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mwj_90

Best You've Used?

5 years ago

Hi all, in your opinion what is the best detergent you ever used? Whether in the past or currently. Love to hear your thoughts.

Comments (64)

  • 5 years ago

    Cheer Powder. Smells great and works really well. Shame I haven't been able to find it in Canada.

  • 5 years ago

    Yes, current versions. Although I've not used the Tide Powder/bleach alternative in 2 years. Prior to that other than Cheer powder for colors, the Tide was my main detergent for the previous 8-10 years.

  • 5 years ago

    Fresh Start in the 80's till it was discontinued, then Wisk powder.

  • 5 years ago

    I love my All stainlifters free & clear; and my Woolite for all darks❣️

  • 5 years ago

    Powdered Cheer from Walmart, Ultra Stain Tide Free and Clear from Target (exclusive) and Oxi White Revive.

  • 5 years ago

    I think I'm going to try to find some Cheer Powder next for my towels. I've used Cheer once but I was soo long ago.

  • 5 years ago

    Powder Tide, Cheer and Oxydol from the 60's, 70's and 80's. All were excellent detergents with a great scent. The original Tide Liquid that came out in the late 70's/early 80's was also a great cleaner with a great smell. Presently powder Tide with Bleach for whites. For colors I've gotten good results with Cheer powder, 7th Generation liquid, and Tide Pure Clean. However, my color clothes don't usually get very dirty.

  • 4 years ago

    Tideman_59 that's a really nice lineup. I so wish I was around to have had the opportunity to use those.

  • 4 years ago

    Who remembers Punch?

  • 4 years ago

    @dadoes I remember seeing Punch in the stores when I was a kid in the late 70's/early 80's. My mom never bought it (she used Fab). How was Punch positioned in the market, as a lower-end detergent?

  • 4 years ago

    Dadoes, please school me on Punch. Never heard of it until now.

  • 4 years ago

    TV ad I found, kinda poor quality. Punch had enzymes. It was also touted circa 1967 or 1968 for "softens up hard water" and "adjusted suds" which meant low-sudsing. I vaguely recall the scent as being somewhat sweet, a bit candy-like.



  • 4 years ago

    We used both Punch and Drive laundry detergents when I was a kid. Being a laundry nerd at a young age, I always insisted on trying new detergents. Luckly, my family indulged me since I was in charge of the laundry. Punch was a greenish powder and Drive was white. I remember the Drive box as proudly proclaiming that it contained enzymes.

  • 4 years ago

    Drive eats stains.




  • 4 years ago

    Thanks Dadoes!

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    The op of this post is just trying to keep this forum active and interesting i enjoy the polls….we have had some members leave and one that passed…. all her chicks really miss her here ….

  • PRO
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    @MiMi, good points, thank you for commenting.

  • 4 years ago

    mdin, we are just comparing notes and having fun. I'm a powder girl here.

  • 4 years ago

    I have delicate skin. For me Charlie's Powder works the best. Cleans well, and no skin irritation.

  • 4 years ago

    @MiMi it's soo good to see you on here again! Always love seeing your responses. Hope you are having a great start to your year :)

  • 4 years ago

    Elbits, thank you for answering mdln, I addressed this on another thread as well. Hope you are doing well my friend.

  • 4 years ago

    The original Tide from years gone by. It was easy to overdose with it, but it cleaned well for me, and I did love the scent.


    Happy 2022 MWJ.

  • 4 years ago

    Hi MWJ, happy new year! Did you ever get that Gain Icy Fizz powder?


    As for marketing research, Tide/P&G should do some here! Especially after you bought that regular Tide powder and didn't even want to mop the floor with it due to the unpleasant scent.

  • 4 years ago

    I smelled Gain Icy Fizz today and thought it smelled very good. I think they have changed the original gain scent again along with the fabric softner . I smelled both and thought they were awful.


    I have been using some liquid Tide Hygenic clean detergent lately and really like the cleaning factor along with the smell but the dern stuff will not flush out of the dispenser.


    I was surprised how low or completely empty the laundry supply shelves were at Walmart today.


    i got a sample of what i think is a new liquid All detergent in the mail. i tried it and really liked it but threw the empty pouch away without paying much attrntion to it so now i dont know what its called… shoot to it! There wasnt any All of any kind in Walmart either


    i also looked at laundry stuff in Dollar General…. nothing new or interesting to report from there..,,


    Happy New Year to you all!


  • 4 years ago

    @hisown thank you for your comment. I've heard good things about Charlie's Soap. Never used it before though. Is it unscented?

  • 4 years ago

    @armjim I really wish the original scent was back. I tried it the other month and absolutely DESPISED it. Had to get rid of it immediately.

