What powder cleans well? Types and composition of washing powders. Persil, Ariel and Tide: what to choose

Types of washing powders

The main mistake housewives make is that many tend to use the same product for any type of laundry when they find out which powder washes well. It must be ideal for a certain type of fabric. So, if a product intended for hand washing turns out to be effective, you should not try to use it for automatic washing. If used for other purposes, the powder will not fully demonstrate its properties, and the laundry will not clean well. Such products contain a large amount of substances that form a lush foam, which is not necessary in this case.

What types of washing powders exist today? As a rule, classification is carried out according to the types of fabrics for which a particular product is intended. According to this criterion, powders are divided into universal (intended for all types of fabric), for synthetics, wool, as well as linen and cotton materials. However, the price is not critical.

So, if you are planning a large-scale wash, and all the items are made from the same material (say, cotton), it is better to use a cheaper product, but a highly specialized one.

Which powder to choose and in what case?

The choice of detergents is influenced by several parameters. For some, the more significant criterion is the price, and for others, the intended purpose of the gel or powder.

You need to purchase Tide household chemicals in the following cases:

1. 
   There is a child growing in the family (they choose Tide Children's powder, which is approved by the Union of Pediatricians).

2. There is a need to save money, but without compromising the quality of the wash.
3. People like the scents presented in the Tide line, for example, “Alpine Freshness”, “Lavender and Birch Water”.
4. A person needs a product intended for hand washing only (Tide effect Lenor for hand washing).

Persil gels, capsules and powders are chosen in the following cases:

1. Items need to be washed thoroughly as they have difficult stains. For such purposes, buy Persil Premium, but it will cost more than the rest of the line.
2. The consumer prefers German quality of goods.
3. A person has increased skin sensitivity. For this purpose, the Persil Sensitive series was developed with natural soap in its composition.

To wash delicate fabrics, it is better to opt for gels or capsules, regardless of the manufacturer of the product.

Powder composition

Before choosing an effective product, you need to understand the purpose of the individual components that make up a particular product. You should be especially careful if there are children or people with allergies in the house.

The main active component, which is invariably included in the composition of any washing powder, are surfactants, or so-called surfactants, designed to effectively separate dirt from the surface of any texture. Their classification contains three types, namely: cationic, anionic and non-ionic.

The danger is represented by the anionic type, which is designated in the composition as A-surfactant. Such substances cause a variety of allergic reactions, manifested, for example, by a rash on human skin, and also sharply reduce the efficiency of the immune system.

Any surfactants have an extremely negative effect on both the environment and the human body. That is why rinsing laundry is such an important process, because it is during it that all dangerous components are removed from the surface of the fabric. Don’t skimp, it’s better to rinse things again by running the appropriate program.

According to experts, truly high-quality washing powder cannot contain more than five percent surfactants.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Tide

Products under the Tide brand are owned by the giant Procter & Gamble corporation (USA). The world learned about the powder in 1946, and in Russia it appeared in the early seventies.

Competitive advantages of Tide:

1. 
   Consistently high demand among consumers, which has persisted for more than 50 years.

2. A wide range, including several varieties of washing powders, liquid concentrates and capsules.
3. An effective formula that the manufacturer is constantly improving. Since its creation, it has been modified more than 60 times.
4. Compliance with modern safety standards. Tide does not contain substances that are toxic to humans or harmful to the environment.
5. Affordable price.
6. High quality washing, ability to cope with stubborn stains.
7. Availability of powder for the care of baby clothes.

The main disadvantage of Tide is the difficulty of rinsing it, which is especially important for bulk detergents.

If you do not run an additional rinse cycle after washing, the items will emit a strong smell of household chemicals, and white stains may remain on their surface.

Why are enzymes needed?

Enzymes are often positioned in commercials as a panacea, substances essential for successful washing. Allegedly, their presence or absence determines which powder washes well. And, in a way, this is true. Enzymes are biologically active substances that are used to effectively remove stains, especially fat stains, which are considered the most difficult.

However, these components can also harm some delicate fabrics, so powders that contain them should be used with caution.

