Persil Powder gets a rave review

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Anyone here currently using Persil powder? How much do you use? I purchased a box of the Henkel version recently, and I’m having a terrible time getting it to rinse out of clothes. Leaves streaks.

My washing machine is a top loading Maytag, a few years old, with an agitator. I always use hot water and put the detergent in first, let the machine start filling with water, then add the clothes. Even with an extra rinse cycle, I was getting streaks of detergent left on the clothes.

At the moment I’m doing a load with less detergent (1/4 cup, whereas before I was using about 1/2 cup for a larger load), which I mixed up with hot water in a jar first, then using the method in the previous paragraph. I also am using a different cycle setting, since the "normal" cycle does not allow for a "deep water" wash. Curious to see if the deep water cycle helps.

I think i just really dislike these new HE washing machines, and might just have to go back to liquid detergent, even though I prefer the cleaning ability of powders. Curious what kinds of washing machine fellow powder fans have, and how much detergent you use.

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Streaks of powder detergent residue are normally result of zeolites. IIRC most versions of Persil (European) including "mega perls" are some what high in zeolite content.

There may also be issues with using too much detergent and or coupled with using low temperatures.

Finally today's "HE" sort of front loaders use far less water. This also can cause issues with detergent not dissolving properly and rinsing cleanly.

This residue often isn't noticeable on whites or very light coloured textiles, but darker colours or blacks are another matter.

https://www.electrolux.ie/support/s...ale-streaks-on-laundry-or-emits-a-sour-smell/

https://www.miele.co.uk/support/cus...eolites,do not usually contain zeolites.[this post was last edited: 8/19/2024-17:20]
 
^Thank you, Laundress. I have an American Maytag top loader, and I’ve been using hot water only with the powder.

The 1/4 cup that I just tried with a load of towels on a “deep” water cycle and an extra rinse did rinse out. Now I’ll have to see if loads come of clean enough with only that much detergent..
 
If using a traditional top loader you may also wish to try adding powdered detergent first, setting washer to low level fill, let it agitate for a bit to fully dissolve detergent, stop machine and reset to proper water level and add wash.....

Thing about zeolites is they are insoluble, that's the whole point. However this can cause issues with residue sometimes no matter what one does.

Must of the "dust" or "lint" washed in powdered detergents comes from either zeolites or other substances that don't fully dissolve such as certain bulking agents.

Above is one reason why so many switched to liquid format laundry detergents for deep colours and or dark/black items.
 
^So I’ve settled on dissolving it in hot water in a jar, then adding it to the empty machine and letting it fill with hot water before adding the clothes. Although even with that, I was still getting those awful steaks, but reducing the amount of detergent seems to have helped. Must be those zeolites :/. Thanks for the articles, too. I read them and it makes sense.

Nothing can really beat those old phosphate containing detergents. I haven’t found anything quite as good in today’s market, for laundry or automatic dish detergents. They just don’t clean as well, and/ or they leave some funky residue.
 
"Would adding/dissolving sufficient STPP into the wash water before the detergent counter the zeolite issue?"

Probably not because adding phosphates won't remove or nullify zeolites already present in powdered laundry detergent.

One could argue presence of STPP would mean zeolites aren't necessary. However, since phosphates are pretty much banned from domestic laundry detergents there you are.
 
For laughs and giggles broke out one of the boxes of vintage Surf from my stash.

Stuff is loaded with zeolites and when used in Haier top loader could see bits floating about in wash water. This even after one had followed directions above; added powder to washer as it was filling with hot water to low level. After allowing agitation for about five minutes switched to high water level and added wash.
 
I think I’m going to give the STPP a whirl since I don’t think the reduced amount of laundry detergent I’m using now is going to cut it. Years ago when things first went phosphate free (early 10s?) I recall buying a commercial automatic dish powder with phosphates in it since the phosphate free ones were really, really bad back then, and I recall it helped. If it boosts the cleaning power of the small amount of powder I have to use to prevent the residue streaks, it will be worth it. Excited to try it :D.
 
I think you will be very happy with adding STPP to your wash formula. I use two tablespoons of STPP with 3 to 4 tablespoons of Tide He Turbo or 2 tablespoons of Persil. I am still rationing out small amounts of Rosalie's Zero Suds in loads of towels to knock down suds. The little quarter cup measure that comes in the box of Persil Universal I only fill to the first line which is half of that measure, so basically you are getting twice the number of washes as are numbered on the box.

I have a subscription order with Amazon to receive a ten pound shipment every 3 or 4 months. I used to buy the 25 or 50 pound containers of STPP through The Chemistry Store store in South Carolina, but since COVID, the shipping cost to Maryland is astronomical so I use my Prime membership to save on that. I calculated the cost per pound including shipping and the smaller container from Amazon Prime is a better buy.

I currently use front loaders from Speed Queen, Miele and Creda.
 
Vintage Surf detergent

Cannot believe it's been 12 years on since got the stuff.

https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?39129

Have only used one or two boxes, cracked open another recently in aid of using up some of this stash.

Bits have clumped but nothing that couldn't be fixed by dumping contents into bucket and breaking apart.

Overall results were fine in the Haier portable. Things weren't very heavily soiled, probably should have used more than 1/4 cup, but came out fine.

Scent is detectable in box, only slightly so after laundry is (air) dried.
 
GELaundry4ever- I buy my laundry powders from European/ Polish grocery stores. It can be hit or miss since things are oftentimes sold out, but that’s where I get my Persil and Henkel “E” laundry powders.

Tomturbomatic- I ended up getting the STPP off of Amazon as well. It got here yesterday. I tried a teaspoon in my dishwasher along with a smaller amount of Ecover powder than normal I normally use, and the dishes came out clean.

Also doing my second load of laundry now. A tablespoon along with the reduced amount of the Persil powder. I did the “normal” cycle on my Maytag, the only cycle on my machine that doesn’t allow for you to choose a “deep” water level, and I did notice some minor streaks on a couple of the clothes. I think I’m going to have to use a different cycle setting until this powder is used up. I’m happy to have the STPP to the extra cleansing boost, though. I’m going to be doing some experimenting with it.
 

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