what american laundry detergent is the best?

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detergent

i like tide, i am thinking about trying gain next, i found that the only thing that really cleans my clothes is only POWDER detergent, i used tide LIQUID in a load that had one of my shirts that i had been working in the yard with, when i took it out of the dryer i could still smell the pirspiratition!!! i washed the shirt in tide POWDER for the 2nd time and the smell was completely gone!! since then, i wont buy anything else than powder detergent.
 
For an American detergent I use Tide HE powder. I just bought a box of Gain HE powder that I saw at KMart today. Plus I had a $1 coupon for it so i figured I would try it. I didnt get the Gain softener since to me thats overkill and the scent I like but I dont want the scent to arrive before I do or linger.
I used to like SA8 but it doesnt clean anywhere near what it used to. Sometimes a company should leave well enough alone. P&G should be rolling out a new format for the powders shortly and it will be a compact version of the Ultra Powders. I prefer powders since they rinse clean and dont give that "spongy feeling" to clothes. I do find that with Tide HE liquid that it does suds up like crazy and at no matter what dose I give the load.
 
Powders I'd say are better than liquids. To get the strength found in a powder, the liquids would have to be a slow-running super-thick gel.

Sears, to me by FAR!
 
Gain and Tide with Bleach

My fav. is regular non HE Gain and Tide with Bleach. I have never had a suds lock in my WP Duet and I read somewhere that liquids cause a build-up.....Bill in Az....
 
Gain

For an American powder you can't beat Gain. Purex used to be fantastic but they changed a couple years ago. Gain is a few bucks cheaper than Tide but cleans just as well. Smells better IMHO too. I've never liked how Tide smelled.

I personally use a Mexican detergent: Foca. It smells better than any other detergent I've used with a fresh, light scent. Clothes come out smelling just like clean laundry...no real artificial smell to them at all. And for my money......NOTHING will outclean it. For $8 for a 10 pound bag, you can't beat the price either. Used in proper doses it works wonders in front loaders too. It actually foams LESS than the HE detergents I've used....including Tide HE.
 
US Detergents in my stash.

Rule #1: "Thou shalt always use powder!"
Rule #2: "Thou shalt never ever forget Rule #1."
Rule #3: "Thou shalt always wash bright colors with Cheer Original."
Rule #4: "There is no Rule #4."
Rule #5: "Thou shalt under no circumstances even think of skipping over Rule #1 unless it is a matter of life or death, which may be arranged anyway if anything other than powder touches my washers for any reason."

As for the rest, I like to use a few different ones, depending on my mood.

I always have Tide Original on hand, although after awhile, I notice it has a slight sour smell. Tide Mountain Fresh scent if I want to travel down memory lane back to college. Gain for a nice change of pace from time to time. And Fresh Start because it cleans pretty darn well and has the best scent. One of these days I ought to try Bold, Surf, and All powders, maybe Fab too if it is still available."

Never glaze over "Rule #1,"
Dave
 
Sears Ultra Plus

Is the BEST I have used for the money it cannot be beat. Use about 10 boxes a week in the smaller machines. Still Like Ecolab for the larger machines.

4-20-2009-20-04-14--sudsman.jpg
 
For me it's a toss up between Tide and Gain. With a slight edge toward Gain lol I love the smell but they both clean great. And of course in powder, NOT liquid. I've been using SUN powdered detergent and actually kind of like it too. Low sudsing, pleasant smell but not over powering if you don't like heavy perfume. And it's very cheap.
 
hey mike, u said tide powder is going to be rolling out a new format? what is going to be different? just the box or are they changing the powder again? i hope not! they change everything as soon as it works good!
 
all 2x liquid

gives me no allergy rinses out well hardly alot of suds light scent and takes out all the stains from the ickies!!!! and a bargain price usually at costco or target
 
For me, I would have to say OXYDOL powder. It has removed stains that others (including Tide) did not! A good product.
 
I have found that

the HE liquids work quite well, provided that:
1) I use 145°F water.
2) I use the amount for large loads and dirty clothes
3) I add 1/2 cup of Borax
4) I add the full amount of powdered enzyme/oxygen bleach booster for filthy dirty clothes.

In other words, the liquids are well-nigh useless other than as minor surfactants.

Without enzymes and oxygen bleach, you just can't clean in a phosphate free world.

The Mexican detergents I have tried in the US all make far too many suds and are hard to rinse out, but they obviously have lots of soap in them - the clothes come out smelling "right" and are free of grease.

Hate to say it, but I'll stick with my German Persil. It washes enormously better.
 
I have to agree that German Persil by far outcleans anything on the market. I use the Persil Universal Megapearls and Persil Color Megapearls. Those are my go to detergents if I have a really tough load to get clean. Whites are white and bright with the Persil Universal and Colors stay locked and true with Persil Color.
And even though Persil is not cheap...I spent over $100 for 2 boxes and I dont need much to get the job done. To me its worth it for the results. I should get my brother to ship me some Persil from Germany...it might be a hell of alot cheaper.
 
