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Laundry Powder. Does Anyone Use It Anymore?

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Does anyone here on LD still use laundry powder to wash their clothes?

I can't remember the last time I used it, but it would have been many moons ago.

If I remember rightly, it just used to end up solid in the box and you had to chip chunks off the hard block.

TheChimp
7 months ago
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Emerge11

I dont use the powder because It blocked my waste pipe up and what a nightmare that was, so now I use liquid as Its less hassle.

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Pjran

Emerge11 I only buy powder after have my washing machine repaired years ago. The engineer said the blockage was a build up of liquid.

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TheChimp

Emerge11 And the hassle of cleaning out the drawer

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TheChimp

Pjran I have never heard of liquid causing a blockage

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Emerge11

TheChimp Me neither.

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Carlton1512

TheChimp I just put the powder in the drum, as that's where all the detergent is washed down to when the machine starts.

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Emerge11

TheChimp Exactly. Sod that.

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gummyanthem0c

Pjran me too, especially the pods getting stuck to the inside rim or door, all the jelly of the pods left behind and done the exact same to the pipes, will use mainly powder now or liquid if that's sold out!

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martinlufc5637

I haven't use laundry powder in years, always liquid, changed to aldis brand recently and it's just as good as the top brands

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chele44

The only person I know still uses it is my parents but they’re 80 and 86. I don’t even know if it would be cheaper to buy. I use smol washing liquid tabs and smol dishwasher tabs. Delivered straight to my door and so handy

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jms19

Yeah i do still use it but sometimes get those dissolving liquid pods. I find with the powder i get white powder stains on my clothes.

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TheChimp

jms19 Oh yeah, I forgot about powder being left on clothes after the wash

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lynettejon32052

jms19 sorry to say the ‘white powder stains’ are NOT the powder, but a build up of scale…

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hky

lynettejon32052 Do you mean limescale? I thought white powder stains are just a lack of thorough rinsing...

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jms19

lynettejon32052 I will look into this cause I always assumed that I had put too much powder in with my wash and that is why I had some white powder stains. It did seem to go away when I cut down on the amount of powder i used but maybe that was just coincidence

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kate1310

Yes I still use it I always find its much cheaper and lasts longer than the liquid or tablets

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Consumer

I haven't used laundry powder in decades - didn't always dissolve properly in the wash so left marks on my clothes.

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Leannexxx

We would always use powder till I noticed it wasn't coming out of dark clothes so I went to liquid at the moment I'm using Ariel pods because they was on sale

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TheChimp

Leannexxx I use non-bio liquid and switch between Fairy and Persil. When there's a super duper deal on, I buy a load.

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Leannexxx

TheChimp same here I still use outdoorsables tho even with pods

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Nadiaparveen

I've been using Smol for the past few washes but today I did use the powder.

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MrsCraig

I use powder to wash our clothes. Used to have issues with our old machine when I used liquid. Never had an issue with powder, no residue left over, unluck when I used the pods. I use the Lidl own brand of washing powder, never buy a branded one.

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Jerseydrew

Nope. We do at work just because you can buy it in a massive box and as we work with kids there's often lots of washing. Home no liquid all the way

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BonzoBanana

Powder seems to work better with my Panasonic washing machine. You put it in the drawer and when the right time comes the washing machine releases water into the tray and flushes it out into the clothes to spin. I think to use liquid I have to put in a ball in the drum with the clothes and then I guess it would start coming out even in the pre-wash bit. I don't think my washing machine is designed to take washing liquid in the main compartment drawer. I do have a little bit of washing liquid for bad stains on clothes. I just tend to put it on the stain when I put the clothes in the drum even if I won't be using the washing machine for another 5 days. I only do a load about once a week. I use cheap as chips generic value washing powder typically biological. I bought a big box in 2022 which I'm still on. Maybe a 3kg size which was £2-3. I seem to buy conditioner a lot more regularly though.

