P&G Tide "Pods" Killing the Laundry Soap Industry?

[mysteryclock]

I have to say, we gave the Pods a good run at our house - 2 1/2 big packages I believe. They really worked well at cleaning almost everything, removing both stains (except for some oil-on-cotton ones) and odor and leaving everything feeling relatively soft coming out of the dryer w/o any fabric softener.

The only reason I stopped using them is they were making 3/4 of the house itch really bad. Whatever leave-on fabric coating they are using to resist staining after washing (Actilift?) was making us all very itchy. Took a while to figure out what was causing it, but as soon as I went back to Tide Powders all the problems stopped, like flipping a switch.

Still, I kept the pods and use them occasionally for washing placemats, since they are really pretty heavy-duty. No point throwing them away.

 

[paulc]

"Actilift" is an enzyme called celulase that smooths cotton fibres and dissolves stray ones. The smoothed cotton fibres help reduce the ability of stains to set in.

Most allergic reactions are caused by the perfume's used in detergents. I know I have a reaction to heavily scented F/S, especially the ones that claim freshness for days. We have had unit dose detergent in the UK for a while now. I quite like them for convenience but they are expensive to use. It appears that Europe and the UK is soon to get Ariel Pods very similar to Tide pods, of course I will have to try them!!!

 

[launderess]

P&G's "Actilift" Is More Than Cellulase

An enzyme P&G has had in Tide, Ariel and other brands of their detergents for decades now (hint: if you see the "Cotton" logo on the package, the product likely contains cellulase), but a technology built up on several enzymes and other systems.

From P&G's "Tide with Actilift" website:

"The Acti-Lift formula contains technologies to help lift off stains with ease. The power of Acti-Lift is due to three crucial ingredients. First, cleaning enzymes help deep clean fibers so stains lift off with ease. Cleaning polymers, designed to boost Tide’s already great cleaning surfactant, then help break up dry stains and lift them from fabrics. Finally, whiteness booster gives a great whitness result even in just one wash.

Tide with Acti-Lift also contains surfactants. Surfactant molecules have two parts. One is "water loving" and the other is "water hating." The water-loving (hydrophilic) part breaks the surface tension of water. The water-hating (hydrophobic) part is attracted to oil and grease in soils, loosening and removing them from fabrics."

Polymers are the key bit to this whole scheme. With repeated laundering the "Actilift" system is supposed to lay down a layer of protection upon textile fibers that allows for easier shedding of stains/soils. Max effect takes place around the fourth to fifth washing.

404: This page could not be found

www.pg.com

 

[petek]

What were the ones back in the 50's and 60's, like hockey pucks. Duz ?

 

[launderess]

Pod Detergents & Over Sudsing

After being told off in another post about dosage of pod type detergents and over sudsing had another go with the La Croix version from France.

What one found is that it wasn't the size of the load per se but the soil/oil levels that controlled sudsing.

A friend of ours washer was broken so offered to run a few loads of bed linen in the Miele. Used one of the La Croix packets which normally produces tons of froth for my linens, but as these were pretty whiffy felt things would be fine. And it was; not only didn't the thing over froth but there weren't any suds at all, period. Big Bertha did the load in her normal fashion and by the fourth (out of five) rinses the water was clear coming out of the drain. ]

Now I've done full loads of lightly soiled wash with this same product that even at half dosage caused all sorts of problems. Thus what we have always known about detergents still rings true. If the amount of surfactants is surplus to requirements the stuff will find "other" things to do and or simply just do nothing but create tons of excess froth.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Petek.....  you maybe mean Salvo ???

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Yes Laundress, you're right, soil level plays an important role in sudsing, not just load size.

That is totally true, if laundry is more soiled the detergent suds less! That is obvious!
Over here in Europe and Italy, as you probably know, measures in detergents base on many things including water harndness and soil level rather than load size only...

In USA indeed measures are based for load sizes assuming a "normal" soil level....while for higher soil levels they just states that you may need to add more...
So it's a bit less indicative, but at lest for me, is never difficult to understand what amount I actually need, based on laundry soil level, size and everything....

But I agree soil level plays a bigger important role than american detergents measures indications probably makes people think by not clearly stating in the chart soil level as an important variant... again obvious thing, but for many this is kind a news.....

