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kirbyultimateg

Laundry Detergent Survey

kirbyultimateg
13 years ago

Laundry Detergent Survey: What brand of laundry detergent do you use?

Comments (42)

  • kirbyultimateg
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I use Tide HE original scent liquid detergent.

  • angelic_one2002
    13 years ago

    liquid Tide usually, but I find Era does just as good a job at a much CHEAPER price

  • gates1
    13 years ago

    I used Tide and Gain HE PRoducts, I recently tried the new Wisk HE too, it smells much better than the old version and it seems to clean just as good as the P&G products at half the price

  • westvillager
    13 years ago

    Cult of Persil here for general clothing/fabrics. A few other brands for more specific needs (delicates, linen, mop heads/microfiber cloths/cleaning cloths.)

  • larsi_gw
    13 years ago

    Persil Color Gel, Clorox Green Works or Ariel Gel for most clothes. Vaska Herbatergent for sheets, towels and blankets.

  • AliceHasLeftTheBuilding
    13 years ago

    Mrs. Meyers or BioKleen Premium for whites and lights. Charlie's soap for wool, delicates, darks.

  • boschboy
    13 years ago

    Kirkland (Costco) HE. Great price and it does a good job at cleaning. I have used it for a couple of years now.

  • stbonner
    13 years ago

    Persil Universal Megapearls for whites.
    Currently using Persil Megapearls for color, Tide Free or Cheer liquid for colors, but will probably go back to Cheer powder after using the up detergent that I currently have.
    Vaska for silk and wool items.

  • oregpsnow
    13 years ago

    The new Method pump in Unscented. One detergent for everything, small bottle, lasts a long time. I don't have the time or energy to obsess about soap and it works well for me. They have a couple scented ones, too, if you like the smelly stuff.

  • suburbanmd
    13 years ago

    My family uses Sears Ultra Plus Free & Clear powder alone. I add STPP, and non-chlorine bleach for some loads.

  • herring_maven
    13 years ago

    For the past 15 years, we have used Biokleen All-Temperature liquid, to which we add about a third of a cup of 20 Mule Team borax each load.

  • idrive65
    13 years ago

    Tide HE liquid for everything.

  • sshrivastava
    13 years ago

    Persil Color Megaperls for darks, Persil Universal Megaperls for bright colors and whites, and Vaska for towels, sheets and silk/delicates.

  • badgergrrl
    13 years ago

    sshrivastava - why the Vaska for sheets/towels? Just curious. I can see it for delicates (that's what I use it for) but I use Persil on my towels and sheets.

  • vpierce
    13 years ago

    Persil Color Megaperls for darks and Persil Universal Megaperls for lights

  • oasisowner
    13 years ago

    Country Save for everything. Bleach to clean washer after pet blankets or rugs have been washed.

  • sshrivastava
    13 years ago

    @badgergrrl - Nothing leaves my towels and sheets as soft as Vaska, and since those items are rarely soiled with anything challenging the Vaska is a good fit.

  • liriodendron
    13 years ago

    Almost all washes: Ordinary Cheer powder (3/4 T per load); a pretty inexpensive, good quality product, reasonably accesible (but only at Target in my area) and very effective in my normal hot washes (120-180F), in my FLs and with my water chemistry. Have used it more or less exclusively for more than a decade. Used to make comparisons with everything I could find, but grew out of my detergent mania phase. (There's hope for you, too.) I believe Cheer is an enzymatic detergent, w/o OBAS. Or at least the stuff I'm using is that way. I see it has a new box which sometimes means that they've been messin' around with the formula. I keep a two or three year's supply on hand, so I'm insulated from immediate catastrophe.

    For wools and delicates: Perwol powder and Eucalan.

    For down items (jackets comforters and pillows): Downe

    Stain treatment: Spray and Wash, Charlie's All-pupose liquid, and the remaining 20+ year old bottles of liquid ERA that are left over from when I had a TL here in the country.

    Additives (rarely used, but always keep on hand): STTP, sodium perborate, borax and washing soda.

    Never use FS of any kind. I think the last bottle I had on hand to quell oversuds finally got gummed up, so I tossed it.

    Oversuds remedy: Ivory soap grated with a Microplane, stored tightly capped.

