I use All Free and Clear liquid, no enzymes, no brighteners. Powder All F&C has enzymes. Cheer powder has no optical brighteners, but tends to be sudsy in FL washers. If it is just car rags, you can probably use any of the free and clear products. If using for people or animals be sure to check for allergies. Yes, F&C products can cause a reaction in sensitive individuals.

The ALL F&C that says with OXI does have enzymes the one that doesn't say OXI does not.....I thought these ALL F&C still had OB's ???

what are OB's and why do we not want enzymes :) I always use free and clear - I don't really like strong scents in my clothes, towels and sheets.

Boo..enzymes eat the stains off of clothes so unless you have allergies to them its fine and indeed in almost all top shelf detergent. Just can't use enzymes on wool or silk or down.

OB's are optimial brighteners they are in detergent to make whites appear whiter, but on darks can give the appearance that furniture was dusted, it does wash out with a OB free detergent. Problem is its difficult to find OB free detergent.

ALL F&C contains Stilbene disulfonic acid triazine which is an OB.

thank you. it is still amazing to me how much I never knew about laundry and I am in my 40's!

what kinds of detergents don't have the enzymes? I do wash my down comforters in my machines although I am sure you are not supposed to. :) they need washing too often and I don't like using duvet covers.

Probably someone will jump in with some great Down Wash detergent...I personally use Purex liquid its gentle enough and most of the Purex has no enzymes, but read the bottle as a few of them have added enzymes. Reason enzymes can't be used on down is enzymes are formulated to eat protein which is what most stains are made of...down is a protein so the enzymes will eat the down.

If you don't like duvet covers have you tried using a top sheet between you and the comforter? It may cut down on how often it needs washed.

By the way Boo its fine to wash your down in a washer. The only other alternitive is to take it to a professional cleaner that specializes in them where they would remove the down, clean the casing and restuff with new or washed down. A very time consuming and expensive job.

Good to know! they are not super expensive ones so I thought I was being a rebel ;)

I use tennis balls to keep them fluffy in the dryer.

I would love to use a sheet but we have a family bed. I know some people think that is nuts :) so a king and a queen pushed together and 4! down blankets. we can barely keep that organized. I think sheets would put us over the edge. Someday my kid will be older and then I can go back to "normal'

Boo..how old are the kids? And no I'm not judging you LOL. I know a lot of parents that let their kids sleep with them for all kinds of reasons, kids won't sleep alone or kids are up frequently thru the night.

It must be a real job making that bed haha.

they are 4 and 7. I keep thinking the day will come soon they will be on their own. When I talk about it they get upset still. My 7 year old is a bit immature - didn't talk till he was 4. hard to believe now given he never. stops. talking! :) so lucky and lots of hard work. When I tell him there are lots of kids that sleep in their rooms he says "mom, those poor kids, that must be so lonely for them"

I never thought I would be this kind of parent, and then you have kids - and all bets are off to what you thought before....

Boo, I know there will be people that think this is terriable, but I along with all moms understand even if we never allowed a child in our beds, we understand why some parents do. It can make it very hard to get them out of the bed LOL, but its worked for you and you have your reasons and that's perfectly fine.....

Why don't you like duvet covers?

mamap, even tho' it is possible that Tide Free/Gentle liquid cleans better than all Free/Clear because it has enzymes, do you think it may be gentler to sensitive skin?

Pat, I don't know about gentler to skin..I will say extra rinses is helpful for sensitive skin and in some cases even FS can benefit sensitive skin, the FREE FS as it can soften clothes and make fabric less abrasive to skin...but as for the detergent question, I'm not sure Pat, most skin allergies from detergent is caused from perfume.

I just don't know Pat, but I'd try an extra rinse and see if that helps. I will say for your skin stick to liquids as the carbonates in powder can be very harsh on skin.

I always appreciate your advise, MP.

Hubs' chemo and radiation therapies are finally over so I have taken S'stava's use of "half dose" of Downey Free FS plus "half dose" vinegar in final rinses and really liking that, but I think I'll add a bit more of the FS. Even tho' I wash our stuff separately, the extra softness is a good thing.

Pat, I've been wondering about your hubs treatments and how you've been holding up thru this stressful time. I suppose its the wait now. As always you are in my prayers.

And you in mine. We caregivers are tough dudes.

FWIW, I use a dedicated micro fiber cleaner. It's pretty economical already ....

I don't use any fabric softners for the obvious.

Sometimes I'll even boil wash it just because...

The general consensus is to just use dye free/perfume free detergent.

I don't know what is in MF wash, but just 2-4 of this stuff, gets the MF not only clean but it also brings back the softness when the towels are feeling not up to soft (we're talking OCD level of soft for someone who can spend 8-16 hrs polishing and waxing/sealing)

I so wish I could use Clorox Green Works. It cleans so well, but OMG....the suds will never rinse in a Front loader!! It is a great detergent, and even the scented version is pretty natural and the scent is fresh and very light!!!

I'm almost out of my Tide HE Turbo F/G so I'll bite the bullet and try Clorox Greenworks. I used it years ago in my Samsung but can't remember how the rinsing was. Everything is different in the LiGi. My water is less soft than yours, Larsi, so maybe I'll have success. If not, I'll walk it down the street to the cat shelter.

Alex, Tide He Turbo F&G is still nowhere to be found in the Milwaukee area. I've been using the old, regular HE version.

Alex, Littlegreeny, Can't find in the part of Raleigh where I live, it's so frustrating! I do like the pods but sometimes one is too much, even in a TL SQ. I have to cut it open and adjust the dose, which is pain.

Beagle, you can't find the Tide HE Turbo F&G in Raleigh? One option I considered was Target has it available in new refill pouches on their website. They have free shipping on all orders because of the holidays.