Purex Detergent -- any good?

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mattl

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I've never used Purex, basically a Tide or Cheer guy, but Ultra Purex is on sale this week, the 32 load bottle is $2.00. Wondering how it compares to Tide. I picked up a bottle and will give it a try, just wondering if it's worth stocking up at that price.
 
I used Purex Natural Elements (green, rather than blue jugs) a couple of years ago, and found it satisfactory. At that time, I was satisfied enough that I was willing to buy it again. Although I wasn't--as a rule--generating really horribly tough loads of laundry that needed to come out squeaky clean. I assume regular Purex would be at least as good.

My only reservations now are issues that face most detergents--liquid rather than powder, and with optical brighteners.

These days, Purex appears to be owned by Henkel, so there's always the hope it's a cheap Persil!

I'd suggest trying a load or two to see how well it works in your situation. Although, at $2, it could be argued to be a possible good stockup buy even if you aren't wild about it. It could be useful for loads that don't need the ultimate cleaning power.
 
I checked Consumer Reports online and while most Tide products scored in the upper 50's, Purex scored a 32. It was in the bottom third of the ratings. (Side note: The lowest rated detergent? Martha Stewart 's detergent, which managed only a 20, below even dollar store bargain brands such as Xtra.)

CR says Purex is available in both regular and HE formulations (they tested only the regular version.)

I wouldn't count on Purex to remove stains, but it might work just fine on lightly soiled loads, especially if you have soft water.
 
I checked Consumer Reports online and while most Tide products scored in the upper 50's, Purex scored a 32. It was in the bottom third of the ratings. (Side note: The lowest rated detergent? Martha Stewart 's detergent, which managed only a 20, below even dollar store bargain brands such as Xtra.)

CR says Purex is available in both regular and HE formulations (they tested only the regular version.)

I wouldn't count on Purex to remove stains, but it might work just fine on lightly soiled loads, especially if you have soft water.
 
Martha detergent and Martha pot are both poor performers. A lady needs to be concerned about her image, but I guess that was already sacrificed when the lady who went to such perfectionist pains when making treats and decorations in front of cameras decided to go with the easy bucks to be made by allowing her name to appear on cheaply made products. I don't have a dog in this fight but, as usual, it seems that those with limited resources are being duped by corporate America and made to feel that they have purchased something of quality because it bears her name. Then again, most of what is sold here, regardless of the label, is made in sweatshops or with child labor or in factories bordering on forced labor or some combination thereof.
 
I agree with everyone else--lightly soiled only. I really liked the smell of the "green" bottles of fabric softener, they are getting hard to find though.
 
I buy it and find it works fine. We don't have heavily stained clothes or anything so I couldn't say how it works on those but for the price yes. I also get another brand "Old Dutch" often on sale for $1.99 for 38 loads which works well for our needs. No sense spending $6 or more in our case.
 
in my TL days

I used to buy Purex on sale at K Mart when I had a toploader. Cleaned ok, but loads were not heavily soiled, and heavily soiled loads did not come out uniformly clean. When I moved to a FL, everything came out so much cleaner that I assumed it was the machine, rather than the detergent.

In preparation for arrival of the FL, I gave away all my standard Purex (several gallon sized bottles) to a neighbor with a TL, and bought some All Free & Clear HE (which may not really be an HE detergent, since it works in both types of machines, it had an "HE" on the label but not the oval "he" logo which appears to be a licensed TM). So the first loads washed with the FL were washed in All HE, not Purex.

I too learned to my surprise that Henkel now owns Purex. Not surprised at the CR ratings, though the last time I used Purex was early 2006 in the TL. Surprisingly that Henkel would sell such a mediocre product with its name on the label!! I never used the HE form of Purex, as it did not appear to exist when I bought the FL and I consistently use either Tide HE powder, or imported European detergent when either I or someone else comes home from Europe. Right now the collection includes Persil from Germany, Persil from UK, and two boxes of Via (Unilever's Swedish market Persil product).
 
I washes a load last night, very lightly soiled, no issues there, but it's been years since I've seen so much suds! There was a good 2" of suds that lasted through much of the wash.

don't know if I'll bother stocking up, I like my Tide, and a box lasts about a month, so no big issue using it.
 
Henkel apparently acquired Dial Corp. in 2004

The Dial Corporation and Henkel

Since March 2004, Dial has been a proud member of the Henkel family and a subsidiary of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, based in Duesseldorf, Germany. Our exciting partnership allows us to reach new customers across the world and continue developing innovative new products.

Dial products have been in the American marketplace for more than 130 years and the slogan for Dial Soap, "Aren't You Glad You Use Dial?"™ has been one of the best-known slogans in America since its introduction in 1953.

Some of our trademarks include Dial®, Purex®, Renuzit®, Right Guard®, Coast®, Zout®, Tone®, Pure & Natural®, Trend®, 20 Mule Team® Boraxo, Soft Scrub® and Combat®.

===

I'm pretty sure Henkel owns the Fels Naptha brand now, too.

 
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