Beyond the impact on clothes, using too much laundry detergent in your wash may also irritate skin. Detergent build-up can cause some people to develop contact dermatitis, which can lead to itching, rashes and other uncomfortable symptoms.
Signs you're using too much laundry detergent
If you think you may be getting a little detergent-happy with your laundry, take a look at a just-washed load. If your wet clothes feel a little slimy, sticky, or soapy, you're probably sensing detergent residue. It's a telltale sign you're using too much product.
Laundry detergent obviously gets dirt and stains out of your clothes, but if you use too much, you wind up creating a new mess. This is a result of detergent residue that hasn't been fully rinsed out, and it can turn your previously soft wardrobe into a crunchy, scratchy, uncomfortable-to-wear load of clothes.
In addition to trapping dirt and building up over time, using too much laundry detergent can cause numerous problems for your clothes. As detergent builds up, it can leave behind an invisible layer of film that can trap dirt and hard water minerals, giving clothes a dingy or faded appearance.
Too much detergent is actually harmful to your garments, but we'll get to that in a second. Per the usual 8 pound load of laundry, the amount of detergent needed to clean clothes is only one tablespoon. Double that for loads weighing in at 12 pounds or more. Reduce it for the days when you're hand washing.
Liquid detergent requires the highest amount – usually two tablespoons, give or take, per load, or two teaspoons if you have a high-efficiency washing machine. With many powder formulas, the recommended amount is about a quarter of a cup.
In the GHI's detergent tests, powdered laundry detergent almost always out-performs liquids and gels when it comes to stain removal. But it also comes down to personal preference and your budget.
Even though Tide Laundry Pods recommend to use between 1 to up to 3 depending on your load size, most loads of laundry actually get a decent clean with just 1 pod. Using more than that is just overkill.
Too much detergent
It makes sense that not using enough detergent won't sufficiently rid your clothes of odor-causing bacteria, but going overboard could have an equally pungent result. More soap means more bubbles, and that buildup of suds can actually trap the bacteria in the fabric.
Two tablespoons of detergent is more than enough for an effective clean on bigger loads that weigh 12 pounds or more. For average loads around eight pounds, you need even less.
“Softeners run the risk of making clothes less breathable by removing the ability for a garment to pull moisture from the skin,” notes laundry expert Rechelle Balanzat of Juliette Cleaners. For a safer alternative, you can use distilled vinegar to soften these fabrics instead.
Give laundry a sniff.
If you notice a mildew scent or oily residue on your laundry post-wash, it was not effectively cleaned. "Musty smells indicate that mold is growing, and therefore, laundry was not properly washed," explains Lauren Simonelli, a cleaning expert and the co-founder of ThreeMain.
5 ounces of laundry detergent for high-efficiency machines and 1 ounce for traditional machines. If you're using a pre-measured detergent pod or pack, these are already optimized to standard laundry loads, so just use one per load and follow the instructions on the product label.
An allergic reaction to laundry detergent can cause an itchy, red rash to appear after wearing newly cleaned clothes. An allergic reaction to ingredients in your laundry detergent may develop suddenly, even if it's a brand you've used for years.
The Pros of Laundry Pods
When the pod hits the water, the film dissolves, releasing the cleaning ingredients into the wild world of soiled garments. Aside from this obvious convenience factor, many people consider laundry pods superior to liquid detergents because they come premeasured.
Laundry pods are the best laundry detergent to use if you frequently wash smaller loads. They aren't the best laundry detergent to use when washing big loads and heavily soiled clothes.
For small to medium loads of laundry, Mottola recommends using just one pod. For large loads, even if your machine is high efficiency, he suggests trying two pods. Some companies recommend using three pods for extra-large loads, but this typically isn't necessary for getting your clothes clean.
Washing a load of laundry that's too large or small is never a good idea. Too large, and you can damage your washing machine's drum and decrease its efficiency (in addition to keeping clothes from getting as clean). Contrarily, running loads that are too small wastes water and mechanical energy.
It's formulated to deliver a deep clean for all of life's messy moments. Persil laundry detergent is great for everyday laundry, even activewear, as it not only helps brighten and whiten your clothes, but also helps fight tough stains.
1 pick—Tide laundry detergent. Tide is now the "Official Laundry Detergent of the NFL" and all 32 of its teams after the signing of a multi-year deal by the league and Procter & Gamble.
Overall, itchiness on skin from one's clothes can be caused by any of the following related laundry processes: Bad quality of water. Bad sorting done before the washing process. Chemicals on clothes were not removed properly during the washing process.
Common Symptoms of a Laundry Detergent Allergy
Irritated, red skin that may or may not be itchy. Bumps, or dry scaly skin. Swelling. Tender or “burning” skin that is sensitive to touch.
Nicole explains when there's too much detergent in the washing machine, the rinse cycle can't wash it out as efficiently, and you're left with a lot of residue on your clothes. “That's why your clothes are crunchy and hard,” she says.
Load size. Add detergent based on the size of the load, but don't use more than two tablespoons or the excess won't rinse out. If your load is small, ratchet back the detergent. A half-load gets one tablespoon instead of two.