Using less doesn't just save money; it's also gentler on the planet. It uses less natural resources to make the stuff, package it, and ship it to you; it exposes you to a smaller dose of the chemicals involved, and dumps less of them into the environment.
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.
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.
If I put too much laundry detergent in my washing machine, will it damage the washer? The same film that can coat your clothes if you use too much laundry soap in the washer can affect your appliance as well. Detergent build-up can clog hoses, valves and other components, preventing water from draining properly.
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.
As a general rule of thumb, you should only use about a tablespoon of laundry detergent per regular load size. (The measuring cup that comes with your liquid laundry detergent is about 10 times larger than the actual amount of laundry soap needed.)
For example, if your clothes were not too dirty, and you washed them at higher temperatures, there is a good chance they will be spotless as you may not need surfactants to clean them. However, if they are oil-stained, sweaty, or otherwise dirty, you can't expect them to get totally clean without using a surfactant.
Because soapless detergents contain a high pH balance, they can react poorly with skin, causing irritations or allergies. When biodegradeable soapless detergents degrade, they consume much of the oxygen in the water, which can be harmful to the surrounding life supported by the water.
Detergent that doesn't get washed away dries up as residue inside your machine. Repeated overuse of detergent causes residue to build up, which eventually leads to blockages. In turn, these blockages force water to back up into places where it shouldn't be, like the control panel or your floor.
'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.
It is perfectly fine to wash clothes with just water, but the results won't be as quick or as effective as washing with laundry detergents. Laundry detergents have been developed to be very good at working with the water to lift away stains and leave your clothes spotless.
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.
Use Less Detergent – Using too much laundry detergent can cause your towels to get stiff. It is a good idea to use about half of the suggested amount of laundry detergent you would typically use for best results. Most detergents are fine for washing towels, so your favorite should work just fine.
liquid detergent depends on what you're looking for. For instance, powder is cheap, lasts a long time, produces less waste, and is great for heavily soiled clothes. Liquid detergents, on the other hand, work better in cold water, are easier to measure, and can be used as spot treatments or when hand-washing clothes.
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.
Soaps are manufactured from natural fats and oils. Hence, they are . They do not cause water pollution, whereas most of the detergents are non-biodegradable and thereby pollute rivers, lakes, etc.
Detergents are more soluble in water than soap and are unaffected by the hardness of water as their calcium salts are soluble in water.
Advantages of Detergents over soaps :
(i) Detergents work well even with hard water but soaps do not. (iii) Detergents are more easily soluble in water than soaps. (iv) Detergents can be used for washing woolen garments whereas soaps cannot be used. (v) Detergents having linear hydrocarbon chain are biodegradable.
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.
Though dish soap is great as a stain pretreatment option, it's not meant for direct use in a laundry washing machine. That's because dish soaps are uniquely formulated to break up grease and stuck-on food particles with foamy suds—something you don't want to happen in your washing machine.
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.
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.