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heatherduthie

BonzoBanana 1 load of washing a week. I couldn’t count the amount of loads I do in a week, or the amount I spend on powder 🤣🤣🤣

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BonzoBanana

heatherduthie It's just me here plus a cat. I think my washing machine is fairly high capacity maybe 11kg, not sure.

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hky

BonzoBanana I was going to say that's a weird washing machine but realised we used to put liquid in a dedicated ball as well, and now the gel types tell you to use the cap. I think our previous really old washing machine and the current one (different brands) doesn't have a compartment for liquid. I was wondering if it'll still work putting liquid in the powder compartment?

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TiaTia

I haven't used powder for many years now, always stick to Fairy in the bottle, no problems and no residue lest on clothes.

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SamGoodship
LD Team

I use Laundry sheets now, nice and easy 🙂

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janphoenix51

SamGoodship ,yes we have Simple Sheets from a family run British Company, you can even take these on holiday with no hassle. I gave both my sisters so many each to try,also took some to work for friends there as we had 3 boxes..

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Imnotcheap

Personally I never used it but I do know people who do. I prefer the gel as easier to pre treat stains

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JLouM

I used it when I went to do the really large Curtains at the launderette but was a one-off. We use liquid for normal clothes.

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Mango4

Liquid for us as the powder tends to congeal in the drawer and the pipe leading down to the drum , making it messy

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Midnightflower

Yes I do as its normally cheaper than the pods and liquids. I've never had an issue with it.

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jam45

Midnightflower I have never used pods and liquid. I don't like the looks of the free samples I used to get via the post. I always give them away to my friends. Soap powder is cheaper and last much longer.

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didbygraham

A few years ago we were told by a repair man that there was no problem with either powder or liquid if you stuck to them, the issues were when you switched between the two as the powder and the liquid could clog things up. We only use the liquid pods now (smol) so wont be using powder at all. When we did use powder many years ago you could see the powder building up around the dispenser box so I can see how it could cause issues

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Pfs

didbygraham that's the reason why I changed plus sometimes it goes on the clothes

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Sugarbabe

I use liquid for my washing machine. Don't like using liquid pods and sometimes I use powder to wash bathroom mats.

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tara73ziva

I switch between liquid and powder at the moment I’m using Costco Kirkland washing powder it’s £23 for 400 washes Image

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tonygch96

tara73ziva Great Powder, just posted about this.

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Deansmum

We use either powder or tablets. The vanish scoop is the equivalent to one tablet so use just one tablet or one scoop of powder.

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Pfs

Washing liquid detergent as powder clogs up so that's why I use it

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SirimaEmmanuel

I did and then the price went up making it just as expensive as the liquid, I use concentrate liquid/gel and I also use an eco laundry egg

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scfca9evo

Powder does not clog any washer if you use the right amount at the correct temperature. Faults are caused by user error. I am a washer engineer. Powder is better for machines because of the bleaching agent.

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hky

scfca9evo Does all types/brands of powders have bleaching agents? There are also cases of engineers that say the powder has clogged the machine or pipes.

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beverleylloyd1

I use powder, especially on mine and the OH work clothes. We're gardeners. But I also put a calgon tab in every other wash. Keeps the pipes clean.

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Fatabelly

I always use wash powder. I buy the huge boxes of Surf and it lasts ages. Powder is so much cheaper than liquid, and if anyone has problems with powder your using too much or you need a new washing machine.

I imagine those who buy wash liquid also buy cat food in pouches?…more money than sense lol.

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TheChimp

Fatabelly I use liquid because I've had powder clog up my machine and it makes a right mess of the drawer.

I definitely use dog food pouches as that's all Harvey the woofer will eat. I've tried him on all sorts of expensive trays/cans, but he won't have it. So if I carried on buying them, I'd have more money than sense because they'd end up in the bin.

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dudessfern

I use powder as I can tailor how much I am using on the wash size which you can't do with pods. I was told that powder was better for the machine. Never had any issues with residue or clogged pipes/drawer.

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hky

dudessfern But you can also tailor the amount with liquid (not pods).

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