Purex Liquid
Laundry Mich
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
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larsi_gw
7 years agoRelated Discussions
High efficiency Free & Clear detergent
Comments (17)There's a BUNCH of threads on this very topic in the laundry forum. Worth spending some time reading it. Be prepared to sort out a lot of, well, dirty laundry shall we say? But there is a lot of good info there from some very reasonable people who have a lot of experience with this issue. The one thing I find curious is people suggest using 1/2 the amount recommended for a top loader. This doesn't make sense to me. The claim is that a TL uses about 30 gal per load and a FL uses about 5 gal per load. Seems to me that you're going to be way overconcentrated (by 3 times) by using 1/2 the amount! Mathematically, in this case it would make sense to use 1/6 the amount of detergent. After all, if you do a 1/2 or 1/4 size load on your TL machine, don't you use 1/2 or 1/4 the detergent or risk massive sudsing? or do you need a special "small load" detergent? LOL Detergent manufacturers all say you can use HE detergent in a TL. They recommend twice as much as for a front loader. So that way, two times the amount needed for 5 gal of water is sufficient for 30 gal of water in a TL. But I doubt that, for I'm a skeptic. I just think the math is mixed up. There is a lot of chemistry involved in laundry and amount of water, detergent, types of soils, type, temp and hardness of water, all contribute to differences in cleaning. Everyone agrees that you need low sudsing in a FL machine, and actually you don't want a lot of suds in a top loader either! Usually if you have a bunch of suds you have too much detergent! This can also be true, even the article mentioned above admits you can use too much HE detergent. Most laundromaniacs/laundroholics recommend when you switch to a front loader from a top loader that it's a good idea to wash the clothes at least once without any detergent to determine how much residue is in the clothes. There may or may not be leftover detergent in your clothes depending on how much you use and how well you rinse. Every article I've read on HE detergents that claim you cannot use anything else fails to give plausible reasons for their claims. One attempted to, by suggesting that insufficient detergent won't suspend the soil to wash away. That made some sense. But it doesn't address my question on the difference in water useage, since the formula would be the same. Not one article has ever said what the formula change, or different chemical or whatever the difference is, except to again talk about suds, which is what everyone else has said! And again, when you consider 1/6 the amount of water being used, I'd certainly start with no more than 1/6th the amount and see what happens. There are many low-sudsing detergents out there. And there's some "HE" detergents that are rather high sudsing. Finding the combination that works with your machine and your water (and all the other variables) is the challenge. All that said, I think if I get a FL, I'll start with some HE detergent and see what happens. Especially during the learning phase so I can eliminate or at least minimize the impact of one variable. Perhaps the HE-only advocates can comment if I'm in error on my math or something....See MoreFL detergent questions
Comments (9)1. don't "store" the detergent in the compartment. add it when you are going to wash (of course, if you choose the Delay Start feature, the detergent will sit there for a while, which is OK, but don't make a habit of leaving it in there ) 2. there are lots of detergents and many people swear by their favorites, so to get a less biased opinion check out Consumer's Reports or other publications' detergent comparisons. Some of the Tides are very well regarded and AAMOF, because of that, I recently picked up my first bottle of Tide Free and Clear. Normally I use All Free and Clear which isn't rated at the top, but it's not at the bottom, either. :) I like using Oxiclean powder (free) also, for whites. I almost never use "real" bleach--last time I used it was for the Pure Cycle to get out a trace of sourness. That smell was fixed by running PC with bleach and hasn't come back in many weeks. I've had the washer (Samsung 520) since late last year and it's as fresh as the day it was delivered--I dry the seal and det compt. As far as liquid vs powders, I'm not in a position to recommend one type of the other. Others will offer their opinions, I'm sure. Again, check for recommendations from consumer pubs....See MoreTest of Laundry Detergents on Aluminum
Comments (6)I did watch that video, and It was interesting. I do have a problem with his statement that "No one should be using more than a tablespoon of detergent to wash a load of clothes." To make a general statement like that is incorrect. Everyone does not have the same water conditions. I also wonder, (and this is just my cynic mind working here), since his "cleaner" is a citrus based cleaner, wouldn't the "brown stuff" shown in the window, with the suds, just be a reaction of the citrus with the detergent? They did not show what it looked like on the second run through. However, it did get me to thinking. I do have a bucket of Sears advanced formula ultra plus with fabric softner it my laundry room that I use from time to time. A sears scoop is 4 tablespoons or 1/4 cup. At this measurement, it does do a great job in my Kenmore HE3. So, If sears is only a quarter cup, then why wouldn't tide be any different? When I was younger and watched my mother do laundry, and she always used tide and had a toploader, she would only use a 1/2 cup back then (this was in the 70's). I said to her once "the box says to use 1 cup." to which she stated "you can always use less then what they say. They just want you to buy more." We did have well water then that went through a whole house water softner. Today, I have city water to my house. It not hard, nor is it soft. It's medium. However, if you think about what he said in that " the majority of use are just washing out body oil and perfume from our clothes, unless your a farmer or something...." that does make sense. Which brings me to my next point that has been debated here over and over again Given that most of us are just washing out the body oil and perfume from our clothes, then why would regular, non HE powder, in reduced amount, work as well? I know that HE detergent has "more dirt suspension and dye trasfer inhibators, but since the small water amount in the bottom of the drum, and lets say you use 1/4 cup of reg. detergent instead of the 1/2 cup recommended, do the same trick? I'm only rising these questions, as I too, will overdose from time to time, using what is recommended. And, i'm trying to re-teach myself....See Moreis Tide really better?