Here are two typical pics of how an european measuring chart looks like

This is of Dash powder detergent, it also includes a map of Italy with the relative water types...darker means harder...clear means softer

[this post was last edited: 4/5/2013-15:49]

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Another one from some Gigi powder I had at home:

Sorry for pic quality, the chart in the left mention various type of water hardness from softer to whiter..

 

 

[washer111]

Not Here!

I work at a local supermarket (not really that 'Super' in the detergent market, but still) and have found less than one person every month buying these tablets. They ARE NOT popular.

Powder Detergents still reign supreme, and I'm assuming its because they are cheaper than liquids, don't ruin clothes and work up to 10% better than the best liquids (even the worst powders!) I also assume its because we have a large population of people from Countries North of Australia - who must know how to do laundry properly... "Cold Water" detergents (aka "Cold Power") are also low-selling products. 

 

My next shot of detergent will be "Surf" and "Radiant" varieties, both on sale this week, along with a brand of sensitive fabric softener. I have the exchange the Surf, since I bought TL instead of HE detergent, and I don't think the Miele would appreciate lots of suds...

 

Speaking of suds, I've noticed when doing my laundry, even with a full scoop I don't get many suds. I'm thinking its the softener, although I start getting some traces during the start of the wash and during the first rinse, so it may just be body oils and such in the clothing plus the softener that is "adding" to the problem. 

 

[kenmoreguy89]

I agree with you with the fact that powders are better than anu detergent, but just a few things makes me wonder:

One is the statement about people from Northern countries of Australia knows how to  do laundry.....hope not offending anyone with stating  this thing, that Asian ( North of Australia is Asia)  machines are not the best reputation about washing so if they use those  silly machines to wash I just can't understand how they must know how to do it properly..... that makes me laugh a bit...

The second is about cold water detergents and the fact that Asian, always because they're "great laundry makers" LOL  uses machines with cold fill only and do cold washes only. (you can realize what good laundry  results they would get using cold water only....LOL)  so I thought they would have followed which were their habits up in Asia so everything I would have thought than Asian people not buying cold water stuff...or they probably tried to do laundry the Australian way and just realized their old habits and methods were bad to  never be in contact  again with something recalling the way they used to do laundry over there.....or just do not know....

A thing I always found odd, is that Chinese would run so many launries back in the days... judging from the way they do laundry I would not rely in  their  laundry makers skills....over here, chinese laundry never existed....luckily...

 

[jerrod6]

I tried the Tide Pods on two loads then into the trash they went. I agree with Laundress that the oil/soil level has an impact on how well these things rinse. One heavy soil load produced less suds, the next load with lighter soil and the froth was never rinsed away. I know my loads. With the powder or even liquid I am able to adjust to these types of loads by varying the amount of detergent used.

With the first load the pod fell into the boot of the door. If I had not returned to the laundry it would have stayed there. The second load did not have this problem.

The scent in these things is too overpowering for me. The scent was stronger than the fabric softener I was using.

Last - both loads with the pods were clean, both loads felt hard and stiff even with the use of FS.

I have a coupon for Purex pods but probably won't try them. The one pod for all types and sizes of loads just doesn't fit my experience.

 

[roscoe62]

@jerrod6

I've tried the purex pods from a sample I had with no luck, dissolved well but too sudsy even for the full load, it could be my soft water adding to the problem as well, who knows?

 

[logixx]

Persil recently launched its Mega Caps Duo after the original Caps with just one chamber. Them always seem to be on sale because, otherwise, they're just insanely expensive.

 

[twinniefan]

Too expensive for me

I have tried Radiant and Surf pods and found they worked ok, but not really anything exceptional, I find the drawback is that they are simply too expensive to buy frequently.
The Omo pods tend to be around the $14 Aus dollar mark and sometimes you can get the Surf ones for $10 or so dollars, but they are not really good value for money as you get about 20 or so washes only from them.
So I won't be buying them any time soon.
Cheers.
Steve.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Yes even here in Italy recently Henkel introduced those 2 chamber thing for it's Dixan (italian Persil)....... nobody buy them in my town, these things here does not like to the  people.....

