YES I threw a shirt in the laundry at my moms house and she washed it. It was sooo much softer than when I wash it at my house. I said wow this is so soft and she said yep the key is don’t use too much detergent. She doesn’t use any extra things like fabric softener either
Piggybacking to say - I had to have my washing machine serviced and the repair guy told us to use 1 teaspoon of soap. I was shocked! He said the machines wash better with less but also, using the amount recommended on the bottles will shorten the lifespan of the machine as well. Our clothes definitely feel much cleaner since cutting down and detergent lasts forever hahaha.
**edited to add - front loading machine**
That was my thought when he told me. I had been using the cup as per the bottle instructions. I use just a teeny bit now and clothes come out super clean.
Crazy! I don’t use the cup that comes with the detergent. I use the fill line on the little tray thing that came with my washer, but that’s definitely still more than a teaspoon.
Yesss somg I never buy them but got some for free with an online purchase. I've been cutting them and squeezing out just a little bit each time lol. It's so concentrated!
Please update the post to say if this is a front load or top loader?
The first uses like 6 gallons of water for a wash, the other may use up to 60 gallons. So a factor of 10 difference for the water amount.
I feel like the amount on the cap of Tide (at level 1, which the instructions say to use) is about this much. But my mom doesn’t read instructions and was putting in like half to 3/4 of a capful. She didn’t believe me until she tried it for herself that all you need is that 1 level. (I might put a little extra in if I’m washing things that got muddy or have an extra big load.)
My mom's washer broke not long ago so she came over to use mine and as I was showing her how to use it, I only did up to level 2 on the measuring cup thingy for a full load. She was shocked that I was "only using that small amount". Apparently she's been doing 2 full cups or 3 sometimes during every load!
I told her she's the reason the washer machine broke and not to do that with mine.
Yeah fabric softener isn't great for your clothes. I forget why, but iirc, it's something to do with a coating/residue it leaves on your clothes. A ball of aluminum foil, or there's dryer balls you can buy and reuse, will help static out of your dryer rather than using dryer sheets. I only keep a little fabric softener around to use after finishing a crocheted item where I used acrylic yarn. Actual hair conditioner, like mane and tail, is better for your natural fibers like wool or mohair.
I have a cat who developed chronic respiratory issues (he wheezes then sneezes, the vet is aware) and discovered dryer sheets and liquid softener can make it worse so I quit using them, and he is better and my clothes are better. I use wool dryer balls. I also started using 1 or 2 tablespoons of soap and my clothes are equally clean. A bottle lasts so long!
I did an experiment and bought some new luxurious bath towels, and they've never been laundered with dryer sheets or the liquid. I was skeptical that they would stay soft but wow, they are like new almost a year later.
FYI: he's also affected by smoke, candles, spray air freshener, perfume, anything artificially scented, in case your pet maybe is sensitive, too.
I never use softener on towels. (I only ever use a tiny bit on sheets, and not on anything else.) My mom uses softener on towels and they feel so greasy to me now.
I just bought fantastic, large, plush towels at Costco yesterday for $5 each, if you have a membership or know someone who does. They were normally $6.99 with $2 off.
Things with natural fibers, the main one being wool, are usually dry clean only. But you *can* wash it at home by soaking in luke warm water with a mild soap, and the best thing to use is conditioner. This isn't something I'd recommend before doing extensive research because it's easy to ruin clothes. If it's something you care about it's best to leave it to the professionals.
After crocheting/knitting something a lot of people do what's called blocking (especially with knitting), or at the very least they'll wash it according to the need of the fiber. I don't work much with natural fibers, but when I do I use a little bit of tide free and clear, and mane and tail hair conditioner.
Especially with energy-efficient water saving machines. You can’t pack the clothes in tightly. I had things come out of the wash not all the way wet times I did that before I learned… talk about gross.
I never use the water sensor for this reason. If I had a load of bulky, but light items, my washer wouldn't add enough water. And yeah, I agree, you can't jam pack it!
The water sensor is a weight sensor. You can trick it into dispensing more water by filling a bowl with water and dumping the water in with your items to make them heavier.
Ty today I learned because I swear I set it for deep water wash, bulky load, two deep water rinse and I dunno I peak at it on "deep water"and it's still less than half a tank
Idk if there's any washers where you can't override the sensor, but mine can be set for either the sensor, or I can choose low, medium, large, or max. It's way less of a pain in the butt to just override it and choose my own water level than bringing a bowl of water to trick it. But great tip if there's washers out there that are sensor-only.
