What everyone needs to understand is that eventhough they say you can drop one in the wash, you will also read that two might be needed for larger, heavily soiled loads. There is something similarly worded on Purex, ALL, Tide, and Arm & Hammer. I recently purchased the A & H, because it came with a "get free with mail-in rebate". On the back,it says, "For heavily soiled loads, use two paks." I would not normally purchase these single-use, drop-in detergent paks, because they are too expensive. They are better for people who live in dorms or apartments. Carrying a few "paks"/"pods" is much easier than carrying a box or bottle. I said similar when we went through the detergent tablets("tabs") phase.

Hi Chipshot- After I posted I went and checked my supply of Charlie's liquid and found that I needed some more. I called them and a very helpful gentleman steered me to the powder rather than the liquid. I'm going to give it a whirl. I also bought 3 bottles of the stain remover for my mother, daughter and myself. The Charlie's guy told me to buy some STPP or real TSP from the paint store and put 2-4 TBLSP in with a load of towels for 3-4 washes. He said that the "crunchies" would wash out and from then on I could use vinegar. He thinks that the water out here is harder than usual. The Miele installer ( from my dw) doesn't think so, but I'm willing to give it a whirl. Vinegar alone did nothing. I tried that for over a month with no results. I think you may have something there that DD is using too much detergent. She bought some soap from Melaleuca-- I think it's an Amway type of company. She was supposed to have 80 loads or something and the bottle was almost empty when I saw it. I can't imagine, even with 2 little ones that she did that many loads. I'll try and tell her gently... BTW when she used that detergent the kids clothes didn't smell!

Greeny. Yes Tide is for sure a good detergent. Need something clean Tide will do it. I try not to judge a detergent by its scent..LOL... I just never understood why those that can't find a Tide scent they like don't just use Tide unscented, afterall either a FS can be used for scent or you can just have the best scent of all...perfume free...just fresh and clean. What could possibly smell better than the fresh scent of clean.

Thanks for the well wishes you two. This particular daughter felt it in her best interest to break her lease and move out of that apt complex. She couldn't take it anymore. She paid the rent through the end of her lease and was content to live in a cardboard box if need be to be rid of the living conditions. Her physician was convinced she had contracted one of the hepatitis viruses from the filth at the apt complex as she needed several ER visits and subsequent hospital admissions.. Turned out she did not have hepatitis thankfully, but had to have her apendix removed. It was a rip roaring year for sure. She moved to another apt building a few months ago costing an extra $400/mo where it's not The Ritz by any stretch, but it seems to be a bit better from what I can tell from Skype video calls. This complex has a locked gate which seems to keep the 'problems' on the other side of the gate. Right outside the gate, but at least not loitering/fighting, living in the bushes, the hallways, laundry room or stairs of the complex proper. She is visibly relieved. Thus, I am as well. She's pleased with the on-site laundry machines at her new to her building. She has a laundry room on her floor. A Speed Queen set she says has no odor to it. (but her sense of smell is poor, so I hope...) She sees steam coming out of this washer which is a relief as she only does hot washes after the two years from hell at the other complex. She adds Borax and LemiShine powder laundry booster to each load as a little insurance and she feels that her Mexican Ariel covers any other 'cooties' that might be lurking in the otherwise odor-less washing machine she uses. Clorox liquid is also in her cabinet and she runs a bleach only wash before she puts her laundry in if she suspects any monkey business has been going on. She's overseas at the moment as a tutor for her university so is washing her clothes in sinks and hang drying. Lamenting the lack of ice and cold beverages in Europe (I warned her) during the heat wave. I got her a package of the Amazon brand laundry sheets type of detergent to make the many airport and train trips easier. She misses her Mex Ariel, but for 6 weeks, these laundry detergent sheets will do the job. She'll be in several countries during her stay, so the detergent sheets are carry-on bag friendlier. Mama, I offered to buy her a portable washer to smuggle into her apt. She gave it serious consideration, but since she just went through landlord after landlord not wanting to rent to her due to her age, she doesn't want to risk anything that would cause her to lose her current improved crummy apt. It was many rental rejections and she just wants to have a habitable slot in a wall to live in at this point. However, when she moves up in the world, she will never use a communal washing machine ever again--she's told me this I don't how many times. Anyhow, when she returns to the states, she'll fly to the airport in the next city here and stay here for a few days, maybe a week. Rest, eat, get her EU laundry thoroughly washed here at home, then back to Uni. The final year. Not a moment too soon. She's ready to shake the filth of her college town off her feet for good. No love lost there. I don't think she'll ever look back. Or go back. Or refer to it by it's proper name even. Hope you all are doing well! <3