Congrats!!! Don't hate. Don't love. I do love German Ariel powder though! Smells and work amazingly well, although for clothes you need some softener, as it can leave many items a tad "coarse". Love little Bodegas. Wish L.A. had these too, like NY and Chicago!! Happy Friday Alex :) :)

Alex..refresh my memory do you have traditional top loader or HE machine?

I have a Samsung FL with internal heater.

Thank you, Mama/Cheryl. We have low-moderate hard water (6-7 GPG) so sudsing isn't usually a big problem. If it cleans well, I'll use this for my kitchen and cleaning towels and save the expensive Euro Persil for our clothes. It rinses extremely well and I love scent. I haven't smelled (or huffed, as Larsi would say! lol) it yet, but will when I get home tonight.

Remember there is no sodium percarbonate in it for whitening....I love this stuff, and if you found it at Mexican store it probably has phosphates in it unless the bag states no phosphates. P&G is supposed to stop the phosphates in it the beginning of this year sometime. Let me know what you think of it. Good Luck Alex

Oh, good to know. Thanks :) I'll throw in a few scoops, then.

I see Ariel all over the place here but have never bought it- what is it about it that is supposed to be so good? What is it best used on?

Okay, after a few loads, I can say I don't like this detergent. It does seem to clean well but I really don't care for the scent. Maybe I should have gotten the "with a touch of Downey" version instead. I also agree with those who have said it leaves clothes scratchy. Even with a bit of FS I don't care for how my socks and unmentionables felt.

Mama - I think you like this detergent. If you do, I'll send you the rest when I send you the Persil Universal Powder sample.

Alex...I have noticed a lot of FL users have this issue of scratchy clothes when using the Mexican Ariel. I think its just not always able to all be rinsed out, this is consistant with sodium carbonate residue. I wouldn't waste your money on Ariel with Downy if you didn't care for the Ariels scent as they smell almost identical and will probably pose the same problem. This is for sure a detergent for a machine with full deep rinses. Sorry you had this happen Alex. And I thank you for your generosity.

Alex and I are either twins or soul mates ;) I too DO NOT like this Detergent. I completely dislike the smell, and it leaves items even scratchier than German Ariel. Maybe I just do not like Ariel, LOL...even though the German one cleans and smells pretty terrific!

Alex, one must not have rough or scratchy unmentionables!!! :) What an old fashioned, coy word you used. Ha ha!!

We are definitely crazy-pants about a lot of the same stuff, Larsi! And I try to be delicate on the forum. I leave my more vile, direct speak for the FB group!

I haven't noticed any scratchiness. I did notice my towels were not as soft when I didn't use the Mexican Ariel with Downy. I love it and am probably only going to use it sparingly because I only have about 50 lbs left. I don't really dislike the smell, but it is usually gone by the time my clothes come out of the dryer anyway, so it really wouldn't matter.

JOdy..Ican't remember what kind of washer you have??

Jeannnnn where are you my chick, I hope your feeling ok...you use Mexican Ariel and I think you love it. But like me you have a water guzzler.

Folks, the scent of Ariel isn't for everyone, most people either love it or hate it. It is for sure a very unique scent. But I can see it leaving things less than soft if its not rinsed really really well.

Alex..so nice to meet someone else that wears unmentionables LOL...LOL..XOXO

I have a no frills top loading Whirlpool. I want a top loading Speed Queen, but other things have to come first and may always...don't know.

Jody you may not have a problem with Ariel making your clothes harsh since you have a full deep rinse.

Personally I love it & the smell. I'll take what u have if momma doesn't want it. I like strong perfume smells in my basement.

I like the Ariel pods! They are pretty much tide orig scent but a little cheaper. Idk if I'd buy them again because I'm always trying new things! But they worked well in my xtra large capacity whirlpool TL

I like Ariel powder. I don't notice any difference between Ariel and Tide in terms of sudsing or the feel of things after being washed. My dosage for Ariel is the same as Tide powder. The scent is very faint after rinsing if any. The Ariel with Downy leaves a much stronger scent that I don't care for. Ariel is a bit sudsier in the was cycle than Tide but settles faster and rinses cleaner for me.

Ariel is a wonderful gift from the laundry gods! Bestest stuff EVER! I do a lot of spiking w/my Ariel from Mexico in other detergents as a booster. This sure cuts down on any scratchiness or I just run a 2nd partial or full rinse. Ariel and Foca are still my absolute favorites. The Tide w/Downy from Vietnam is right up there as well. That dang Larsi sent me some and now I am OBSESSED with getting a bucket of it!! (Thank You Larsi!)

Lol...Shes Got a Way About Her....Jean I have no scratchy clothes with Ariel..probably because we have deep rinses..and you know I'd be the first one screaming to the high heavens if I did knowing how much I hate over dosing on Sodium Carbonate. LOL

This has me thinking, though. Maybe adding a small scoop of Mexican Ariel to my beloved Cheer powder, on especially soiled loads, would be a nice combo.

So true Mama-no scratchiness! Alex go for it I think the results will be perfect.

I ran a full load of white towels in my Asko with 3 Tbsp Mex Ariel, no FS. They're soft, fluffy, very light scent barely noticeable from the dryer. How much are you using per load?

Sandy - I usually eyeball my dosing (I know that's such a no-no), but somewhere in the 3-4 TBS range. I don't have soft water and can't do extremely low dosing and still get effective cleaning. At least half of my problem with Ariel is, for sure, the washer. Your Asko can give you an insane number of rinses, of which I'm quite jealous! When I dump the Samsung, I'll definitely give it another chance :)

There is a way -- though a bit challenging -- for me to get 220 into my laundry closet. I'd have to run it from the breaker box at one end of the hallway all the way to the front where the laundry is. Sounds easy, but there are a number of doorways in between. I *think* I could put the line in conduit and run it behind the crown moulding at the ceiling, but will need to explore code. If this can be done at reasonable cost, it opens the opportunity to get either a Miele or an Asko, which I would love. I know the current Mieles are 110, but the matching dryer is only electric and I currently have a gas dryer hookup only. Life in the city in small spaces!

Jean....Do you want me to mail you some more Tide with Phosphates from Vietnam?? Say the word, and it's on the way to you!!! XO

No but thank you larsi aka the sweetest man I've ever known! I have a trip to Kansas City planned for the near future and cannot wait to walk into the Asian or Mexican grocery and spot that big reddish orange bucket! Since I didn't win the Powerball that's the next exciting activity in my life!! This isn't nice but there's a rat B@#$*RD selling my (Our) Tide with Phosphates for an obscenely inflated price on ebay. Hope he gets a rash!

Alex, water is definately a factor. Sometimes detergents just don't work for us for whatever reason. Give it to a neighbor, friend and move on or use it to clean toilets :).

Do the smaller Miele units plug into each other like the Askos do? My Askos was made in 2000. Parts aren't available anywhere anymore. I think our next move will be to get rid of the upstairs laundry where the Askos are and replace the downstairs set with Little Giants. I like my super hot washes when needed.