Best Value Washing Detergents

Mrs_Bea

Hi
I wondered if people who use the value/basic ranges of bio/non-bio find that they clean as well as branded or supermarket ranges.
I have 3 children who seem to get VERY dirty and although I need to reduce my HK spend I wonder if this is an area that I won't be able to economise on?
Tesco is the supermarket in my small town but I do have to drive to another town once a week anyway that has a sainsburies (I normally don't shop there). Aldi is in a direction that I don't normally go in and would be a 20 mile round trip. (Although I guess perhaps I could go occasionally and stock up but would then have to balance petrol costs ..um...)
I usually buy whatever bio is on special offer, be that Tesco own brand or occasionally Persil or Ariel if on a really good offer.
I seem to spend a fortune (normally £10-15 a month which I think is a lot)
What do others use?
Mrs Bea x

xxvickixx

I use whatever is on offer, I've tried value when there was not an offer on the branded stuff. I didn't notice any difference and I do have a grubby son to test it out properly. My gripe is that the supermarkets put the cost per 100g or whatever on the SEL but not per wash so it takes me ages working out the cheapest one.

It is much, much cheaper in France to buy so if you have friends doing a booze cruise etc then you could ask them to pick up a huge box. It's been a while since we went but a 100 wash box of branded powder was about £4, but then the ex rate was also better.

I also use less powder and put a scoop of washing soda in the soap drawer, it acts like a water softener so you need less powder, and I always use white vinegar instead of fabric softener - not sure if that is cheaper or not though but it is an option. There is loads about both of these on the OS section.

whatatwit

Have you tried the Tesco Value one.
It now comes in a bag, rather than a box and it's 3kg for £1.67 (ish)

I find it works ok, especially if you dissolve some in hot water and then use it in a spray bottle (vanish style) to pre-treat any grubby marks/collars.

I'm currently using Daz as it was on offer at Makro 90 wash box for £8.99 (plus vat) per KG the Tesco works out cheaper, but I was bulk buying for work so am now on Daz.

Hellyboo

I have used the value brand (tesco usually) and find they get stains out fine, but you compromise on things like whiteness and fragrance. Repeatedly washing whites in tesco value powder or liquid I find that they get that grey tinge quicker than say persil or tesco regular detergent. Also, not as important, but you don't get the nice fragrance with the value detergent like you do with the more expensive brands. I usually wait until a big box of powder is on offer (sometimes you get a box that is usually £8-9 for £4) and stock up. The best thing to do is bulk buy - the more you buy the cheaper it is! I'm currently using a big 54 wash box of persil that was about £5 that should have been £9. HTH

jcr16

i am currently using fairy and it is fantastic.

My washing machine recently broke down. and when the guy came out, all the tubes and filters were full of a gunge. it was gross. he said i bet your using a liquid washing powder. i was ( i normally buy surf or daz) and he said he has had so much prob with customers using these and using the recommened dose. espesh if they wash at 30. he recommended using a normal powder and half the amount. and if i have any really grubby clothes then use a stain remover.

i have to say i have the 3 most mucky children ever. and i have been using this method and it has worked a treat. i bought a box which was 25 washed for £3.99 and so far i have had 24 washes from it, and still over half to go. ( i been marking the inside lid every time i do a wash so i know,lol) Never again am i going to return to a liquid wash . i just never realised it could do this. after telling my mum and mil who use it , they both said they wondered why there was gunk inside the seal sometimes.

sammr85

I too buy whatever is on offer or a tesco brand non-bio, but I never use the recommended dose! always use roughly 1/2 what it states for a basic wash in soft water area for 4/5kg machine (im in hard area with 6kg) and my clothes come out fine. I also never use recommended amount of fabric softener and use white vinegar for my towels only a capful seems to b just fine

PinkPeach

Thats worrying about the liquid versions clogging up the machine. I normally always use these because when they are on offer in Tesco they are more affordable for me than the powder which may be on offer as well (£2 for Surf liquid as opposed to £4 for a box of powder). As you were recommended to use half the amount of powder, I expect that the liquid I've been buying is actually costing me more per wash even if on offer and is slowly blocking the machine :eek: I'll use up whats left and switch to powder I think.

jcr16

pink peach i am not an expert, but that is just what i got told. and it has only been since i switched to liquids over a year ago and started doing the 30 degree washes i started noticing the gunk. and when the machine finally died it made sence what the guy said.

perhaps stcking to a 40 all the time and using less of the liquid wouldn't do it.

but i for one know i'm sticking with powders from now on.

Hellyboo

I was told the same thing - it's because the liquids don't contain any chlorine whereas the powders do. I had a problem with my washing machine smelling no matter what I did to clean it, but since I switched back to powder it's been fine.

PinkPeach

Thanks jcr16. I'm currently using liquid at 30 degrees 90% of the time. Every few months I do a 90 degree wash with nothing in the machine to give it a good rinse through. My machine is 3 years old and I've been so pleased with it that I'd hate for it to break because I didnt look after it properly. I'm so sad, when I'm sat in the living room and the door to our kitchen is open I enjoy watching the washing going around in it :rotfl: It really annoys my fiancee as he can't see why I find it so captivating!

sexymouse

Peach I think you may have been a cat in your past life. lol