White King

[strongenough78]

After many years of having to use laundromat washers most of which give warm water on the hot setting and all of which give only a 9 minute wash time, I noticed my whites were looking quite dingy. I've tried different detergents with and without oxygen bleach and even used Arm and Hammer Washing Soda. There was slight improvements but not drastic. A couple years back I did laundry at a friends house equipped with a water softener and noticed a major improvement. So recently I've been curious to try White King so I finally bought a box. Washed some whites in the hottest water possible and followed the directions on the box. I must say I'm in love with this stuff. My socks came out completely clean and much whiter than before. I can't wait to try it in a regular washer with a full wash cycle. I highly recommend it!

 

[launderess]

IIRC White King Water Softener

Contains phosphates.

Easy test is to take a teaspoon or less and dissolve in a glass of warm water. If the water remains clear more than likely the stuff has phosphates.

Or you simply could just read the label. *LOL*

 

[strongenough78]

Lol Laundress! Actually it contains no phosphates. Which is weird cause a couple of years ago I bought a bucket of stpp which helped but never produced results like this stuff. Maybe I wasn't using enough of it.

 

[launderess]

Really?

How very odd.

http://housekeeping.answers.com/cleaning-products/white-king-water-softener-review

 

[mich]

Packaged Water Softners...

Available in Supermarkets (Rain Drops, Calgon, White King) don't contain Phosphates, and haven't in Years.

Calgon is Sodium Sesquicarbonate, a variant of Sodium Carbonate, and supposedly complexes just like STPP or Sodium Hexmopolyphosphate would.

Even in the Late 70's Calgon had special formulas, that were Phosphate Free for areas "limiting" phosphates. Although, Thanks to the 1980's & 90's bans, and the Automatic Dishwashing Phosphate Bans, there are no more phosphate laden Booster products on store shelves. Even in states without any bans, whatsoever.

Unless of Course, were talking about NOS

 

[mich]

Vern

I'm going to assume that there's a decent sized Mexican Population somewhere close to you, and with that, you probably have some Mexican Markets or Bodegas arround.

Look for Some Phosphate'd Ariel or Foca. I think you'll be shocked on how well they work, even in California'n Hard Water

 

[whirlcool]

I wonder if this stuff is sold in Texas? I've never seen it here.

 

[stan]

We had

a thread about White King water softener a while back.
Somehow I got the impression that it had phosphates in it? Think it was due to the MSDS. However what's listed on the box
(washing soda) and the weight of the box, make me think it dose not contain phosphates.
I called the Company, and explained that the MSDS said one thing, but the label on the box said another! (Think it was made by Sun)
I never did get a straight answer from them.

One of those things that I left as a mystery!

 

[danemodsandy]

Yep!

Yes, White King is made by the same manufacturer that makes Sun detergents - Huish.

This probably positions it as a "value" alternative to Calgon - which, trust me, they ain't givin' away.

Every Huish product I've ever used was excellent value for money. I currently use their Cuddle Soft liquid fabric softener (gotta keep that Maytag softener dispenser useful!) and their Sun oxy powder.

Another virtue of Huish products is that they still make products in quieter scents, without the P & G stinky-poo fruit salad smells.

 

[supersuds]

Vintage (1960s?) box of White King I'm using.

 

[supersuds]

Back of the box indicates it is non-precipitating.

 

[supersuds]

And on the side, it says sodium sesquicarbonate. I'm not surprised, because it looks just like the old Calgon did. You have to be careful how much you use, too, because it softens do effectively any detergent with a tendency to foam up will really build up a head o' suds.

 

[whirlcool]

Another virtue of Huish products is that they still make products in quieter scents, without the P & G stinky-poo fruit salad smells.

You must be referring to the wango-tango-mango scents P&G loves so much.

 

[stan]

John

Is the box heavy? Like washing soda?
Sodium sesquicarbonate is a mix of baking soda, and washing soda.. I think? If so, it would form a precipitate.
Wonder if back then, they used this, and STPP in the mix, and only mentioned the SS on the box?

 

[supersuds]

Stan, yes, it is heavy for its size...much like All or Dash were at the time.

I suspect you're right about it being a mix with STPP, because SS is definitely precipitating by itself. How else could they claim White King was non-precipitating?

Wikipedia says SS forms crystals, and you can see crystalline forms in the WK powder. That reminded me of the older Calgon that was available up to ten or so years ago, that was clearly marked as having phosphates. But Mich says it had SS, so the two ingredients must not be incompatible.

