Those Laundry Detergent "Pods" ...

[MrX]

I generally don't find much issue with fabric softener, although you have to be quite careful which one you pick to use and use a fairly minimal dose and definitely avoid cold water washes.
(Actually, I don't think my machine even allows a properly cold wash. It will heat the water slightly to take the chill off if you select *ºC.)

I've a heat pump dryer though so absolutely no way I'd use dryer sheets. There's just too much risk of them coating the evaporator / condenser side of the system.

Also those machines don't have to dry as very hot as they're basically dehumidifying the warm air and returning it to the drum extremely dry which tends to cause the clothes to dry quite effectively without all that much heat.

They definitely do heat the clothes, just not as extremely as some dryers.

In general though, I think less is more when it comes to additives.

With front loaders, they definitely benefit from being run at 40ºC / 100ºF with the odd hot wash of about 60ºC (140ºF) now and then with some powder detergent that contains oxygen bleach.

I always do our towels and bed linen at 60ºC on quite a long wash with a more traditional powdered enzyme-laden, oxygen-bleaching detergent and I've never, ever had even a slight problem with mould, mildew, gunk or anything else.

If you open the door on any machine I've had, it just smells like fresh laundry / mild detergent scent.

---

Most of the detergents on the market here are pretty low sudsing. I've used a Samsung EcoBubble machine here and to be quite honest they're a joke. Persil (the Unilever version in this case) basically won't foam even while having a machine blowing bubbles through it. The machine seems to be pumping away, but the detergent will simply not foam. P&G detergents like Ariel will foam a little bit, but still nothing like the effect the machine is claiming to have. The only thing I've seen really foam in it was Woolite.

All European detergents have defoamer in them, so I don't know what Samsung's trying to do exactly.

The only thing those machines do have which is pretty cool, is a 1 minute slow spin with the machine full of detergent laden water. It makes sure everything gets very saturated. This happens about 3 mins into the wash or so.

 

[thomasortega]

I use Tide and Ariel Pods (basicly the same product) and after reading this, minutes ago, i just tossed a pod in a cup of tap cold water.

The pod dissolved enough to release the white substance in less than 5 seconds, the orange took 7 seconds and the blue took 12 seconds. very The remaining of the capsule became very slippery (probably wouldn't get glued to the tub or the drum)

Past a few seconds after 2 minutes, it was completelly dissolved.

I poured the solution in other cup to save the detergent for the next load and there was absolutelly no residue.

Not sure if they are popular in the US or not but, Here we have a foam bath that comes in small round or heart shaped capsules. I don't know if they are made by the same substance but i throw two capsules in the tub and they dissolve within seconds too and, in more than 20 years using them 3~5 times a day, i never found any residue in my bathtub, and also, those capsules always come in bright metallic colors (red, blue, green, etc) that would contrast with the tub.

 

[thomasortega]

also, the same kind of capsule/pod is available on drugstores and supermarkets here branded as "KY Lubri-esferas" (Lubsphere translated to english). I don't think ANVISA (our FDA) would aprove something for internal use if it's not 100% safe and Johnson's wouldn't also take the risk of being sued by consumers that had allergies or other issues during the use of this product. So, if the pod is safe even for being put you know where, it makes me believe that it's safe to contain detergent and be put in a washing machine.

Whatever it's safe or not for the machine, i still prefer the good old powder detergent, maybe one or other brand of liquid for some specific loads. I like to dose it according to the load size and soil level.

 

[MrX]

I honestly don't think that they'd have been on the market for over a decade in Europe if they were damaging machines or clothing. They'd have had compensation claims.

 

[kb0nes]

I just repeated the test that Thomas did. I dropped a Tide pod into a quart of 65 deg F water. With no agitation it fully dissolved in less then 5 minutes, there was no gunk remaining when I poured it into the washer. I don't think I can buy the idea that they are causing service problems...

I don't like the pods as they have far too much perfume in them and they seem to suds too much. I bought them on a whim just to try them. They seem to work and I bet that people that like sudsy perfume will find them to be quite adequate!

 

[kitty]

Something else that I have heard...

I have also heard that little kids have eaten and swallowed them and they get really sick and vomit really bad so that's a really big hazard for kids because that they may think its candy or something sweet. So if yo have kids, keep them away from them and out of reach or don't buy them when they're little. Just thought I'd share that.

 

[launderess]

German Shipping Is *VERY* Dear

As is the same with most EU countries. Rates start at around a flat $30 USD or so for several kilos. This usually translates into a few small boxes of laundry product or one large. Because of this one has really stopped purchasing things to add to my stash from the other side of the pond. Have so much already and with the exchange rates today it does not often make sense.

Persil is a great detergent, don't get me wrong, but there are others including latest offerings from Tide that do basically the same job. Some may find Tide and other detergents on this side of the pond a bit harder to rinse, but again YMMV.

 

[MrX]

Just checked on the post office website here.

€40 ($55) for 3KG package from here to NYC "Standard Mail" which it says takes 4 to 5 days.

It'd certainly add to your box of Persil (albeit the Unilever version)

 

[liamy1]

Mrx

As a side hi jack to the thread. My 12kg Samsung eco bubble has just broke this week. its only 7 months old

 

[tecnopolis]

Just remember, excess suds do not cleaner clothes make!
Discuss.

