Any Asko owners currently using Bi-O-Kleen powder?

18 years ago

Hi! I just received my box of Premium Plus Laundry Powder by Bi-O-Kleen yesterday and was so excited to do a load of laundry and see how it comes out. I had heard some good things about this particular "green" detergent, so I was anxious to see how effective it is. The laundry looks pretty good, however, after the wash finished, I checked my detergent dispenser drawer on my Asko 6461 washer and saw that some of the powder was still in the dispenser. When I consulted the Asko manual, it stated that it doesn't advise using any detergents that do not completely rinse out of the detergent drawer.

Does anyone else use Bi-O-Kleen powder and have an Asko washer and NOT have this issue? Is there anyway around it? It doesn't appear that Bi-O-Kleen makes this detergent in liquid form. I'm trying to use more earth friendly products and was hoping that this detergent would clean well and be earth friendly, but if the detergent is not going to dispense properly...what's the point?!

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Comments (12)

sshrivastava
18 years ago
I've heard good things about the Bi-O-Kleen as well but have never actually tried it -- I have so much detergent from recent experiments that if I spend one more dime on detergent my partner is going to kill me.

The problem you describe happens when there is residual wetness in the detergent compartment. When you put some powdered detergent in there, it absorbes the water drops and turns into a paste which then sticks to the plastic and becomes difficult to rinse out of the dispenser. This only happens with certain products, and I find Tide HE and Tide Coldwater to be particularly bad in this regard. I did an experiment once and it took literally three loads to wash out the last remnant of Tide HE out of the detergent dispenser.

However, there is an easy solution. Take a sock and just wipe the detergent dispenser dry before putting your powder in. You shouldn't have any trouble if you put the powder into a dry detergent compartment.

FYI, I wouldn't judge a detergent based solely on this one characteristic. If wiping out the detergent compartment fixes the problem, stick with that because that's a small price to pay for following to your values and using an eco-friendly detergent.
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lucykt64
18 years ago
Housemama22 How do you like using the Bi-O-Kleen powder? I was just reading about it.
Thanks!

Lucy
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Matt, I found many markets that carried BioKleen laundry powder but not the premium laundry powder (with enzymes) that Shri recommends. Shri, right after I ordered mine I thought you posted a problem with bi-o-kleen causing some kind of odor/mustiness with your machine. So I have been reluctant to use it. What happened with that problem you were experiencing? I am new to front load washing. In fact, for the last 20 years I have washed my clothes being blissfully ignorant of all this information. Now I wonder if my old clothes were ever clean ;). I have been trying every combination to see if I can get better cleaning results and softer clothes, all to no avail. I have now used bio-kleen premium powder, charlie's soap, vinegar as a rinse agent, ecover non-chlorine bleach and calgon water softener in the laundry. The clothes have been through several loads, I have done the charlie's soap approach of running a load to clean out my machine. I haven't seen tons of suds from my clothing and bedding that had been used in my previous top loader in which I never once ran an extra rinse cycle and used Cheer and Tide (free and clear). After all this though nothing seems to give me like newsoft towels or clothes and I don't notice that my clothes seem or smell cleaner, except maybe for the bottom of white socks. I think my husband is convinced from the looks of our laundry room and watching me load the machine that you need to be a chemist in order to operate our new front loader!
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sshrivastava
17 years ago
I wanted to revive this old thread because I finally got my hands on a lovely purple box of Bi-O-Kleen Premium powder. They recently switched from white to purple boxes with a new logo -- much sharper.

I also have an Asko washer, the W6761, and I couldn't be more thrilled with the Bi-O-Kleen product. I've done quite a few loads now in the two weeks I've had it, and I can confidently say that it cleans better than Tide HE, Persil, or anything I could compare it with, while leaving my clothes much softer than any other product. I suffered from somewhat stiff and rough towels when using other detergents -- Tide HE, Cheer HE, Wisk 3x concentrate, Country Save, all in very small doses -- and the Bi-O-Kleen is the only product that leaves my towels soft as feathers. No doubt this is due to the absence of harsh chemicals and excellent rinsability.

I highly recommend Bi-O-Kleen Premium powder. I'm a very picky laundry freak, as the regulars know, and this product impressed me in every way. I've also been looking for ways to lessen my impact on the environment the last few months -- seeing "An Inconvenient Truth" helped motivate me even more -- and this product lets me do that without sacrificing clean. It has actually improved my laundry in every way.

Gosh I'm sorry for gushing like this, but you have no idea how nice it's been to find a great product that's compatible with my environmental consciousness -- a product that actually works. I've spent so much money on detergents and tried so many different brands that, until now, I was content with never finding that one right product.

Everyone go out and buy this stuff -- and no, I don't sell it (LOL)!
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bigdogmom_pa
17 years ago
sshrivastava - Based upon your great reviews for Bi-o-kleen, I just ordered a box from Drugstore.com. I'm hoping I have an easier time rinsing with this stuff. I have a Danby with a whole house water softner. So far the detergents i've tried, I can only use 1 tsp, to get it to rinse out in the 4 rinses my Danby will do. I feel like I need to use a bit more detergent, but I need something that will rinse well. I know you have a softener, and I know the Asko does many rinses do you know at what point the water is clear? Is it before the 5th rinse and how much are you currently using per load? Thanks.

sue
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hybrid8
17 years ago
I'm going to attempt to hijack the thread now... ;)

Has anyone tried the Bi-o-kleen dishwasher deterget?

