I find that I am quite fussy about the quality/smell of washing powders and fabric conditioners - how sad is that!

I currently use Ariel washing powder and Lenor fabric conditioner. I find Ariel to be the best for getting stains out of whites - I cannot bear it if my whites have stains on them or go slightly off-colour. I would rather throw the item away (even if it is a vest that wouldn't be seen) than have my child wear it. How fussy is that!

One other powder (tablet) I would recommend is Tesco's own brand (in a green box). I find these tablets wash as well as Ariel and are as good as getting stains out. The only problem is I cannot get to a Tesco's fairly often as I don't have one near me, although when I do manage to get to one, I end up buying about 5 large boxes of their washing powder to last me.

A friend has recommended to me, although I haven't tried it yet, is the Lenor Downy (pink top) fabric conditioner. Apparently it smells really nice and fresh, and the smell lasts a long time.

Sorry I have waffled on, but this is one of my (and my friends) favourite subjects - sad lives that we lead!!!

I love the Lenor Downy but I use the blue one (relaxing i think).

As for washing machines I have a all singing all dancing new one from Hoover and the bloody things a nightmare. Because its an "Intelligent" machine it decides how much water to use in each wash depending on the weight of the load and the f***g thing never seems to use enough water so i end up with undisolved powder streaks on our clothes and have to put everything through a second rinse. So if i were you i would stick with old reliable.

My clothes sometimes get what looks like oily spots on them. They've ruined quite a few shirts. Would anyone know what that is? It seems to be better when I use Ariel liquid (I was using the powder). But it still happens occasionally. Any thoughts? I use Filetti on the kids' clothes and it seems to be ok, but I don't want to use Filetti on everything.

Peanut, we have a hotpoint 'itelligent' washing machine and we too found the ame problem to begin with, it turned out it wasn't the machine's fault at all....it was due to low water pressure as we were on the 2nd floor of flats. We changed to washing liquid instead and it dissolved easier in the small not so good water pressure.

We moved a couple of years later and now our water pressure is better it has made a real difference, however we still use liquid as I prefer it to powder anyway.

Try a liquid - you'll never use powder again. Also we used to have an indesit and I did find it worse than either of the two machines we've had since. Clothes aren't cleaner but when I did use powder the other machines left fewer streaks.

My whites often go pink or green from clothes that are not as machine washable as the manufacturer suggests - suppose its better than grey

I use Fairy or Persil non Bio tablets . We have soft water and can get away with using just one, if the load isn't too big. Also, Lenor easy iron conditioner. Had a new washing machine last year, a Phillips Whirlpool and yes, it does seem to wash better than the Servis we had. Right, I'm off to iron my pinny, now!

I used to wonder who all the washing powder ads were aimed at...and then I had a child and knew!

I find the new 3 in 1 dishwasher tablets useless, we have softened water and I still end up using salt and rinse aid. The engineer on Monday said it wasn't the first time he'd heard that. So, false economy, stick to salt and rinse aid and whatever is on offer!

Has anybody used that replacement for washing powder that Lakeland sell? Its looks like a ball fall of small stones - last about 80 washes or so they say.

Jasper! Please tell me why you were ironing in the first place at 5am.
You've just made me feel like Waynetta slob.

DAZ for the whites, they come up so lovely (expect it's full of bleach!). Whatever's on offer in Tesco for colours. Comfort Pure conditioner.

My new washing machine came yesterday at last! No verdict yet but it certainly spins better than the old one. R

Jasper, because of various delicate little flowers in my house (eczema) I have used Surcare sensitive laundry liquid for years and everything we own had little greasy spots. Senior daughter brought some Ariel liquid (green cap) back from uni with her and I tried that - not only did it get all the ancient little greasy marks out, it doesn't make anybody itch either!
And it smells nice!

(I do still cling to "sensitive" fabric rinses, which are not supposed to smell, but Tesco's - white bottle, blue label - has a lovely fresh smell which lasts for a while. The junior daughter keeps behaving like a TV commercial and sniffing herself...)