 

[MrX]

It should be covered under warranty !
If not, I'd suggest the Small Claims Court.

 

[thomasortega]

I don't know if PG has done it intentionally to prevent accidents with kids but.... Try to put a Tide or Ariel Pod in your mouth....

It tastes exactly like an Avon clear enamel i used years ago to stop biting my nails.
Immediatelly after the pod touches the tongue, you'll have an awful experience. The horrible taste reaches the whole mouth and the first thing your brain will order to your hands is take that thing out of your mouth and rinse your mouth with a full swimming pool of water.

If somebody can stand that horrible taste for time enough to dissolve the pod and release the detergent that person deserves a cash prize.

Even if this "taste" is harmful, it's obviously much less dangerous than swalling the detergent from inside.

 

[NYCWriter]

Kids and pods ...

I'm sorry, but if your child is stupid enough not only to mistake a laundry pod for "candy", AND too stupid to spit it out the minute the foul taste touches his tongue, I believe Darwinism truly needs to take over at this point.

 

[liamy1]

Kids and pods

NYCWriter,

Some of these kids were not even 2 years old, did you know what detergent was at this age? Did you even know what death was at this age and that putting something in your mouth could kill you?

The responsibility is with the parent.

Don't get your comment to be honest and think it's a bit sick actually.

 

[launderess]

Fabric Softener Issues Especially With Cold Water

IMHO were the outcome of using the old oils/fats/tallow based FS. Today's versions are often blends of quats,silicones and other substances which may include fats but are generally much more soluble and more importantly do not leave residue. That is subsequent laundering with a quality detergent will remove the stuff.

Consumers Reports for years has been saying that FS is not as bad for towels and other absorbent items as once thought. Do you need to us the stuff is a whole other matter.

Commercial laundries regardless of what they admit to all use fabric softeners or conditioners. For one thing it cuts down on static cling not only in dryers but for items that go through ironers. The oils or whatever in FS leave fabrics with enough "slip" that also makes ironing by hand easier.

As for rinse water temperature IIRC many laundries will use a blend of hot and cold water to get a final rinse temp for say a "cottons" load near 85F to 100F. This is because cottons extract best at temps around 110F. The more water that is extracted by the washer or whatever means less work for dryers. Consumer Reports and other such publications will say that the *small* amount of increased energy dryers use to deal heat a cold water rinse load better than the costs of using warm water rinses, but I'm not too sure the range is that great.

 

[tolivac]

AS members of the animal class of mammals--humans,dogs,cats,any baby mammal-will try anything by tasting,biting it to determine if its food-for humans-they need a mother,father or other older person to train the younger one that trying to eat detergent pods is dangerous-they are NOT food.To a toddler they do not know-the parent,or older person has to tell them and keep the pods and other harmful things out of reach.It is pretty incredible the bad tasting things a child or pet will eat no matter how horrible it tastes or how dangerous it is.That is why we have to keep harmful things out of reach!

 

[arbilab]

M'lady, at roughly what age did the switch take place? I still used LFS into the early 00s, saw them make waterspots on the glass door and grow mildew in the dispenser despite drying it out superficially. Which is why I stopped using them. If they do that to the machine, how could they not be doing that to my towels?

OTOH, in 2009 I worked briefly in a hotel where the laundry injected 3 commercial/industrial fluids; detergent, bleach, conditioner. No idea what was in the conditioner but it didn't seem to waterspot the glass like my grocerystore stuff did a few years earlier.

 

[foraloysius]

There was a lawsuit overhere in the Netherlands from Unilever against Proctor and Gamble. The outcome is that Proctor and Gamble has to take Ariel pods from the market. Unilever has a patent on the so called 3-in-1 pods. The fact that Ariel added a few things doesn't make a difference. The Ariel pods are close enough to the design Unilver has a patent on.

 

[frigilux]

I stopped using fabric softener in 2010 when I purchased a Frigidaire dryer with steam and anti-static options.
Prior to that, I used Downy on nearly every load. Don't really care for the smell of fabric softener, any more. I stayed with a friend who put fabric softener in a load that included a couple of my dress shirts. The scent was annoying, not being used to it, anymore.

 

[mrboilwash]

Waterspots on the door glass

Correct me if I´m wrong, but I thought the reason for waterspots observed when FS is used was because of the positive charge of cationic surfactants.

Benzylalkonium chloride (another cationic surfactant) as found in disinfactant rinses does exactly the same thing. It`s a clear liquid (certainly no grease in those products).

What about the idea that cationic sufactants simply decrease the surface tension of water, wheras anionic and nonionic surfactants (derivated from fats as well) increase surface tension, thus make a water film on the glass, as an explanation ?

I also believe that there is only a chance to a build up of FS residue in the washer if the clothes are not comleatly clean. Residual oils in the clothes from the wash plus FS is a very bad combination. Never observed a "bathtub ring" in the last rinse with FS when I washed new clothes before the first wear, or when the detergent is dosed sufficiantly.

Also never had a problem with residue when I tried those Pods.

[this post was last edited: 12/20/2013-09:04]