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Calgon Tablets

eoin5

Ok, calgon tablets cost about 40c each. If you did 2 washes a week for five years (a normal lifespan of a washing machine) it comes out at 208 euros. I know they save you on hassle and detergent but you also have to go and buy the things all the time. Are they really worth it?

Also half protection is not almost like having no protection, thats just daft :rolleyes:

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dsmythy

I've got the sudden urge to buy Calgon. Calgon Tablets.

Rabies

mental07 wrote: »

Limescale Problems forum, anyone?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1011

mental07

Limescale Problems forum, anyone?

Joey the lips

Here's a quote from a few different washing machine manufacturers -

"Too little detergent results in limescale on the heating element".

This means that using enough detergent should not result in limescale on the heating element. The main advantage of limescale tablets seems to be to soften the water and therefore allow you to reduce the amount of detergent needed but it's advertised as a limescale preventer, which although it is, it's implying it does something extra.
Washing machine detergent already contains ingredients to soften the water and protect the washing machine from limescale. If you use a good quality detergent, and the correct dosage of washing machine detergent for the hardness of your water and the level of soiling on the laundry then you shouldn't need to use anything extra.
Softening the water in your washing machine with Calgon or similar anti limescale tablets will allow you to reduce the amount of detergent you need to use to the level advised for soft water. However, someone needs to do the calculations as to whether the savings in detergent are significantly greater than the cost and hassle of buying and using an extra product.
Severe hard water limescale problems will affect all heating elements in your house where they heat water. This includes kettles, baths, sinks, showers, immersion heaters, dishwashers and washing machines. So if you live in an area where the water is so hard that it causes problems, and you are likely to stay in this area, then you may be better off looking at other methods of softening all of your water rather than just dealing with the problem in the washing machine.
Note: If you live in an area where the water is already soft, softening the water further by using these remedies unnecessarily (which people do because they still get promoted in these areas) can result in poor wash results. Water that is too soft is no good for washing machines as the detergents have difficulty dissolving.
On Calgon's website, they have a feature that checks the hardness of the water in your area. You enter your postcode, and within seconds, you get a graphical representation of the hardness of your water. I was initially impressed with this, and considered linking to it from this section. However, when I entered my own post code, I received a full red bar pointing up to "hard", and the following message

"HARD - We recommend using Calgon in every wash to prevent limescale build up in your washing machine ."

I know we have fairly soft water, so I did wonder if everyone gets this message. I sent them an email pointing this out and asking them to look into it. The facility is clearly faulty (at least with my post code) but as yet, even though they acknowledged receipt of my e-mail, and claimed they would look into it, the erroneous advice is still there over 3 years later.
I contacted Yorkshire water to double check the hardness of my water and they said post codes were an unreliable way of accurately determining water hardness. They offered to send me a free water testing pack. (Most UK water companies will send you a free water testing pack)
Ironically, when mine arrived, it was supplied by Calgon. It consisted of a small strip to dip into the water, which would indicate the hardness of the water. Sure enough, it showed my water is soft.
An email to Yorkshire Water received a reply which said,

"Thank you for your recent email regarding the water hardness in your area. I have contacted our Water Quality Scientist who has advised that the water in your area is classed as Moderately Soft water and is measured at 26.429 mg/l as calcium."

Even considering I am a sceptical person, I find it hard to believe that the message advising the use of Calgon would be given to everyone, regardless of the hardness of their water. This would clearly be a stupid thing to do, but as the service is currently unreliable, and some people may be duped into buying Calgon totally unnecessarily, I am putting the warning about it here.
Clearly the makers of Calgon want as many people to use their product as possible. The chances are that the results I got from their web site are a genuine mistake although they have known about it since my e-mail on January 9th 2003 and the mistake is still there in 2006. (Update: It's still telling me I have hard water and need to use Calgon in 2009! I've also moved to another area where my water authority tells me our water is "moderately hard" but the Calgon site tells me it's hard and shows it at the top pf their scale). I contacted them again in April 2008 and they just say my water is hard according to how they measure it (HARD = above 200 ml/g as calcium carbonate) but my water was not hard and my water company confirms this.
Testing the tool using a Lake District post code, which is known for having the softest water in the UK the tool does report back that water there is soft - but still advises, "Soft: We recommend using Calgon to prevent limescale build up on your clothes". I recommend if you want to find out how hard your water is you shouldn't trust Calgon to tell you. Check at your local water authority web site - UK water companies web sites and telephone numbers (please let me know if this link breaks as web sites keep moving things)
Summary regarding Calgon tablets (or similar products)

