# Washing Tablets - non Branded



## Noor77 (16 Jun 2008)

Hi All

What with prices going up all the time ... and my mortgage spiralling upwards .... I have decided to try and make a few more cutbacks. Looking at my grocery bills I noticed that I spend a lot of money on washing tablets. I usually always buy the big brands as I had a bad experience a few years ago with a supermarket own brand. Does anyone have any recommendations for a good own-brand of washing tablets??

Thanks

SORRY POSTED IN WRONG THREAD AND CANT MOVE!


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## Petal (16 Jun 2008)

I use washing powder from Lidl/Aldi. Lasts for ever and does the job as well as any other washing powder.


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## Guest117 (16 Jun 2008)

Ditto

Use the LiDL stuff with no adverse results so far


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## Money Bags7 (16 Jun 2008)

I think the non branded stuff is inferior too. I used an own brand non bio but felt it left the clothes very hard. I use just one branded tablet in the wash instead of the recommended two - does the job just as good.


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## huskerdu (16 Jun 2008)

I use Tesco non-bio and it is great and a lot cheaper than the established brands. 

I did use a very cheap brand a few years ago and the 5euro saving was cancelled out but the 45 euro is cost me to bring my toddler to the doctor to have her nasty rash diagnosed.


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## G7979 (16 Jun 2008)

buying the powder version of the branded product would be more cost effective, a scoop rather than the tablets, I can't back it up but I do remember at a sales training conference a couple of years ago the presenter saying that the tablets work out 5 times more expensive than the powder version,  that it was an example of a very clever piece of marketing


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## Fauve (16 Jun 2008)

I use Ecover (I buy online but have seen in shops) liquid.
If you have a store nearby they may also refill your empty bottles.
I use liquid detergent in a ball and use very little (less than 50ml unless really really dirty load).
I buy a 5l can and just looking back at receipts the last time I purchased was Nov07, and that one is just now finished. 5l can is €25.
Now I don't need the strong smell of detergent to feel that I have clean clothes, so if you like the smell of washing powder/detergent..then this might not be a solution for you.
Would second looking at powder or liquid for economy.
Best of luck

Should add this is for 2adults/2kid family.  Wash about three times a week, possibly more in Summer as kids outside playing in sand/garden/muck etc more.


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## horse7 (16 Jun 2008)

dont know where your living,but dunnes has daz on special every few weeks,its a hugh box,and usually half price,keep an eye out


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## davfran (16 Jun 2008)

There was a link here ages ago unfortunately cant remember, but it had to do with non chemical house hold cleaners ,eg bread soda,  washing crystals, vinegar cheaper on the pocket and much better on the septic tanks and the enviornment. Worth googling


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## z103 (17 Jun 2008)

I once accidentally bought Calgon limescale remover tablets instead of dishwasher tablets. They seemed to clean the dishes fine. I had used over half the box before I discovered my mistake.


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## solair (17 Jun 2008)

Try Surf powder, it's a unilever product just like Persil.
Much cheaper, and just as effective! It's more than likely the exact same product with a different perfume added!!

Tablets and liquitab pouches are just marketing gimics, the powder version is usually much cheaper and is almost always more effective and environmentally friendly.
You don't need all that packaging!!

Tesco Bio or Tesco Colour is also excellent and very good value.
I'm not sure about the Dunnes equivilant, as I've never tried it.

In general though, stay away from tablets!!

Price comparison (source: Tesco.ie)
Ariel Bio Powder 30 Wash/2.85kg  *€11.99* 
Persil Bio Powder 30 Wash/3kg  *€10.75*
Surf Wash Powder Sunshine + Oils 2.85kg *€9.19*
Tesco Bio Powder 30 Wash/2.4kg €4.99

The tesco ownbrand, (not the tesco value) is as good. I've found it excellent anyway.
Their fabric softeners and other products are pretty decent too. Well worth giving a try.

If you have a dishwasher too, try their tablets. They're excellent and very very good value!


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## wishbone (17 Jun 2008)

I agree, I never buy tabs or liquitabs, waste of money.

I use Tesco Non-Bio liquid, find it brilliant, I wash at 30 degrees, it's 2.49 for 20 washes or so, not sure you can do much better. Fleeces etc all come out nice and fluffy. also buy Tesco Pure Fab Conditioner (for scent more than anything almost), 1euro something for 20 washes... I bought Lidl 3kg Dishwasher Powder it was either 4 or 5 euro (used to use Tesco tablets as mentioned by solair, which I was delighted with, but even more happy with this one, glasses look much better, especially with the Rinse Aid), have been using it since Mid March and there's half of it left, just weighed it 1.7kg incl plastic container. Dishwasher is on 2 times out of 3 days. I use Tesco Rinse Aid with it, very cheap too. I'm slowly moving from branded to unbranded - where the results are as good. I do still buy Bold when on special offer, have 2 large 80 wash Bolds in the garage which I use primarily on whites. The mother uses Lidl washing powder, isn't overenthused by it. I buy mostly Tesco brands at this stage too.


