Pods vs washing powder

[octopuseyes]

I’ve been washing towels/ bedclothes at 60 degrees with powder and vinegar to rinse
And all other clothes sorted by colour and washed at 40 degrees in powder. . I’ve been really happy with the results ( clean fresh smelling laundry) However in a bid to ‘move with the times’ and lower electricity bills I’ve started using pods on a 20/30 degree wash. So far I’m not impressed. The pods seem highly perfumed and I’m worried that they’re not really cleaning much, just masking any smells?? Am I making savings or better to stick with the ( cheaper) powder and pay more for the electricity. Ariel tell me that they’ve discontinued their powder permanently so I’m going to have to find something else anyway…. Any thoughts or experiences welcome!!

I used pods for a while but had the same problem - sometimes they didn’t dissolve properly. I also think they are only suitable for very hot washes. I use 30 or 40 degree washes for nearly everything and it’s fine - but don’t tend to have anything particularly dirty or smelly. Most clothes get damaged anyway if you use a hot wash. I am also thinking of going back to powder…

Thank you to all who have commented..
I’ve decided to return to powder lidl/ Aldi (when I can no longer get Ariel )and vinegar combo 40 and 60 degree wash .I’ll use up the last of the pods on not very dirty loads- interesting comments on the plastic not dissolving properly and washing machines smelling- I hadn’t considered that sounds utterly yuk
It seems that the old ways are the best 👍

Apparently liquid is better for your machine than powder. (But that you still need to run maintenance washes to keep the wm clean.)

inthewash.co.uk/washing-machines/liquid-or-powder-detergent-for-washing-machines/

Powder. The kids gunk up the machine. I'm trialing sheets at the moment and really impressed so far.

Pods not kids, although they do too to be fair

I MUCH prefer powder, it just cleans better and far more environmentally friendly. I don't know why they can't at least package the pods in cardboard boxes?

Powder gives your washing that clean crisp feeling that you just don't get with pods. And smells better, esp if you live in a flat and have to dry everything indoors like me. Also pods don't melt sometimes and bits of plastic stick to your clothes, which I find absolutely infuriating!!

I use Smol pods and most clothes get done on the 30 degree eco wash. I've never had a problem with them not dissolving, or with gunky washing machines, but I do give it a service wash pretty frequently.

Just started using Fairy pods, and find them quite good.

I moved to pods not that long ago, I'm not in UK and they are a relatively new product here believe it or not. At first I thought they were great. Them I noticed they were leaving blue marks on the washing and not dissolving properly. The thing that annoyed me the most though is that no matter what order I put the pod and washing, the damn thing was always sitting by the door and not in the washing. So I used up the rest by dissolving them first. I went back to powder (which is used mainly here so I doubt it will ever be discontinued). Then I noticed the seal on the door was mouldy. In all my years of washing my door seal has never gone mouldy as I wipe it and leave the door open. Anyway so that was the end of the pods . Don't mess with my Miele. It upsets me greatly.

I'm back to powder now and, no slime.

And my washing is without a doubt smelling better again.

Don't mess with my Miele

@isthismylifenow I'm hearing this to the tune of Don't Mess With My Man by Lucy Pearl

I can also recommend Aldi powder. I use it for my whites.

I do find powder a bit harsh on coloured clothing, it usually has bleaching agents in which strips the colours after a while.

I don't understand - on one hand we are being told how awful plastics are for the earth and yet huge multinational companies are pushing detergent encased in plastic, packaged in a plastic box on a public who were quite happily using powder / powder tablets in cardboard boxed. It defies belief. 🙄

it's all about the money.
liquid detergent, especially pods, are just diluted with water = huge mark up.

they wouldn't be able to sell concentrated liquids as too corrosive and dangerous.

with powder they can't sell us extra water.

It's all being greenwashed isn't it - these companies declaring that they use recycled plastic. It's still plastic!

Powder for colours is getting harder and harder to find in the shops.

I usually buy a huge box from Costco.

@SirChenjins

What laundry sheets do you use? They one's I've seen seem very expensive compared to powder.

I use these ones: www.eco-sal.co.uk/product-page/laundry-detergent-sheets. £4.50 for a pack of 32 I think.

There was another one I used but it was from Canada - washed nicely but seemed wrong to buy from so far away. These ones aren't produced in the UK yet but they will be soon.

@octopuseyes

I’ve been washing towels/ bedclothes at 60 degrees with powder and vinegar to rinse And all other clothes sorted by colour and washed at 40 degrees in powder. . I’ve been really happy with the results ( clean fresh smelling laundry) However in a bid to ‘move with the times’ and lower electricity bills I’ve started using pods on a 20/30 degree wash. So far I’m not impressed. The pods seem highly perfumed and I’m worried that they’re not really cleaning much, just masking any smells?? Am I making savings or better to stick with the ( cheaper) powder and pay more for the electricity. Ariel tell me that they’ve discontinued their powder permanently so I’m going to have to find something else anyway…. Any thoughts or experiences welcome!!

I use powder. It works for me. Pods make the machine smell