Laundry capsule boxes

[Fairysteps11]

The new cardboard one where you poke your fingers in the side to get the lid off, and the plastic ones where you need to flick the tabs up.

I can't get them open. However much I follow the instructions, I cannot open them. I have tried one handed, both hands, asked dp to show me - slowly. He does it easily.

Is it just me?! I can change spark plugs, tighten sink pipes, hang wallpaper but not these. Impossible.

Me too! Glad I'm not alone in this.

There's a knack, get DP to open and then transfer to an opaque waterproof container like an ice cream tub, or a clear container kept in a dark cupboard

My husband made fun of me the other day, saying it was obviously child proof.

CF does NO household laundry and realised he'd misjudged immediately!

I got it eventually.

🙋‍♀️ same here

I've had a cardboard one and found it far to easy to open after the initial open. It didn't seem child safe at all. I hope you're talking about a redesign. I agree the plastic ones are tricky.

Not to sound smug but I’ve never struggled with either, maybe I can offer my services to the local area 😂

I found the cardboard is easier than the plastic ones. However the new caps attached the bottles are not fit for purpose they stop the bottles being closed.

I hate laundry capsules.
I far prefer the tablets and Which consumer magazine says they are better than capsules but I don't see them in the shops anymore so I buy a box of detergent powder.

Misses point of thread and wanders off.

I absolutely cannot do the smol ones. I end up ripping them open.

I gave up and cut mine open with scissors.

I use Smol and have to attack the eco friendly cardboard packaging with scissors to open it! The instructions just don't work for me - open here, squeeze here, push here - I only have two hands!

As for the bottle caps. Just no. Don't know what the problem was with the unattached caps?

I'm the same with Smol, the packaging beats me every time (laundry pods and dishwasher tablets). It gets opened with scissors and contents decanted into another container.

I don't have a problem with the cardboard ones at all. I really struggled with the plastic ones though!

I don't find it hard personally but get a container to transfer them in to - problem solved

The struggle is real then!

Sprry about my delay in replying, I've been trying to put a wash on 😉

Slightly off topic - but laundry capsules are the devils work! They can bugger up the insides of your washing machine, disperse microplastics into the water table and are expensive! Honestly, the absolute best thing I have discovered for laundry is Aldi laundry powder. It does a great job, smells nice and is cheap. Plus the insides of my machine no longer smell gross. An added bonus is the box is really easy to open. Go on, try a box for a month. You’ll be surprised.

They are so hard to open. At least the cardboard ones I can rip. The plastic ones no chance. You aren't alone with this.

I can do it very easily but my husband can't despite me showing him very slowly and carefully

I totally agree!
They were a measured dose of powder to chuck in the drum and fully dissolved,which I don't think the pods do.
I like Ariel colour but can't find the powder so have resorted to the liquid with more plastic waste ☹️

Why were capsules foisted on us and the option for detergent tablets removed @Solmum1964 and @Soontobe60 ?
I just don't understand.
I thought we were trying to be kinder to the environment.
How can capsules be kinder ?
They are made from petroleum based plastic called polyvinyl alcohol.
They must be polluting our water.

Another problem I have found is that the capsules don’t dissolve enough on a shorter wash. Washing comes out part covered in goo!
so I use liquid or powder on those washes now

I haven't used capsules for years (they were great when I was a student as they were so easy to use and that was my main concern at 18) and so only buy them very occasionally now, usually if I can't get my preferred detergent in a bottle but can in pod form. YANBU they were never easy to open but they're right sods now. We usually take the lid off the box or just leave it open. No children at home here and on the rare occasions we have child visitors and this is an issue , we have high shelves and can bolt our kitchen door shut at the top. Or close the lid.

I'm dyspraxic so I struggle with some childproofing!

One reason I stopped using capsules was the plastic boxes I always had trouble opening.
Plus I read (on MN, courtesy of Piglet John) that capsules (and conditioner) clog up your machine with gunk. I did the recommended hottest wash with just soda crystals and was aghast at the dirty grey foam that appeared. Had to do it twice before the water looked clean.
So now it’s powder in cardboard and soda crystals only.

I wish I knew.
Could it have been down to the supermarkets reducing the number of lines they carried so reducing our choice that way?
It now seems to be happening with dishwasher tablets too.

I've always had real trouble with them -both plastic and cardboard-due to my arthriticky fingers.After using a pair of scissors to practically break the seals on each new box,I would then transfer the contents to a large tupperware container

I now use laundry sheets,they are so much better.