    Have remnants of several dozen candidates (Persil, several var., Charlie's, Tide, a slew of "natural" detergents) now mostly relegated to litter box washing in order to use them up. I didn't find them satisfactory for laundry but they're great for washing out cages and general household cleaning.

    L

  • xhappyx
    13 years ago

    Pretty much what is on sale. There are some brands I will not purchase though. Lately in my rotation has been Arm & Hammer, Tide with Dawn, All, All Free, and various flavors of Gain. I have been using the Arm & Hammer, or All mostly on our bed sheets, and dark clothing and things like the Tide and Gain on our whites due to optical brighteners. But, we don't get our clothes super dirty at our house except in the summer when I am out doing a lot of gardening. So I don't have a lot of stains to worry about. If I can find a sale and use a coupon, and the laundry ends up being someplace between 10 cents to 15 cents a load, I will stock up on several bottles.

  • mara_2008
    13 years ago

    For me, it depends on what I'm washing:

    ~ White and light-colored laundry (including sheets): Tide HE w/ bleach liquid (wish it came in powder form), plus OxyClean if washing in hot water

    ~ My guys' dark work clothes & jeans: ERA HE liquid

    ~ Dark office/church clothes: Tide HE Total Care liquid

    ~ Bright colors: ERA HE or Tide HE Total Care, depending on fabric (both liquid)

    ~ Delicates/Handwashables: Tide HE Total Care or Woolite HE (both liquid)

    I also have Sears Ultra Wash Stainfighting powder detergent (very low-sudsing, for any type washer). I used it on jeans and other everyday clothes until I got the ERA HE liquid. I only use powder in warm or hot water, not cold, as it doesn't dissolve well in cold water.

  • rima_wa
    12 years ago

    I have a new FL washer and am still experimenting, but continue to use Kirkland Free & Clear liquid and have for years.

    I use Tide with bleach - original scent only - for sheets and towels. I like it especially after illness or for houseguests. Plus my kids have dust mite allergies and I believe this helps.

    I use Kookaburra wool wash on woolens, and am not sure if I will try that in my new washer or not. Typically I have done these by hand.

    I'd love to try some of those euro detergents but we have contact allergies to some scented detergents and it is just not worth it to deviate from what we use.

  • mydreamhome
    12 years ago

    Charlie's Soap Powdered Laundry Detergent. If I have to rewash (DH, DS1 & DS2 can get pretty muddy and greasy on their dirtbikes) I use All in the curvy jug.

  • lazy_gardens
    12 years ago

    Costco's cheap house brand stuff. In a top-loader.

  • sandy1616
    12 years ago

    Persil or Ariel oxyanillos for whites (picture of a FL washer on the bag), Costco enviro friendly or Mrs. Meters (enzymes, no OBA) for darks, Vaska for sheets and not so dirty loads. Charlie's Soap for rugs, pet items.

  • Nunyabiz1
    12 years ago

    I like the Tide Advanced Power HE Liquid which seems to be only available at Costco.
    At about $19 with the $2.50 off coupon for 170oz size is about .23 cents a load.
    I think it is the same as the Tide HE Plus Bleach Alternative.

    Also use a little Woolite on a few delicate's.

  • jseeley
    12 years ago

    Tide HE Orig Liquid and Tide HE Coldwater Free Liquid. I also have a 200 oz. container of Tide Orig Liquid left (non-HE) for hand washing and rare trips to the laundromat.

  • logcabin555
    12 years ago

    Persil Universal and Oxydol (in the green bottle)

  • i_dig_it
    12 years ago

    Strange I haven't seen Sun w/color safe bleach mentioned. I've been using that for a while now and have been pleasantly surprised by it's mildly fresh scent and it's ability to clean ordinary clothing, towels and sheets. It's very low sudsing and seems to leave my clothes soft even though I have very hard water and do not use softener. It has a texture of homemade detergent that uses washing soda as an ingredient.

  • mara_2008
    12 years ago

    Updated, now that Tide HE powder DOES come with bleach:

    Tide w bleach (HE powder) for white cottons and towels
    ERA HE for darks and everyday clothes
    Tide Total Care HE for delicates and dress clothes

  • CharterOps
    12 years ago

    Tide HE Free & Clear liquid
    Tide Ultra HE powder for rewash/heavily stained items

  • manitobasky
    12 years ago

    Country save for most things most of the time. I also keep cheer powder and persil mega pearls on hand for colours and towels. For the very rare times I do a cold wash I use method cedar and lavender. Lately I'm finding anything with scent is causing to break out so I may drop everything but the country save.

