Tide Ultra Stain Release Turbo vs. Load of Bath Linens

[frigilux]

After reading about Tom's (tomturbomatic) sudsy disaster using liquid Tide Turbo, I decided to give Tide Ultra Stain Release Turbo a try with an at-capacity load of bath linens, usually washed with a Tide Turbo pod. While I've recently reintroduced liquid detergents into the rotation (the aforementioned Tide product and Persil ProClean 2 in 1), Tide Turbo pods are still my daily driver. No problems with sudsy rinses with the pods.

Tom dosed his load of bath linens at Line 2 in the cap and experienced problems with excess suds during the first spin and subsequent three rinses. Decided to try a load dosed at Line 2 (I usually dose at Line 1 due to softened water) and braced myself for the impending suds-o-rama. You can imagine my surprise when the detergent behaved well throughout the cycle! Hand-to-heart, I was expecting problems similar to those Tom experienced in his Speed Queen front-loader. (Mine is a 2010 Frigidaire front-loader.)

Took photos near the end of the wash tumble and during each of two rinses. Why our
experiences are so dissimilar is baffling. Apologies in advance for the crappy photos taken with an iPad 2. All were taken when the tub paused before reversing. Photos taken during tumbling were ultra-blurry messes.

Cycle: Normal, with Heavy Soil option (22-minute wash tumble + two rinses)
Water: Hot (mechanically softened)
Spin Speed: Max (1300 rpm)

Photo 1: Approximately 18 minutes into the wash tumble. Suds present (as seen near bottom of window) but controlled. Post-wash spin, which steps up to around 600 rpm, showed no signs of spin-induced foaming typical of non-turbo Tide detergents.

Photo 2: Near end of rinse 1. A little suds running down the window.

Photo 3: Near end of rinse 2. Only a few bubbles of suds at base of window.

Photo 4: Taken immediately following end-of-cycle signal. No suds in boot area. Towels feel well-rinsed.

Tom, I have no explanation for the difference in our experiences. I've used Tide for years and am well-acquainted with seeing suds during rinses and on the boot after the final spin when using non-Turbo versions. Are you sure yours said "Turbo Clean" on the jug? Your sudsy results are exactly what I experience when using standard Tide formulas.

[this post was last edited: 7/25/2015-16:33]

 

[jerrod6]

One thing keeps coming to my mind.  Even though we talk about hard and soft water, I think there might be other differences in water.  I am on municipally treated water. I looked at our yearly water report and I think there are other components added to the water to do various things, and none of them seem to have anything to do with how hard the water is.

 

So my practice has been to read the manufacturers instructions and then ignore them.  Instead I dose an amount that works for me.  It takes 2 or 3 or more loads to get it correct, but after that I am able to dose an amount that gives controlled suds, good cleaning and good rinsing.   I think it is impossible to have one dose fit all in a country with so many varying water types.  Some water comes from the ground.  My water comes via river from upstate New York and I don't even live close to the source, so the water doesn't not match the ground water where I live. 

 

 

 

 

 

[tomturbomatic]

Thank you, Eugene

I appreciate your being willing to court a sudsing disaster to help solve my sudsing mystery. I think it is a lot like Laundress said that I used too much product and that no matter the load size, since the towels are not actually that dirty, I should have used to line one in the cap. Doing that, however, seems like using insufficient product just to control sudsing which is what HE formulations were created to avoid although, truth be told, I use less than the recommended amount of powder also, but with STPP.

Since the liquid Tide detergents are some of the most shoplifted items, along with baby formula and disposable diapers, I figure these will be very desirable to donate to the shelter/food pantry programs that we have a few times a year.

I think Rosalie's Zero Suds, like the Persil powder which I will no longer have to buy, is the ultimate washing product for the bath sheets and now, thanks to Jon, I will be able to buy a high performance domestic detergent instead of forking over money to foreign manufacturers and middlemen along the supply chain. I am very grateful to Jon for developing the product. I think my biggest dissatisfaction with liquid detergents is that the presence of suds in the rinse makes me believe that something is still present that I would like to have rinsed away.

Thanks again, Eugene and Laundress.

 

[jetcone]

Why thank you Tom

much appreciated your testing and comments !

 

I'm with you on that, I have tried pods and suds is a problem for my SQ FL, even in the rinse. 

I think its the newly developed alpha-sulphonates in the surfactant but can't test that idea.

 

 

[frigilux]

I have a hunch: Is it possible a chemical is left behind on loads washed in Tide (or Gain) Turbo formulations which helps inhibit suds in subsequent washings?

I say this because, upon reflection, the first time I used Turbo on a load there was a copious amount of suds. From that point on, all loads have been washed with Turbo pods or liquid and suds have been well controlled, even on super-long 70-minute wash tumbles on the Sanitize cycle, and final rinses are virtually suds-free.

Just as liquid fabric softeners leave behind a coating that makes fibers feel softer, maybe something in the Turbo formulations remains in fabrics to help prevent excess sudsing in subsequent washes.

I agree with Launderess: Less is better when it comes to dosing any liquid Tide detergent, be it Turbo or traditional.

I'm also excited to try Rosalie's Zero Suds, especially with your glowing reviews, Tom. I anticipate it will become my go-to detergent for bath linens.

Please be sure to let us know when it's avaiable from Amazon or the Rosalie's website, Jon!

 

[logixx]

4.5 tablespoons of detergent (as concentrated as Megaperls), 1.5 tablespoons of water softener, 140F wash cycle, washer filled about 3/4 with towels -> suds? Nope.

 

[frigilux]

What detergent are you using in the photo, Alexander?

 

[logixx]

Formil Ultra Plus from Lidl (a German discount store like Aldi). It's loaded with enzymes, oxy bleach, bleach activators... basically the same thing as our Persil for a third of the price.

 

[murando531]

I've been very pleased and impressed with the Tide HE Turbo powder. I still use 1/3 to half of what would normally be recommended, but should I ever over estimate the dosage, I never have any sudsing problems and the rinse water always seems acceptably clear. The most it ever see in the tub is a slight froth, and to me that's actually preferable because it tells me there is enough detergent to do the job. I'm still waiting for a Gain Original version, but so far all they've done with Gain powder is stamp the "Safe for ALL machines" label on it, and from what I hear, the results aren't too great in any machine.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Like an unreformed obsessive

Yesterday I went to a grocery store I have not patronized in a decade. I went to get Dole Frozen Pineapple Juice concentrate because they are the only place around that sells it. I ordered a dozen cans. BUT the sales flier (flyer?) showed Powder Tide on sale so I bought the 68 load box of HE TURBO for $10, a savings of $6.00. Finding the powder is not easy. Some stores do not carry anything but liquids and child killers. The box said that there was $8 in coupons inside, so like a kid with breakfast cereal, I poured the box into a 2 gallon zipper bag and discovered that the coupons are printed on the wall of the box. There was one coupon for $2.00 off two boxes of TIDE so I am going back for more.

 

[frigilux]

You're buying a year's supply of the detergent that caused a suds disaster in your machine? You win the hardcore detergent junkie award of the month, Tom!

 

[tomturbomatic]

No, I found and bought the POWDER TIDE HE turbo. It was the liquid that was a disaster with the towels, but it can still be used for other things. The powder has little blue specks in it, not quite like original Cheer, but that is what I thought of when I opened the box.

 

[frigilux]

I know, I know. I just had to give you a hard time. Loved the story of you pouring out the detergent to get the coupons so you could go buy more. That definitely qualifies for inclusion in "You Know You're A Member Of AW When..."

Hopefully the powdered version (which I've seen only at Sam's Club around here) behaves itself in your Speed Queen.