"Universal" vs separate HE & Non HE detergents

It seems like laundry detergents are now increasingly "universal" detergents that can supposedly be used in any washer, rather than separate formulas that are intended for--and only for--one type of washer (e.g., a formula only for a conventional top load washer). Even P&G, which has separate HE & non HE lines of Tide, has added a few universal variants. Who knows? Eventually maybe P&G will have just one line of Tide, which will mean that instead of 6 billion different versions of Tide there will only be 3 billion versions to keep track of. LOL

Obviously, having a universal detergent keeps things simpler. Fewer products to deal with. This makes life simpler for just about everyone--the sales/manufacturing end of the detergent business, stores, and buyers. Not to mention washer fans, who can keep one detergent that will work reliably in both the old BD Kenmore and the new front load. (Of course, most washer fans also like having a variety of detergents around to play with...)

But...I'm wondering if, in theory at least, it might not be better having different types of detergent for different types of washers. An old top load washer and a new front load washer work in much different ways. One obvious huge difference: just the amount of water involved in the wash cycle.

I'm thinking it would be interesting to do tests...

Of course, in the end, I suspect that the market will probably move to 100% universal. Even if, in theory, it might not be 100% ideal.


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Post# 1028227 3/28/2019 at 18:25 (1,848 days old) by LordKenmore (The Laundry Room)
Checkrate/Likes It seems like laundry detergents are now increasingly "universal" detergents that can supposedly be used in any washer, rather than separate formulas that are intended for--and only for--one type of washer (e.g., a formula only for a conventional top load washer). Even P&G, which has separate HE & non HE lines of Tide, has added a few universal variants. Who knows? Eventually maybe P&G will have just one line of Tide, which will mean that instead of 6 billion different versions of Tide there will only be 3 billion versions to keep track of. LOL Obviously, having a universal detergent keeps things simpler. Fewer products to deal with. This makes life simpler for just about everyone--the sales/manufacturing end of the detergent business, stores, and buyers. Not to mention washer fans, who can keep one detergent that will work reliably in both the old BD Kenmore and the new front load. (Of course, most washer fans also like having a variety of detergents around to play with...) But...I'm wondering if, in theory at least, it might not be better having different types of detergent for different types of washers. An old top load washer and a new front load washer work in much different ways. One obvious huge difference: just the amount of water involved in the wash cycle. I'm thinking it would be interesting to do tests... Of course, in the end, I suspect that the market will probably move to 100% universal. Even if, in theory, it might not be 100% ideal.

Post# 1028235 , Reply# 1 3/28/2019 at 20:20 (1,848 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Everything Old Is New Again* Right through the 1970's many laundry detergents gave dosing for fully automatics, semi-automatics (twin tubs, etc...) compact/portables, combination W&D, and wringer washing machines. You only needed one box of detergent then adjusted product use to suit. How well each performed in different machines is another matter. High suds detergents like Tide likely caused problems in any sort of h-axis washer. But were fine with wringer washers, twin tubs, etc... You may have had to increase rinsing to get those suds out, but there you are then.

Post# 1028236 , Reply# 2 3/28/2019 at 20:27 (1,848 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)
Checkrate/Likes 1 probably something that should have been done long ago, even before the HE craze... a common problem was overdosing/oversudsing� about the best we had available was 'Controlled Suds', Sears UltraPlus or Dash detergent...as it would take a heavy dose before suds would appear, or worse cause a machine to 'choke' on too much sudsing, especially during spin... a better dosage would be based on soils level and water level used, whether HE or Standard capacity... when I worked in a laundry, the products we used were based on chemical, sudsing didn't exist... remember when detergents like Tide, had dosing for each type of machine....and many other uses around the house, from scrubbing floors, washing dishes, scouring the tub, cleaning the patio, etc...

Post# 1028347 , Reply# 3 3/29/2019 at 21:21 (1,847 days old) by jeb (Mansfield Ohiio)
Checkrate/Likes *detergents* When detergents (not soap) first came on the market many were advertised as "no rinsing needed" and showed women taking clothes right from the wringer to the clothes line. Women who were use to soap that had to be rinsed didn't trust not rinsing so the ads were quickly dropped. Jeff

Post# 1028362 , Reply# 4 3/30/2019 at 01:18 (1,846 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *That no rinsing gimmick didn't last long* People experienced all sorts of skin irritations not to mention laundry quality suffered by not rinsing. It was all an early jab as using soap for wash day, which of course requires two, three or more rinses.

Post# 1028430 , Reply# 5 3/30/2019 at 17:50 (1,846 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)
Checkrate/Likes 1 Very low sudsing detergents were tried in the domestic market in the late 80s. Tide, Fab, Cheer and others introduced compact powder products in small boxes. I used formerly high sudsing detergents in my LK combo with great results, but traditional users of high sudsing detergent brands were not impressed and how were they to use that old china teacup they had used to measure the stuff from the Home Laundry size cartons when they could not even get it down into the box? It was before we heard of HE washers and very few front loaders were in use except in high rise construction so the new formulations were put on the shelf where they would wait for a few years until the world found them necessary.