 

[stan]

Hi John

I had the same question a while back (if they interfered with each other)
From the answers I received, they don't! provided that their balanced by some type of percentage of one vs the other in the same mix.
Noticed your All Free/Clear powder in the photo. I've never tried it. How do you like it?

 

[mrboilwash]

Current Ingredients:

Sodium Carbonate
Sodium Chloride
Sodium Silicate
Sodium Polycarboxylate
Sodium Gluconate

http://sunproductsmsdsbrand.thewerc...uage=d__EN&CUSTOM5=white king&hidRequiredList

 

[launderess]

Have Some Vintage Amway Water Softener

That also contains phosphates and Sodium sesquicarbonate so the mixture must be or was fairly common.

 

[mrboilwash]

The combination of Phosphates and Sodium Sesquicarbonate was also found in Calgon Bath Beads. Don`t know if it`s still in production.
Have brought a package from a trip to the States some years ago, but never understood the idea of putting something alkaline into bath water.
My skin wasn`t fond of it either.

 

[launderess]

All Soaps Are Alkaline To Some Extent

So if you use that for bathing there you are then.

 

[mrboilwash]

Usually I don`t use soap, but bodywash which isn`t alkaline at all.
Soap has been OK for centuries but you don`t soak for an hour in "real soap" suds as you might do in a product for the bath tub.

But back on topic.
I thought of using the Calgon Bath Beads as a laundry booster but finally tossed it, because it also had mineral oil and who knows what else in it.

Could imagine the Sodium Polycarboxylate in White King to keep the washing soda from precipitating with hard water minerals.

 

[supersuds]

All Free/Clear powder

I like it pretty well, Stan. Seems like a more economical alternative to Tide. I do notice a bit of a chemical smell to laundry when it comes out of the washer, but it isn't noticeable once the clothes are dry.

 

[mich]

I've looked...

all over, but it's extremely hard to find, ALL powder, in any form in my area... Sad, I hear it's good stuff  

 

 

 

[stan]

Vern

Sorry to have left you out with all this, but how is it working out with the rest of your laundry? What detergent are you using with the White King? Are you still "in love" with this stuff?

 

[whirlcool]

ll over, but it's extremely hard to find, ALL powder, in any form in my area... Sad, I hear it's good stuff

We find it at Walmart here, always stocked. $4.88 for a 40 load box. Not too badly priced, and it cleans very well.

 

[strongenough78]

Hey sorry for the late reply. There is a Mexican supermarket chain here where I can get those detergents. I actually was using Ariel with phosphates a year ago. Results weren't bad but not as good as with the White King and I love the scent of the Ariel. Stan, I've used the White King on a few loads like towels and colored clothes with great results. Everything is much fresher smelling too. Oh and I'm using it with Gain powder. I use a half cup of White King and half the amount of detergent as per the instructions. I get a good amount of suds but not too much and the rinse water is crystal clear.

 

[launderess]

Calgon Bath Beads

Well no, wouldn't recommend them for laundry. Aside from the scent and often colouring agents the stuff does contain skin softening agents.

All Calgon products grew out of the original CAL-cium g-ON-e formula (get it, CALGON), which was mainly a phosphate laden product used at first for softening water in steam boilers/engines (locomotives, ships, heating, etc...), then later dishes and laundry. Indeed the makers of Calgon touted it's ability to soften water and thus rinsing cleanly as hygienic for when doing foodservice ware including the military at the time.

As detergents replaced soaps for laundry and cleaning and diesel replaced steam Calgon had to find other uses. As many laundry and other cleaning products contained phosphates the need for a separate product such as Calgon was eliminated, again this hurt sales.

Enter Calgon bath beads and so forth for all the same reasons you'd soften wash water.

Have had many early packages of Calgon (in silver paper wrapped boxes) and one could use it for many personal care routines. From bathing to washing one's hair, anything that involved using soap with hard water.

 

[stan]

1/2cup !

You must be using a T.L !
It would be interesting to do Laundress's test with the glass of warm water, and compare it with ordinary washing soda, just for the off chance they've got something more going on in there!
If it is mostly washing soda, and your using a powdered detergent...combined, well, that's a lot of washing soda!
On the other hand, if it's working for you...

Keep us posted Vern.

 

[strongenough78]

Yeah I only use top loaders when I wash clothes. I only use front load for big bulky items. I've used actual washing soda before and didn't get results like this. There must be something different between the two. When I get a chance and if I remember, I'll try the water test.

 

[stan]

Decided

to do Laundress's test with White King Water Softener.
What so you think...fairly clear!