What Is Up With Gain he Powder?

[askolover]

Gain pods

aren't much better with suds. We've used them for a while, but....my problem is most American detergents are made for the HUGE machines most people buy here. I have a smaller Swedish machine and even with a FULL to the top load, suds can be a problem. Add to that our water softener and here we go. German Persil pearls aren't much better either. We just got a boatload of Wisk pods and they are 50/50 as to whether it will suds or not. I'm about to change the plumbing to my washer so it rinses in cold "hard" water instead of soft which will help. I love my water softener for everything else though. When I got my Asko in 1997 there was no such thing as "HE" detergent. I had to go on trial and error to find what I could use, but it's all different now. Powders like Bold, Fab, and Fresh Start were awesome back then.

 

[super32]

I thought it was just me. I bought a box because it's was cheap so I thought I would try it. I first tried in the FL. Like everyone else has stated it was way to sudsy. I quite using in the FL and it seems to work fine in my non HE machine. Tho I will admire I still have to be careful or I will have suds cake.

 

[rp2813]

Gain's Response

Here's the scripted response to my complaint (it's all my fault, of course) which truly insults my intelligence:

 

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">I'm sorry you experienced oversudsing while using Gain. I know how upsetting this must be. The new Gain HEC powder detergent should not produce too many suds when used as directed.</span>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> </span>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">There are a few situations that can cause this. They include: </span>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">
-- Using too much detergent for the amount of soil in each load. 

-- Water hardness level - less detergent can be used in soft water. 

-- Do you use cold water for most wash loads? You might be experiencing buildup of detergent and mineral deposits in the outside tub of your washer. This can happen when cold water is consistently used for washing. Here's how you can fix that: add 1/2 gallon of white vinegar to a full tub of hot water. Run the washer through a complete cycle without clothing. If this resolves the problem you may want to repeat the process every 6 months. 

-- Overloading the washer can be a cause. Suds can become trapped in clothing if there's not enough room for them to circulate freely. 

You can run an extra cold water rinse cycle to help reduce the suds level in your washer. <span style="background: white;">Changing the form of detergent you use – from powder to liquid and vice versa – may also help with the amount of suds you see. You could also use a product specially designed to clean the inside of washing machine, such as the Gain Washing Machine Cleaner.</span></span>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> </span>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">A final word, it isn't unusual to see suds in the sink when the rinse water drains. The force of the water coming from your washer can generate suds as the tub empties. </span>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"> </span>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; background: white;">Since I'm not able to help the way I'd like via email, I'm following up by postal mail with a coupon for a future Gain detergent purchase of your choice. You should hear from me within the next 2-3 weeks. </span>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">
Thanks again for taking the time to write. 

Jim
Gain Team</span>

 

 

 

 

 

[toploader1984]

Gain

Same exact response i got! I was also angry/insulted! Which is why i have already switched to anything BUT pg products! I do admit that tide original (he turbo) does not suds neither does the febreze sport version BUT the version with downy april fresh (even with only a half of a cap) and a full load(which it says to fill to top line for large he loads) caused my machine to stop, plus pg changes the scents and discontinues scents so much i got tired of it.

 

[retropia]

I've had good luck with modest suds using All liquid in our front-loader. I've noticed they now have the label "HE safe for all washers," but so far, it still seems to be the best for low suds, in my experience.

Wisk liquid (also "safe for all") has improved their low-sudsing performance, though I have to be more careful with how much I use. Perhaps it is a more concentrated detergent.

I also had pretty good luck using Costco liquid detergent pods.

 

[washer111]

One of my mainstays in the laundry here at home is "Radiant Black Wash." The product is supposedly suitable "FOR ALL MACHINES." It is a liquid detergent

Initially, I had reservations about the stuff, and initially, I felt they were confirmed.
The stuff does foam up a bit more in the wash phase, and makes a loose foam during the rinses. However, the rinse water was clear.

Because I was using a cycle intended for half-loads (Minimum Iron), there was more water in the tub, combined with clothing that is get the full "drop/flop" wash action, it just created more suds. Altering the dosage seemed to help.

IIRC, there were a couple of other products around that are marketed for FL and TL machines at the same time. But I cannot remember them off the top of my head.

I had always felt that if you used a HE detergent in a TL, you were simply getting a more concentrated product, and therefore you could use less. Maybe this isn't the case?

 

[rp2813]

Today I bought a 68-load box of Tide Original HE powder.  It doesn't say "for both" on it.  It was the last box of it on the shelf.  Every other detergent I looked at indicated it was "for both" types of machines (except one -- see below).

 

I still have some of the Gain left to use up first, but if the Tide resolves the sudsing issue, I hope P&G will continue to make it in non-for both formula. 

 

I did see a giant well-priced 120-load box of Cheer, I think, but wasn't willing to risk buying that much of it in case it created too much suds, and I also don't know if Cheer is a P&G product that might end up with a "for both" designation at some point.  As stated above, I hope P&G considers Tide sacred enough not to screw it up with their "for both" formulation.

