Purex Crystals fabric softener safe for HE?

beanwabr

13 years ago

I've seen this at Walmart but didn't purchase yet. Anyone tried it?

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.purex.com/products/fabric-softeners/purex-complete-crystals

Featured Answer

itgeek

13 years ago

I hate to resurrect an old thread but... I just found out about these last month. And just tried them this week. Sorry, my life has been a zoo for the past 12 months. I used to participate in a lot of chemical discussions around here until I had to start covering for another executive in addition to doing my own job. Whee.

So... the active ingredient in these is not PEG or sugar. It's the Bentonite Clay.

There's an industrial fabric softener by the name of Laundrosil that is based on the same technology. It's actually sold as an ingredient for 2-in-1 detergent/fabric softener formulas. Look at the ingredient panels of those 2-in-1 detergents and you'll see bentonite clay or its other names: aluminium silicate, alumina or aztec clay, in the ingredient list. More than likely it's Laundrosil. Prime example - Tide with a Touch of Downy.

The sugar is just there as a bulking agent for the home user. You actually only need 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of pure betonite clay to make a fabric softener. The sugar makes it visually appealing to US consumers who are used to dumping in a whole cap full of something whether they need it or not.

The PEG is there to make the clay form graduals and help the colorant stick.

Of note, Bentonite is also used in all sorts of cosmetic formulas. It has a calming effect on the skin.

Bentonite has a side effect that's also useful in laundry. Like its cousin Zeolite, it has an anti-redisposition effect on soil dissolved in water. It's certainly not as good as zeolites but it does help your laundry soap work a little better.

To answer the original question about it being HE safe... it's fine. It's just a little dirt. Hehe. Outside the US, it's commonly used in concentrated detergent formulations for front loaders. Most of my European friends don't understand the American obsession with fabric softener because their clothes come out soft already. Well duh, their detergents have bentonite in them.

If you further doubt the HE safety, consider this... It's actually in most Persil formulations! There you'll see it as its chemical name "aluminium silicate". They list it as an anti-caking agent. It just so happens that it also helps make clothes washed with Persil softer! DUH. You can't get more HE targeted than Persil.

- IT Geek

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Comments (18)

xhappyx
13 years ago
I am too curious about these. I just read a blog where they were discussing them.

http://buriedinlaundry.blogspot.com/2010/12/giveaway-purex-complete-crystals.html

Apparently you add these to the beginning of the wash cycle? I am just curious as to how they work and if they work well.

If anyone has used them please pipe in and let us all know how you liked them and your experiences with them.
srf122
13 years ago
Just tried it on three loads I did tonight... I used All Free and Clear a 1/2 cup of borax and a 1/2 cap of the crystals... Everything was very clean and smelled really good. Everything was soft but it was a different type of soft, not like regular softener. The ingredients are strange and I don't know how they would relate to softness, but then again I don't work for Henkel. If I keep using the product, I'll stay with free and clear detergent, I'm not sure how the crystals would effect or combine with the scent of other detergents. So far so good, next will be on towels...
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beanwabr
Original Author
13 years ago
I answered my own question; I checked the last time I was in the store and yes, it is HE compatible.

srf122: which scent did you end up going with and how did your towels come out?
srf122
13 years ago
I bought the Tropical Escape scent... I used hot water with the towels and you could smell the load while it was washing from across the room. They turned out pretty nicely.

Steve
nerdyshopper
13 years ago
xhappyx and beanwabr, your links seem to be to some Purex insiders, which I don't feel are independent reviewers and I don't trust their reviews. I would like to be sure that anyone who posts a review here is truly unbiased. Insiders seem to get free Crystals from Purex.
srf122
13 years ago
I got mine at Walmart, I picked them up before I even got the email that said they had been introduced... I just moved my cat into the house I just bought and she ended up with a urinary tract infection that had the poor thing peeing everywhere and on everything. So mine was simply me trying to de-stink everything that had cat pee on it. The crystals along with enzyme deodorizer and borax plus detergent did the trick...
nerdyshopper
13 years ago
mf122: Your experience sounds good, Please keep us posted on the performance when you use it alone with detergent. We need a good non-oily/waxy softener. I wonder what the 8% non-natural content is tho. Could you read the label on yours as give us a list to ingredients?
srf122
13 years ago
Sucrose (sugar)
Bentonite (clay)
Peg Disterate (Bending agent)
Fragrance
Sanolin Yellow (color)
Vitasyn Orange (color)
nerdyshopper
13 years ago
Looks like the Peg Disterate is the main active fabric softener. I recall seeing Peg as the prefix of some other ingredients in detergents or shampoos/hair conditioners somewhere. May be related. I'm a chemist but not that kind.
threebees
13 years ago
peg stands for polyethylene glycol - used as a thickener / emulsifier in shampoos, conditioners, hair gels, etc.
dsix_bresnan_net
13 years ago
we used these in a cold water wash and the crystals were still in the washer tub at the end of the cycle. are they formulated for hot water wash only???
elbits
13 years ago
I used some last night on some sheer curtains and they were full of static!
gates1
13 years ago
Inever had a problem with using them in cold water, mine dissolved all the way, as far as static goes, I havent noticed it, but I dont live in a dry climate, but heard other complain about it.
nsaids_nurse420 Kirker
13 years ago
i really liked them. i have an he washer. the laundry was soft without static and smelled fresh.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
13 years ago
we love them used them with our old top loader and now with the new Samsung FL. Just takes a tiny amount added right in with the detergent in the drawer. Gives a very light clean scent and really makes the clothes soft and fluffy. I have been very impressed with the crystals. I got the blue bottle fresh spring waters. I use them in hot, warm and cold and never have seen any remains left behind.
samanthayoung24
7 years ago
itgeek - can you tell me if pure crystals are safe to use in my miele touchtronic w 4840 washing machine?? thank you much for your time
larsi_gw
7 years ago
These are 100% safe to use in ANY washing machine. These crystals are naturally based and 100% dissolve in all water temps!!