I can't seem to find any laundry detergent at the big box stores I go to. But I do see display stands in high-traffic areas with "fabric conditioner" on them. Is that what they call laundry detergent in Thailand?

Fabric conditioner is fabric softener, not detergent.

I don't read Thai, and the wife buys that sort of stuff, so when I need to do a load of washing, I select the appropriate bottle by weighing up the name in English with the pictures. For example, right now beside the washing machine are several bottles, one has "Attack" with a sunburst background, another has "Comfort" and a background of flowers. My reasoning is the former is the detergent and the latter is the softener/conditioner.

This is the one the Thai Family uses.

The word in common usage is "fab." I realize it's a brand but has crossed into common usage like Kleenex.

This is the one the Thai Family uses.

I'm with David on this one!

We use Essence liquid (white bottle).

"Is laundry detergent called something else here?"

Yes. "Aunly eeuryan'"

This is the one the Thai Family uses.

Dam_n! Been using that as coffee creamer since I first came here.

This is the one the Thai Family uses.

Dam_n! Been using that as coffee creamer since I first came here.

Ah ... that would explain this ...

Credit

.

Pong sak paa.

The brand pictured above with the writing that looks like 'USA' actually says 'Breeze' and is the most popular brand I think.

But if the OP hasn't heard of fabric conditioner before, I suggest he use the local laundrette.

If you want to ask for detergent in Thai, it is pong sak pa (powder to wash clothes, the last 2 words have a high tone).

Be careful what you buy, because there is detergent for hand washing, detergent for machine washing, and detergent that is ok for both. There is a small picture on the packet showing a washing machine or 2 hands washing clothes (or both pictures).

I have absolutely no idea what happens if you use hand-washing detergent in a washing machine (or vice-versa), because I never wash......

Edited June 17, 201412 yr by simon43

The powder detergents don't always dissolve. Liquid is easier. Machine detergents have less foam. Hand detergents are milder.

IMHO. Thais call all of them fab.

Pong sak paa.

The brand pictured above with the writing that looks like 'USA' actually says 'Breeze' and is the most popular brand I think.

But if the OP hasn't heard of fabric conditioner before, I suggest he use the local laundrette.

I recall when I first came to LOS asking if that USA brand was any good. Received a " Watchoo talking about Willis?" look in return from my Thai colleague.

David48, on 16 Jun 2014 - 07:01, said:

This is the one the Thai Family uses.

That's it

If I wasn't sure what it was I'd test it for foaming. Dishwashing soap has a foaming agent added for effect. But if it were used in a clothes or dishwasher, you'd be clearing foam off the floor for a week.

is laundry detergent called something else here?

Yes.

ผงซักฟอก (phong sak fok) laundry detergent

ผงซักฟอก สำหรับ เครื่องซักผ้า (phong sak fok samrap khrueang sak pha) laundry detergent suitable for washing machines

195 products at Tesco Lotus in descending price order (countless variants and package sizes):

http://shoponline.tescolotus.com/en-GB/Product/BrowseProducts?taxonomyId=Cat00002369&SortBy=PriceDescending

Click on the products and you see some English description)

Popular brands:

Omo:

Attack (brand that my wife uses):

(short desciption inj English on the package: "Attack Soft Plus Concentrated Powder Detergent", "Soft Plus" seems to be a variant):

Breeze:

Edited June 17, 201412 yr by KhunBENQ

If I wasn't sure what it was I'd test it for foaming. Dishwashing soap has a foaming agent added for effect. But if it were used in a clothes or dishwasher, you'd be clearing foam off the floor for a week.

Also the laundry detergents tend to foam heavily in a washing machine with warm/hot water.

Most of the Thais use cold water machines and so the popular detergents are optimized for that.

At the Tesco site, you find descriptions like:

"For Front Loading Washing Machine" (Breeze)

"For Hand Wash And Top Loading Washing Machine" (Omo)

If you want to ask for detergent in Thai, it is pong sak pa (powder to wash clothes, the last 2 words have a high tone).

I don't want to be the wise-ass, but the tone of the last syllable is falling, not high And while you're already telling the tones, don't forget the first one either,

If I wasn't sure what it was I'd test it for foaming. Dishwashing soap has a foaming agent added for effect. But if it were used in a clothes or dishwasher, you'd be clearing foam off the floor for a week.

Also the laundry detergents tend to foam heavily in a washing machine with warm/hot water.

Most of the Thais use cold water machines and so the popular detergents are optimized for that.

At the Tesco site, you find descriptions like:

"For Front Loading Washing Machine" (Breeze)

"For Hand Wash And Top Loading Washing Machine" (Omo)

Depending, about 4 months a year the cold water is warm.

I don't want to be the wise-ass, but the tone of the last syllable is falling, not high And while you're already telling the tones, don't forget the first one either,

Yes, I screwed up.

The first tone is rising (the 'natural' tone for this letter class), second letter is mid (no natural tone for that letter class and no tone mark), third is falling.

Anyway, this is not a language class...

My wife just tells me to buy breeze and soft breeze.