# Liquid vs Powder Detergent



## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

Which is the best type to use? Have read liquid. Would like to hear from someone w/actual experience.


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

Not sure how you would decide 'best to use.' My personal preference is a liquid (not gelled) laundry soap I make myself.


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## Marcia in MT (May 11, 2002)

We have hard water.

I can't use real soap (as in the kind a lot of people put into homemade clothes washing soap) as it leaves a very bad scum. Even using vinegar in the rinse -- which I use no matter what.

Liquid/gel products don't cause as much build-up in the pipes as the powdered products do with our hard water. I don't know about the cleaning comparisons; our laundry comes clean, even with all the ground-in dirt and grease we get on our clothes.


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## Guest (Dec 19, 2014)

Marcia in MT said:


> We have hard water.
> 
> I can't use real soap (as in the kind a lot of people put into homemade clothes washing soap) as it leaves a very bad scum. Even using vinegar in the rinse -- which I use no matter what.
> 
> Liquid/gel products don't cause as much build-up in the pipes as the powdered products do with our hard water. I don't know about the cleaning comparisons; our laundry comes clean, even with all the ground-in dirt and grease we get on our clothes.



Washing Soda is a water softener and should help with that...


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

I always use liquid. Since I always wash with cold water the powder seems to never dissolve.


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## Janis R (Jun 27, 2013)

I make my own, prefer dry because it takes up less room.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

I think the home-made liquid works better. But the dry is a lot easier to make. Just grind and mix.


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## Werforpsu (Aug 8, 2013)

i use homemade liquid...my preference is the ivory soap as a base


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## Txsteader (Aug 22, 2005)

I've read that powder works best on non-greasy dirt/grime, liquid is best for greasy dirt.

I use powdered on everything but DHs work clothes, in which case I use a combination because his clothes are likely to have some type of grease/oil on them.


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## sillysally (Aug 2, 2015)

I actually just use those pods and they work very well. We have hard water and I usually only wash things on cold, so it seems like the best option.


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