Results - which is better?

It is impossible to say unequivocally that it is better to wash with capsules or powder. Each housewife has her own approach to washing. Some people use the machine regularly, even if there are minimal things. Others wait for the dirty laundry basket to be filled.

It is rational to use both types of means:

• capsules - for washing expensive and delicate items (outerwear, silk, wool, underwear), clothes with stubborn stains;
• powder - for washing household fabrics and with a small number of items in the drum.

Capsules are considered a detergent for the lazy. There is nothing easier than putting one ball into the drum and starting the wash. It effectively and carefully washes items even with stubborn stains. But if savings are in the foreground and you just need to freshen things up, you can just as easily use powder.

What are phosphates?

Phosphates are an effective mixture of metals and acids, which noticeably softens water during washing, prevents the formation of scale, which contributes to a more successful process of removing dirt.

What is characteristic: all cleaning products produced in Western countries do not contain the mentioned components, since these substances actively provoke the occurrence of allergic reactions associated with both the skin and the respiratory tract. In many states their use is prohibited by law.

These substances are replaced with zeolites, which do not cause any harm to the environment or human health. Powders of this kind are usually labeled “phosphate-free”.

Determining the type of bleaching

Sometimes it becomes an extremely difficult task to choose a washing powder for white laundry. It is important to know that there are two types of fabric bleaching. You can understand which of them a particular washing powder is intended for by carefully reading the composition of the latter. So, if it contains any kind of peroxide salts, then the product is an ordinary chemical bleach, and if the substances included in the composition have a formula starting with “C”, it is an optical bleach. What this means in practice, we will consider further.

Comparative table of the presented funds

The main characteristics of the product are presented in the table.

Can ordinary powder whiten laundry?

In order to ensure a high-quality result, it would be preferable to use a 2-in-1 detergent. Such powders belong to either the first or second type of bleaches, which were described above. Next, let's talk in more detail about each of them.

So, chemical bleach is a product based on bleach or peroxide. This powder actively destroys the color of the fabric and is not suitable for delicate materials. But oxygen bleach is gentle on fabric. It can be used for any clothing, including colored ones.

Optical brightener does not destroy the fabric or its overall color, but effectively masks any stains. This occurs due to the unique reflective particles included in its composition.

Which powder cleans well – chemical or optical brightener? Generally, they can both be effective, with the main difference being the cost of packaging.

Product overview and consumer reviews

Powders, gels and capsules are produced under the Tide and Ariel brands. Powdered products are offered in packs of different sizes. Let's see what ordinary consumers say about this product.

"Tide"

Under this brand are produced:

• Powders. Color and “Children’s” - respectively for colored and children’s underwear, Expert Color, “Alpine Freshness”, Lenor Touch of Scent Color, “Lavender”, “White Clouds”. These are powders for SMA. There are also hand washable versions. The cost is from 200 to 1000 rubles, depending on the weight and type of powder.
• Gels. There are versions for colored linen - Color, "Alpine Freshness" - universal gel, "Aroma Lenor" - with conditioner, "Spring Flowers" - for white and colored fabrics. The cost of gels is from 200 to 850 rubles, depending on the type and volume.

• Capsules. “Alpine freshness”, with Lenor conditioner, 3 in 1 Pods Color. The price of capsules is 200–800 rubles.

"Ariel"

• Powders. Expert, “Mountain Spring”, Expert Color. Cost from 200 to 1300 rubles.
• Gels. Brands similar to powders are duplicated in the form of gels. Price - about 400 rubles.
• Capsules . PODS 3-in-1 - Color, Touch of Lenor Fresh, Color Shea Butter Scent and more. The cost of capsules is 300–1000 rubles.

Customer reviews about Ariel:

• Cleans well. The smell is fresh, but unobtrusive.
• It lasts a long time and is used sparingly.
• White things become snow-white, without stains or dirt.
• Heavy stains have to be washed and soaked.
• Maintains color vibrancy.
• It is used economically.
• Copes with greasy stains.
• Things don't turn gray after washing.

