Laundry detergent

[Chicago526]

I use Arm and Hammer powder. Cheapest that I can find in my area. And it does a good job, IMO, although I have nothing to compare it to since I've never used a more expensive brand! But I also buy good quality clothes (Eddie Bauer with a bit of Penney's thrown in for good measure) that hold up, so maybe they can just take the abuse of cheap detergent!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I am starting to understand now. Purex is fine for my DW and I now, because our clothes don't get that dirty. BUT, when my DS gets older and is out all day playing in the dirt and mud (like I did ) I should seriously consider using Tide.

Thanks everyone

Exactly!!!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

For those who will only use Cascade, I used to be just like you. Now I've found something I like better. Mind you, I'm a name brand devotee. I just don't think most generic brands work as well. It could be in my head, but oh well. My DH does a lot of the grocery shopping, & knows to bring home exactly the brand on the list. He once brought home generic bleach, & didn't make it in the door, before he was on his way back to the store for Clorox. Anyway, he brought home Publix Lemon Fresh dishwasher liquid a few weeks ago. By the time his toes crossed the threshold of the door, he was explaining that they were out of Cascade. A few days later, I had to eat my words & tell him I thought the Publix brand actually worked better. I hate it when that happens. Luckily, it doesn't happen often.

 

[ncbyrne]

Tide powder is probably the best detergent for cleaning clothes. However, in comparison with others, it's not clean vs. dirty, it's clean vs. clearER. I always use Tide powder with the hot water wash/hot water rinse cycle for my whites. For colors I just use whatever liquid brand is on sale, and usually wash in cold water.

 

[Donnask8pro]

Here is the ratings chart from Consumer reports.org
I did the best I could to paste it here.


October 2005
Quick Ratings Laundry detergents







In performance order. Excellent Very good Good Fair Poor
Product
Cost per load
Overall score
Test results
Features









Tide with Bleach
33¢ P •
Tide Cold Water (tested in cold water)
31 P •
Tide HE
36 L •
Kirkland Signature Ultra 38722 HE (Costco) CR Best Buy
14 L •
Tide with A Touch of Downy
32 P •
Tide with Bleach Alternative
37 L •
Ultra Plus with Oxi-Clean HE 9820 (Sears)
18 P •
All Stainlifters HE
22 L
Tide Cold Water (tested in hot water)
37 L •
Great Value Ultra Mountain Fresh (Wal-Mart) CR Best Buy
12 L •
Wisk Dazzling Whites & Colors
22 L •
All Stainlifters Free & Clear
24 L
Cheer Dark Formula (Advanced ColorGuard, tested in cold water)
32 L •
Gain with Bleach Alternative
28 L •
Ultra Plus with Fabric Softener HE 9860 (Sears) CR Best Buy
9 P •
Cheer ColorGuard
24 L •
Quixtar SA8 with Bioquest HE
20 P •
Ultra Plus Stain Fighting Formula 9835 (Sears)
11 P •
Era Max with Bleach Alternative
26 L •
Seventh Generation Free & Clear
41 L •
Shop Rite Ultra Free ’N Clear
12 L
Purex Free/Clear
14 L
Arm & Hammer Free
8 L
Ecover Ultra Ecological Laundry Wash
27 L
Xtra with Bleach Alternative
7 L
Winn-Dixie Ultra Mountain Scent
11 L
Sun Ultra
6 L
Tempo Mountain Scent (Kroger)
3 L
Trader Joe's
6 L
Based on large package: at least 20 lb. or 300 fl. oz. Labeled for use in regular and HE machines.













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[DisneyArk]

Tide Cold Water (tested in hot water)
37 L •

Donnask8pro, Thanks for all that information! I had to laugh when I read that they tested Tide Cold Water in hot water.

I use Tide. I don't like paying the price, but I think it's worth it. My sons are 5 and 7 and they get really, really dirty. I used to watch those detergent commercials and wonder how anyone could get so many stains...now I know!!

 

[funnygarcia]

I always bought the cheap stuff until I noticed my clothes getting dingy looking. Also, my boys grew out of the young-not-so-grimey stage into the rough-and-tumble-grind-the- dirt-in stage.

DH bought Tide with Touch of Downy in big pkg at Sam's - now we are hooked on the smell, how soft the clothes are and everything gets clean!

I read a Consumer Reports that the Walmart branded dishwasher detergent worked just as well as Cascade or Electrasol powder. And overall the little packets and liquid did not work as well as just the powder.
The Walmart brand is very inexpensive, have used it for last two years with good results.. however IMO the new Cascade Complete powder is better... just can't stand shelling out the $$$.

 

[jeancbpugh]

We have to use he for our front loader washer. Tide was the only he I could find until a month ago I found Cheer he. I like it better than Tide, maybe I'm sick of Tide's scent. I do use All baby for the baby.But when we go on vaction to our timeshare I buy whatever cheap brand of detergent I could find. It works fine and the kids get dirtier on vacation too.

Actually I have a Neptune front loading washer that I am supposed to use HE detergent with. I have used regular detergent in it for six years without a problem...just use less detergent.

 

[MikeL1515]

Here is the ratings chart from Consumer reports.org
I did the best I could to paste it here.


