallyWorld is phasing iout powders all together. That's the only place I can get Fab powder. (I better stock up). An interesting observation, modern frontloaders that offer a prewash/soak option and allow you to load all the dipenseer segments up, say you have to use powder detergent for the main wash if you use prewash or soak first. Sucks. You won't have any powders to chose from and I am not a fan of Tide, never have been. Makes me itch very badly just coming in contact with the powder.
 
I'm still seeing plenty of powders at the local Safeway and Pak 'n Save supermarkets.

Lately, been impressed with Sears Ultra Plus HE with Oxyclean. It seems to be significantly lower sudsing than their other Ultra Plus HE formulae, esp when heated to 160F in the Miele. Doesn't seem to oversuds like the other Ultra Plus formulae do. More suds with increasing temp than Persil, but still more than acceptable. Plus it seems to clean pretty well, even without any added STPP. Doesn't seem to leave the fabric as soft as Persil does, so I'm guessing it still packs more than a little sodium carbonate.
 
phase out

I don't mean to rain on anyone's opinion parade, but the way I read the article was that WM was only going to keep liquid detergents that were concentrated...they were not going to keep liquid detergents that were not concentrated. I don't remember reading anything that said they were not going to keep powdered detergents. I could be wrong.....please enlighten me if I am...
 
My Mama Always Said . . .

That powdered detergents didn't dissolve quickly enough -- especially in cold water.

I don't know whether that's true today, but a LOT of people still believe it. And marketing is all about ideas and concepts, NOT facts.

True or not, I'm sure that the belief has a lot to do with the fact that liquid detergents are more easily marketable.

-kevin
 
concentrated liquid

Other than the caption, nowhere does the article state that powder detergent will not be sold by WalMart. It only says that liquid detergent sold there will be the concentrated formula.......
 
Wal-Mart dumping powdered detergents

*As documented evidence to the contrary:* I present the following two articles that I was sharp and wise in saving from a now erased "Super Forum" thread. If you insist on grabbing copies of the original articles, contact the sources for online purchase and/or perform your own Web searches for similar stories. Here now is the text of the first saved article.--Laundry Shark

Posted on Thu, Sep. 27, 2007
Wal-Mart dumping powdered detergents
The Associated Press

Wal-Mart will start selling only concentrated liquid laundry detergent, a move the world’s biggest retailer says will save millions of pounds of packaging each year.

Wal-Mart said that its stores account for 25 percent of liquid laundry detergent sales in the United States and that its effort will save 400 million gallons of water, 95 million pounds of plastic and 125 million pounds of cardboard.

The company would also save fuel by transporting less mass.

The concentrated liquid detergent will arrive on all shelves at U.S. Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores by May.

Stores in the South will receive the smaller liquid detergent containers starting next month, and the rollout will continue by region.

The company said it expects to sell 800 million of the concentrated units over the coming three years.

Wal-Mart said it has worked with its suppliers and will use advertising and store displays to explain the change to customers.

Wal-Mart has emphasized sustainability as a way to be environmentally friendly and cut costs.

© 2007 TheState.com and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved. http://www.thestate.com

http://www.thestate.com/
 
Wal-Mart to Sell Concentrated Liquid Laundry Detergent Only

And here is the other one.--Laundry Shark

Wal-Mart to Sell Concentrated Liquid Laundry Detergent Only by May 2008

SEPTEMBER 27, 2007 -- BENTONVILLE, Ark. - In an effort to be a catalyst for "greening" of the entire liquid laundry detergent category across the retail industry, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. plans to sell only concentrated products in the liquid laundry detergent category in its U.S. Wal-Mart Stores and Sam's Clubs.

Lee Scott, president and c.e.o. of Wal-Mart, revealed the commitment to only concentrates at the Clinton Global Initiative yesterday in New York City.

"People expect businesses to step up and work together to help solve the big challenges facing the world," he told the crowd of approximately 1,000 people gathered at the event. "What we have done is work with suppliers to take water -- one of our most precious natural resources -- out of the liquid laundry detergent on our shelves. We simply don't want our customers to have to choose between a product they can afford and an environmentally friendly product."

Wal-Mart said expects to be selling only concentrated detergent in all of its U.S. stores by early May 2008. The transition will occur in waves beginning in the Southern region in October, extending to the North and Midwest by February, and finishing in East Coast states in April 2008.