Comments (33)Had a nice long post going and the computer locked up! LOL Oh well, I'll try to remember the highlights. First a mythbuster: Tide (together with Gain, ERA, Cheer, Dreft, etc) are made by Procter & Gamble and P&G make *no* store brands or generics of anything for anybody. Huish makes a lot of the store & generic type brands, including Kirkland, Great Value, Sun and they now own the Wisk name too, IIRC. Is it better? That's subjective and depends on what you're doing. In most all objective cleaning tests, any detergent with enzymes will clean better on dirty and stained clothes. If your clothes don't get very dirty, you may not see the benefit. I see a big difference in using enzymes. I used to add them when I used Arm & Hammer, had to use them when I used Sun or other Huish products and when I figured out what it cost to add all the additives like Borax, oxy, dishwasher detergent (for enzymes), Calgon, etc, it cost more than Tide at full retail in the most expensive store. I got some coupons and coupled it with sales and wound up getting several bottles for the price of sales tax so this gave me a chance to compare. No comparison. I don't need all the additives anymore. I use the Free & Sensitive Skin (now replaced by Free & Gentle - name only I presume?) since I don't like clothes to stink. When they stink it's time to wash them. Gain worked well but I couldn't handle the smell and they don't have a dye/stench-free version. I used to use ERA a lot and liked it but the price went way up so I quit using it. I just tried a bottle that was on sale cheap and it works very well. If you don't get your clothes dirty, then any cheap detergent should serve your needs. However for me, since the surgery I have blood that gets on the clothes and there's times I haven't even treated them and with the Tide they come clean. I've also tried the Stain Release pouches. Was very skepical of them, but I have to say I think they make a difference. Some of the Sears detergents (made by Desoto BTW, not P&G) get good reviews, especially the one that has enzymes (getting the message? LOL) All objective testing rates Tide & Gain very highly. Yes they cost more, but often you don't have to use as much. With the cheaper ones, I did have to use more, plus the additives. I'm frugal, but I'm pragmatic. Spending on the additives has to be included in the cost of the detergent. And now, I don't do so much laundry that I'm overly concerned on the cost, even if it is a bit more, and I can say for me, it hasn't been cheaper. Same thing goes for dish detergent. I'll only buy Dawn & Joy. Tried the cheaper ones and they don't work, need more and are more effort. My time and energy are worth something and there too, I buy it cheaper most of the time so double benefit. Two brands I won't use - they just don't work well. Could use just water and be better off and that's Purex and Sun. I threw them out. Couldn't even give them away. Everyone I know tried them and didn't like them. Again, if your clothes don't get dirty, it may be ok for you. Even if I economized and didn't have the cleaning needs I have, I'd then go with ERA free. About $6-$8 for a 150 oz bottle. The inferior store brands aren't that cheap and ERA has enzymes. FWIW I sold Amway for a while and remember the schpiel! LOL They criticized all the top sellers. Not surprising they go after the #1 detergent! LOL I will say, I tried Tide 30 years ago and itched like crazy. Others I know had same issues. But no more. Even friends/relatives with skin conditions have no trouble with the "Free" version and some are even fine with the stench types. What I don't understand is not so much the powder issue but why do people need dyes and stench in everything? Can't you add some Kool Aid and skunk oil if you want it colored and stinky? Would be a lot less room required in the stores if they just had basic, unpolluted detergents and then a rack with dye & stench to add if you must have it....See MoreLaundry Mich
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