Reviews of Calgon for washing machines

There are so many descaling products for washing machines on store shelves. But the most widely advertised of them all is Calgon. Few people have never tried it. Those who have tried it are divided into two camps: those who are for it and those who are against it. Let's look at real people's reviews on this topic.

Opinions "for"

konovalov.kardan, Novgorod

In the city where I live, the water quality leaves much to be desired. The impurity and lime levels exceed acceptable levels. This is because our region is home to underground salt and mineral springs. While this may seem like a good thing, if you look at the disease statistics, you'll find that the most common illness among our population is kidney stones.

For this reason, in our family, the water goes through several purification stages before drinking. First, we filter it, then let it settle for 24 hours, boil it, let it settle again briefly, and only then use it for cooking and drinking. Because of this water, household appliances like kettles, water heaters, and washing machines break down very quickly, which benefits retailers.

However, there are some ways to reduce the risk of your machine breaking down due to limescale. For us, this method is called CalgonIt was recommended by relatives whose washing machine has been running smoothly for eight years with consistent use. Experience has shown that it not only protects the machine, but also the laundry from limescale. Please note that all major equipment manufacturers recommend Calgon.

Although this product is expensive, it is worth it.

I have to use the maximum amount of detergent in this water, but as stated on the packaging, I can use a little less detergent. This doesn't save money, of course, but the machine is definitely protected.

Alla2, Samara

I don't skimp on washing machine detergents. I always buy Calgon water softener; a 550g package costs about $2. This product improves the machine's performance. It keeps the machine running smoothly and prevents limescale buildup. I've noticed that Calgon improves the washing quality: the laundry is softer, the colors don't fade, and whites don't turn gray.

This product is available not only in powder form but also in tablet form, which are very convenient to use. You can even add it to the Delicates cycle. I recommend Calgon 2-in-1 powder to everyone; it lasts a long time even if you have medium-hard water.

EvgeniyaGG, Almetyevsk

Since we recently bought a washing machine, we immediately started thinking about how to protect it. Advertising paints a bright picture of the effectiveness of descaling products, but is this really true? I'll share my impressions and five years of experience using Calgon (using an old machine as an example).

I added it to every wash at the dosage indicated on the packaging for medium-hard water. My washing machine was top-loading, so the drum was perfectly visible. One day, I saw a video about how we were being "scammed" and forced to pay a lot of money for a useless product. After such negative publicity, I felt uneasy, upset about wasting five years' worth of money, and guess what? I didn't buy it anymore.

After six months of budget savings, a white coating appeared on the walls of the drum, and over time it increased.

Since the machine was being replaced due to its shortcomings, I continued washing without Calgon. As a result, after two years of use, the outside of the drum turned white. You can imagine what happened to the other parts of the machine.

The technician who installed the new machine also said that we didn't need to add Calgon to the wash cycle; a good quality detergent would be enough. But when we showed him our old machine with its limescale residue, he was surprised. After that, all doubts vanished; I know for sure that Calgon is necessary. Linen is always clean and soft without pre-washing or soaking.

khabibi1993, Arsenyev

All my friends told me to use Calgon when doing laundry because we have hard water in our city. I noticed the water quality myself, from the scale that builds up in my kettle, which I often boil with citric acid, as scale builds up quickly. So, I decided to save my new washing machine and bought Calgon. After a while, I found advice online: instead of constantly using Calgon, clean the washing machine with citric acid. But I thought this advice was silly, since my "household helper" wouldn't work without laundry.

I decided not to skimp and use this product. You won't notice the limescale buildup on the outside unless you use Calgon. The drum will always sparkle inside. We had a very old machine in our rented apartment, and its drum sparkled like new. But when it broke, my husband took it apart and was shocked to find the tank and heating element coated in limescale. So, draw your own conclusions.

vsepronet

The debate over Calgon detergent has been going on for a long time, as evidenced by the numerous forums with the topic "Calgon reviews." Many consumers avoid it because of the price, as it's quite expensive, and the market offers cheap alternatives. My experience has shown that saving money can result in a broken washing machine. This is exactly what happened; we now have a new washing machine. We don't even think about buying Calgon detergent; we just add it to every wash.

It contains tripolyphosphate, which fights corrosion and slows wear on internal parts. Having ruined one washing machine, you don't want to lose the other, so now we know all about Calgon.

Opinions against

JuliaLa, Kursk

Calgon is absolutely useless, and all the information on the packaging is nonsense. The appliance repairman who came to my mother-in-law's house assured us that Calgon was ineffective. Thanks to him, our budget was saved. But we really didn't notice any effect, naively thinking he was protecting the machine. The repairman recommended cleaning with regular citric acid, which is cheap and effective. Just add 200 grams of citric acid to the machine when starting it at 90 degrees Celsius. And it won't be affected by limescale.

belka634, Ozersk

I believe Calgon is just an expensive, overhyped substitute for regular baking soda. For example, if you take Antikipin, its ingredients are no different from Calgon's, but it's much cheaper. The technician who repaired my mother's washing machine told me straight out that this product was a waste of money. Only proper operation can protect your appliance.Do not wash too often at high temperatures of around 90 degrees. And the most important thing is to install it correctly so that vibration is reduced to a minimum.

kitten2102, Orsk

There's not a word of truth in the advertisement for Calgon. It doesn't do a damn thing against limescale in either the washing machine or the dishwasher. I used it for a long time, adding it to every wash, but eventually, limescale still appeared. During repairs, the technician removed the heating element, which was completely covered in limescale. So much for Calgon, "like milk from a goat!"

It is better to use citric acid, it not only prevents the formation of limescale deposits, but also washes away old ones well.

Lisa Marusya, Altai

Recently, my washing machine developed an unpleasant odor. I decided to clean it and bought a 550g pack of Calgon. I read that this product:

• keeps the machine clean;
• eliminates unpleasant odor;
• protects against scale;
• softens water.

Believing the promises, I added the product to my laundry detergent. After the first wash, I found a lump of powder in the detergent drawer. After the second wash, the lump was even larger. I concluded that this product is terrible and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

barsavin

I never thought I'd fall for a marketing ploy. The insistence of the technician in the ad won out, so I bought a pack of Calgon. Before pouring it into the machine, I decided to disassemble it and inspect the heating element; the warranty had expired anyway. The heating elements were indeed scaled, but not heavily. I reassembled the machine and started using the product. After a year of use, I decided to inspect the heating element again. I was amazed to see that the scale had increased.

The question is, why did I buy it? Out of curiosity, I read a chemistry textbook and learned that citric acid is an excellent limescale remover, which I later tested in practice. I came to the conclusion: I should have studied well!

Pink Ice Floe

After 5 years and 1 month of using Calgon, my washing machine broke down and the heater burned out. The repairman told me it was useless and not worth the extra money. Regular cleaning is essential, for example, citric acid at maximum heating temperature.

EndleSS_HappineS

My opinion on Calgon descaler is that it's complete crap. Read the ingredients of modern detergents carefully; they already contain everything you need to soften water and protect your washing machine. I don't recommend overpaying for this product.

To summarize, users' opinions on this product are indeed divided. Some are convinced of its effectiveness, while others see no benefit. We've only noted that out of ten reviews, only three are positive, while the remaining seven are negative. Decide for yourself whether to use this product or not.

   

1 reader comment

1. July 26, 2023 at 1:41 PM

   Svetlana:

   I've read the reviews and I'm at a crossroads whether to buy a Calgon or not. We can't see what's going on inside the washing machine. And the machine is new, it has a three-year warranty, so you can't take it apart and inspect it until it breaks.

   Answer