Tide reviews:

• It washes perfectly. Difficult stains have to be washed in advance or soaked.
• It copes with stains worse than Persil, which costs less.
• Linen becomes fresh.
• Very expensive.

Which powder is better, quotes:

• I didn't notice any difference.
• They wash the same way. In general, not all stains are removed in the washing machine.
• Ariel smells better, but there is no difference in washing.
• Identical, washes perfectly.
• Previously, the powders were more fragrant, but now they smell weak, I would like it to be more fragrant.
• The best thing is that without phosphates - Tide. Doesn't smell like chemicals.
• Ariel washes better and smells nicer.

Choosing a powder that is intended for children's underwear

The presence of a child in the home requires the use of suitable cleaning products and washing powders. And this is not just the machinations of marketers! The composition of products intended for children is really different from that for adults. The components of children's powders have a much more gentle effect on the young body. Their use is also recommended for allergy sufferers.

The most undesirable components are various types of bleaches and soda. To make sure of this, it is important to carefully study the composition of the product.

It is appropriate to remind you that the laundry soap familiar to many housewives is not safe for babies. The huge amount of alkali included in its composition has a negative effect on the child’s skin. But it can’t remove all stains.

Pros and cons of Persil

The German company Henkel produces Persil laundry detergents. This brand has been on the market for over 100 years. People first learned about it in 1907, and the powder appeared in Russia 20 years ago.

Main advantages of Persil:

1. 
   Variety of assortment. You can find capsules, gels and washing powder on sale.

2. High quality washing, which is proven by many years of experience and numerous tests.
3. An innovative formula that the manufacturer regularly improves.
4. Safety of the composition for the environment and human health.
5. Availability of mid-price and premium products in the line.
6. Possibility of using any detergent in cool water. The activation temperature of detergents is 30 degrees.

The disadvantages of Persil include:

1. Lack of baby care products in the line.
2. High cost for capsules.
3. Lack of products intended exclusively for hand washing. There are only universal formulations on sale that are used for both manual and machine processing.

How to choose quality powder?

In order to choose a truly effective and safe product, when purchasing a powder, it is important to pay attention to the following nuances. Mentions of no toxins are usually true and should be noted. It is also necessary to control the percentage of substances included in the product (no more than five percent for surfactants and no more than twelve percent for phosphates). It would be more profitable to purchase not one universal powder for all types of fabrics, but several specialized ones. It is also advisable to have different products for colored and white things, a children's product (for families with babies) and a product with enzymes for removing stains. It is important to use products specifically designed for this purpose both for hand washing and automatic washing.

It is also necessary to remember the proportion of the product used. For every kilogram of laundry intended for washing, there should be about one tablespoon of powder. Its deficiency will lead to poor quality cleaning, and its excess will lead to a persistent pungent odor and the presence of chemical particles on the fabric.

Types of laundry detergents

Persil laundry detergents are represented by gels, washing powders and laundry capsules. All of them have several subspecies, which differ not only in flavors, but also in the way they are used.

Washing powder

Washing powders are activated at a temperature of 30 degrees. They are based on:

• A-surfactant,
• nonionic surfactants,
• phosphonates,
• soap,
• enzymes,
• optical and oxygen brightener.

Depending on the specific type of powder, fabric softener or substances that protect fabric pigments from washing out may be added to it.

The assortment is represented by the following items:

• Lavender;
• Freshness from Vernel;
• Spring freshness;
• Color;
• Color freshness from Vernel;
• Persil Sensitive;
• Premium.

Powders weighing 0.45 kg are produced in cardboard packs, and large volumes are packaged in plastic bags (from 3 to 9 kg).

Gel

Gel is a liquid concentrate containing surfactants and other active ingredients. It is dosed using a measuring cup. The product can be used for both hand and machine washing.

The line of gels includes the following items:

• Freshness from Vernel;
• Lavender;
• Spring freshness;
• Color;
• Sensitive;
• Premium;
• Premium Color.

The main difference between gel and powder is that it quickly dissolves in water and washes out well, so it can be used for washing delicate fabrics. The minimum water temperature to activate the gel is 30 degrees.

