Well, you are already using the best detergents that I have in my laundry room. I wouldn't know how to improve on that unless you import European products.

I don't use Oxyclean though. I find it causes fabrics to get rough/buildup and it doesn't work well here. I do use straight powder oxygen bleach and have good results with that. Sometimes I'll buy a box of Dropps oxy pods when I can't find a good source of oxygen bleach and those seem to work just as well, ymmv. I also use Borax, but a lot of folks don't. It boosts very well for us and I like that it retards the growth of mold and other unpleasant organisms.

For dosage suggestions, let us know what kind and size of washer you are using.

@SEA SEA, thank you! I have an LG 8100 (5.2 cu.ft.) front load.

I figured the Tide+Bleach was still the best option for whites, but wasn't sure if there was anything better than the Cheer for colors/delicates.

What is the benefit of Borax?

OxiClean isn't the same as oxygen bleach? Or is it diluted too much to be decent?

I'll let the FL people advise you dosing your LG FL. You'll get good advise.

Well, powder Cheer is about our best at this time. Persil (EU) makes a nice darks detergent, but you have to import that. Woolite makes a darks detergent--has some dark dye in it. People seem pleased with it. It doesn't work well for us for some reason, but this seems out of character for the product according to input I've read.

Oxyclean has oxygen bleach in it, but it also has surfactants (not a bad thing), fillers, binding materials, etc..So let's say you use a 1/4 cup of Oxyclean in your laundry and I use 1/4 cup of straight oxygen bleach powder in mine, I'm getting more oxygen bleach in my laundry load than you are.

Borax boosts detergent, raises the alkalinity of the water (good for detergents to work well), softens the water a little bit, has a mild antimicrobial/bacterial effect on things it comes in contact with and at least at our house, helps to remove stains and odors from the laundry load. I also use to scrub window frames after winter to get any mold out of there. It's good to use to scrub moss off the house or foundation. Clean the tub, get stubborn stains off porcelain, add a little spoonful to dishwasher to help with smelly dishwasher syndrome, etc...

I use liquid, but have found Seventh Generation works great for us, even our workout clothes.

Well, the STPP and Tide plus Bleach is an incredible combo.

However, when washing in temperatures below say 85ºF, a liquid might be better for certain stains. I love Cheer powder, but it does not work all that well on oily stains or sweat IMHO. That's why I use Tide plus Downy FREE liquid. No OBAs.

@doreycrouse, does the downy cause the clothes to wear more quickly? A lot of my husband's dark clothes are work clothes. I want them clean (he's in construction), but I don't want them to fade or wear out too quickly.

I pretty well always wash in at least warm water (whatever temp that is) because of sweat and body oils. Every so often I have something for a cold wash. And sometimes I have to use an allergen/sanitize wash, but I know that's coming clean.

I washed hubby's sweaty golf shirts (that wicking fabric that easily gets a funk) this summer in Cheer powder. Previously it was Charlies Soap +borax+oxi bleach. Cheer is a winner. His shirts never got that funk odor, nor did my workout clothes., so it did a good job in sweat in our washer +water.

Haley... what do you mean by Cheer powder went poof?

@MiMi, I have not been able to find it for months in my area. I can only find the liquid.

Liquid Cheer contains optical brighteners last I heard. Odd, isn't it?

ETA, I haven't seen powder Cheer on a shelf in ages myself. I am using up my stock in closet. Littlegreeny told me that my one source: Walmart dot com no longer carries it. Apparently some WM do have it in store, but that doesn't really help me. :^(

Oh man... Haley and SEA SEA that stinks for the both of you. Walmart and Target both have powdered Cheer here in my part of Oklahoma. I did notice on Walmart’s web site it said pickup in store only.

The Walmart here just recently remodeled. They actually have a nice selection of powders. As far as liquids go, Gain and Tide are Taking up most of the shelf space, huge portions of it.

Haley, the 'Downy' part largely is a joke. It is just another enzyme.

Our local WalMart has Cheer powder at the store. It disappeared for a while, maybe a year ago? But I found some since then and bought a box for the stash. If you have a Walmart within driving distance to you, check online and they should tell if that store has it on the shelf.

For me ...the most effective product is “spray and wash” ...on all fabrics..where there is extra soil...such as collars on golf shirts...spots on cotton tees...whites,etc..

What about ALL free/clear powder for those of us needing fragrance free?

ALL free/clear powder has been a staple in my laundry room for over a year. It works great for me. I have a box of Tide free/gentle powder that I'll break open when the ALL f/c is used up. When a load of laundry uses 2 teaspoons of detergent, it lasts forever.

Yes hibiscus909, Cavimum is right. ALL free and clear powder is good as is Tide Free and Gentle powder. Both work very well and so far, haven't caused any irritation of any kind in our family. If you need a spot/stain treater, using a dab of Tide Free and Gentle liquid will do the job. Just give it a few minutes before you put it in the wash. I usually let the stained item sit in a dry sink with the dab of liquid detergent rubbed in before I put it in with the wash.