 

 

 

[tomturbomatic]

Why would P&G change products to a "for both" labeling when they have just come out with HE turbo clean? I would think HE turbo clean would be the direction in which they would be moving. I have yet to see great amounts of Tide HE turbo clean on the shelves of most stores where I shop. There must be warehouses full of old product.

 

[liberatordeluxe]

I find modern detergents do not use enough anti foaming agents hence the oversudsing however the own brand versions seem to use more and you get a few suds but not like the picture above.

 

[rp2813]

I gave the Tide a try and things are back to normal.  Even if there was any residue from the Gain in the bed linens I washed, it didn't cause sudsing.

 

I'm was not pleased that I paid more for a 68-load box of Tide than I had been for an 80-load box of Gain, but once I opened the Tide box I noticed the scoop was deeper than the ones that come in a box of Gain.  I'm not falling for it.  I'm using a Gain scoop, which will probably provide me with 80 loads.

 

As long as the Tide formula doesn't change, this will be the solution until Rosalie's finally hits the market.

 

[mamapinky]

cheer

Ralph...I have a box of cheer stay colorful from 2012 suds up a lot in my water hog top loader. .I also have recently acquired four 80load boxes of cheer stay colorful fresh clean scent that's labeled **for both** and it also suds up too much..if I use a scant 1/4 cup too much suds yet less isn't going to clean my clothes. Too bad cause I think I like the lighter fragrance compared to the scent of some other detergents. Let me know if you want to try the cheer before buying it..I will be glad to send a ziplock of it to you..have a good day Cheryl

 

[mark_wpduet]

OH WOW

I'm glad I read this, because it's almost time for me to buy more detergent. The last detergent I bought was the Costco Kirkland HE powder, which is NOT bad at all quite honestly. I don't see a single sud when washing (unless it's a really small load) which I rarely wash small loads, and even then, it's not overly sudsy. When I used to use the Sears detergent, I kept that small Sears scoop that came with it, and I use that for dosing, sometimes an even scoop, or a little more or less, depending on what I'm washing...We have pretty hard water here and I rarely see suds in the over 10 years I've had my FL washer.

G A I N is my favorite detergent and I was going to go back to that as soon as I ran out of this Costco stuff.

By the way - what is Wind Fresh?

 

[tomturbomatic]

what is Wind Fresh?

It fixes broken wind odor.

 

[kitty2karen]

Gain HEC Powder and Suds!!!!! WTF!!!

I'm so glad I found this thread to corroborate the fact that I am not crazy!

I called the Gain customer service line today to tell them I've been a longtime, loyal "Gainiac" but since I bought the new combined HE and top load powder formula, I get a "suds error light" that shows up on my machine and I have to rinse and drain it. They told me I was using too much or that I needed to use washing machine cleaner every month. That's BS! What have they done? They offered me a coupon for Tide...but I hate the smell of Tide. I don't know what to do....

 

[rp2813]

There's always Rosalie's Zero Suds, now available on ebay.

 

I've switched to Tide powder because it's still exclusively for HE machines.  I don't have any issue with the scent, but ideally I don't want any detergent smell in my finished laundry anyway.

 

P&G apparently has no intention of correcting the problem they created with Gain "for both."  Before I bought Tide, I used up most of my Gain "for both" by adding cheap liquid fabric softener to each washload in addition to the Gain powder and it knocked down the suds.  I don't use liquid fabric softener in my front loader, but bought a bottle of Ensueno at the 99c store to use with the overly sudsy Gain.  It comes in many different scents.

 

[yogitunes]

WOW!....apparently a lot of you guys are having issues.....there has to be something to this, why some have issues, that others don't, and I don't always push the idea of water hardness....

I do know that if my Ph tank runs out of chemical, all scents from detergents are not present by the end of the washing....

there are times we want to play around to produce suds, and the only choice is washing the load again, or adding dish soap....

I'll agree, HE machines can fit up to three times the load of a regular TLer, that can answer a lot of problems, rarely do I wash half loads in a HE machine......but the dosage is always the same......I liquids I use a shot glass per load, for powders, maybe two......

this brings an odd point for people who claim a HE machine takes too long for a cycle, these machines can wash up to three times your normal TLer load....time is money to certain people.....but let's take a traditional Maytag TLer for instance, how long would it take you to wash 3 loads?...a little over 90 minutes?

responses from manufacturers are programmed robotic lectures, they know nothing else than basic questions, and try to fill in the gap of what may fit the bill.....talk to one in person, and they have no clue of what their product even is, not to mention how it works.....any given complaint, as we have seen in many cases, is user error, they will never admit that they have an issue with their own product......lets not even try to go on about trying to launch a complaint, it falls on deaf ears.....those companies don't care.....one good thing, call and complain, you get coupons!, better than what the Sunday paper gives you...

I am curious as to how you guys are getting suds that I can't!.....I have softened water, Ph treated, and a medium density filter.....WTH?....wonder what would happen if I double or triple the dose.....I will get back to you...

 

[cuffs054]

Tom, I believe you are incorrect. 'Wind Fresh' is what you have before 'Wind Spoiled'.

 

[kitty2karen]

Gain HEC Powder and Suds!!!!! WTF!!!

I live in the Midwest where hard water is the norm. No softener added.