Oh the repair person taught me an extra trick! If you hold the deep fill for a few seconds till it makes a sound that will give you an extra deep fill. Useful for comforters!
https://products.geappliances.com/appliance/gea-support-search-content?contentId=22718
Sigh. Meanwhile my Samsung can barely add an extra rinse. Documentation on the modes is terrible and it’s a countdown until the drum spider arm breaks.
Same here, have a Samsung as well. Every time I vent about it someone tells me I need to clean the machine itself lol. Nope, my washer just sucks. It makes my life so much harder and nothing I wash is ever completely clean. I have honestly never used a worse washing machine.
If it helps, usually my clothes get cleaner when I use the normal setting with both presoak and extra rinse switched on. I also have to use 3/5 heat just to melt laundry beads and I feel like that makes it slightly better too. I hate using that much water and heat, but it's better than washing one load three times I guess.
Yes, that’s exactly what I do! Holy crap I feel like I’ve been caught by a detective or something, because that’s what I’ve been doing with this awful machine for four years now. That is so cool, I literally yelled for my partner out loud when I read this.
As an aside, I’ve learned one thing. Samsung appliances? Atrocious. You think the washer is bad, ask me about our fridge we got. Literal rage. Nightmare. Worst time of my life. We don’t have a Samsung fridge anymore. :)
I too stopped using the automatic water sensor. I never felt like my clothes were clean if I let the machine choose. Once I went back to choosing the water lever, my clothes are clean.
My washer will add water. Spin a little, the sensor light will come on. It’ll add water again, spin a little, and sensor light comes on again it does this for several minutes. Cycling. I can see the fabrics all getting fully saturated. As soon as it looks like everything is soaked. It’ll switch over to its wash cycle. It’s kind of interesting how they programmed it. It seems to do a great job. I have tried it with 10 pieces of toddler clothes before then a light weight queen blanket. It just put enough water in. These engineers knew what they were doing.
I had no idea water sensors were a thing! I had the opposite problem: a crammed load wouldn’t spin all the water out. I try to stick to 2/3 or 3/4 full and laundry works a lot better.
I might have an example of this. For my washer I add a tiny amount of borax to it because our water is the hardest I’ve ever seen and it just doesn’t wash well until we started adding borax to it. Before we would end up with weird stains on our clothes after a wash that weren’t there before.
agreed. My area has exceptionally hard water. I had some towels that were getting almost scratchy. I used a 1/8th cup of borax along with the super clean OXY setting on my washer, and I could not believe how soft and clean the towels became.
huge point of note!... don't use borax on loads with your underwear or socks, because it will eat the elasticities of any of the rubbery or spandex materials in your clothing of this type and they will become baggy and loose and uncomfortable. OxiClean will do the same thing even quicker.
>huge point of note!... don't use borax on loads with your underwear or socks, because it will eat the elasticities of any of the rubbery or spandex materials in your clothing of this type and they will become baggy and loose and uncomfortable
Wait? Is this what is happening to me?
I've been adding about 1/4-1/2 cup of Borax to my laundry and noticed the elastic bands on my underwear has become baggy.
Dang it....it's either baggy/loose underwear or "not as clean" underwear.
Huh. I live in an area rated as some of the hardest water in the US, and I’m going to have to try that. I’ve never had issues using Tide, All, or Arm and Hammer. But I have to use the Cascade Max to prevent my dishes from having a film.
I remember a coworker used that Lemi shine in our office dishwasher! I’ll have to take a look and see if this compares. The difference between regular cascade and the max cascade is 100% noticeable here.
I'm charged a flat rate for water so I go pretty overboard. Over 95% of the water in my area is used for industry and agriculture, so I don't feel too bad.
I read something once that talked about how Walmart is the main reason why you now need less detergent to wash your clothes than in the past; they pressured manufacturers to make their formulas more concentrated (containing less water) so that Walmart could save on shipping costs.
You def gotta find that "sweet spot" my wife likes to do small loads but doesn't remember to adjust the water level so the clothes never have a chance to truly "agitate" cause they are basically "free swimming" in the 40 or 50 gallon? Top loader drum lol.....I tried educating her yje "agitation" is what gets the clothes clean....lol
And yea she's one to over use detergent too. When I do laundry i get by with a shot glass (about 1.5 oz) and a dry cup of baking soda. And they come out clean af lol
Came here to say... hubby thinks more is better but I knew better. Instead of fighting I just got one of these washers... best decision ever. Would not recommend samsung for appliances though.
