How Much Laundry Detergent Should I Use?
Jul 26, 2022 06:04PM ● By Tim White, Chillicothe Appliance
Last month we talked about liquid fabric softener and what it can do to your clothes, dryer, and washing machine. This month we are going to touch on laundry detergent dos and don’ts.
I know whenever anyone purchases a new car, appliance, or any other high dollar product the first thing we do is read the operating and owner’s manuals, right? In another life, I worked with diesel engines, and we would refer customers to the manuals, and they would have no clue. Completely understandable—we are all very busy and what could possibly be of use in these manuals. We know how to drive a vehicle. We know how to do laundry. We most certainly know how to use that $1500 treadmill covered in clothes we’ve been meaning to put away for a month, right?
First off, regarding liquid detergent, that cool lid on top of the jug has three to four bold lines on it like a graph. One usually close to the top. We all use those lines to determine how much liquid to put in a load of laundry. The dirtier the clothes the more we need. These caps can get you using up to ten times the recommended amount of detergent. Wrong…Well, here it is short and sweet. Each load of laundry only needs one tablespoon of detergent. (Two tablespoons maximum!) Yes, that information is in that pesky manual that is in the filing cabinet we never go to or it’s in that all famous junk drawer. (Find your manual and see what the recommended amount of detergent is.)
What can a little extra detergent harm. As in fabric softener, detergent can build up in the nooks and crannies of your washer and cause harm as well as interfere with good operation of the machine. The buildup can assist in mold growth and give your machine a nasty smell. The washer must work harder to rinse your clothes. Your clothes will start to become stiff, starchy, and can feel itchy to your skin. Some machines will even throw a code for too many suds and stop working.
Why do the detergent manufacturers put those crazy amounts on the lid? Well, another short and sweet answer is…to get you to use more, so you buy more detergent. They are in the business to sell, and we buy into it and use it up and keep buying more.
Most newer model machines recommend HE (High Efficiency) detergents. Some of you may have seen signage all over your machine. It is important to use the HE types of detergent in the same low volume amounts for all the reasons stated above.
There are a lot of types of detergents out there concentrated, HE, environmentally safe etc. The key—like anything in life—is to use all of it in moderation.
Front load washing machines recommend only liquid detergent. Top load machines either dry or liquid but the same applies—one tablespoon per load. MODERATION!
Enjoy Life, Hug your Family, And God Bless Chillicothe.
I know whenever anyone purchases a new car, appliance, or any other high dollar product the first thing we do is read the operating and owner’s manuals, right? In another life, I worked with diesel engines, and we would refer customers to the manuals, and they would have no clue. Completely understandable—we are all very busy and what could possibly be of use in these manuals. We know how to drive a vehicle. We know how to do laundry. We most certainly know how to use that $1500 treadmill covered in clothes we’ve been meaning to put away for a month, right?
First off, regarding liquid detergent, that cool lid on top of the jug has three to four bold lines on it like a graph. One usually close to the top. We all use those lines to determine how much liquid to put in a load of laundry. The dirtier the clothes the more we need. These caps can get you using up to ten times the recommended amount of detergent. Wrong…Well, here it is short and sweet. Each load of laundry only needs one tablespoon of detergent. (Two tablespoons maximum!) Yes, that information is in that pesky manual that is in the filing cabinet we never go to or it’s in that all famous junk drawer. (Find your manual and see what the recommended amount of detergent is.)
What can a little extra detergent harm. As in fabric softener, detergent can build up in the nooks and crannies of your washer and cause harm as well as interfere with good operation of the machine. The buildup can assist in mold growth and give your machine a nasty smell. The washer must work harder to rinse your clothes. Your clothes will start to become stiff, starchy, and can feel itchy to your skin. Some machines will even throw a code for too many suds and stop working.
Why do the detergent manufacturers put those crazy amounts on the lid? Well, another short and sweet answer is…to get you to use more, so you buy more detergent. They are in the business to sell, and we buy into it and use it up and keep buying more.
Most newer model machines recommend HE (High Efficiency) detergents. Some of you may have seen signage all over your machine. It is important to use the HE types of detergent in the same low volume amounts for all the reasons stated above.
There are a lot of types of detergents out there concentrated, HE, environmentally safe etc. The key—like anything in life—is to use all of it in moderation.
Front load washing machines recommend only liquid detergent. Top load machines either dry or liquid but the same applies—one tablespoon per load. MODERATION!
Enjoy Life, Hug your Family, And God Bless Chillicothe.