I have not been too well of late, and this has led to a few 'essentials' in our kitchen larder and stock of cleaning supplies running a bit low, mainly due to the fact that I have been unable to go shopping and get stocked up!

Because of this, I ran out of washing powder or detergent at the end of last week, something which rarely happens in our house, because I generally do at least one load of washing each day and like to make sure I have enough detergent or powder in stock to meet my demands!

I am not particularly loyal to any one brand in particular, and usually peruse the relevant aisle at whatever supermarket I happen to be in at the time, taking plenty of time to absorb any relevant information in terms of offers or BOGOF buys which offer the best value for money.

That said, I find that there are some products that work better than others, but given that some of them cost me a very minimal amount, I think that this is to be expected.

Anyway, back to the weekend, and my lack of detergent...

My other half was popping to our local grocery store for a few bits and pieces (the Sunday papers, milk and sugar spring to mind as being on our list) when I suddenly remembered that the washing basket was close to over-flowing and there was a distinct lack of detergent in the house.

I asked my partner to pick up a small box of washing powder or tablets to tackle the problem, and asked him to buy whatever one seemed to be the best value. - The need to catch up on the washing was greater than obtaining the best value for money on this occasion!

The product that he brought back home with him was the 'Bold 2 in 1' washing powder. Having used this before, but not for some years, I was happy enough with the purchase, as I remembered that the results I had obtained when I last used it were reasonable enough.

When I asked him what the price was, he replied that it had been on special offer, and this was his reason for buying THIS particular product, over any other. The price is printed on the corner of the box and is £2.69.

The box of Bold 2 in 1 is the smallest size available - 950g in weight - and this variety happens to be scented with "Refreshing Water and Spa Minerals". The box is an attractive bright blue colour and informs me that the powder comes 'with soft touch fabric softener', which presumably accounts for the "2 in 1" element in the name of the product.

Having tried it over the weekend, I felt I had to write a review for it on dooyoo because I am truly delighted with the results I have obtained from using this powder! Not only that, but the scent is one that I find to be very refreshing and pleasant, which is not normal practice for me at all when it comes to detergents - I usually find them to be over-powering and off putting for my own personal tastes.

Anyway, the results on my clothes have been the first beneficial point to using this product. My other half is rather clumsy to say the least, and managed to spill most of his cup of coffee down his pristine white shirt the other day.

With other products I have used recently, the only option would have probably been to soak the shirt in some sort of pre-wash liquid before popping it in the machine. As I didn't have any such product to hand, I had no choice but to whap it into the machine and give it a wash, assuming that I would need to buy some sort of stain removing product and re-wash it in the near future.

My partner has actually ruined several tops and shirts due to spilling all manner of foodstuffs and coffee in particular usually proves to be a bit of a hazard, so I didn't hold out much hope for the rescue of this most recent garment's misfortune.

Imagine my surprise then when I removed the white shirt from the washing machine and found no trace whatsoever from the earlier spillage to be evident. Not only that, but the shirt looked lovely and 'crisp' as if the detergent had somehow brightened the fabric of the shirt.

The smell too is something that I need to comment on. I make no secret of the fact that over-powering smells are a negative point for me. I have no inclination whatsoever to be walking around giving off whiffs of 'Jasmine and Plant extracts' or whatever scent my chosen detergent happens to contain. Furthermore, the scents themselves tend to be very whiffy and things that I normally wouldn't touch with a bargepole!

It is both surprising and positive then, that the Bold 2 in 1 with "Refreshing Waters and Spa Minerals" is not only pleasant and 'fresh', but I find that the scent doesn't remain on my clothes when I am wearing them. The smell is very apparent when I am removing the load of washing from the machine, and again as I am hanging it up. I would even go so far as to say that I am aware of it whilst I am ironing it. After that time though, and in particular when I am wearing the clothes, I find that it is all but gone.

The design of this little box of powder is another plus point. The spout is built into the side of the box, and is metal, so that it stays in the correct shape. You simply pull the spout down when it comes to pouring out your powder, and then it can easily be pushed back into place when you are finished.

I find that the metal spout design makes it easy to judge how much powder to pour in the machine. This particular design also cuts down on spillages, as there is less chance of powder being lost should the box be knocked over. The manufacturers (Procter and Gamble) have clearly cottoned on to the fact that this design is a positive point for consumers, as the top of the box of powder proudly boasts "Easy pour" across the top.

The smell is hard to describe, but I cannot detect any whiff whatsoever of anything floral, or for that matter anything that is overly feminine! I would actually say that this is most definitely a 'Unisex' smell, and it puts me in mind of my partner's shower gel! It is a fresh and 'clean' smell and one that is altogether quite pleasant.

All in all, I would highly recommend this washing powder. I am delighted with the results, and would go so far as to say that I might even be converted to this brand! I would most definitely buy it again and am awarding it top marks! Five stars from me!