 

[tomturbomatic]

Purex Tablets

Yesterday, I decided to try one of the Purex tablets in the SQ FL. On the back of the box it said to use one for normal loads and to put it in the dispenser of HE machines. Due to the shape of the dispenser area, the tablet did not lie flat, but inspite of the force of the warm water and the amount, it did not dissolve completely so I had to finish smashing it manually and flush it in with some hot water. It did not oversuds, although it made more suds than Tide HE powder and it rinsed out well. The dosage was probably meant for more than a load of bedding. Probably half a tablet with the usual 2 Tbs of STPP wouild have been sufficient.

I noticed on the label for the Persil Duo Caps Color that it had a temperature range from 20-60C. I know that you would not wash colors in super hot water so my question is: Do they have liquid or gel formulas for whites and if so, would they state that the caps can be used up to 90C? I know that there is a trend away from high temperature washing, but was wondering if Persil had perfected a liquid or gel detergent that would not foam excessively at temperatures above 60C. Thanks.

 

[jetcone]

A trend from the 1960's

Salvo and Vim and later Wisk tabs all failed for these reasons:

After a while consumers were realizing several things

a) they were having to handle the detergent with their hands

b) laundry for anyone who does enough of it soon realized that laundry does not come in one size load,  nor one level of filthy.

c) unit dosing means you are constantly making a mental calculation to add up your laundry to match the dose instead of having the convenience of washing what you need to wash when you need to. Laundry already is a nasty chore to most people , try adding the chore of thinking about it all week long to match your 'pod' , 'tablet', 'unidose'! 

d) when I visited ChesterMike 5 years ago I brought a few boxes of Persil pods back with me- I found out a disturbing thing about the "water soluble plastic" they used, it even came with a warning on the box!!

 At times ( which was every wash by the way) the plastic might not dissolve all the way so be sure to seperate the remainder from the load BEFORE YOU PUT IT IN THE DRYER!  It also stated never to use PODS in a COMBINATION WASHER-DRYER because of this. Yet more work, picking through wet laundry!

 

 So I tried it by overlooking the instructions!!, I got a real messs in my dryers and combos at the end- the plastic had first melted then hardened either to the drum or some piece of clothing and had to be picked off by hand, yet more work for the "laundry-master®"

 

A trend for the lazy. In addition I will admit ;  I was a big fan of Wisk Tabs because they cleaned if you used hot water  but the uni-dosing was a PIA when I wanted to wash a pair of jeans and a top to go out with! But I think the point made above was true, to get you hooked they boosted the cleaning power on the new product to generate buzz about it, once it caught then back to the regular formula levels to increase profit margins.

 

Remember their costs are set by the chemical producers so it doesn't matter what they make, liquid, powder, tab, pod the base costs drive pricing on all product forms across the market. You will pay more for "convenience" and in the end I think consumers are very price conscious and convenient conscious .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[logixx]

Henkel also has these Caps for whites but the box still says up to 60C. Actually, I can't think of a liquid that says ...90C on its bottle. I *think* it has to do with sudsing on boil washes or the fact that liquids don't have as effective water softeners as powders.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Actually there is/was the Dash  liquid over here that says From 20°c to 95°c in the back above the measures indications, not sure if Ariel in Germany has the same.......also LIDL W5, Formil or Maxi trat says the same....

Henkel suff here does not mention anything nor do most of products.....liquids are good as powders to be used in boilwash, why would not be?  It's just that most people that  use liquids usually  does not do "boil/hot" washes, .... so they sometimes does not state temps over 60°c for them, and never in color stuff....

 

[this post was last edited: 4/6/2013-13:32]

 

[mrboilwash]

Actually the green "regular" version of Persil`s Mega-Caps, the new Duo-Caps and the current green bottled liquid all of them state 20°-95°.

Henkel`s colour detergents are 20°-60° only.

All German P&G liquids are recommended from 20° to 95°, the picture is taken from Ariel "Colour and Style"

Apart from the lack of or existence of dye transfer inhibitors or OBAs Persil (Henkel) colour and regular liquids appear to be the same formular. So I guess it is also safe to use Persil colour at very high temps. I`ve never had problems with excessive froth, but my water is pretty hard, too.