I've been using the Tide plus downy free on darks and have been very pleased. Cheer powder disappeared in my part of Oklahoma months ago.

I went to my local Walmart since it wasn't showing up online and not a drop of Cheer powder insight. So, I will try one of these other recommendations since the Cheer liquid isn't ideal for darks/colors.

@SEA SEA (or anyone that wants to answer)

When using Borax: how do you add it and how much? Do you put it in the drum, the dispenser? Do you use a teaspoon, a scoop? How does Biz compare, if you know? I don't use it, but it acts like it's better (the box shows comparisons).

Is there a commercial brand of pure "oxygen bleach"? Which is sodium percarbonate? How is it different than STPP? Which is sodium tripolyphosphate? Do they both contain hydrogen peroxide or some form of peroxide? Or is it only the oxygen bleach that contains peroxide? Can you use hydrogen peroxide in a washer without creating chaos? -- I think I'm confusing myself... -- Do you always keep them separate or sometimes use them together? How much do you use? I'm thinking maybe teaspoon?

The ALL Free and the Tide Free, are they good for darks? Or is the Tide Downy better? I really like powder cleansers, but I still need to preserve my darks lol.

Haley... do you have a Target close by? It’s a dad gum rip off on Amazon!

@MiMi, if you are talking about Cheer Powder, then it's not showing as available at Target either but that is precisely why I haven't bought any from Amazon. If you're talking about the STPP and oxygen bleach, I don't see those either at Target.

You won't find STPP at Target. ChemistryStore.com (shipping is high last I recall) or Amazon. Or other chemical supplier.

Hi Haley,

I dose 1/4 cup of Borax in my full fill top loading washer. For a FL, about 2 tablespoons should be enough. I put mine straight into the wash drum. You can do the same if you wanted to, that way it doesn't get clogged in the dispenser by accident. If you are having good results with your laundry after a wash using what you have on hand, then Borax isn't necessary. It's used when detergent and proper temps and cycle choices aren't enough, or if you have stubborn leftover odors for the most part. Or you have water on the acid side, instead of neutral or alkaline. We have acidic water here, so an alkaline boost is to our advantage. It's a booster for when you need more cleaning power. Unfortunately, my fam needs it in every wash load.

Biz is great. I have it and I use it. Works well during a long soak to remove stains and odors. Brightens whites. I sometimes add it into my pre-wash/soak cycle instead of Borax. It has oxygen bleach, enzymes and surfactants in it. I hope it gets to stay on shelves for us. I find it to be a good addition to a laundry room if you are not getting quite the results you are going for, or you are using a liquid detergent.

Sodium percarbonate = oxygen bleach. Hydrogen perioxde, liquid form will do the same actions. Powder oxygen bleach turns into hydrogen peroxide in water iirc. <I'm not a chemist. I've not used liquid in laundry as I have a full fill TL. I'd have to use so much...but in a FL it is reasonable to use when you need to. You can use either powder form or liquid. I ordered recently from Amazon for powder oxygen bleach using Dadoes' recommendations for sellers. But if you put sodium percabonate into the search box on their website, a list of chemical sellers will come up. Try to keep with a company that has decent reviews as anyone can sell stuff on A-zon.

STPP is phosphates. Separate chemical. It helps detergent to work and rinse better. I find towels and fleece come out much softer when I use it. I don't use it too often like others here do, but it is noticeable when I do. It also improves odor and stain removal. When this chemical was removed from detergents, that when a lot of us starting having issues with dishwasher and washing machine performance. I order on A-zon. I use 2 TBS in a load. FL users might use the same amount? Maybe some of them will write in to confirm.

I hope that helps! It does get confusing. In time it all starts to make sense.

Learned from my mom who was a maestro with laundry....Two things that work are cold water and soaking...just try one load...fill up washer..add water and soap...rotate to mix soap..turn off ....let sit ..over nite or even a few hours...this eliminates the need for expensive fancy perfumed products...results in just fresh clean laundry

This is what cold water does to a washer. I cleaned up this machine yesterday. Some of that smutz on bottom of the tub wouldn't come off with a scrub brush, had to be attacked with a scraper. Old-style Whirlpool agitator unit.

Wow! That looks like cement! Good job Dadoes!

Dadoes for the save!

Yeah, the prices are great at The Chemistry Store, but that shipping...I'll have to stick with Amazon.

Can things like Sodium Percarb. and STPP be mixed in a single wash? Or is that a bad idea? Because mixing the two to get super bright whites sounds plausible, but again, I don't want to destroy my washer or accidentally poison myself by playing chemist (poorly).

I'm pretty sure we have hard water since we have that white scaling on our faucets, so maybe I should start adding Borax to some of the washes? What can it be safely mixed with?

I don't think I ever see people recommend Chlorine Bleach on here, which is fine by me. I've had bad luck with it; always managed to make things splotchy. But I have seen Ammonia recommendations, though I can't remember why.

STPP can be combined with anything.

