It'd help... if sales agents at stores like Lowes, Sears & Home Depot... would stop telling people, to ONLY use an HE LIQUID, in there new front loaders.

Roy, the vast population want liquid or pods, there simply isn't as large of a demand for powders.remember we here are the minority not the majority. And people don't look at liquid detergent the way I do, it sure does cost a lot of money for something that is mostly water. I don't understand it myself, powders should dominate, it costs less to ship powders to all those stores.

"Don't even get me started on the Pod's which, are starting to overtake the last of Powder Users & some of the Liquid marketshare" , I agree, seems a lot of people I know switched to the pods saying it is easier.

Soap, real soap, in bar form is another of my passions, maybe someday I'll show you a pic of my bars lol. This is a household of bar users here. TJ Maxx has some of the most delicious bar soaps, from all over the world, large 10.5 ounce bars of triple milled with mounds and mounds (suds are permitted in the shower) of lovely creamy fragrant suds, that are guarenteed to transport you to anywhere in the world you want to go, Scottland, Germany, Turkey, the choices are limitless. When you return your skin will feel so clean, and silky soft, with a light fragrance of, well that too is limitless, trust me on this folks, bar soap is not what you think it is...Mich do you regret mentioning BAR SOAP...LOL LOL

I was going to write about this today.

I went to multiple stores today to check out powder detergents and they either had none, one or two kinds or had a few but the sizes were incredibly huge (150 load). I use like 2 Tablespoons that would last me a few life times ;-P

I pretty much refuse to use pods between the price and the goo they use to encapsulate the formula inside (I just don't think that stuff is a good idea).

So...Amazon got a few orders from me today.

Fun little fact, Tide Liquid 2x Concentrate... is almost 60% water. I think the new "+" collection, is even more watered down. Yet... Non-Ultra Tide Powder, had less then 12% filler.

Now it's more-concentrated by 33%... but that really doesn't make sense now does it? And of course, once P&G went Ultra, most of the other brands followed suit, like little lap dogs.

@mamapinky0... I'm obsessed with the Olay Total Moisture Bar Soap. Lmao, that must sound pretty weird for a guy. But.. I love the way my skin feels afterwards... so Clean, so... Soft.

Now I've got to go to TJ Maxx, and look for Soap, lol. It sounds wonderful :-)

so I now see , I am not only one who prefers bar soap instead of body wash

Mama...in reference to bar soaps, I can only use Dove or Caress.

They are the only two that don't make my glass shower covered in soap scum.

That so called "Zest-fully clean" soap...isn't. Tone...nope. I haven't tried Olay bar soaps. I don't like body wash either, they make me break out.

I clean my shower weekly and any other soap (excluding Dove & Caress) makes a haze all over glass. That's how I can see what soaps are really "clean".

Zest was made by P&G for the longest time. Then... P&G sold it off in 2011. Now... apparently it's being sold to Unilever. I could see why, it's different.

I will only wash my face with The Original Dove Beauty Bar (not the Sensitive or Pink or Cucumber of Coconut Oasis or any other nonsense ;)

I love the scent of Caress bar soap too. Not good for the face, but smells amazing and leaves skin soft!

I started using Olay Body wash in the mid 90's. Don't hate on body wash....Olay body wash is so incredibly creamy, moisturizing, frothy and awesome. If I'm in a hurry, I can even skip body moisturizer.

A lot of Europe uses body wash/shower gel (Duschgel in Germany). Living in Germany & Austria....very little bar soap!

@Larsi, it's funny you mention that. Olay Body Wash.... was the only body wash, that didn't irate my skin so badly. And you've got it right, it is very frothy & moisturizing. It was a good product. But... I decided to switch to bar soap anyway, because my apparently sensitive skin likes it more.

I've always been scared though, soap would dry out my face, and cause me to get wrinkles. Eh. I used... daily facial cloths for sensitive skin... and they seemed to work well.

