What powder cleans well? Types and composition of washing powders. Persil, Ariel and Tide: what to choose

Looking at the display case, where boxes and bags of laundry detergents were arranged in orderly rows, any of us thought about which washing powder is better. At first glance, they are all the same, differing only in smell or purpose. But in fact, inside each package lurks a unique mixture of chemically active substances, which can not only return the whiteness to the sheets and remove grass stains from your favorite shorts, but also harm your health.

So what should you choose, and most importantly, what should you consider when choosing a powder? We will conduct a study in which the three most popular brands will take part - Ariel, Persil and Tide.

Types of washing powders

The main mistake housewives make is that many tend to use the same product for any type of laundry when they find out which powder washes well. It must be ideal for a certain type of fabric. So, if a product intended for hand washing turns out to be effective, you should not try to use it for automatic washing. If used for other purposes, the powder will not fully demonstrate its properties, and the laundry will not clean well. Such products contain a large amount of substances that form a lush foam, which is not necessary in this case.

What types of washing powders exist today? As a rule, classification is carried out according to the types of fabrics for which a particular product is intended. According to this criterion, powders are divided into universal (intended for all types of fabric), for synthetics, wool, as well as linen and cotton materials. However, the price is not critical.

So, if you are planning a large-scale wash, and all the items are made from the same material (say, cotton), it is better to use a cheaper product, but a highly specialized one.

Powder composition

Before choosing an effective product, you need to understand the purpose of the individual components that make up a particular product. You should be especially careful if there are children or people with allergies in the house.

The main active component, which is invariably included in the composition of any washing powder, are surfactants, or so-called surfactants, designed to effectively separate dirt from the surface of any texture. Their classification contains three types, namely: cationic, anionic and non-ionic.

The danger is represented by the anionic type, which is designated in the composition as A-surfactant. Such substances cause a variety of allergic reactions, manifested, for example, by a rash on human skin, and also sharply reduce the efficiency of the immune system.

Any surfactants have an extremely negative effect on both the environment and the human body. That is why rinsing laundry is such an important process, because it is during it that all dangerous components are removed from the surface of the fabric. Don’t skimp, it’s better to rinse things again by running the appropriate program.

According to experts, truly high-quality washing powder cannot contain more than five percent surfactants.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Tide

Products under the Tide brand are owned by the giant Procter & Gamble corporation (USA). The world learned about the powder in 1946, and in Russia it appeared in the early seventies.

Competitive advantages of Tide:

1. 
   Consistently high demand among consumers, which has persisted for more than 50 years.

2. A wide range, including several varieties of washing powders, liquid concentrates and capsules.
3. An effective formula that the manufacturer is constantly improving. Since its creation, it has been modified more than 60 times.
4. Compliance with modern safety standards. Tide does not contain substances that are toxic to humans or harmful to the environment.
5. Affordable price.
6. High quality washing, ability to cope with stubborn stains.
7. Availability of powder for the care of baby clothes.

The main disadvantage of Tide is the difficulty of rinsing it, which is especially important for bulk detergents.

If you do not run an additional rinse cycle after washing, the items will emit a strong smell of household chemicals, and white stains may remain on their surface.

Why are enzymes needed?

Enzymes are often positioned in commercials as a panacea, substances essential for successful washing. Allegedly, their presence or absence determines which powder washes well. And, in a way, this is true. Enzymes are biologically active substances that are used to effectively remove stains, especially fat stains, which are considered the most difficult.

However, these components can also harm some delicate fabrics, so powders that contain them should be used with caution.

What are phosphates?

Phosphates are an effective mixture of metals and acids, which noticeably softens water during washing, prevents the formation of scale, which contributes to a more successful process of removing dirt.

What is characteristic: all cleaning products produced in Western countries do not contain the mentioned components, since these substances actively provoke the occurrence of allergic reactions associated with both the skin and the respiratory tract. In many states their use is prohibited by law.

These substances are replaced with zeolites, which do not cause any harm to the environment or human health. Powders of this kind are usually labeled “phosphate-free”.

Capsules

For many Russian housewives, capsules are still a new product.

There are many types of capsules.

The following advantages of this product can be highlighted:

• The product is already dosed, so you don’t have to measure anything.
• Compact sizes. Sold in small plastic containers that do not take up much space.
• The capsules already contain air conditioning, which is an additional saving of money.
• Gentle effect on fiber structure and fabric coloring.
• They dissolve even at low temperatures, which does not affect the washing result.
• Significant savings in water and energy, as the gel is easily washed out of clothes.

A significant disadvantage is that when washing even a small amount of laundry, it will not be possible to divide the capsule into parts. Therefore, they are not suitable for hand washing. In addition, the strong and long-lasting smell of the product causes allergies in some people.

The product has bright color and attracts children. Therefore, it is advisable to keep the capsules away from small children, because when opening the capsule, severe irritation may occur.