The gel does not have to be poured into the compartment of the washing machine intended for powders. You can pour it directly into the drum and then start the wash cycle. If things are not very dirty, then 75 ml of liquid concentrate is enough for one cycle. In the presence of complex stains, its amount is increased to 155 ml.

Read more about Persil gels here.

Capsules

Capsules are very convenient to use, since there is no need to dose detergent when washing. They have a transparent shell that dissolves in water. Use 1 capsule for 1 wash (for 4-5 kg ​​of laundry).

Duo-caps range:

• Freshness from Vernel;
• Lavender;
• Color;
• Premium Color.

The capsules are easy to use. They are placed in a drum, and dirty things are placed on top. After this, all that remains is to put the device into operation.

The capsules are bright and can attract the attention of children, so you need to store the detergent out of reach. Their ingestion is strictly unacceptable, since the surfactant content in them is extremely high (up to 30%), which can cause serious poisoning. Read more about Persil capsules here

Read more about Persil capsules here.

Powder "Persil"

One of the most popular laundry detergents is Persil. Liquid powder is positioned as an effective substance for cleaning both white and colored items (depending on the purpose of a particular product, however, there are also universal substances in the product line). It contains enzymes, which means it can remove a variety of stains, including traces of berries and any drinks (even red wine). However, these components remain active only during the shelf life of the powder, which is three years. After its expiration, the properties of the product as a stain remover are lost, but in general it remains suitable for washing. Also, in order for the product to retain its properties, it is important to store it at a temperature not exceeding thirty-five degrees Celsius.

Persil powders, as well as any other brand, should not be stored with any food products or in a place accessible to children. If the product gets on the mucous membranes, they must be washed with plenty of clean water.

Tide, Ariel, Persil: which is better to use?

An experienced housewife has a variety of types of powders in stock, using them in specific cases:

1. Ariel is best used when washing white items , as a result the color does not change to gray. Washing clothes made of multi-colored fabrics will also be effective: brightness of tone, contrast. The print of the product is preserved.
2. Tide can be used when washing heavily soiled items . For housewives suffering from allergic skin diseases, choosing Tide is an ideal option.
3. Persil is a powder that has only positive reviews. It can be used when washing in cold water .

Properly selected high-quality washing powder will help keep your clothes in perfect condition.

ProductsComment

Tide powder

Tide powders are produced by the famous American chemical manufacturer Procter & Gamble, which in itself is a guarantee of quality. The product has established itself as an undisputed leader in the laundry industry. The components of the product do not damage the fabric structure and at the same time effectively remove stains of any complexity. And the popular representative of the line, Tide Color, helps maintain color intensity. In addition, this powder also acts as a fragrance for linen.

Important: Tide powder (automatic) does not contain phosphates; instead, it contains safe zeolites. Also, the active components of the product are enzymes that effectively fight stains. At the same time, the content of anionic surfactants slightly exceeds the allowed five percent.

Comparison of two detergents

The table shows a comparison of 2 brands according to several basic criteria:

To understand which detergent washes best, it is necessary to rely not only on generalized data, but also on examinations conducted by independent organizations.

One of these tests was carried out by Roskontrol . The washing involved cotton fabric, which was stained with 11 types of contaminants (fruit and vegetable purees, cosmetics, sauces, drinks, shoe polish, gouache, etc.).

According to the results of the study, it was found that the highest results were obtained when washing with Persil powder. The powder worked great on stains from red wine, chocolate and greens. Experts considered its disadvantages to be high cost, high consumption and a pungent odor.

Tide was ranked among the "good guys . It worked best on red wine, coffee and greens stains. The powder washed off cherries and chocolate worse.

Foaming was moderate for both brands. There was enough foam for effective washing, but not too much that it came out of the washing machine tray.

Powder "Eared nannies"

This product is designed specifically for washing children's clothes. It can be used even if we are talking about things of a newborn. "Eared Nanny" is positioned as a hypoallergenic product. The line includes products designed for both manual and automatic washing. According to the manufacturer, the structure of the product is such that it is easily rinsed from fabrics, so its particles do not linger in the fibers and do not irritate the baby’s skin.