  • mark40511
    12 years ago

    First few years for me was Sears HE stain fighting powder.

    Then I used Tide HE w/ touch of Downy.....Then finally, I've been using Gain HE powder

    I like them all and a box lasts me forever.

    I've been thinking about trying Country Save. It gets rave reviews on Amazon but I've never heard of it. I recently came across it looking for something else online & started reading reviews. I don't grocery shop so I don't know if it's available in the store, but I put in on the list so hopefully they have it at Kroger or Meijer

  • beti1948
    12 years ago

    I've used Biokleen for several years and love it. I usually add about 1/2 cup of borax for good measure. I like Method's other products and would probably use their clothes detergent if I couldn't get Biokleen but Biokleen is made about 15 miles away from. Yay for being able to shop locally!

  • pupwhipped
    12 years ago

    I've read the previous replies and feel like such a simpleton here....many of these detergents I've never even heard of! I buy my "washin powders" at Wally World and they are mostly the cheaper brands....Gain is my current "suds du jour."

    My mom always used Cheer when I was growing up. But, as an adult now, I have to steer away from the more premium brands. I am really not an allergic type at all, but oddly enough, I found out years ago that I get the big time itchies with Cheer.....and near terminal itchies with TIDE!

  • i_dig_it
    12 years ago

    pupwhipped, if you are looking for a bargain detergent then give Sun detergent a try. It's available at Dollar Tree for $1 so it's a great way to try it and see if you like it without spending a lot. The box is small, so even if you don't like it, you won't be stuck with a big box of something you can't use.
    I get the Sun w/color safe bleach and it cleans great, rinses well and has a mild scent. It might be available in larger sizes at some of the other dollar type stores.

    If you do give it a try, let us know how you liked it. Everyone is always touting the expensive brands, but I think the cheaper ones work just as well. I never did like Tide.

  • pupwhipped
    12 years ago

    I dig it, I will check it out. I seem to flip flop back and forth....have also used Purex in the past. It's funny, whenever we visit my MIL, and I do laundry there, I like whatever brand she has. It always seems to smell so good. So I come home and buy "what she had" but it never seems as good at my house. Weird, to say the least. HA!

    I will never buy Tide again. The itchy episode was many years ago, but it took me awhile to get over it. Makes me itch just to think about it.

  • czechchick2
    12 years ago

    I used many brands in past and always went back to Persil.
    My newest favorite one for now is Mrs. Meyers.
    One cupfull for 5kg washer and two cups for the big one.
    They have so many wonderfull scents. It cleans well and rinses out good.

  • cheryl444
    12 years ago

    Use Tide HE for my new front-loader, and the Aldi store brand (was happy to see they make an HE detergent).

  • mihi
    12 years ago

    I use Tide Original powder for whites, and sometimes Gain original scent powder for whites too.
    For light and medium colors I use one of the following, whichever hits my fancy: Gain, Purex, Trend (Trend is a great powder for a really low price at Dollar General), Foca, Roma and they are all powders. For dark or black cloths I use Woolite liquid (can't find it in a powder anywhere, I've looked). Also for light colors and medium colors I also occasionally use Charlie's which I like, and All Small & Might liquid, which I really like too (and i've found it very good on whites too).

  • dianne47
    12 years ago

    Cannot for the life of me understand so many people's desire to use scented detergents and rinse agents. I want nothing left in my wash, detergent or scent. I use Kirkland Ultra Free & Clear, All Free & Clear for granddaughter's diapers, and Woolite Extra Dark Care for darks. No fabric softeners (yuk) ever. Double rinses always.

  • jewels04
    12 years ago

    I have been using the purex liquid and powder for the past month or so. We tried the wisk he liquid and my husband formed a horrible allergic reaction to it and we haven't had a problem (knock on wood...) since switching him back to purex. I do have a box of the sears detergent too I use every so often to change things up. I don't use any liquid softner but add vinegar to every load and use a bounce dryer sheet with each load when they go in the dryer. I find my clothes have basically no scent just a very faint bounce sheet smell to them which is good. I also do the extra rinse option on my wash machine.

  • Donna-37
    12 years ago

    Persil mega pearls all the way! I think I have tried everything on the market including Charlies. I always go back to Persil.