Forget OxiClean -- it's all filler and very little active ingredient. You're paying for a brand and its advertising budget rather than actual performance.

The ingredient in OxiClean that bleaches tough stains is Sodium Percarbonate. OxiClean is 50-60% sodium percarb, the rest is filler. You're better off purchasing 100% pure sodium percarbonate -- the advantage being that you'll get more effectiveness with less product, and you're paying for 100% pure product instead of filler + advertising.

Your best bet is to go to www.kokogm.com (Kokopelli's Green Market) or www.drugstore.com and search for Ecover Ecological Non Chlorine Laundry Bleach (powder). It is 100% percarbonate and comes out cheaper, per lb. of active ingredient, than OxiClean. If you are looking for bulk, you can check out www.thechemistrystore.com, but their shipping/handling charges are quite high. I don't recommend them unless you are looking for something obscure and in large quantities.

To give you an idea of dosing differences between OxiClean and Ecover's 100% pure percarbonate: OxiClean includes a big scoop for their product, and you have to use a good portion of it to get out tough stains. Compare that to only 2 TBS of Ecover product to get out colored stains, according to the labeled instructions, or 1 TBS to keep your whites white. You'll need 2-4x the amount of OxiClean, maybe more, to do the same job.

I hope this helps, and let us know what you decide. I've been using Ecover with fantastic results that weren't possible without using an unreasonably high quantity of OxiClean. I, too, have a front loader.

Thanks for the tip sshrivastava.

How, may I ask, have you been using Ecover with your FL? That is, when do you add it to the wash? Before? After water is full?

sshrivastava-I ordered the Ecover bleach and I like it much better than the oxi-clean. Like you said I have to use so much less of it and there is absolutely no smell. Also does a great job on the clothes.

Also got the bio-kleen premium detergent. I really like it also. Has a really fresh smell but afterwards just clean clothes. Although I really like the SA8 I like this too!
Did you ever try any of the dishwasher products or any other bio-kleen or ecover products? If so how are they?

pennc94-You should definately try the Ecover bleach. Works great. BTW I add mine when I put the detergent in the dispenser.No problem so far with that.Good luck.

The normal place to add oxygen bleach is alongside the detergent. It works best at higher temperatures, so if your non-heated FL can't get hot enough, try an overnight soak in a hot bathtub. By the way, part of your general problem might be the detergent - most of the time, when people complain here about their laundry (especially towels) getting grey or dingy over time, it turns out they are using a liquid detergent, or a no-name budget detergent, or an overly eco-detergent. There are plenty of good 'free and clear' HE powders out there, for example the one they sell in the paint department at Sears. - DR

Don't spend the money for "OXY CLEAN"...the store brands are cheaper and do just as good of a job. I use the WINN-DIXIE brand powder (1/2 scoop in my 2.4 cu.ft. compact Maytag) or VIVID liquid (1/3 cap for cool temp washes) from Wal-Mart...the cheapest price around. This, with ALL Small & Mighty HE or Wisk Dual Action HE in the same small size bottle do a fine job on whites. Make sure you use the hottest and longest cycle.

If you really want to use oxyclean then Sears sells the HE Plus brand, one of which has oxyclean included in it. All reviews I've read/heard from customers proclaim it to be the best detergent they've ever tried. I plan on tryng it next time I get detergent to see what the hype is about.

pennc94 wrote:
How, may I ask, have you been using Ecover with your FL? That is, when do you add it to the wash? Before? After water is full?

I use 1 TBS of the Ecover powdered bleach on my whites to keep them as white as possible. I add the bleach along with the detergent in the detergent compartment.

sparky823, the Bi-O-Kleen Premium laundry powder is the best product I've ever used in my Asko. I tried the Bi-O-Kleen dishwashing powder as well. While it does a good enough job cleaning, it is prone to leaving a white powdery residue inside the dishwasher and on some dishes where the water pools and dries (even with rinse-aid). It also lacks enzymes, which is needed for soiled loads. Instead, I am using Ecover Dishwashing Tabs which were rated #3 by Consumer Reports against all other commercial brands -- for an eco product, that is a huge accomplishment. I have no complaints about the Ecover Dishwashing Tabs, except that tabs are a "one size fits all" solution which I'm not very comfortable with. I've been splitting one tab between the pre-rinse and main wash cycles, which has been working out just fine. I may try the Ecover Dishwashing Powder for finer dosing, although it didn't rate as highly as the tabs.

OK - not sure if this is what the OP is asking but I believe I have a similar question.

Perhaps GE FL owners can chime in.

I just installed my new GE FLs washer model #6240. I have liquid HE detergent (Method) and powdered Clorox OxyMagic. I hear what everyone is saying about Oxy bla bla not worth the effort. Ok, I will try Ecover powder.

However, here is my question: In the drawer where you add detergents, bleach, softener, etc. you must pick whether your detergent is liquid or powder. In my case, it's liquid (I have tons of it and want to finish it). The bleach compartment and fabric softener (which should only be released in rinse cycle anyway) can only be filled with liquids. WHERE, OH WHERE, can I put a powdered color safe bleach?h Or do I have to switch to a liquid color safe bleach and mix it with my liquid detergent in the liquid detergent compartment? Or vice-versa (switch to powder detergent and mix with powdered color safe bleach)?

I would just add my powdered bleach to the tub when I put the clothes in while using the liquid detergent.Then later you can switch to either both dry or both liquid products when you use up what you have on hand. At least this is how I would do it.

Sparky is absolutely correct in the suggestion

I have been using the Sears HE with oxy clean and it has been great- look for it when it goes on sale. I have also soaked stained items in the Clorox Oxi Magic with great results. White tablecloths with old red wine stains came out clean after an extended (overnight) soak in very hot water with the oxy magic. These tablecloths had been washed multiple times by another family members with shout/bleach in a top loader which did not remove the stains. I also use the soak cycle of my Duet HT and have had good results. I have also added the oxy magic to the detergent and soak/prewash trays in the washer with good results. Don't throw out your oxy magic, it is good stuff.