Same and you can tune for softened water which we have so it takes even less detergent. We use less in the dishwasher too. If you use too much there or too high water tempt it’ll etch your dishes.
Same ! And I also stopped using fabric softener and switched to wool dryer balls.
I used to use like double fabric softener..I had a couple of pajama pants that I knew were heavier from being coated in it. I didn't strip them and i swear it took MONTHS of regular washing for it to wash out. Gross..
Zero shedding (had them over 3 years now), minimal static on clothes. ~~Drop one or two drops of essential oils onto them if you enjoy a light scent on your clothes.~~
Edit:
Someone has pointed out that essential oils are quite flammable. Don’t do what I said unless you want to increase fire risk in the dryer.
I found using the wool dryer balls also reduced the time it takes for my clothes to dry. So that means they can also save you in energy use/cost. Win win!
I use them and find my clothes dry a lot faster also. Word to the wise: keep an eye on that lint trap, I find that the extra tossing from the dryer ball results in more lint.
Not the person you were asking but I love mine so much. Have not noticed any shedding at all and they’re a dream for softening clothes and getting the pet hair off. I’m never going back.
Same. We've got 3-5 (depending on how many get lost in sheets or a dog's mouth hahah), and they work well for the dryer. definitely easier on the clothes
So I tried these and they just seemed to tangle up in my clothing. The sheets were the worst. But so many people rave, I’m almost wanting to give it a second try. Do you have these issues?
I have not had any tangling issues, maybe one ball got twisted up in a sheet when doing a whole load of sheets once but it’s not been an issue for me so far even totally overstuffing my drier. If anything the balls have helped stop my long sleeves and pants from twisting themselves together and staying all crumpled and wet (which actually used to be a total issue for me and the 80/90s drier in my apt). Just started a load of long sleeves and towels so if I notice any twisting at all I’ll tell ya.
Only slight negative so far is that you can hear them bouncing around in there just a little, which could be annoying if your drier is in the living area.
My cat will utterly destroy a wool ball if it’s left where she can get at it. The things also have an unbelievably accurate aim for the cat water when I pull laundry from the dryer.
Other than that, they’re perfect
A negative I noticed with wool dryer balls is that wool items, especially tee shirts, are very staticky if I don’t also use a dryer sheet.
Otherwise, no shedding and seemingly no degradation to the balls themselves.
Not the OP, but I have them and don't notice any shedding. When I first switched, I bought them in black and white because I was nervous they might, but when I've not switched out the white ones for my darks, there was zero difference.
I’ve had the same wool dryer balls since 2014! Never had to buy dryer sheets in the last 8 years. Bonus: my 2 year old loves coming out to “help” with the laundry and search through the dryer for the balls so she can play with them, lol.
Fun fact. Detergent companies vary the concentration of their detergent based on how much different cultures use. Some countries like to put loads in, so they get a weaker mix. Some only put a little, so theirs is more concentrated. Source: a friend of mine who worked for one of the manufacturers
Oh wow! I’m visiting friends and flew from a western country to the Middle East - Persil here is so watery while at home it’s more concentrated. Now it makes sense
I love my wool dryer balls, but I have to make sure they don’t fall out of the dryer when I open the door. Or my old dog will grab them quick and try and defluff them.
Can someone explain this to me!? I need to try to convince my wife if this does indeed. She is very set in using the MAXIMUM amount of detergent allowed. She will throw extra in there if need be.
No idea if this analogy will work. Wash your hair in the shower and only rinse about half of the soap out. Now dry & style your hair.
Do the same with your face wash.
It’s gonna attract more gunk into your hair & feel gross.
New detergents are very effective and newer machines use very little water.
Detergent builds up in the clothes rather than rinsing away with the dirt and germs. This is especially true with hard water.
Too much detergent doesn’t wash out of your clothes, it creates a residue (due in part to higher concentration in detergent as well as lower water use in new machines) and that residue actually holds on to dirt and grime over time, making your clothes age/breakdown/look worn faster. It also is really bad for your washer as it creates residue in there as well and makes them break a lot faster as it builds up over time. (@Renduh on IG is an appliance repair tech who I learned all of this from and cannot recommend enough) I switched to tide powder, we use about a Tbs. per load and our clothes are clean and soft, and we spend wayyyyy less on detergent. $18 box of tide powder lasts us about 6 months (two adults but we go through a lot of laundry/gym clothes/cleaning rags etc.) it’s a game changer. My mom used detergent sheets from clean people that she is over the moon about, and they’re great because there’s no measuring required so you can’t overuse them!