Products such as Calgon don't do anything that proper washing machine detergent doesn't do (as long as you use the correct amount) although they do -

Help protect against under dosing
Soften the water allowing you to use the amount of detergent recommended for soft water in a hard water area

The last effect could potentially save money if the money saved by reducing the amount of washing detergent is greater than the cost of the Calgon (or similar) tablets. I don't know of anyone that's done the appropriate tests to determine this but Calgon claim you could save up to 25% of the amount of detergent required. 25% is presumably the best case scenario, it depends how much the tablets cost compared to how much you save in detergent.
Some reputable washing machine manufacturers recommend Calgon, but then they are presumably recommending it because they would rather people use Calgon tablets and keep their washing machines free of limescale (and working) even if it is a short-sighted solution or if it's only effective for a small percentage of their customers. Maybe they know if the washing machine packs in due to hard water many people will just blame the washing machine? They aren't looking at it from the bigger-picture point of view, which someone suffering from bad limescale problems may well be better off doing.
Using anti limescale tablets in your washing machine can only deal with the effects of limescale in your washing machine. If these effects are so bad, then what about the rest of your plumbing and appliances?

jumpguy

If you have severe limescale problems surely the economical solution would be to get a hard water filter on the line going to your machines?

JPA

I know a guy who deals with washing machines, fixing etc and he says Calgon tablets are complete waste of time and money, and bordering on a scam.

mental07

Ponster wrote: »

Actually no, I don't have a television. I got rid of it a few years back.

Also Calgon doesn't seem to be sold in the country where I live.

It was in the 80s!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H_W5mb3pVg

mobius42

Mossy Monk wrote: »

I like their jingle. It reminds me of a time gone by whether you put it in the washing machine or the dishwasher.

FYP

rubadub

McSandwich wrote: »

I know someone who installed a magnetic water softener on the main water supply into their house. No more calgon for washing and works for the heating system and drinking water too.

Those yokes don't work well at all, I am involved with all this in my job and tested them before, nobody bothers with them in the catering/hotel industry.

Limescale is a huge problem in the UK, as mentioned before there would be no need for calgon in dublin and most other counties. You could descale with other products for a fraction of the price.

nomorebadtown

they keep you limescale free but the come down is nasty.

Fr Martin

Ponster wrote: »

Actually no, I don't have a television. I got rid of it a few years back.

Also Calgon doesn't seem to be sold in the country where I live.

So what does all your furniture point at?

sweatingbullets

had a washing machine for two years using nothing but calgon,made f**k all differnce still a layer of lime developed,:mad:.

CutzEr

God damn it, that jingle is stuck in my head.

"Washing machinnnes live loonggger with CALgon"

Joey the lips

Ponster wrote: »

Actually no, I don't have a television. I got rid of it a few years back.

Also Calgon doesn't seem to be sold in the country where I live.

Oh you have my sympathy I am sorry it was a joke. There is always you tube

strongbluebell

As far as I know hard water is not an issue in Dublin, never heard of anyone having a problem with it so Calgon shouldn't even be on sale here.
Down with that sort of thing.

TheZohanS

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

I've never seen fur on a kettle at home

Maybe you're not turning it on properly.

Ponster

Joey the lips wrote: »

You shove it up your [EMAIL="a@se"]a@se[/EMAIL] every time you have sex and it guarantees you a clean bum next time... Jesus dont you have tele

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIfayRbEPDI

Actually no, I don't have a television. I got rid of it a few years back.

