Why can I no longer buy washing machine powder?

[ChinBristles]

Hello

I used to buy boxes of washing machine detergent in "tablets" of powder from Tesco which I would put in the detergent drawer.

I can now only seem to get these capsules of liquid detergent which go in the drum. I'm led to believe liquid is not as good for the machine as powder.

I don't like loose powder as a it makes a mess.

What is going on?!

I just use the loose powder, my machine got horribly gunked up and stinky when we used capsules. Have never had the problem using powder.

I use powder. Most put out when Aldi stopped selling their brilliant Almat tablets. I bought the powder in a large box but it sounds like when that's gone I might have an issue. I don't like liquid and the liquid tabs offer no adjustment for load size. They are also miles more expensive than powder.

I put loose powder straight in the drum. Works a treat.

I don’t have any problem finding loose powder. In cardboard boxes, no plastic.

I used to use pods, before reading how they (and conditioner) gunge up the machine. Now it’s just powder, straight into the drum, and soda crystals in the drawer.

For shortening the wash cycle, our Samsung Ecobubble takes the powder from the drawer and carries out a short pre-mix operation to dissolve the powder.

This type of machine (I guess other brands do it too) should not have the powder put directly into the drum.

The boxes are amusing..how so please?

@wonkylegs
I absolutely agree re the attraction of gel washing tablets to children. Utterly disingenuous of manufacturers to do this knowing how dangerous ingestion would be.
I know the powder is grand but I prefer the powder tablets and yet don't have the choice to buy them. I'm not in the UK.

Daz powder in a cardboard box. Not lots of water transported around, can recycle the box after it's empty. Much much cheaper. Can adjust the quantity for size of washing load. Whites much whiter.

And yes the artwork on the daz boxes is just a bit silly and funny. I like it's popart style.

I've got it into my head that they're not as popular as they are more likely to clog up pipes due to their poor dissolving abilities.

I read it somewhere years ago. Sorry... not helpful.

Daz no longer contains bleaches now its for 'whites and colours'. I like the powders with bleaches to keep whites whiter and to keep the drum clean.

Daz powder smells lovely as well as being good.

Daz powder straight in the drum for me too, with equal quantity of washing soda (great in hard water area)

what are the pros and cons of powder in drum v drawer ?
also the soda crystals, is that put in drum or drawer ?

I am so disappointed that the detergent tablets (not gel) seem to be gone for good. I now use detergent powder, but the boxes take up so much space! That's where the boxes of tablets were great, they used to fit great under the sink no problem! Small kitchen here so every space is valuable. But it's not the end of the world.
I refuse to use gel, it is horrible gooey awful stuff. IMV of course...

I use these

www.amazon.co.uk/Simply-Allergen-Fragrance-Non-Bio-Soft-Tabs/dp/B01BNLMEYE/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=35EDLSKN69O9D&keywords=simple+pure+soap+powder&qid=1669659962&sprefix=simple+pure+soap+posder%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-3

They're powder but they do have a film containing the powder.

I do find they don't always dissolve completely at 20 degrees though.

Like others, I like the fact that you can use much less w loose powder. In theory we use powder for whites and liquid for coloureds, though that rule isn't always followed...
In terms of space @greenhousegal is it that you buy the massive boxes? We don't (no space for that quantity), but get the midi ones and then decant into boxes that fit the space and which seal properly.

Ah that might explain it. I liked the scent of that one and I'm cross they don't have it any more. Bloody brexit.

I also used the Aldi tablets. They stopped selling them a few years ago. Other brands stopped tablets as well. I liked them as lighter to carry and easier to store than big box powder.

Cynically, I think they stopped selling the tablets because many people only used 1 - half a dose. With the liquid tabs you can’t use less than a whole one.

Asda and sainsbury's seem to have tablets on their websites

Loose powder is better for whites because it contains bleaching ingredients, but liquid is better for colours for the same reason.

Not all powders have bleaches as those marked for colours don't (and this includes Daz these days)

A washing machine repair man told me powder is best to avoid clagging up the innards and to put it straight in the drum.
I live in a hard water area and add a measure of Dri-pak washing soda to keep down the limescale, it also softens the washing. Using it means I only use half the recommended amount of powder and equal quantity of soda (which is much cheaper than powder).

As mentioned above, for shortening the wash cycle, our Samsung Ecobubble takes the powder from the drawer and carries out a short pre-mix operation to dissolve the powder.

This type of machine (I guess other brands do it too) should not have the powder put directly into the drum.

We also put a Calgon tablet in the drawer every few washes. Depends on your water of course.