I'll start a thread in the kitchens forum for discussion but thought I'd ask the initial/simple question here since the product line is topical.

Bruno
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User
17 years ago
Yes, I've tried the dishwasher detergent. It works well. The only thing I have noticed is a small amount of powder residue on the bottoms of glasses if they are concave and not tilted slightly to allow all the water to run off. I have KA dish drawers and use about a teaspoon per drawer for a typical load, about 1.5 teaspoons for a heavily soiled load. It cleans about as well as the Cascade Complete that I was using previously.
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gordonr
17 years ago
I've yet to try Bi-O-Kleen, but plan on making a purchase soon (have to mail order as no one stocks it locally). I will say that in the 13 years of Asko ownership we never found a powder that rinsed the dispenser clean of all traces of powder. If you placed the detergent towards the back of the dispenser it helped, but there was always some which remained. Part of the routine was taking some hot water and flushing it clean several minutes after the cycle started. I always thought it was an Asko design flaw (oops - I mean feature). Maybe it was just our, but having cold fill can't make it easier to disolve detergent. In comparison our Danby (which is hot and cold fill) always flushes all the detergent out of the dispenser.

Can't wait to try Bi-O-Kleen!
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User
17 years ago
You will love it! I am so not green (Don't get me wrong-I am from a farm/ranch family and know that the way to get good performance is to take care of the land. I just don't purchase things just because some environmental group has labeled them as "green.") I'm all about performance. I only tried Bi-O-Kleen because I have a septic system and thought it might be better for that (hoping it might actually clean the clothes) and was pleasantly surprised that it actually worked better than my old detergent.
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frankie57
17 years ago
Does anybody use the free & clear formula of Bi-O-Kleen? If so, are the cleaning results as good as the premium?

I've been using seventh generation free & clear for about 5 months now. I do like it, but I sometimes don't think it cleans as well as it should/could have?
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sshrivastava
17 years ago
I didn't know there was a "free and clear" version of this detergent -- it's already pretty free and clear as it is. There are no colors or artificial scents, and the mild grapefruit sent of the powder (no doubt from the grapefruit rind extract, or whatever it is) is completely gone after the rinse portion of the cycle.

Take a look at the ingredients list on the free and clear variety -- if it includes enzymes, then chances are it's just as good as the Premium. The difference between the Premium and regular varieties is the inclusion of enzymes.
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bigdogmom_pa
17 years ago
Got my box of Bi-o-kleen Premium today. I've done two loads so far. I love the rinsability of it. i've been using 1 tsp of the past several things I've tried, due to a whole house water softener. And I still have my Danby set to the 4 rinses it will give me. I was never totally satisified with how it rinsed, even after 4 rinses with DWV in the last rinse. I used 1 Tbsp of the Bi-o-kleen and I don't think I would have needed that 4th rinse. I do think I will leave that button pushed for the next week or two, just until all the clothes have had a chance to be washed and any residual detergent rinsed out, then I will cut back to the standard 3 rinses. That will be a nice money and time saver. YEAH.

I'm not going to address the cleaning ability or softness just yet. what I washed today was not dirty really, DS is sick and he broke a fever the other night, so while the sheets needed santized they weren't dirty. I haven't done a load of whites yet so I'll speak more to the cleaning ability in a few days.

As for softness, my dryer is on the fritz and I'm struggling to get things dry, they either fry or don't dry all the way. I will be getting a new dryer tomorrow and then I will be able to comment on the softness.

But so far I'm impressed, if it cleans as well as it rinses I'll be a happy camper. No smell left in the clothes either, I like that.

sue
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User
17 years ago
Here are the ingredients for the 3 Bi-O-Kleen powders and the 2 liquids. The free and clear leaves out the citrus peel extracts, for those who are super-sensative.

Regular

Soda Ash, Zeolites, Sodium Citrate, Vegetable Fiber Chelators, Sodium Precarbonate, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Grapefruit Pulp, Orange Peel Extract, Natural Corrosion Inhibitors, Surfactants (from coconut), Degreasers (from coconut), Conditioners (from coconut), Low pH Silicates, Sodium Sulfate

Free & Clear

Soda Ash, Zeoilites, Sodium Citrate, Vegetable Fiber Chelators, Sodium Percarbonate, Grapefruit Seed and Pulp Extract, Natural Corrosion Inhibitors, Surfactants Degreasers and conditioners (from coconut and or corn), Sodium Sulfate

Premium

Natural Protein Digesters from Fermentations, Sodium Precarbonate (Oxygen Bleach), Soda Ash, Citrate, Surfactants (from coconut), Citrus Peel Extract, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Sodium Sulfate, Zeolites, Low pH Silicates (from vegetable fiber), Low pH Chelators (from vegetable fiber)

Laundry liquid

Surfactants & Water Conditioners from Coconut, Linear Ethoxilate from Coconut, Grapefruit Seed and Pulp Extract, Orange Peel Extract, Antiredeposit Agents from Corn, Filtered Spring Water

Laundry liquid cold water formula

Surfactants & Water Conditioners from Coconut (and/or corn), Orange Peel Extract, Grapefruit Seed and Pulp Extract, Linear Sulfonate, Enzymes, Filtered Water
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Any Asko owners currently using Bi-O-Kleen powder?

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sshrivastava

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