German Persil

Mike, I also agree. I get the German Persil(Henkels on the Box). (I am assuming this is the German one)? It is a great detergent. I usually pay 45.00 for the large box.

Ray
 
I see above that there are a lot of votes for Tide and Tide w/bleach in powder, and I agree! They are my favs. I agree with the sentiment regarding powder too. Liquids are easier to use (I worry about powders scratching the surface of my dryer among other things) but I prefer powder, especially since this past winter's second rebuild of a machine I first rebuilt in 1995. It had been used for 14 years with liquid detergent in exclusively cold water. The scum was at least 1/3 inch thick, and it stunk like a septic tank. Grossest washer re-do I've ever done. So, no more liquid for me!

I recently had a pleasant surprise from Fab powder and would recommend that as a great inexpensive bargain. Within the last two months a new scent was introduced here, so my local store put one of the previous two scents on clearance to make room for the new one. They cleared out the scent which comes in a green box, and I got them BOGO, so two boxes for $3.91, less than two bucks a box. I wound up buying 10 boxes.

I gave four to my mother, and she loves the stuff, saying it makes her whites really white. Well, I tried it later on my white gym socks, which I invariably wear at some point out in the garage, and I agree. WHITE whites! It's worth a try if you haven't tried it.
 
The only American brand I will use is FAB powder.

However, I will try the Sears stuff Sudsman likes and see how it does in the Bendix. Who knows, maybe I will like it better than FAB. One thing is for sure, Sudsman certainly has experience in dealing with large volumes of laundry. All I know is the FAB will clean the worst of the dirt from my gardening clothes----- and the only other detergents I can get them clean with---- are manufactured in Mexico. I LOVE FOCA!
 
This is a very informative thread,

I have always ben under the imppression that liquid detergent was better then powder - For now on no more liquid detergent .
 
Love the Sears Detergent

But I always thought that liquid did better on colors. The powders seemed to leave streaks on colors.

Guess I will have to try the Sears on colors in one of my many Maytags and see the results.
 
My Choice:

The best US detergent: Tide with Bleach. It cleans well compared to my All w/Snuggle liquid. But the All cleans well too, not bad for a detergent with no enzymes.
 
Liquid Detergents Are Not All Bad

Simply depends on several factors, including what one is laundering, stain and soil level, and the types thereof.

Like Tide "Free" 2X HE formula for bed linens, and lightly soiled whites and colours (read pastels and brights). Though have used the product on badly stained table linens and it shifted stains and soils quite well,and did so in warm water without bleach or STPP.

Some of the old mantra still holds true, liquid detergents are better for lipid based soils, and powders for clay.

Since they do not contain washing soda, caustics, zeolites and other insoluable materials, most liquids tend to rinse cleaner than your average powdered detergent.
 
I've Tried Them All, And...

I still like Ariel (the Mexican version, when they have them available at the 99 Cent Only Store); Costco's Kirkland Signature brand and Tide with Bleach. But the brand that does the best overall job for me is--believe it or not--Sun. I like the liquid version (with bleach or with a touch of Cuddle Soft) or the lavender scented powder. Sun washes well, rinses clean and works in both hot and cold water. Sun is my main brand when my clothes need more freshening than cleaning. (And my supermarket offers Sun at $1.50 a bottle when they go on sale; that's when I stock up.) For really dirty whites and bedding--and for tough stains--I make sure to have a stash of Ariel around.
 
You made a very good point, Kenmoreguy64:

"I prefer powder, especially since this past winter's second rebuild of a machine I first rebuilt in 1995. It had been used for 14 years with liquid detergent in exclusively cold water. The scum was at least 1/3 inch thick, and it stunk like a septic tank. Grossest washer re-do I've ever done. So, no more liquid for me!"

This, of course, concerns me. My mother had a Maytag with the helical drive mechanism. The lint filter on the agitator was gummed up with liquid detergent residue and fabric softener, along with old lint. It was almost impossible to clean and the old Tide Liquid turned into some sort of rock-like form, and I could feel the gunk when running my fingers under the tub ring. That stuff and fabric softener are a bad mix. I rarely use liquids in my machines, and have never used bleach or fabric softener.

In my experience, powders will dissolve completely, even in cold water. You don't need as much for them to become effective. I know I've added just the right amount when the water starts feeling a little slippery. But with a liquid, the water still feels a little hard between my fingers and it's difficult for me to judge when I've added enough. Too diluted, it loses its effectiveness. Too much, and it gets harder to rinse out. Powders are just easier for me to use, so that's what I buy when I can. I will only use a liquid as a last resort. I mostly prefer Cheer brightCLEAN.

NorfolkSouthern
 
Fourteen Years Of Liquid Detergent

For laundry in cold water is the likely cause of "scum", "crud" and god only knows what else one finds growing inside a washing machine.

Washerhelp.uk has devoted a whole section to the horrors of using cold water washes only with liquid detergent, even those marketed just for that purpose.

Enzymes or not, oils and soils aren't going to shift well at temps below 85F, and even then. One probably could get around the problem by adding extra detergent, but still...
 

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