Determining the type of bleaching

Sometimes it becomes an extremely difficult task to choose a washing powder for white laundry. It is important to know that there are two types of fabric bleaching. You can understand which of them a particular washing powder is intended for by carefully reading the composition of the latter. So, if it contains any kind of peroxide salts, then the product is an ordinary chemical bleach, and if the substances included in the composition have a formula starting with “C”, it is an optical bleach. What this means in practice, we will consider further.

Can ordinary powder whiten laundry?

In order to ensure a high-quality result, it would be preferable to use a 2-in-1 detergent. Such powders belong to either the first or second type of bleaches, which were described above. Next, let's talk in more detail about each of them.

So, chemical bleach is a product based on bleach or peroxide. This powder actively destroys the color of the fabric and is not suitable for delicate materials. But oxygen bleach is gentle on fabric. It can be used for any clothing, including colored ones.

Optical brightener does not destroy the fabric or its overall color, but effectively masks any stains. This occurs due to the unique reflective particles included in its composition.

Which powder cleans well – chemical or optical brightener? Generally, they can both be effective, with the main difference being the cost of packaging.

Tide, Ariel, Persil: which is better to use?

An experienced housewife has a variety of types of powders in stock, using them in specific cases:

1. Ariel is best used when washing white items, as a result the color does not change to gray. Washing clothes made of multi-colored fabrics will also be effective: brightness of tone, contrast. The print of the product is preserved.
2. Tide can be used when washing heavily soiled items. For housewives suffering from allergic skin diseases, choosing Tide is an ideal option.
3. Persil is a powder that has only positive reviews. It can be used when washing in cold water.

Properly selected high-quality washing powder will help keep your clothes in perfect condition.

ProductsComment

Choosing a powder that is intended for children's underwear

The presence of a child in the home requires the use of suitable cleaning products and washing powders. And this is not just the machinations of marketers! The composition of products intended for children is really different from that for adults. The components of children's powders have a much more gentle effect on the young body. Their use is also recommended for allergy sufferers.

The most undesirable components are various types of bleaches and soda. To make sure of this, it is important to carefully study the composition of the product.

It is appropriate to remind you that the laundry soap familiar to many housewives is not safe for babies. The huge amount of alkali included in its composition has a negative effect on the child’s skin. But it can’t remove all stains.

How to choose quality powder?

In order to choose a truly effective and safe product, when purchasing a powder, it is important to pay attention to the following nuances. Mentions of no toxins are usually true and should be noted. It is also necessary to control the percentage of substances included in the product (no more than five percent for surfactants and no more than twelve percent for phosphates). It would be more profitable to purchase not one universal powder for all types of fabrics, but several specialized ones. It is also advisable to have different products for colored and white things, a children's product (for families with babies) and a product with enzymes for removing stains. It is important to use products specifically designed for this purpose both for hand washing and automatic washing.

It is also necessary to remember the proportion of the product used. For every kilogram of laundry intended for washing, there should be about one tablespoon of powder. Its deficiency will lead to poor quality cleaning, and its excess will lead to a persistent pungent odor and the presence of chemical particles on the fabric.

Laundry capsules

They are a powerful gel coated with a soluble coating. The aggressive composition of the product excludes use for hand washing. The product does not leave streaks or stains on clothing and is intended for the care of items made of dense materials, including winter items. All washing capsules help to avoid the appearance of chemical dust and mist, which is inevitable when using dry detergents poured into the compartment. The product is universal; it is equally suitable for cleaning delicate fabrics and can be used for linen and natural cotton products. When choosing gel tablets, there is no need to purchase powders for white and color. On average, one capsule is enough for 5–6 kilograms of laundry. The product does not stick to the walls and elements of the washing machine, which has a beneficial effect on the service life of household appliances.

Compound

The components of the capsules provide an efficiency 2-2.5 times higher than that of washing powders. This allows you to avoid soaking your clothes before machine washing. The use of gel tablets helps to avoid other destructive methods of cleaning fabric: boiling, using chlorine bleaches. The filler contains:

• concentrated detergent;
• universal stain remover;
• surfactants;
• optical brightener;
• fabric softener.

Such a diverse composition of laundry capsules allows you to forget about purchasing bottles of detergents. Now everything you need fits into a small tablet format. The given components are the basis produced by any manufacturer. Minor ingredients and fragrance may vary.