According to Wal-Mart, the merchandising shift will save more than 400 million gallons of water, more than 95 million pounds of plastic resin, and more than 125 million pounds of cardboard. Since approximately 25 percent of the liquid laundry detergent sold in the United States is passes through Wal-Mart stores, the potential savings in natural resources through the entire retail industry could be four times as much.

The technology to concentrate liquid detergent has been available for more than a decade, but was little used due to lack of interest in commercialization. Partnering closely with its suppliers, Wal-Mart made the decision to offer only concentrated detergent, and manufacturers began transforming their facilities to accommodate this request, leaving less capacity for old-fashioned detergents with high water content. This encouraged other retailers to move toward selling only the concentrated version of liquid detergents.

In 2005, Wal-Mart initiated a partnership with Unilever to dramatically reduce the packaging of its "all" detergent. In February 2006, Unilever unveiled "all small-and-mighty," which is three-times concentrated, and contains enough detergent to wash the same 32 loads as a 100-oz. bottle. Wal-Mart helped bring the product to market by promising equal or greater shelf space despite the smaller product size.

The success of this partnership led Wal-Mart to work with suppliers throughout the laundry detergent industry, including P&G, Unilever, Dial, Huish, and Church & Dwight, to offer their own concentrated laundry detergents. Wal-Mart will continue to work together with these suppliers to ensure customer acceptance and promote the benefits of concentrated detergent.

Wal-Mart said it will bolster its commitment with a number of marketing and education efforts, including:
- Interactive displays at select stores to help customers understand the products' environmental benefits;
- Marketing concentrated laundry detergent through promotions in print publications, on Wal-Mart TV and at walmart.com; and
- Educating Wal-Mart associates through internal communications channels.




Links referenced within this article




Find this article at:
http://www.progressivegrocer.com/pr...article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003647204


© 2007 VNU eMedia Inc. All rights reserved.

http://www.progressivegrocer.com/pr...article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003647204
 
i stand corrected

I stand corrected. But I am also glad that I do not shop at WalMart. I will continue to buy my powdered detergent at my local grocery store (which still stocks the big sellers in powder) until the greedy WM giant forces all makers of detergent to bow to their wishes and quit making powders.
 
I'm afraid I also don't see where in the body of the articles it says that Walmart will discontinue powders - only that all its liquid detergents will be concentrated, so as to eliminate the excess weight and volume of WATER in the non-concentrated liquid products.

Typically headlines are not written by the author of a news article. They are created by the page editor, and may or may not be an accurate representation of the facts presented in the article.

It may well be that Walmart is phasing out powders for other reasons, but eliminating water from products is not one of them.
 
Then Go Right to the Source

Perhaps somebody might volunteer to investigate Wal-Mart headquarters for themselves. I know that my local Wal-Mart store has fewer and fewer powdered detergent products in stock. All I can say now is keep hording up those powders while you can still find them. True, liquids also have their place, but if you still want your everlasting powder supply, keep piling up those boxes in storage so you can enjoy those powders for as long as possible.--Laundry Shark
 
Launderess!

Just so you know, the Stop and Shop chain of supermarkets is still carrying the Cheer Free and Gentle powder, and I remember you had good luck with that product.

Maybe it might be worth your while to hit the store in Long Island City and stock up!

Is Tide with Bleach powder really still the most popular detergent in America? (GOOD...I'll have lots of company when I call P&G to complain...)

My WalMart (which seems to stock better than most other WalMarts) has plain Tide powder in Mountain and Clean Breeze formulas, the new Lilac and Baking Soda variant, Tide with Bleach in Mountain scent, plain Gain powder, Gain Island Fresh, Gain "Expressions" in Lemon/Lime/Tangerine scent, plain Cheer powder, plain Arm and Hammer powder, Sun in a bucket, and a classic Purex and Surf variant.

Our Walgreens stores still carry "All Free and Clear" powder as well, but no more regular All powder.
 
Rolls Rapide -The UK never lost concentrated powder

Such as Micro, well not from Lever anyway. My Vintage storage tins from Persil Micro state the dosage quantities and it is the same as Persil powder today. Difference is then you used a dose ball due to machines not having sump protection devices and the small powder amounts flushing into it from the drawer. Also with machines using more water 16 years ago it probably also helped mix the solution better. Now machines have sump protection and things like circulatory systems that make the wash and rinse work better with less water, i.e Modern Jetsystem we clearly have no need for a ball of which many folk think Modern Persil is just regular powder. They have gradually downed the dose since tablets took over but now vintage micro and todays regular are the same thing in a roundabout way. Rob
 
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