Another thing I'll quickly mention... (soft water maybe?) For some reason, my hair doesn't seem to need conditioner. I always use just a tablespoon or so of Pantene, and it's always silky & soft. I wonder if that's bad for my hair though, and I should use conditioner anyway.

I'll stop rambling on though :P

@Roy, Re: "Not sure whether the Miele powder detergents worth double the price of Tide, which I have to order from Amazon.ca or Miele Canada direct." I am also wondering the same thing...

I know there is great information here as to why powder is often preferred to liquid detergent. I like powder detergent because it generally seems to clean better for me, but also because I am sensitive to strong fragrances. In my experience, the fragrance in liquid detergents (at least Tide liquid) are stronger and tends to "stick" to my clothes. E.g., I recently tried Tide with a touch of downy April Fresh (clothes used to smell good when I used it with unscented FS). Everything I washed in this new Tide reeked of the scent for days, which creeped me out.

I had GREAT experience for years using Tide original powder detergent for most of my clothes. But, IMO, P&G trashed the scent of original Tide powder and it is now unusable for me. I don't know how, but Tide's powders now seems to contain a similar fragrance-type that sticks to clothes like their liquids, and I hate the fragrance!! It literally makes me nauseous.

I did buy Miele ultra white and so far it seems to be working well. I wasn't sure about the fragrance at first "huff" from the box ;), but I washed my white sheets with it and they smell wonderful! (I keep going to smell them and feel happy with each whiff! LOL :) I do feel frivolous spending so much more for detergent, but it may just be worth it for me. Tide powders clean great too, but I want my clothing to have a nice, light, lovely, clean fragrance and I can't get that with Tide anymore.

clean_and_bright...

Good to hear about the Miele powder detergent.

I ordered mine from Amazon on Monday. I ordered both the one for Whites and for Colors.

I also ordered the Tide Vivid w/bleach (which is an older formula and scent).

I also picked up REAL (product of Germany) Persil for colors liquid (Lavender).

Added STPP and Lenor fabric softener.

I'm jumping on the powder bandwagon now. I'll switch back and forth from powder and liquid.

@georgect, your order sounds great! I love shopping for laundry goodies! Please let us know how you like these products. I am curious about the Lenor FS.

I am going to order the Miele for colors from Amazon today :) I tried it in the past, and I remember it working well and smelling nice, but at the time I preferred the scent of Tide. Times have changed, so I am going to revisit this one.

I also liked the original (aka vintage) Tide with bleach powder. It had a very nice light clean scent and cleaned wonderfully! But I am VERY impressed with how well Miele Ultra white did with my whites (all my bed linens, bath towels, kitchen towels are white). I have also been using STPP for a few years, after discovering I had hard water. Hard water + powder detergent left my whites dingy and almost grayish. After I started using STPP and good quality powder detergent in hot water, my whites have stayed dazzlingly white! (I also often add 1 TBS sodium percarbonate to my whites). I do wonder if maybe a liquid detergent will make towels smell better though...that Lavender persil liquid sounds lovely, particularly for towels!

I won't carry on but I do know a thing or two about bar soap. I used to own/operate my own candle and soap business.

If you look closely on a bar of "soap" today, most if not all state that it is a body bar. Not soap.

Real soap will leave a film. That is because it is made with real ingredients not chemicals. Real oils and butters. Body wash is a body detergent not a soap.

Clean and bright is this the Tide with Bleach scent you like?

@mamapinky0, that's definitely the old scent. I think that was one of the first boxes, of Tide W/ Bleach once it went Ultra.

Yep that's why there's a sticker on it saying something about the new future tide bleach..I bought 2 but there's about 5 left..11$ each..smells heavenly clean

@clean & bright, I LOVE THE GERMAN PERSIL GEL. It knocks Tide He Liquid, out of the water ;) And keeps sheets, really soft.