Mode of application

To achieve the best results, washing powder in capsules should be used according to the instructions for use. Necessary steps:

1. Sorting laundry. Clothes should first be separated by fabric type. Delicate fabrics that require cleansing in cold water should be set aside from items that require high-temperature washing: bed linen, children's clothing, cotton and linen tablecloths. Also distribute by color; bright, white, dark are washed separately.
2. Using the capsule. The gel tablet is removed from the packaging and placed in the empty drum of the washing machine. This way it will dissolve faster and begin to act. It is forbidden to put the product in the powder compartment. There, the shell will remain intact, and the gel will not get on your clothes. Do not try to burst the capsule or pour its contents into the drum. Only using the tablet without damage will bring good results.
3. Loading things. The clothes are placed on top of the capsule, then the washing machine door is closed.
4. Selecting a washing mode. The program is directly related to the characteristics of the loaded laundry. You should not set the mode with additional rinsing. The components of the product are perfectly washed out of the fibers.

The amount of use is directly related to the level of soiling of the clothes, their weight and the capacity of the washing machine drum. You can calculate how many Ariel capsules you need for one wash based on the data in the instructions. On average, for high-quality stain removal, one capsule per 3–5 kilograms of clothing is enough.

Powder "Persil"

One of the most popular laundry detergents is Persil. Liquid powder is positioned as an effective substance for cleaning both white and colored items (depending on the purpose of a particular product, however, there are also universal substances in the product line). It contains enzymes, which means it can remove a variety of stains, including traces of berries and any drinks (even red wine). However, these components remain active only during the shelf life of the powder, which is three years. After its expiration, the properties of the product as a stain remover are lost, but in general it remains suitable for washing. Also, in order for the product to retain its properties, it is important to store it at a temperature not exceeding thirty-five degrees Celsius.

Persil powders, as well as any other brand, should not be stored with any food products or in a place accessible to children. If the product gets on the mucous membranes, they must be washed with plenty of clean water.

Comparison of two detergents

The table shows a comparison of 2 brands according to several basic criteria:

To understand which detergent washes best, it is necessary to rely not only on generalized data, but also on examinations conducted by independent organizations.

One of these tests was carried out by Roskontrol . The washing involved cotton fabric, which was stained with 11 types of contaminants (fruit and vegetable purees, cosmetics, sauces, drinks, shoe polish, gouache, etc.).

According to the results of the study, it was found that the highest results were obtained when washing with Persil powder. The powder worked great on stains from red wine, chocolate and greens. Experts considered its disadvantages to be high cost, high consumption and a pungent odor.

Tide was ranked among the "good guys . It worked best on red wine, coffee and greens stains. The powder washed off cherries and chocolate worse.

Foaming was moderate for both brands. There was enough foam for effective washing, but not too much that it came out of the washing machine tray.

Tide powder

Tide powders are produced by the famous American chemical manufacturer Procter & Gamble, which in itself is a guarantee of quality. The product has established itself as an undisputed leader in the laundry industry. The components of the product do not damage the fabric structure and at the same time effectively remove stains of any complexity. And the popular representative of the line, Tide Color, helps maintain color intensity. In addition, this powder also acts as a fragrance for linen.

Important: Tide powder (automatic) does not contain phosphates; instead, it contains safe zeolites. Also, the active components of the product are enzymes that effectively fight stains. At the same time, the content of anionic surfactants slightly exceeds the allowed five percent.

Gel Ariel - a practical solution to the problem

When purchasing liquid powder, you can save a lot. A 1.3 liter jar is enough for 20 washes. This figure is equal to 3 kg of ordinary powder. Thanks to the measuring cap, the gel will not be wasted additionally, since its capacity is easy to check. After washing, a pleasant smell of freshness remains on things. Ariel functions as a conditioner and stain remover. Things are always soft and pleasant to the touch after washing. The powerful formula allows you to effectively fight even the most difficult stains.

According to customer reviews, the price of liquid powder is high, but the result is worth it. The product helps to effectively cope with the task and return clothes to their original appearance. Thanks to the convenient plastic bottle, storing the gel is very convenient. The powder has a safe composition, since it does not contain phosphates or surfactants. For this reason, it can be used for washing children's clothes.

If you first read the instructions for use before using liquid powder, you will be able to increase the washing efficiency

It is important to adhere to the dosage indicated in the description. Ariel is also suitable for white clothes.

You can achieve a noticeable result and get rid of the stain after the first wash. Using the gel is very convenient and simple. A practical cap with a spout and a large handle make washing easier.

If you purchase a large bottle with a capacity of 4.9 liters, the powder will be enough for 70 washes. Ariel's innovative liquid product is a practical alternative to conventional powder. Using the gel, you can delicately get rid of dirt without damaging your clothes.

Powder "Eared nannies"

This product is designed specifically for washing children's clothes. It can be used even if we are talking about things of a newborn. "Eared Nanny" is positioned as a hypoallergenic product. The line includes products designed for both manual and automatic washing. According to the manufacturer, the structure of the product is such that it is easily rinsed from fabrics, so its particles do not linger in the fibers and do not irritate the baby’s skin.

To ensure that the powder does not lose its properties, it should be stored correctly (in a cool, dark place).

