Using old laundry detergents

[polkanut]

I may have the opportunity to purchase several boxes of NOS DUZ laundry detergent at an upcoming estate sale, and was wondering if it would harm my laundry if I were to open one box to try it.  I was thinking about trying it with a load bath towels.  Don't know how it would work with some of today's more modern fabrics though.  Opinions?

 

P.S. It would be used in a toploader.

 

 

[this post was last edited: 1/14/2012-13:44]

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wausau.craigslist.org

 

[launderess]

Have Been Using "Old" Laundry Detergents

From Ivory Snow, Wisk Liquid, Cheer Powder, Gain Powder, etc for ages now, what exactly is your problem? *LOL*

Laundry comes out clean, washing machines seem no worse for the wear, time marches on.

Long as the product hasn't broken down chemically and or smells off, and you use said product as per directions and or as it should don't see how it could harm fabrics both of old and or new.

 

[polkanut]

Somehow I just knew that "Our Hyacinth" would have the proper answer. 

 

[launderess]

Just Purchase The Lot And Worry About What To Do Later

If worse comes to the worse you can always mark them up and sell them on. *LOL*

 

[launderess]

Just Remember Duz Came As Both Soap and Detergent

Early red boxes were the soap product, later came the detergent with free gift of glassware.

 

[supersuds]

I bought some Duz off of Ebay. It had no scent but was still free-flowing. It worked pretty like what you'd expect of a soap: not great cleaning but everything was nice and soft. I don't have a warm rinse option so used it in the summer when tap water is a lot warmer than at this time of year.

There was a gray ring on the inner washtub, just like you'd get on a bathtub, after a few uses. I don't THINK it was there before....I guess the soap scum is what makes the clothes soft!

 

[gorenje]

if it is so than why our detergents have an expiration date?
usually 3 years for both, powders and liquids

I'm just wondering ...
...but I'm also quite sure it can't be the same thing as it would be new.

Ingemar

 

[dj-gabriele]

why our detergents have an expiration date

Because after a certain time enzymes lose their cleaning powers and liquid usually get all clumpy and slimy

 

[gorenje]

Hi Gabriele

in fact, mine was more a rhetorical question. That's what I had in mind. The active ingredients will lose their ability after a certain period and all together will be affeccted by the humidity.

A natural bar of soap can have an unlimited shelf life but not a laundry detergent.
That's mine opinion and experience.

 

[launderess]

Box Of Gain Detergent In My Collection

Is at least 20 or more years old contains enzymes and phosphates, and cleans just as well or better than many modern offerings and that includes Persil and Tide.

 

[polkanut]

I spoke to Jane, the woman who is running the sale, and she has graciously agreed to set the boxes aside for me on the opening sale day.  I told that I would be interested in other boxes of old detergents, and she wished I had told her that sooner.  She said that she has trashed many old boxes that were partially full because she didn't feel that they would be sellable.

  I guess my collection will start to grow as time goes by.

 

 

[polkanut]

Well I got the 4 boxes of DUZ laundry "soap" home and gave it a try.  One of the boxes was partially used, so I thought, what the heck.  I used 1 cup of DUZ, 1/2 cup of 20 MuleTeam Borax, and 1/4 cup Bluette bluing.  Filled the Maytag A806S 2/3rd's full with hot water, and the remainder with warm water.  The water was very milky looking, had a nice slippery feel to it, and it left no residue on the bedding or tub.  Used a warm rinse with Suavitel Morning Sun softener.  Everything came out the dryer very soft, and smelled great too.

 

The boxes are the 20 1/2oz. size.

 

[jetcone]

Ingemar

powder (granular) enzymes can last for years, liquid ones only 2-3, is your detergent a liquid or powder?  Most of the basic ingredients in powders are stable if they don't get damp.

 

 

 

 

[gorenje]

Jetcone

I had bad experiences with old (but not decades old) powdered detergents washing stained whites. Once with an old Dixan and once with an old Dash. The detergents were stiffer than it should be.
Probably would have been good enough for a load of sheets but not for a normaly stained white load. I packed the remained detergent in a small bag for using it on rugs and slippers and bought a "fresh" Dash and the results were definitely very good. Everything was clean and white again like it should be.

Ingemar

 

[launderess]

Older Detergents Aren't Likely To Contain Enzymes

And or the advanced surfactant, bleaching systems of today's product hence poor stain removal.

Washing soda, silicate, perborate and or soap/petrol based cleansers will get you only but so far when it comes to stains such as foods, blood and so forth. But again years ago our grandmothers or mothers would have treated those stains *before* things went to the wash and not expect the process alone to shift such soils.

 

[supersuds]

Glad it worked for you, polkanut!

Playing with detergent is its own reward! But so much the better when you're happy with the results.

 

[polkanut]

Yesterday, I washed the Velux blanket from our bed and it came out of the dryer so soft, it feels incredible.  I really like the way items washed in laundry "soap" feel when they are dry, so very soft.  And, I've not had a problem with any type of scum or residue on the washed items or on the washer tub walls.  In fact, I saved the wash water via suds-saver, and after washing the bedding, used it to do the blanket.

 

[supersuds]

I'm glad it's worked for you, polkanut!

I'm not even sure the "bathtub ring" on my washer wasn't there before. It isn't too noticeable and we do reputedly have terrible water around here, in terms of mineral content.

Anyway, sounds like you got a good buy and have enough to enjoy for quite some time. I hear they aren't making it any more.

 

[Jsneaker]

A Soap Story...

Here in Suffolk County, NY back in the early 1970's for a relatively short period, we had a TOTAL BAN on ANY detergents' sales, non-phosphate or phosphate. It caused a horrible backfire, because most people hated the soaps' lack of performance, and the high cost and ruining of many appliances that followed. Yet today, many of us here still have septic systems, which were totally clogged by soapy suds bulidup! And OH-THE HORRIBLE SOUR SMELL from peoples' clothes washed in soap!!! Many of us just drove to adjoining Nassau County to buy our detergents. I continued to get my phosphate detergents from Connecticut or New Jersey anytime I went there. The only good thing is that here, our water is wonderfully soft!