Re new washers - when I changed from an elderly Hotpoint to a Bosch the difference was dramatic.
Rhiannon, your Bosch Maxx took a long time coming, what happened?

Aargh - not sure I want to admit to this one.... DH used to work for one of the top 2 washing powder manufacturers. I remember sitting next to the Technical Director at a tedious business dinner and discussing the whole "non-biological" fabric conditioner thing (and I think powders too) for babies/kids clothes. He told me it was mostly a "UK marketing fad" and that there was virtually no (if any) difference between those and the biological products.
I took offence - particularly since I work in marketing...

Motherofone (Mo1?) did the tedious Technical Director differentiate between non-bios and sensitives?

I have been trying Ariel bio and non-bio and there certainly doesn't seem to be any diff between them, skin-wise; both seem to clean the same too.

Yes, I seem to remember he said the Sensitives (esp. fabric conditioners) were just a non-bio with slightly less fragrance.... (but not technically more effective/less irritating for skin).
It's what we marketing folk call "segmentation" - i.e. create a slightly different impression for a product and charge more (mostly!)
Gosh what a cynic I've become...

(I like "Mo1", by the way, think I might officially 'relaunch' later this year, when I'll become "Mo2"...)

Jasper - have you thought of adding Ecover bleach 1 teaspoon is enough - (it's not bleach per se - no chlorine) but it does help remove stain... I should know, I have washable nappies and a kid with diaohrea and a baby in yellow seedy poo!!!! they come out really white. It doesn't remove colour but I would not use on a nice shirt just in case !
Also maybe ensure that you don't fill your machine too much (maybe that's obvious).

There are sometimes clothes that still won't xome out very clean but generally I have sen a difference. Also I don't think water temperature makes any difference. I wash all (except nappies) at 40 degrees.

Jasper - you actually iron your children's clothes ?

quick one - try descaling your machines with the tablets foun in supermarkets for appliances. The elements can get caked in limescale in hard water areas and seriously decrease heating and efficiency. I know it's a bit anal to know things like this but I run a cafe and we have to do our dishwasher once a month.

Hi janh, it did take a while didn't it. I was getting a bit worried as I'd bought it off the internet and was thinking it all seemed too good to be true. It was out of stock so they had to order it. The chap that fitted it was raving about how good it's supposed to be! Time will tell.

Does anyone know which integrated dishwasher Which? recommend? Thanks R

Rhiannon, I don't think Which have done any recommendations on integrated d/ws. (I will look but I think I'd remember, having a sad capacity to retain that kind of information.)
They often recommend Bosch freestanding ones though, and I know Bosch do integrated ones.

Thanks Janh. R

Ariel Non Bio, is excellent, I use it for our washing as DS has got nasty eczema, and I use Comfort, either the Pure or the Pink. It removes everything, and in the house if it removes cow or sheep dung then it is a miracle worker!!

If anyone is looking to replace appliances I would highly reccommend R.T.D.Bosch on the net.

The items come direct from Bosch and are hundred cheaper. My oven cost me £435 and it is £595 in John Lewis. JLP would price match, but you have to fill in the forms, plus three weeks order. My sister has just come back from Saudi and need all new appliance, she saved a fortune, the w/m was £150 cheaper than Powerhouse and £200 than Currys.

They also do a Bosch top loader for £415, they also do all the integrated appliances.

Just type in R.T.D. Bosch into your search engine, they also supply AEG, Siemens etc.

For those little greasy marks on our cherub's clothes which remain even after washing i rub a little washing up liquid into the stain and rewash the item then wala the grease stain has gone. But i have another problem unless i use colour washing powder or liquid i find that our clothes seem to lose their colour, a lot of my ds school uniform has come out with what looks like pink blotches on them, can anyone shed any light on this (sad i know but im getting fed up replacing 'pink' uniforms)