Bold 2 in 1 powder

ripplyuk

I don’t like to use fabric conditioner on my clothes (I use white vinegar instead) so I stopped using Bold years ago when it became ‘2 in 1’. However, it cleaned better than anything else I’ve used so I recently looked at the box again and I don’t see any fabric conditioner in the ingredients. I noticed the wording is also careful not to say it contains fabric conditioner, just ‘the built-in scent of Lenor’ so I assumed they meant it just has the nice smell, which would be fine by me. 

To be sure, I contacted P&G to ask. The first response was some scripted nonsense about how wonderful Bold is so I asked again. This time they said it does contain fabric conditioner but they can’t tell me the ingredient because it’s a business secret. Does anyone know if this is true? Are they allowed to add hidden ingredients? I replied saying that all fabric softener seems to be listed as cationic surfactants and I don’t see that in the list. I asked if Bold contained that. They haven’t replied. 

This might seem pedantic but some people might be buying this to save money on added fabric conditioner and others, like me, wish to avoid fabric conditioners but P&G are refusing to to give this information. It could be risky for those with allergies if, like they say, they are adding ingredients but not disclosing it on the label. 

molerat

What is it in particular you are trying to avoid ?  Bold do state that it should be used in combination with Lenor fabric conditioner so it is unlikely that there is a "fabric conditioner" as we know it but unless you are a chemist you are not going to know how the different ingredients included actually work in combination. They would not be putting something in there that is not listed on the ingredients list, detergents & labelling is strictly regulated, and as long as they do what is is in the regulations the exact formulations are considered trade secrets.

ripplyuk

@molerat That’s my point. P&G are saying they DO add hidden ingredients. I’d like to avoid fabric conditioner as it’s bad for clothes and the environment. I bought a huge box of Bold because I don’t see any listed on the label but now I have no way of knowing what’s in it. 

MalMonroe

ripplyuk said:

@molerat That’s my point. P&G are saying they DO add hidden ingredients. I’d like to avoid fabric conditioner as it’s bad for clothes and the environment. I bought a huge box of Bold because I don’t see any listed on the label but now I have no way of knowing what’s in it. 

I agree with you that it IS important to know what's in the stuff we use to wash our clothes. And our bodies, for that matter because some people, like those in all my family, are allergic to certain products. If manufacturers are not open and honest about what they're putting in their products then why should the public buy their products? My family and I have to be very careful about the soaps and detergents we use.  

I've recently started using smol, which is delivered by post and is not tested on animals and contains nothing nasty. We like it so far and it gets our clothes clean - bonus!    You can even have a free trial of all some smol products if you choose to google it.

So far so good with us. But there's a wide market out there and if you do your research properly, you can avoid products containing 'secret' ingredients. 

TripleH

What exactly is fabric conditioner and will it be broken down by the vinegar in the same way surplus washing powder is?

I started using white vinegar when I was in Oz for rinsing my clothes, there I could buy a 2 litre bottle in Woolies for 99c (10 years ago now). Struggle to buy that size bottle as cheap in the UK (welcome to suggestions).

Manxman_in_exile

ripplyuk said:

... I replied saying that all fabric softener seems to be listed as cationic surfactants and I don’t see that in the list. I asked if Bold contained that. They haven’t replied...

Cationic surfactants don't have anything to do with conditioners, do they?  I thought they were a group of compounds that help a washing powder to remove or lift dirt etc from a material by making the water "more wet".  As such I thought they were present in most if not all washing powders.

Might they be listed in the ingredients under their individul names rather than as "surfactants"?

ripplyuk

@Manxman_in_exile No washing powder contains cationic surfactants, from what I’ve seen. They all have a mix of anionic surfactants and non-ionic surfactants. Cationic surfactants seems to be exclusive to fabric conditioner. 

There’s nothing in the Bold ingredients list that isn’t included in the other washing powders. 

Ectophile

Fabric softener is normally added during the rinse cycle, after the clothes have been in the detergent.

It coats the fibres with a slightly slimy film, so that they can slide against each other easier. This gives a softer feel.

It also blocks towels from absorbing water, which is why the labels on towels tell you not to use it.

Silvertabby

TripleH said:

What exactly is fabric conditioner and will it be broken down by the vinegar in the same way surplus washing powder is?

I started using white vinegar when I was in Oz for rinsing my clothes, there I could buy a 2 litre bottle in Woolies for 99c (10 years ago now). Struggle to buy that size bottle as cheap in the UK (welcome to suggestions).

I buy Sainsburys own brand white vinegar.  Not as cheap as that, but not bad!

I popped 6 x 568ml bottles into my trolley at a time when the shelves were overflowing with the stuff.  I don't think there were ever any reports of 'panic buying' vinegar - until that day.  " Ooh - look at all that vinegar - must be a shortage - get a couple of bottles". Oops!

Back to the benefits of using vinegar instead of fabric softener, my  2 year old washing machine dispenser drawer is absolutely spotless.

ripplyuk

TripleH said:

What exactly is fabric conditioner and will it be broken down by the vinegar in the same way surplus washing powder is?

I started using white vinegar when I was in Oz for rinsing my clothes, there I could buy a 2 litre bottle in Woolies for 99c (10 years ago now). Struggle to buy that size bottle as cheap in the UK (welcome to suggestions).

@TripleH I buy it on Amazon. If you type in ‘vinegar for laundry’ the one I buy is currently £12.99 for 10litres so not cheap but it lasts ages. 

I doubt even vinegar would break down fabric conditioner. It’s notoriously difficult to remove. 

TripleH

Cheers, I do like the smell of clothes rinsed with vinegar and air dried. A lot fresher than fabric conditioner I think.