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## Noor77 (17 Jun 2008)

Hi there

I bought Tesco washing tabs yesterday at €2.23 a box. Normally I buy ones for €5 a box and get through a box a week. I reckon over a year that will save me about €150, which isn;t bad .... and in my reckoning this saving is equivalent to ...

- 3 months ESB (for me), or
- 10 bottles of nice wine, or
- 10 books, or
- 3 acupuncture sessions, or
- 3 bottles of champagne, or
- 2 pairs of nice shoes, or
- 4 tickets to a GAA match for my county, or
- almost the price of my TV license

Not bad when you think of it like that!!!

Noor


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## indebtedgal (17 Jun 2008)

I've started getting really smart with the shopping now also. Will only go to Lidl and then Tesco for the bare essentials. Last week my only purchase from Tesco was Napisan for washing whiltes. Also in some local corner shops and euro saver shops there are specials on huges boxes of bold. €25. Great value. Anybody intersted in starting a thread reccomending the really good products in Lidl. My 1st reccomendation would be their organic natural yugurt for €0.29. where would you be going...


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## damson (17 Jun 2008)

indebtedgal said:


> Anybody intersted in starting a thread reccomending the really good products in Lidl.


There's something of the kind here:
What/what not to buy at Lidl/Aldi


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## Diziet (17 Jun 2008)

If you use washing tablets use one rather than two per wash. Half the cost and the clothes will be just as clean.


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## solair (17 Jun 2008)

In general you're better off using powder if you can avoid tablets you might as well they're just full of extra gunk to make the tablet stick together and disperse properly and they also bring in the added problem of extra packaging and they're unnecessarily expensive!

Liquids are a completely different forumulation and are usually not as effective as powders as they can't use the same combinations of enzymes and surfactants.

One other money saving tip:

Use colour powder on colour clothes, there's a really simple explanation and it's not a marketing gimick either:

Normal washing powder contains bleach, basically a form of peroxide. This, together with optical brighteners (flourecent chemicals) whiten your whites. If you use these powders on your coloured clothes, they fade quite rapidly.

Colour powder contains all the enzymes, surfactants and other stain removing components but do not contain bleach. So, your colours stay bright and like new for much longer.

Also, using fabric softener makes your clothes last longer too as it re-conditions the fibres, much like hair conditioner does for your hair. That prevents them from breaking, so clothes don't tear as easily.

On the bio/no-bio thing that is kind of a marketing gimick. A dermatologist told me that it's often not the enzymes that cause skin reactions. It's more likely to be strong scents and optical brighteners as these irritate skin quite badly.

So, if you have allergies try using a powder with as little scent as possible and set your machine to do an extra rinse. It's usually more effective than a non-bio!

My other money saving tips :

Bleach - use supermarket own brand (for toilets etc)
Tesco washing up liquid is good.
Tesco polishes etc seemed good too.

Try M&S for those products if you want something 'fancy'. They've very good value own-brand homewares. The prices are more like tesco own brand even though M&S is pricy for groceries otherwise.

Lidl is great for toilet roll too!!


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## eileen alana (17 Jun 2008)

I have tried the Lidl washing powder on a few occassions and it left a powdery substance on the clothes, very difficult to wash out. I agree with the above poster, surf is excellent


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## MandaC (17 Jun 2008)

damson said:


> There's something of the kind here:
> What/what not to buy at Lidl/Aldi



I would be on for reviving and perhaps updating that thread.  Perhaps there might even be a need for a separate section for say, best consumer deals, something similar to best financial products.  Could update with specials or good consumer deals  that people think others might benefit from and could be cleared on a monthly, or bi monthly period. 

Like indebedgal, I now shop between Lidl/Aldi/Tesco/Superquinn, butcher, depending on what I need, as I prefer to buy some branded products, and some does not matter.  Tesco has dropped some of it's prices to compete with Lidl/Aldi and has been known to have some things even cheaper than them.

Example being this month in All Home Store and More Stores all duvet covers sets are half price. There are some real bargains.

As regards washing powder, believe it or not, some of the smaller outlets, ie Centra, Spar, Supervalu are often better for these as there is quite often Multipack deals on boxes of tabs, etc.  I got Fairy Dishwasher Tabs in my local centra, two packs for the price of one, and that was probably even better than you would get in Lidl or Aldi.


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## Noor77 (18 Jun 2008)

Diziet said:


> If you use washing tablets use one rather than two per wash. Half the cost and the clothes will be just as clean.


 
I always use one tablet. Ecologically and economically sound! So far, the Tesco tabs are going fine for me ... I may have to get some fabric softener though


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