@Mamapinky, YES, that Tide plus Bleach powder is wonderful!! It works so well and smells so clean and fresh :) I used to use it exclusively on my white kitchen and bath towels (separate loads). I use tons of kitchen towels in place of paper towels, so I like to make sure my kitchen towels are very clean. I think you got a great deal! It is such a bummer that P&G added their new scent to that Tide with bleach!

@Mitch, thanks for the tip about the German Persil Gel for sheets! Is the scent very strong? Do you think liquid detergent is better for sheets (as compared to powder detergent)? I have been wondering if I should use a separate product for sheets and bath towels...

CLean and bright...do you know about Tide Professional with Oxi? Its tide with bleach on speed,it smells awesome. Its manufactured for hotels. A few people here have tried it.

Mama, thanks for this tip! No, I haven't tried or even seen tide professional for sale, but it sounds tempting and like it would work well for my needs! I am guessing it doesn't smell like P&G's reformulated stinky fruity-perfumed smelling Tide powders? Where can you buy tide professional with oxi? Do you think it smells like the old original tide powder?

Yes, where to buy this, mamapinky?

I think she was purchasing it, at Ollie's Bargain Outlet. Although... I remember seeing it @ Sam's Club, as well.

@clean_bright, the scent is a little strong. But, for me it's rinsed well. I do notice when I launder sheets (and sometimes towels) in a liquid detergent, everything feels softer, cleaner :-)

I used to also use, two tablespoons (sometime a little less, soft water here) of Tide HE W/Bleach Alternative liquid, Clean Breeze for sheets. Although, I can't seem to locate it easily anymore, and... it doesn't seem to clean as well as Persil.

You should really try Persil's Universal Powder first. Then.. if you like it, then try some of the Gel's. Don't start with the Gel :-)

I did purchase a box of Tide he powder detergent for now, but decided will try the Miele ultracolour & Miele ultrawhite powder detergent when the Tide is close to running out. At least the Tide powder detergent be better than the liquid stuff. The Miele detergent is same price on Amazon.ca and Miele Canada direct but if you spend $50 and more at Miele Canada shipping is free.

I remember 10 years ago when I purchased the 24" Whirlpool front loader, that at that time only HE detergent I could find was in liquid only. All the powder stuff available at that time in Sudbury was non he. Maybe this is the reason most sales people tell everyone to buy liquid he detergent?

It can only be found in some warehouse stores or on Amazon, for Fl users I recommend you talk to Larsi..I should tell you that although it smells heavenly, since its a formula for hotels after it rinses it doesn't leave a perfume scent, but everything smells oh so clean and fresh, its my favorate detergent for sure. But I think it runs around 50$ for a large box on Amazon

It is amazing detergent, but yes it is expensive. Like Mama said, about $50 on Amazon. It works as well as, if not better than Miele UltraWhite. The scent is heavenly in the box and during the wash, but after rinses and drying, the wonderful scent is all but gone, but as our Mama said...you can tell everything is clean, and fresh. I also noticed my sheets and towels felt "cared" for, almost smoother than with regular detergent!

And although about $50/box, you need about a TBS or two in a front loader, so this box will last a LONG time, and in the end it is actually not expensive at all!! I love it. Thanks again Cheryl ;)

If your not wanting to commit, right away... there's a seller on Amazon selling 5 load boxes of Persil Universal. :-)

http://www.amazon.com/Persil-Universal-Detergent-colorfast-fabrics/dp/B002DUZN5C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442965170&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=persil+universal+powder

Thanks, Mama, Larsi and Mitch, the resident detergent experts! I think I will have to try the tide professional. I really like the idea that my linens will feel cared for :-) I know what you mean by that, Larsi. Plus I only like a light scent on my laundry, so maybe this will be perfect for me. Thanks so much for the recommendation, Mama! I have read a lot of your posts, and I believe you are a laundry expert! I also think it will work out to be less expensive that the miele powders per dose.