To ensure that the powder does not lose its properties, it should be stored correctly (in a cool, dark place).

Despite the fact that the product is intended specifically for children's clothes, it contains phosphates and a significant amount of A-surfactants (from five to fifteen percent), which can have a negative effect on the skin.

Efficiency

The effectiveness of washing powder is a somewhat ephemeral category, since it depends on many factors that are difficult to control in everyday conditions. For example, the temperature, hardness and volume of water, the duration of washing, the degree of contamination of items and the properties of the fabric from which these items are sewn, the amount of powder, and the mechanical impact of the washing machine are all important. Therefore, if you wash with powder at home, its effectiveness will be different each time - and this is not the manufacturer’s fault.

In laboratory tests, samples of standard contaminants produced in Switzerland and Germany are used, as well as washing machines equipped with special measuring equipment.

When testing the effectiveness of Ariel, Persil and Tide powders, the following results were obtained:

Explanation of values ​​from the table:

“0”—the powder did not remove the dirt;

“-” - the result is little noticeable;

“+” - the result is unsatisfactory;

“++” - the dirt has been washed off quite well;

“+++” - not a trace of contamination remains.

Powder "Ariel"

Another famous brand is Ariel. This brand's powder contains enzymes, an effective surfactant combination system. The structure of the product is such that it can effectively clean fabrics even at low temperatures (forty degrees). Ariel Mountain Spring powder provides oxygen-containing whitening and also creates an optical whitening effect. This provides amazing results.

What is the difference?

Tide and Ariel capsules, gel and powders are

1. 
   The price range between brands does not differ much, but Ariel is slightly more expensive than Tide. The difference for a small pack of 0.4 kg is about 20 rubles.

2. The Tide line includes powder for washing children's clothes. This significantly expands the consumer group.
3. Tide has a wider range of powders than Ariel. However, this brand has fewer varieties of washing gels and capsules.

Summary

After analyzing all the above information about laundry detergents and considering the compositions of popular powders, we can draw the following conclusions. If you want to purchase a product that would protect your child from the negative effects of chemicals, you should not spend money on a product called “Eared Nanny”. This powder is effective in itself, but its composition is no different from other “adult” substances. So, for example, “Tide”, by and large, is much safer, since, unlike “Eared Nanny”, it does not contain harmful phosphates, which can contribute to the occurrence of allergic reactions. In the powder from Procter & Gamble, they are replaced with safe zeolites that will not harm the delicate skin of the child. "Persil" is extremely effective for removing various types of stains due to the significant content of enzymes in it. It is useful to have this product at home to deal with serious stains in a timely manner. However, it is not the most effective if the housewife is faced with the task of bleaching laundry. In this regard, Ariel is the leader - a powder that provides high-quality tissue cleansing. Moreover, during the bleaching process, Ariel does not damage fabric fibers or destroy their structure, but only acts directly on the stain.

Cleanliness largely determines your health. Always make your choice wisely!

Foaming

This criterion is important for two reasons:

• The quality of the wash depends on the amount of foam, since its bubbles push the smallest particles of dirt out of the fabric onto the surface.
• Excess foam has a bad effect on the performance of the washing machine. Moreover, if foam leaks through the smallest cracks and gets to where the electronic “stuffing” of the device is located, the machine may be permanently damaged.

More defoamer is added to powders intended for machine washing, but, unfortunately, not all manufacturers carefully monitor compliance with the technological process. Here's what the examination showed:

• Ariel, when used at the manufacturer's recommended dosage, produced so much foam that it came out through the hole for the powder container.
• Persil was distinguished by average foam formation indicators - there was a lot of foam, but its amount did not exceed the norm.
• Tide also foamed well, but the amount of foam remained within the prescribed range.

Thus, it turns out that among the three mentioned powders, it is worth giving preference to Persil - it has good performance in all criteria. Tide is also suitable for washing clothes without visible dirt, but Ariel is much inferior to its competitors and can hardly be recommended for purchase.

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