Tests of German Washing Powders

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launderess

launderess

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Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage
Stiftung Warentest, the German consumer testing company conducted a test of several washing powders back in March, 2005. Products chosen represented top shelf brands such as Persil, down to "cheap" and supermarket detergents. The results pretty much were in line with what Consumer Reports comes up with: there are always cheaper alternatives to TOL detergents that give equal or better results.

Persil, while giving overall good performance for cleaning and stain removal, also attacked colours. Something regular Persil has always been known for due to it's powerful bleaching action (even at low wash temps), and high OBA content.

Like Tide in the United States, Persil is also the most expensive detergent per wash when compared to other German washing powders. What is also interesting is that the slightly over one kilo bag of Persil Megaperls comes in at about five Euros. Same size container sells for nearly twice or more in the United States.

All of the above the other test results should take some of the wind of of the "Persil the best detergent" sail's.

For those whom do not speak German, have taken the liberty of translating the page via Google. Anyone whom wishes to see the original version go to the website: www.test.de and search under Persil. The results you wish are listed under March 2005

L.

translate.google.com

Vollwaschmittel im Test

20 Vollwaschmittel im Test der Stiftung Warentest: Die Besten gehören zu den günstigsten. Hier informieren!
translate.google.com translate.google.com
 
Aldi Tandil

We have 3 Aldi's close to us and shop there often. I wonder if the USA Tandil is the same as the German.
 
I have long suspected that Persil, while a good detergent, isn't the magic potion some adherents claim it to be. Of course, I happen to think STPP is a magic potion, but that's my problem ;-)

It was interesting to see various posters on THS bragging about how LITTLE Persil they were using per load. I'm impressed that they live such refined lives they are able to keep their clothes so clean that minute amounts of detergent got them clean. Me, I load up the Sears HE plus STPP to clean really dirty work clothes.

Today I washed up two pairs of jeans and a really filthy shop coat (full of machining center water soluble coolant/lubricant). I added 1/2 cup of Sears HE/STPP mix, and the suds were still minimal in hot water. I added another 2 oz of STPP just to be sure the heavy grime on the shop coat was removed. The proof was in the pudding - nice and soft and quite clean.
 
Used Persil in front loaders including Miele for more years than one cares to mention, and found it cleaned no better or worse than any other good detergent.

Persil may have an edge when one is doing long boil washes, as the original formulas excelled in bleaching/cleaning at very high wash temps/long wash cycles.

IMHO Tide CW, Tide HE and several other detergents clean just as well as Persil, with Tide CW being best IMHO. Granted Persil does rinse easily, and Tide HE can be tricky dosing (use too much and willl create huge amounts of foam).

Stopped using Persil for several reasons; first was the obscene cost in the United States versus Germany. Know the product must be imported, but cannot see a two or three level increase in price. Next was the fact Persil really is only suited for whites and light colours. Even with cold water washing, normal Persil will fade darker colours. As Persil for colours was just too highly scented for me, for awhile chose Persil Sensitive due to it being dye/perfume free. Of course that is no good now as even Persil S has scent.

Have found Cheer Free and Gentle powder gives good results with only 1 or two tablespoons. Sometimes one cheats by adding a bit of Fels soap powder, but Persil contains small amounts of soap also to control suds/help with rinsing.

To me it is far better to add oxygen bleach when required and have one box of detergent to launder everything. Of course the fact I have 10 or so canisters of Spray and Wash "Pink" oxygen bleach/stain remover in my stash does help.

Some over on THS keep referring to Tide, Cheer and other United States brands as "cheap supermarket detergents" when that is simply not true As the German consumer tests showed, Persil is nothing fancy in Germany. In fact would love to see CR do a test of all HE detergents including Persil sold in the United States.

As for Persil dosage, the same persons that rabbit on about how little Persil they use per wash,also admit to adding STPP. That fact alone alters resuts as anyone who knows anything about laundry chemistry knows poly-phosphates/STPP are excellent laundry detergent builders. Anything laundered in a wash bath containing phosphates will be cleaner and whiter/brighter than if it had been laundered without.

L>
 
I'm not one to jump on bandwagons...

and I don't fall for hype. Unless, I'm totally dissatisfied with American detergents, and I'm not, I, personally see NO REASON to explore foreign detergents. The majority of the American detergent and soap manufacturers have been in business a long, long, time. And they know their stuff IMOP!!
 
Personally, I wouldn't pay the US prices for Persil, even taking into account export costs and the number of people in the supply chain. IMHO, really it's all down to creative marketing and charging what they can get away with. When someone has paid top whack for a Miele washing machine, an expensive box of detergent sounds quite reasonable in comparison, and not using it may make some people feel that they risk missing out on the true Euro laundry experience. Or whatever.

Here in the UK, German Persil is more realistically priced, as Sainsburys supermarkets sell it under their own label at £4.35 for a 2.43 kilo carton. The vast majority of my washes are lightly soiled (for which the recommended dosage is 1/2 scoop), giving 72 loads per carton at £0.06 each! A couple of weeks ago they ran a special offer, two cartons for the price of one, which effectively halves that cost yet again. That's extremely economical, which just leaves me dumbfounded at the prices charged in the US.

As to how good it is, in my experience the performance is on par with any other major brand detergent. Doesn't disappoint, although there's nothing magical about it. At the prices we Brits pay it can be a real bargain, plus I enjoy the unusual scent, so it's very much a regular part of my stash. Not to the exclusion of everything else however - UK Persil, Ariel and Ecover all have a place in my laundry cupboard, and the product I use depends on my mood at the time.
 
Now, I can relate to that....

Someone purchasing a laundry or cleaning product because it not only performs well but because they also really like the scent. In fact, scent is a motivating factor for me. The laundry/cleaning products I purchase HAVE TO smell good to me. The foray into European/foreign detergents it seems so complicated to me. I guess when it comes to laundry, I am simplistic. One man on another discussion board made a rather valid point when he stated that unless your laundry is super dirty TO BEGIN WITH that most American detergents do a great job cleaning clothes. I know. To each his own.
 
Sainsbury's Persil

I had no idea that Sainsbury's sold German Persil under their brand name. Is it the regular detergent range or the Megapearl, or whatever they're called, or is it the cheapy 'Low Price' range?
 
MegaPearls

Hi Paul

Its the MegaPearls stuff, and its great, never thought I`d say that about homebrand stuff, ( was once called a washing powder brand snob by a certain person from Boston!!!)

Was talking to a marketer from a London agency about home brands and he was saying that unlike years ago Home Brand specs are required to be the same if not better than the market leaders etc..

Do try it the smells are amazing as well, and let us know what you think.

Mike
 
AH!! I have tried the bio Megapearls and was impressed with stain removal and also how long the small pack used (I have a mains water softener so a tablespoon is sufficient). I had no idea what it was though!!

Now I know that, I will try the non bio and colour ones also. Thanks for that info!!
 

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