Chlorine bleach deactivates enzymes, should be added toward the end of the wash period so enzymes have time to work. Four or five mins exposure to chlorine bleach is enough time to be effective. Washers with timed bleach dispensers do that automatically. Majority of frontloaders are such. Some toploaders have a bleach dispenser that is not timed, it's just a funnel that immediately dumps into the outer tub to avoid having undiluted bleach directly contact the clothes.

Seriously?...that water travesty is from cold water washing?...come on ..use your head...there are obviously problems with your water..(and who would let it get to that point without addressing the problem?)....in our case we have well water that is high in calcium...when we built our country home we had our well water tested when we observed a little calcium build up on our kitchen faucet...then we had a big...self flushing filter..filter installed at the well...20 years later...same equipment....no water or sediment problems...who lets things get to that point?

The washer above is not mine, it was brought to me for service. The condition is worse than most, but the majority that I see have smutz to some degree.

This was my mother's on city water six years after I had refurbed it to pristine condition. Primarily cold washes and liquid detergents.

I remember when I didn't have access to warm/hot water washes in a washer. It was life changing when I got my FL washer with an internal heater. I love that allergen cycle. It gets used more than it probably should. And I wash everything in at least warm water, even if it says cold only. I just can't bring myself to use cold anymore. Nothing ever felt/smelled clean and I refuse to go back.

And that Haley, is how the storybook ends! Happily ever after. Yes to everything you just said. I'm glad you have a nice washing machine now. It makes a big difference to be able to get hot enough temps.

Haley, I hope we have answered all of your questions!

I still highly recommend trying STPP at least once. I normally use 2 TBSP per full load. I frequently have compliments on how soft and clean my towels are. You can add about 1 tsp to the dishwasher and you would crap at how good your silverware and dishes come out after one wash.

As mentioned above, I am the big ammonia advocate on this site. I will actually buy 2 big jugs at once. Im sure I am on some government watch list or something because of it. However, 1 cup per wash load does wonders. I always add it after the washer is done filling. Since using it, our clothes, towels, and sheets all smell and feel more clean. In our new washer I will likely just fill the bleach dispenser and let it add itself in towards the end of the wash. Again, just be sure to never mix it with bleach.

As far as powders go, I think only Cheer powder did not contain OBAs. I find that Tide plus Downy FREE (the one in the white bottle w/o scent) does a better job in lower temps. Cheer might do better in higher temps.

dadoes, I really am not shocked by how nasty that machine is. It is appalling how people treat their machines, let alone how bad they let them get.

It looks to me like this encrustation is not in view when the machine is in working order?...if so ...no judgement is called for as the machine owner is most likely unaware of it...

Out-of-view / unaware allows a pass for usage habits that cause or contribute to the smutz accumulation?

If it is out of view...how would anyone know there is a problem?...all this discussion ...and judging in some cases ....made me wonder what our machine looks like beneath the areas in view....and are these people thinking their machine is spotless ?....or able to be sure of that without having it taken apart and serviced ?....

You don’t know there’s a problem until the smell starts. My top load washer had this issue and the washer looked clean. It was the outside of the tub that I couldn’t see that had the gunk. I’d find flakes of black stuff in the washer and it started to stink. Now with my front load I am diligent about running the tub clean cycle, dry the boot, door and detergent drawer and do very few cold water washes. I also watch my detergent dosing.

I recently was talking to my SIL and she told me every 6 months she starts getting the smell in her top loader and has to run bleach through it. She mentioned how she uses liquid detergent, liquid fabric softener and those scent beads. I am not sure what water temp she uses or how much detergent she is using. I told her she did not want to see what the outside of her tub looks like because she would be horrified.

I use The Laundress products. High quality and eco friendly. https://www.thelaundress.com

After all these revelations.... all i can say is i hope you are not drinking or cooking with this water...ewww...if i had these concerns i would for sure have the water tested and install all the necessary filtration to clean it up...could there be problems in other areas...like pipes and other plumbing?..

Scary

Why would cold water and liquid detergent cause thus gunk?

Cold water doesn't help dissolve or lift oil/dirt as effectively as hot or even warm for that matter.

It's like washing dishes, hot water makes it easier for dirt to loosen and lift away to be drained.

Cold water can congeal oils making it harder to rinse away.

To answer OP's Original Question -- I like Ariel + Downy and Regular Ariel Powder from Latin America (Mexico). I purchase it at Hispanic Markets in my area, in Bags, and transfer it to a Cereal Keeper with a Scoop.

It's a Conventional One-Cup Formula Detergent, manufactured by P&G (maker of Tide) and similar to what was sold here domestically through the early 90s. It contains Phosphates and Enzymes, and it cleans like nothing else. Not only that, but it rinses out of clothes easily, and leaves things softer than traditional Powders which rely heavily on Zeolites and Carbonates.

I've also lost some interest / love for Conventional Tide Powder. Beyond, the fact that I hate current Original scent, the formulas have been re-done, and are loaded with more filler, and they don't clean as well.

As for Boosters. STPP and Pure Sodium Percarbonate would be my favorites, followed closely by Biz. I don't now, nor have I ever loved OxiClean with all it's filler.