I know several people who use Gain products and are happy with it. I tried it but I couldn't take the smell. Performance-wise, it worked just fine. I can't stand scented laundry detergents. I switched to Tide Free/Sensitive skin several years ago and haven't been disappointed. No need for the myriad of additives I had to use with other brands. I don't find that it's any less effective than the "original" Tide. I don't believe that perfume and dye contribute to cleaning. They still have enzymes in it so I doubt there's a significant difference other than pulling the stink and color out of it. I used to itch really badly from Tide so I didn't touch it for decades but after the compaction I tried it and it worked fine, no itch, but again, I couldn't stand the smell. When my clothes are washed I don't want them to stink - stench is when you're supposed to wash clothes. So I went to the Free?Sensitive and been happy. That's now changed to Free & Gentle but I haven't tried that version as yet but I suspect the name change was a marketing idea rather than a formula change, at least any significant change. I also have Era Free but haven't tried it yet. I'm sure I'll be pleased with it, and if it doesn't handle the toughest jobs, no problem. 150 oz jug only cost about $6 or $7 so I can use it for lighter duty if needed. I have so much laundry detergent built up that I won't be buying for a long time. Yes Tide is P&G's flagship brand. However, each of them have their own niche it aims toward. Tide of course is the big dog, do everything. Gain is for smell. It's formulated to hold smell longer. Cheer's market is toward bright whites and anti-fade. Dreft and Ivory Snow are targeted for babies and super-sensitive. Era was for stains but became the redhead stepkid until lately when they've decided to start marketing it a little more aggressively and gain back some lost market share. I used to use Era years back but then they upped the price so much I said nope. Now it's a bargain brand again. Personally, I think there were people who wanted to kill off the brand and that's why they dropped advertising and support for it until recently. Seems to be quite a coincidence that about the time of a CEO change came that they started pushing it more. Purely speculation, but makes sense to me. I'm trying to remember, maybe someone here will know for sure. Did Woolite used to be a P&G brand? I was thinking it was years back. I know it's not P&G now. I can't really find anything definitive on it either. I suppose I could contact Reckitt Benckiser but thought maybe someone here would know.

A front loading washer made my life EASIER, not harder! I wouldn't ever go back to a top loader. You have to learn how to use them correctly, just like any new item. But I guess it all depends on whether a person makes the choice to learn how to use their appliances to get the most efficiency out of them. I have no idea why you would think that using a tablespoon of detergent to clean a load is silly. The formulation of detergents in this day and age allow for decreased amounts of detergent. Top loaders use 1/4 to 1/2 the amount that was recommended even 10 years ago. A person used to have to use a LARGE scoop for a regular load-- and the economy sized box of detergent couldn't even be lifted without help! I am sure there are plenty of others on this forum that remember those days :) Please tell me how it is common sense that not enough water is used to rinse properly? If you had researched front loaders and followed the instructions properly, you would find that the decreased amount of water actually rinses MUCH better than a whole tub load of water. That is because the water is forced through the fabic as the drum tumbles and take the soap with it as it does. Compare it to rinsing your driveway off with a hose-- if you don't use a nozzle, the water just runs over the pavement but doesn't rinse it too well but if you use a high pressure nozzle, the dirty water is pushed off of the pavement. I love my FL and love the money I have saved all the way around by using it-- and that doesn't include my time and energy!

A Free and Clear detergent still probably has optical whiteners and other additives which may be clinging to your clothes through multiple washes. Your fabric softener is likely building up on your clothes too. I've read it does if you use it on cloth diapers. Fabric softener sheets also leave a residue inside the dryer that can come off onto clothes/diapers. Not sure if liquid does the same thing. I have found I do not need softener sheets when my clothes rinse clean. The only exception would be for synthetic, static-prone fabrics like acrylic. I use Charlie's Soap (detergent) now for all our laundry, including cloth dipes. For sanitation, I use hot washes for diapers and underclothing as well as towels and washcloths/dishrags. I haven't mastered using an oxygen bleach yet, probably because I have a front-loader so the clothes can't soak as easily. On the other hand, I don't feel I need it often--only ocassionally to remove stains. HE machines often get detergent build-up inside the machine on the outside of the drum where you can't see it. This can cause mildew, stink, etc. When I had to have our Kenmore's electronics repaired (same as Duet), the repairman said to only use 1 oz. of detergent and applauded my frequent use of vinegar. If you want to see if you have build-up, do an empty load. To see if your clothes have detergent build-up, which might be causing your dingy whites, do a load without detergent. In either case, if you see a good amount of suds, you have build-up. If you do, then do several washes with vinegar, then plain rinses. Check again, and repeat as needed. For prevention, periodically do a hot load with vinegar. Incidentally, I put the vinegar into the liquid softener dispenser, which empties into the last rinse cycle on my HE machine. Don't put it in with the detergent as they neutralize each other. I've read a lot about washing diapers in HE machines, and most of the info applies to other laundry as well. There are definitely some detergents to avoid. Here are two articles which cover the topic well I think. http://www.sunshinediapers.com/cloth-diaper-university/choosing-a-detergent/ http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/washing-diapers.htm

"HE" stands for "High Efficiency". This is a formulation designed specifically for "High Efficiency" clothes washers, such as frontloaders and the Calypso. The tumbling/showering actions of these machines tend to generate a lot of suds, and excessive amounts of suds in the drum can hamper the wash action (by cushioning the clothes). In extreme cases, the suds can build up to such a degree that they overflow the drum, and wind up oozing out the dispenser drawer or top or back of the machine (not unlike the situation resulting from putting hand dishwashing detergent in an automatic dishwasher)! Thus, the most important characteristic of an HE laundry detergent is a low level of sudsing. High-quality HE detergents may also have additional properties beneficial to HE washers, such as dye-transfer inhibitors. Although use of HE detergents is highly recommended in frontloaders, it's not strictly necessary to use brands that carry the HE label. A low-sudsing "conventional" formula can also give good results, depending on the hardness of the local water supply and the level of soiling in the washload. The chief advantage of very low-sudsing detergents is that one can add greater amounts for improved cleaning of tough loads, without fear of oversudsing. While it is of course possible to use reduced amounts of ANY detergent in a frontloader (to limit the amount of suds buildup), the resultant cleaning performance may be less than optimal. --Tom. [first added to Appliances FAQ: 4 October 2002] [moved to Laundry Room FAQ: 28 December 2004] [last edited: 28 December 2004]