ellarien | When did that happen? (Reply)

I just trotted down to the grocery store for laundry and dishwasher detergent, and was startled to realize that nearly all the laundry detergent on the shelves was liquid rather than powder. I'm fairly sure this is a recent development; the UK switched to liquid (mostly 'concentrated' liquids) some time in the early 90's, but when I moved here it was pretty much all powder. At the time I put this down to the primitive nature of American washing machines. (Sorry, but to European eyes the basic top-loading US model really does look primitive; the first time I saw one, I thought it must have been rescued from a commercial establishment. Of course, lots of people in the UK still manage without a tumble dryer, so it evens out.) I found a store-brand that worked for me and stuck with it, so I haven't really been paying much attention since, and that is still available, but the shelf placement this time suggested it may be on its way out.

I just hope the manufacturers discover the wonders of the dosing ball before they phase out the powder forms completely; coin-op machines don't really lend themselves to the 'add detergent and clothes while filling' method. Or maybe they do, and I'm just too lazy to want to mess about like that while loading multiple machines in a busy laundry room. (Hmm. Maybe my mother still has some of my old Persil balls?)