Mitch, perhaps I will "test" the Persil universal powders as well, especially if you think their powder isn't as strongly scented as the liquid. I can't resist trying products just to make sure i am not missing the perfect detergents :) Next I will have to test powders vs. liquids on sheets and towels to see what works best. Thanks again! Your recommendations, experience and advice are greatly appreciated :)

Clean and Bright, aww, thank you for such a nice compliment, I'm sure not an expert, but I read a lot lol. Why don't you email me your address, I'd be more thsn happy to send you a sample of Tide Professional with oxi to try before you go to a large expense of ordering it. My email is

mamapinky0@gmail.com

That's a zero at the end of my name. And this is no problem I wouldn't make the offer if I didn't want to do it lol.

Mama, I think you are an expert for sure :-)

That is so kind of you. I may take you up on that as it looked like Amazon is out of the Tide professional. I would be more comfortable making a trade. I wonder if there is something I could send you?? As of today, I have in my stock: Miele UltraWhite, Miele UltraColor (as of later today courtesy of Amazon), Tide Powder Mountain Spring (not HE), Tide Liquid Mountain spring (not HE), Forever New (powder detergent for delicates), The Laundress signature detergent, some small The Laundress samples of Sport and Delicates. Oh, and I have two bags of Tide Boost pods in free and clear! Anything you may like to try? Otherwise I can buy the All pacs Mitch recommended and send you half :)

Why don't you s urprise me, lol I love surprises, but don't go buying something just so you can send me some, also I do have Mieles Ultra White (love it) and Miele Color compliments of Larsi which I love and I'm hoarding it lol. I also have some Forever New Powder from Roc, which I LOVE the scent of but haven't used it because once its gone I can't open and huff it lol...I will let you decide and surprise me ok..just email me your address, and Thank You Bright.

Okay sounds like a plan :-) Thank you mama! You are truly a gem.

Here is the powder detergent selection at my grocery store. Hardly nothing to choose from.

@pawprint. That's the most powder detergent I've seen in one place in what seems like aeons!

Yeah...that's way more than I saw when I was out last week searching for powder detergents.

Just Tide, Gain and Arm & Hammer? Weren't there more powder brands back in the day than just 3?

here in Sudbury, see Tide, Gain but no Arm & Hammer

Really frustrating part.. is there is no more Tide W/ Bleach Powder with a "clean" scent. The Clean Breeze scent... is gone. And the new "Original" scent... sticks to fabrics, and smells horrible.

I was looking on the Tide website, last night. And I swear... it seems like there's a thousand less powders available. It's just, so modest, so little. Yet there's two million different liquids, in different scents. So... disappointing to say the least.

Powder Wise. The ones I know I can find easily, locally are... Fab, Cheer, Tide, Gain, Xtra, Purex, All (F&C) and Arm & Hammer. Then there's American Ariel & Phosphate Free Foca and Roma.

But... you better like whatever's on the shelf. Because there's typically just one or two different variety's.

Sad... because when I was growing up, I remember shopping with my mom at Target... and seeing a one whole side, of an entire aisle of just Powder Detergents, in a million different options. Now... it's pretty slim.

I think it's quite different overseas though. And in Mexico, almost everyone seems to use Powder, exclusively.

Bright, I'm sorry I won't get the Tide Pro out until Monday morning, I tried to get to the post office before noon today, its Saturday so they close at noon, but no luck, but Monday morning for sure it will be on its way. Its so worth the wait though.lol I also want to get another stash out to Larsi sometime soon. Lol. I just want to let you know it will go out Monday, you take care.

Okay no worries mama! Sorry for the late reply, we took a spurt of the moment road trip that killed my weekend at home. But it was fun anyway! And, your package is going out today too :) Thanks again, I am looking forward to trying the tide pro and hoping it will be available to purchase if it works for me!

Bright your package is on its way to the post office, hubs took it in lol

Thanks, Mama! I will let you know when I get it and how it works. Can't wait!