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.
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.
When it comes to laundry detergent, using the correct amount is essential for achieving clean, fresh-smelling clothes. Too little detergent can leave your clothes feeling unclean and dingy, while too much can cause residue buildup on your clothing and in the washing machine.
But when it comes to laundry detergent, you may be surprised to learn that more isn't always better. In fact, using too much laundry detergent may cause problems for your clothes and your washing machine over time.
The more heavily soiled your clothes are, the more detergent you will need to use in a load. This helps to remove dirt and prevent it from going back onto your clothes.
How much detergent should I use? As a general rule of thumb, you should only use about a tablespoon of laundry detergent per regular load size.
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.
Too much detergent also creates a surplus of suds that can prevent your garments from rubbing against one another (which helps release trapped dirt from your clothes), according to Tide's website. Though it seems counterintuitive, the more detergent you use past a certain point, the dirtier your clothes become.
Washing machine smells bad: too many suds can leave a residue in the washer that breeds smelly bacteria and mold. Clothing is dull and spotted: excess detergent won't properly rinse out of clothing, leaving behind spots and making clothes appear dull. Clothes may also feel itchy when you wear them.
Furthermore, using excess amounts of detergent leaves a residue inside the washing machine that traps odors throughout the day while also keeping water trapped so washers don't drain properly causing more damage to both pumps/motors as well as requiring additional energy for every wash because there are always extra ...
Signs You're Using Too Much or Not Enough Detergent
If your clothes aren't coming out of the laundry clean, they'll still have signs of feeling dirty, greasy, or stinky. These are telltales signs to increase the detergent in your next similarly sized load.
'Washing your clothes with only water may help you get rid of some surface dirt, but it will likely not be enough to wash out bacteria, odors, and stains, so it is not a cleaning tip I would recommend,' says Frej Lewenhaupt, textile expert, co-founder and CEO of Steamery.
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.
Liquid detergents tend to be more effective on greasy or oily stains. However, it's easy to use too much per load in your washing machine. Powdered detergents are typically the least expensive and very effective on mud stains or ground-in dirt. If you use cold water to wash clothes, powder may not dissolve completely.
Yes. Using regular detergent in an HE washer can cause problems, namely, by oversudsing. These suds will not be fully removed by the rinse and can confuse your HE washer, potentially leading to sudsy clothes and overflowing washing machines.
On the flip side, if you have a small load of delicates, you're limited to the amount of detergent already in the pod, which is likely too much. That can sometimes lead to buildup of chemicals on your clothes. You also can't pretreat stains with pods like you can with liquid detergents.
Most appliance experts say that liquid detergents are generally better for washing machines vs. powder detergent. If powder detergent doesn't dissolve completely with each load, it can clump up and cause blocks in hoses and drains that can affect your appliance's performance.
“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.
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.
So, how much detergent are you actually supposed to be using? This may come as a shock, but just 1 to 2 tablespoons is more than enough for your entire load.
What's important to know about HE laundry detergent? Like cars that run best on their recommended fuel grade, if you want optimal performance from your washer, then you need to use HE detergent. To ensure that the detergent you're using is made for your washer look for the HE symbol.
A pre-wash is normally a cycle that is selected in addition to the main wash cycle. Think of it as its own separate starter wash. The washing machine will fill with cold water, add the detergent present in the I - 'Pre wash' compartment, tumble and then drain, ready for the main wash.
Every washer comes with a laundry load size chart for recommendations. As a rule of thumb, 12 pounds of laundry is appropriate for a standard top-load machine. A front-load washer can accommodate as much as 15 to 18 pounds of clothing. An extra-large front load machine can wash 20 to 22 pounds of laundry in one cycle.
Luckily there is one simple tip when it comes to knowing if you have too many clothes in your washing machine: the 1-hand rule. By placing your hand into your machine's drum, you can see how much space is left. Perfect is if you can fit nothing else in the drum, just your hand and your wash.