Also Calgon doesn't seem to be sold in the country where I live.

Capt'n Midnight

TBH anyone who buys calgon without having measured their water hardness is happy to throw money away.

I've never seen fur on a kettle at home, but I lived in the midlands for a while and you'd get a quarter inch of it in a few months

Poor Uncle Tom

Last washing machine lasted 12 years, never used Calgon, have filter on the main water line.

skywalker_208

haha Ive always said they were a waste of money. You could buy a new washing machine every couple years with the cash you would spend on calgon!

Mossy Monk

I like their jingle. It reminds me of a time gone by.

Joey the lips

Ponster wrote: »

wtf is Calgon ?

You shove it up your [EMAIL="a@se"]a@se[/EMAIL] every time you have sex and it guarantees you a clean bum next time... Jesus dont you have tele

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIfayRbEPDI

Ponster

wtf is Calgon ?

Wurly

Joey the lips wrote: »

Ha love this thread been saying this for ages. But this is the actual reality. Family home! Calgon cost 40c each do 4 washes a day thats 1.60 a day! Now the dearest washing machine being 600 euro the cheapest being 300 euro the adverage being 400 euro. Granted I dont wash cloths every day so we will say 4 days a week. This equates to

1.60 per x 4 days = 1 week cost x 52 = 1 year cost = feck off calgon!

1.60 x 4 = 6.40 x 52 = 332.80 per year.

I figure if we half this for the cheaper brand tablet which of course is being extreamly generous. that equals 165 per year in calgon

With the adverage life of a washing machine in hard water areas being 2-4 years

@ 2 years being extreamly generous we get 330 in competors calgon!

@ 3 years dbeing extreamly generous we get 490 in competitors calgon

So at 2 year in calgon you will pay at least 600 euro or 300 in competitors

Its just not worth it. another thing. Calagon is salt yes! Is all this salt added to the washing machine water which of course is already heavly contaminated not contributing to poisioning of the water!

"Washing machines live longer with calgon!" but my bank balence does not!

/Thread

Joey the lips

eoin5 wrote: »

Ok, calgon tablets cost about 40c each. If you did 2 washes a week for five years (a normal lifespan of a washing machine) it comes out at 208 euros. I know they save you on hassle and detergent but you also have to go and buy the things all the time. Are they really worth it?

Also half protection is not almost like having no protection, thats just daft :rolleyes:

Ha love this thread been saying this for ages. But this is the actual reality. Family home! Calgon cost 40c each do 4 washes a day thats 1.60 a day! Now the dearest washing machine being 600 euro the cheapest being 300 euro the adverage being 400 euro. Granted I dont wash cloths every day so we will say 4 days a week. This equates to

1.60 per x 4 days = 1 week cost x 52 = 1 year cost = feck off calgon!

1.60 x 4 = 6.40 x 52 = 332.80 per year.

I figure if we half this for the cheaper brand tablet which of course is being extreamly generous. that equals 165 per year in calgon

With the adverage life of a washing machine in hard water areas being 2-4 years

@ 2 years being extreamly generous we get 330 in competors calgon!

@ 3 years dbeing extreamly generous we get 490 in competitors calgon

So at 2 year in calgon you will pay at least 600 euro or 300 in competitors

Its just not worth it. another thing. Calagon is salt yes! Is all this salt added to the washing machine water which of course is already heavly contaminated not contributing to poisioning of the water!

"Washing machines live longer with calgon!" but my bank balence does not!

McSandwich

I know someone who installed a magnetic water softener on the main water supply into their house. No more calgon for washing and works for the heating system and drinking water too.

Odysseus

Box of calgon is about 5-6 e forabout 10, Tesco do their own brand for about 3e containing 30. They seem the same to me, and I live in a very hard water area so I do need something, but calgon were a rip.

franglan

Also half protection is not almost like having no protection, thats just daft

Super-Rush

mental07 wrote: »

Yeah, but washing machines live longer with Calgon.

Damn you

mental07

Yeah, but washing machines live longer with Calgon.