  • 4 years ago

    @Pink Chicken Happy New Year to you! I plan to purchase it next week. I look forward to trying it out. I'm almost finished with the Ariel w/Downy and have been pleased so far, but I look forward to trying the Gain Icy Fizz

  • 4 years ago

    @MiMi, please don't tell me that P&G is at it again! I hate to hear that Gain original scent is no longer your preferred scent. I remember you saying on an earlier thread that you were a huge fan of Gain original. I haven't used the detergent in a while but I still use their fabric softener. I personally like the Island Fresh scent myself. The powder isn't bad either.

  • 4 years ago

    @MiMi also there is a new All detergent now?? Cool.

  • 4 years ago

    Gain original is definately off of my favorite list now i have read nothing official about changing the scent but it is definately different and certainly not what it was back in the day…. the Gain Icy Fizz smells much better


    im not sure if the All scent is new out or just new to me but i sure did like the sample I got it smelled just nice and fresh like detergents use to before they jacked them all up…

  • 4 years ago

    MWJ, yes Charlie's is unscented.

  • 4 years ago

    MWJ '90, Tide stinks and my rinse water stays soapy. I tried Charlies 10 years ago because everyone was raving about it. I still have some. I was not impressed. I just opened a new box of Gain original and the scent seems stonger.

    Looking forward to other comments.

  • 4 years ago

    Elbits, that's good to know. I haven't used  Gain original scent in over a year so I haven't had it recently. I look forward to trying Gain Icy Fresh Fizz w/Oxi. I remember using the liquid version about 9 years ago and I liked it, but not sure why I stopped using it. Maybe because it stopped being available? Likely.

  • 4 years ago

    I recently bought Tide powder no scent -as husband swears the deer detect it (no bleach) for our front loader in a desire to not use huge plastic containers. Three pairs of his pants (gray and tan) came out with blue/white areas and new towels (navy) have orange spots. Expensive Load of Laundry!!! Seems like it must be bleached but I am totally confused about how it happened- back to liquid for me, I will use the powder on the dog towels.

  • 4 years ago

    Direct contact with undissolved/undiluted detergent can bleach, spot, or discolor noncolorfast items.

  • 4 years ago

    Tide PurClean liquid. The scent free version is about as clean as you are going to find while still cleaning well. Been using it for years and no allergic skin issues and it cleans well.

  • 4 years ago

    Dadoes- we learned that lesson the hard way

  • 4 years ago

    s y I'm so sorry that happened to you guys :(
    That's so frustrating. What did you guys end up doing about the load?

  • 4 years ago

    I would like to add that Charlie's Soap is unscented but it does leave a nice, faint smell like laundry that has been line/sun dried as opposed to other "Free and Clear" detergents that leave a slight chemical smell.

  • 4 years ago

    Gary D, that's good to know. Thank you for your comment. Personally I've never used it but I may one day.

  • 4 years ago

    I think Tide Coldwater prior to HE Turbo is my favorite. It cleaned great, smelled incredible, and left clothes looking new. However However, it did suds a lot. The HE Turbo version changed scent to the Original and was not significant after the release of Ultra Stain Release.


    The current Tide Ultra Stain Release and Tide Advanced Oxi are killer! Though I prefer if it had Cellulase.


    Honorable mention: Ariel All-in-1 Pods

    A good array of enzymes including Phosphodiesterase which breaks down body grime. It would be better if it were in a liquid form.

  • 4 years ago

    Made my own for many years. Recently purchased Miele W1 and trying their TwinDos system (impressive results); however, homemade was very good, incredibly inexpensive, very little plastic to the landfill... satisfying on many levels (recipe: 1 bar Fels-Naptha, 1 cup each Borax + Arm & Hammer Booster Super Washing Soda. Grind the naptha bar in a food processor first with a grater attachment, then a blade while adding the two cups of powders, pulse until homogenous. Start with 1 tblsp per load in an HE front loader).

  • 4 years ago

    ALL Free/Clear powder, Persil free liquid. Hot water. Long soaks. Greeny and SEA SEA are my muses.

  • 4 years ago

    haha Pat. We enable each other around here! I've been out of ALL FC powder for some time now. Thanks for the reminder to order some more. Nice to see you again.

  • 4 years ago

    I just changed my mind about the Persil liquid. Too much suds. But did I believe everybody when they said that? Noooooo. Got to find out for myself. Jeesh!

  • 4 years ago

    @Pat Z6 SEMich...

    I can't use Persil liquid either. No matter how little I use it's still a sudz maker. I gave up years ago.

  • 4 years ago

    I have been using the Arm & Hammer powder w/oxi and I find it to be clean rinsing. My son in law did the clothes pin hack on my Speed Queen and I can watch my clothes wash and rinse.

  • 4 years ago

    elbits, I really like Arm & Hammer's detergents. They clean great and smell soo nice.

  • 4 years ago

    MWJ, I like the A&H powder w/oxi. It leaves a light clean scent. I tried the alpine scent and I could not smell a thing.

  • 4 years ago

    I wanted to try the Alpine clean scent but I can only find it in the HUGE boxes. Good to know.

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