Powdered Laundry Detergent...?

[willowsnn3]

Liquid detergents are supposedly not good if you have a septic tank. Supposedly it re-gels in there and can clog the tank and/or the lines.

In an old school washer, you can put the powder in the bottom and turn the water on to get it dissoling before adding the clothes. Can you even use powder in the new HE machines? Mine doesn't have a detergent cup, you pour it in the bottom of the washer before the clothes, but I don't think it would work well unless you dissolved it in a cup like you say.

I do have a septic, but I'm taking my chances now w/ the liquid. You use so little w/ the HE now, maybe it won't cause a problem.

Wow, I never heard that about the liquid & the septic tank!!!! We use liquid & have a septic tank that is always kinda leaking, lol. Will have to tell dd (her house) to research that. Long ago I used powder detergent & never had a problem with it dissolving as long as I put the powder in then let the water run in a bit before adding the clothes.

 

[Diznygrl]

I've used powder forever and have never had a problem with granule residue on clothes. I don't even "pre-dissolve" it in water before I throw in the clothes. I just throw in the load, sprinkle the detergent over the top and start the machine. When I use liquid, it actually takes me more time because I have to pour the liquid into the running water first and let it mix a bit and THEN add the clothes. I guess I could still just do it the way I do the powdered, but for some reason I can't bring myself to pour that goopy blue stuff directly onto my clothes...

 

[Deb in IA]

I've always used powder. It is a lot cheaper, and you get 120 loads if you buy the big box of Tide - less trips to the store!

We also have a septic.

 

[eebadeeba]

The HE repair man told me to use powder as the liquid builds up in side the machine.

Denise in MI

I was just told this week by a repair man to use liquid as the powder builds up in the machine.

 

[tasha99]

Wow, I never heard that about the liquid & the septic tank!!!! We use liquid & have a septic tank that is always kinda leaking, lol. Will have to tell dd (her house) to research that. Long ago I used powder detergent & never had a problem with it dissolving as long as I put the powder in then let the water run in a bit before adding the clothes.

We have a septic tank and have been told to use liquid--NEVER powder. Do research it before doing anything, because I think it's the opposite (always use liquid with a septic tank).

 

[MrsPete]

Powder is much cheaper than liquid detergent.

I've used powder all my life, and I've never mixed it with water -- not even once. It never occured to me to do that. When I had a regular top-loader machine, I'd put detergent into the machine first, then the clothes.

The only time I've ever had a problem with detergent remaining on the clothes is if I packed too many clothes into the machine, or if I ran a small load with too little water.

I'm sure that if one type were "better" for the machine than the other, the advertisers'd be jumping all over that fact.

 

[dzorn]

I was just told this week by a repair man to use liquid as the powder builds up in the machine.

It may depend where you dispenser is.

Denise in MI

 

[irishbosoxfan]

When I was a kid, all we had was powered, and sometimes Mom bought a brand that included a free washcloth or a towel right in the box. We had a ringer type washing machine, which was a BIT more advanced than your picture, but not by too much.

The kind my mom used came with a drinking glass in the boxes.


I prefer powder. It's cheaper and it lasts longer than liquid. Liquid is 80% water. So basically you're adding water to the water to clean your clothes. Add to that there's less chemicals to be found in the powdered detergents.

 

[diznygirl]

I have an HE washer, and I prefer powder detergent (I buy the kind that has the HE symbol)

1. I hate that the cap of the liquid detergent gets all gunky from detergent. I don't have a sink in my laundry room so it's not convenient to rinse the cap out after each use.

2. The scent of powdered Tide is so good! It's different than the liquid.

3. I've never had problems with the powder not disolving.

I just throw the cap in the wash with the clothes to get it clean. But that's only when I measure, which is very rarely anymore.


We used to use whatever, but due to allergies had to find one thing and stick with it. The liquid seems better than the powder for this - probably the whole dissolving thing.

 

[Piper]

We always got the powdered detergent with the towels and washcloths. We got our glasses from oatmeal. My dad ate oatmeal 6 days a week, so we went through a lot of it!

 

[eebadeeba]

It may depend where you dispenser is.

Denise in MI

True, I think the ultimate goal was to sell me the cleaner by saying that whatever I am using is clogging it up. The washer was not starting, then when he got it to start, there were suds in the washer - implying that I was using the wrong soap because it wasn't being all rinsed out. I realized after he left, that the dispenser had soap in it from when the washer didn't start.

 

[southern_redhead]

2. The scent of powdered Tide is so good! It's different than the liquid.

My DH thinks I'm nuts, but I've said that for years. Powdered Tide smells yummy.

I was just told this week by a repair man to use liquid as the powder builds up in the machine.

I was going to say the same thing, I have always heard powder is bad for your lines. I'm going to hazard a guess that none of it is ideal LOL