Despite the fact that the product is intended specifically for children's clothes, it contains phosphates and a significant amount of A-surfactants (from five to fifteen percent), which can have a negative effect on the skin.

Efficiency

The effectiveness of washing powder is a somewhat ephemeral category, since it depends on many factors that are difficult to control in everyday conditions. For example, the temperature, hardness and volume of water, the duration of washing, the degree of contamination of items and the properties of the fabric from which these items are sewn, the amount of powder, and the mechanical impact of the washing machine are all important. Therefore, if you wash with powder at home, its effectiveness will be different each time - and this is not the manufacturer’s fault.

In laboratory tests, samples of standard contaminants produced in Switzerland and Germany are used, as well as washing machines equipped with special measuring equipment.

When testing the effectiveness of Ariel, Persil and Tide powders, the following results were obtained:

Explanation of values ​​from the table:

“0”—the powder did not remove the dirt;

“-” - the result is little noticeable;

“+” - the result is unsatisfactory;

“++” - the dirt has been washed off quite well;

“+++” - not a trace of contamination remains.

Powder "Ariel"

Another famous brand is Ariel. This brand's powder contains enzymes, an effective surfactant combination system. The structure of the product is such that it can effectively clean fabrics even at low temperatures (forty degrees). Ariel Mountain Spring powder provides oxygen-containing whitening and also creates an optical whitening effect. This provides amazing results.

Summary

After analyzing all the above information about laundry detergents and considering the compositions of popular powders, we can draw the following conclusions. If you want to purchase a product that would protect your child from the negative effects of chemicals, you should not spend money on a product called “Eared Nanny”. This powder is effective in itself, but its composition is no different from other “adult” substances. So, for example, “Tide”, by and large, is much safer, since, unlike “Eared Nanny”, it does not contain harmful phosphates, which can contribute to the occurrence of allergic reactions. In the powder from Procter & Gamble, they are replaced with safe zeolites that will not harm the delicate skin of the child. "Persil" is extremely effective for removing various types of stains due to the significant content of enzymes in it. It is useful to have this product at home to deal with serious stains in a timely manner. However, it is not the most effective if the housewife is faced with the task of bleaching laundry. In this regard, Ariel is the leader - a powder that provides high-quality tissue cleansing. Moreover, during the bleaching process, Ariel does not damage fabric fibers or destroy their structure, but only acts directly on the stain.

Cleanliness largely determines your health. Always make your choice wisely!

Laundry capsules

Capsules are nothing more than concentrated washing gel in a sealed shell. When water gets in, the protective film dissolves within 2–3 minutes and detergents are released.

The capsules contain:

• anionic and nonionic surfactants (25–30%);
• soap (10%);
• phosphonates (5%);
• enzymes;
• optical brighteners;
• flavoring additives;
• preservatives.

There are capsules for washing white and colored laundry. Average cost of a package of 30 pcs. – 750 rubles.

One capsule is enough for exactly one wash. It is placed in the drum of the washing machine with dirty laundry and a program is selected. No other manipulations are necessary.

Laundry capsules are produced by many well-known brands of household chemicals: Persil, Tide, Ariel.

Advantages

The main advantage of laundry capsules is ease of use. There is no need to calculate and measure detergent by grams. It is impossible to make a mistake with the dosage.

One capsule is enough to wash a full drum of clothes. The exception is heavily soiled clothing, such as work clothing. Then add 2 double portions. Everything is simple and clear, even a child can handle the laundry!

Advantages of laundry detergent in capsules:

• Improved composition. Thanks to the content of stain removers and enzymes, things are washed better, debris and pellets are removed from them, and the color is preserved for a long time.
• No divorces. The contents of the capsule are liquid, easily dissolved in water and washed from fabric.
• Work at low temperatures. The detergent works effectively at 30–40 degrees, which cannot be said about powders.
• Eco-friendly, hygienic, hypoallergenic. The capsules do not contain allergens. In addition, the detergent is securely hidden by the film, which means it does not crumble or get into the air. Unlike powder, which you have to inhale when pouring.
• Convenience. Gel balls are convenient not only to use, but also to store. They take up less space than bulk powder bags and have a secure lid.
• Economical use of the product and preservation of washing machine parts. The powder is first poured into a cuvette, after which it enters the drum through tubes. Some part of it settles on the details. In addition, it often spills onto the floor and remains inside the bag. The capsules are consumed without a trace.

Flaws

Laundry capsules are better than powder in many respects. However, it was not without its drawbacks:

• High price. Detergent in capsules is more expensive than powder. Although, considering the bleaches it already contains and the ability to preserve the appearance of things, the price is quite justified.
• Inability to divide detergent into several washes. It happens that the drum does not need to be completely filled. However, the capsule cannot be divided in half. In this case, it is better to use another remedy that can be dosed.