# Brand-name laundry soap: worth the $?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-name-laundry-soap-worth-the/335464>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 13, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-name-laundry-soap-worth-the/335464 "2005-12-13T19:49:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-name-laundry-soap-worth-the/335464/21 "2005-12-14T00:13:31Z")

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> [@Kuizelemartz](#):
>
> If you use Tide and you aren’t a super dirty person, you can use one third of the recommended amount and your clothes will be just as clean. I’ve experimented and found the full amount left soap residue on my black jeans and in washcloths.
> 
> I’m pretty sure the hardness/softness of your water may be a factor in how the detergent works also, I’m just not sure how. It seems to work in my favor at this time.

I don’t know if this counts for clothes soap, but in my dishwasher, the repairman said powder for hard water, liquid for soft water. I would never use powder on my clothes unless I absolutely had to. It always leaves a funk residue for me.

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**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-name-laundry-soap-worth-the/335464/22 "2005-12-14T00:33:39Z")

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> [@Kalhoun](#):
>
> I would never use powder on my clothes unless I absolutely had to. It always leaves a funk residue for me.

Well, I always prefer liquid because our laundry room gets damp sometimes, and the powder clumps up.

Hubby and I are joining Costco on Saturday; I think I’ll see what kinds of deals they have on Tide.

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**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-name-laundry-soap-worth-the/335464/23 "2005-12-14T01:02:49Z")

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Consumer Reports did “quick ratings” in October. Tide with Bleach, Tide Cold Water (tested in cold water), and Tide HE were the three best cleaners.

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**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-name-laundry-soap-worth-the/335464/24 "2005-12-14T01:12:19Z")

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I won’t use Tide because I found it had a petroleum odor about it, and it irritated my skin. I use liquid Purex - about 1/3-1/2 of what they recommend because it never seemed to rinse out. And I’ll occasionally use bleach - generic. In my experience, bleach is bleach.

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**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-name-laundry-soap-worth-the/335464/25 "2005-12-14T22:27:16Z")

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> [@Shirley Ujest](#):
>
> ::::Gasp::::  
> What kind of mother are you?
> 
> And more importantly, how do you get your kids to not roll around in mud?
> 
> Next thing you’ll say is they don’t pick their noses either.

I’m afraid I have two princesses. We played mud volleyball a few months back and they were HORRIFIED that their parents were getting all muddy on purpose. It’s a weird reversal of roles.

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