October 2005
Quick Ratings Laundry detergents





Thanks for the Consumer Reports info!!!!
Surprised to see Wal-mart brand the CR best buy.

Too bad I don't have a Costco near me

 

[84disney]

I use purex free and clear. I add some all baby to the bottle....about a cup for 200oz. This makes it smell nice...I think . We have very sensitive skin here, and I used to use gain, years ago, but when they changed scent, several in my family broke out in a horrible itchy rash . It was hard to replace with any scented detergent. I did not know what might make someone break out. So, I just used all free and clear. Well, it was expensive, so I started using purex, and I even use cloth diapers . Not anymore, but did until recently. Purex has always done fine for us. I treat stains beforehand, with......ivory bar soap!! Ivory gets red clay, and grass stains out of ball uniforms!!

 

[Donnask8pro]

OK, Heres the dishwasher detergent ratings. Have fun. Again this is how it pasted.

Dishwasher detergents




Availability: Most products at stores through May 2005.
Key numbers with a indicate Quick Picks.

Clickfor more information.

Within types, in performance order. Excellent Very good Good Fair Poor
Product
Type
Cost per load
Overall score
Test results
Treating
glassware









ENYZME DETERGENTS The more effective type.

1 Cascade 2 in 1 Action Pacs
packet 20¢ • •
2 Trader Joe’s
powder 19 • •
3 Cascade Complete
powder 27 • •
4 Cascade Pure Rinse Formula
powder 19 • •
5 Electrasol 2 in 1 Tabs With PowerBall
tablet 22 • •
6 Kirkland Signature # 49453 (Costco) CR Best Buy
powder 9 • •
7 Great Value (Wal-Mart)
CR Best Buy
powder 9 • •
8 Electrasol Dual Action Tabs
CR Best Buy
tablet 13 •
9 Seventh Generation
powder 25 • •
10 Kroger
powder 14 • •
11 Ecover Natural
powder 37
12 Cascade Complete
gel 35 •
NONENZYME DETERGENTS Much less effective.

13 Cascade Pure Rinse Formula
gel 24 • •
14 Sun Light 2 in 1 Dual Action Formula
powder 13 • •
15 Electrasol
powder 16 • •
16 Kroger
gel 15 •
17 Great Value (Wal-Mart)
gel 13 •
18 Palmolive
gel 25 •
19 Electrasol
gel 19 •
20 Kirkland Signature # 29248 (Costco)
gel 12 • •

 

[Taja]

I've been using Cheer Free for the past few years, as it is the only formulation that doesn't cause allergic reactions!

The alternative is to purchase separate detergent for each person in the family! I'll stick with what's working, thank you! I also use Simple Green for grease-based stains (doesn't work on protein stains).

A friend's DH and DS get filthy (DH is a plumber and involved in sports and DS is seriously involved in baseball--who decided uniforms should be white?), and she has found Tide with bleach works best for the gunk they get on their clothing.

 

[mudnuri]

Okay i've just got to ask.

If your washer is rinsing the clothing adequatly- how are you having an allergic reaction? Is it not rinsing the product out of your clothes? I never quite understood how a skin reaction could occur with laundry soap?

that said- we use Tide, always buy when its on sale and with a coupon, and stock up then. Downy liquid fabric softener, and snuggle dryer sheets

Brandy

 

[Anne34]

Another family that can't use Tide. The smell is horrible and we always itch from it. I don't think its a problem with the washer not rinsing properly -- its just that there is always a bit of residue on the clothes after washing. (How else would you still have the smell days later?) We use All free and clear or Purex free and clear. Haven't really noticed any difference in how they work. They do fine for our family and we have three active children in sports.

 

[OKWAnneMarie]

Actually I have a Neptune front loading washer that I am supposed to use HE detergent with. I have used regular detergent in it for six years without a problem...just use less detergent.

Could you please explain to me what "HE" detergent is? It's probably an obvious answer, but I don't understand. Thanks!

 

[Miss Park Avenue]

When it was just my husband and me, I used Purex. It was the cheapest and our clothes didn't get that dirty. When the kids came along and I was ebaying their outgrown clothes. I used Tide with a touch of Downy and Oxy soaks to get the stains out. Now that I'm an ebay dropout, I am trying Wisk w/softness. Wisk seems to be doing a good job.

I must add that in my area my water is extremely hard. Meaning that it has a high volume of minerals in it and detergents don't work as well. So I throw some Borex in the washer to help the detergent along. And I get the Electrosol tabs for my dishwasher. The water dept newsletter recommended at least 8% of phosphorus content (yes, I had to go get the box to type what it was ) and the tabs are the only things that have that high of a percentage. And I use TWO of them for each load. It's the only way to avoid that white film on my glasses. It's expensive but I loathe doing dishes.

 

[mom2dea]

we can not use tide , melaluca , purex , regular all cause it breaks my son out in a rash . It so bad then if I wash my clothes in it and hug him he breaks out !

We used All Clear for a long time with no problems but then we switched to NO CHEMICAL shaklee products . Its much cheaper and with no chaemicals I don;t have to worry about David my son breaking out .

Also I use no fabric softner with shaklee cause I don't have too

Sarah M