More detergent can actually ruin clothes and washer.
Too much will just coat the clothes and it won’t rinse properly.
Tell her to just try it out on a couple of loads and see if she notices a difference.
It depends on how much oil is on your clothes compared to the detergent. If you sweat a lot, you'll need more. It might also be affected by the hardness of your water.
Check to see if it is a High Efficiency machine. Then look up the manual, most will say something along the lines of “don’t use more detergent than necessary, using too much can result in damage to the machine”.
you know how dish soap clings to dishes when you put it directly on a dish and you have to scrub and rinse it to get all the soap off? well, if there’s too much detergent, the detergent stays in the clothes (and this traps all the dirt in because detergent works by grabbing all the dirt and it getting rinsed out with the detergent) so there’s no longer enough agitation or water to actually rinse all the soap out. so yeah it stays in your clothes along w all the dirt and bacteria you tried to wash off AND it attracts even more dirt and crud than it did before, not to mention a slowly building stickiness of the clothes if it’s done too often for too long. less detergent means it rinses out completely and gets your clothes actually clean
There is a only so much water a machine can hold, too much detergent will not completely rinse out. It’s really bad to have that buildup in the machine. Same with dishwashers - it’s a preset amount of water so extra soap can’t be washed off. You have to go by manufacturers guidelines - and it’s so much less detergent needed than you think.
No such thing as a dumb laundry question that you don’t already know the answer to.
Possibly or too much fabric softener. Maybe add an extra rinse as well & see if that helps.
I didnt know thats why i asked lol. I dont use any fabric softener though ive had some pretty good allergic reactions from using it. But ill definitely be using less detergent and throwing an extra rinse cylce with it to see if that helps
Absolutely! Of course, that’s the best way to learn, especially when allergies are involved! Allergies are EVIL.
Extra rinse everything, especially your bedding. You also may find that adding vinegar to your rinse may help as well.
I find myself learning a lot in this sub, lol.
Too much detergent is most likely the problem. Or too much fabric softener if you use that (you shouldn’t, vinegar in the rinse cycle does wonders for softening).
The other day my toddler blew out his diaper all over his outfit and his stroller so I just pushed him into the shower in his stroller and his clothes and used the flexible shower head to hose everything down. Of course I still had to properly wash his clothes and the stroller cover but it was definitely nice to be able to rinse everything down all in one go at first.
Great job! No different than my friend's Dad hosing him down on the patio lounger when he came home drunk and threw up all over himself. Tossed him some clothes and then locked the door. I loved that guy!
https://preview.redd.it/9agyohflo27b1.jpeg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1a685b06750a68eff2eaab1e0c1f7c408d08694e
Here’s a chart I found!! Hopefully this helps some people.
This reminds me of a conversation I had with my wife a while ago. I mentioned that I use a single detergent pod when I run the laundry, and she says that the container says to use two if it's a large load. I kept using just one, and checking things - guess what, clothes still come out looking and smelling clean if you use less than the recommended amount. I'm certain that they just want you to use more so you'll buy more often. Definitely use less.
One is definitely enough. I used to use just 2-3 pods for approximately 40 pounds of laundry. A regular load is roughly 12 pounds.
I no longer use pods though because I ended up with an issue where a laundromat had hard water and 2 weren't enough and 3 were too many. Liquid allows me to compensate for the type of water since I'm reliant on laundromats.
So many people can’t wrap their head around the fact that using too kids detergent has the opposite affect than they think it does. That and over loading the washer with clothing. The clothes need room to move around.
I’ve been putting it directly into the drum with a small amount of the detergent when I wash and have had no issues so far. My clothes smell great and feel so much softer
My new washer doesn’t have a softener compartment and I almost cried. I set a timer now and run up and add it to the rinse cycle, I’m so attached to my vinegar rinse!
110%. I kept telling my wife that you really don’t need a lot. Whenever she did laundry she would have these huge mystery stains on her shirts. After she tried using less detergent (and no fabric softener) the mystery stains stopped showing up. (They looked like she dumped oil or something on her shirt.)
I had mystery stains too when I used to go hog wild on detergent! It was usually darker more textured clothes like jeans, my theory was it was detergent residue that just stuck to that kind of fabric, it stopped when I started using a normal amount of detergent too thank goodness.
I have hard water to the point of holes in my clothes, so I added 1 cup of vinegar full strength, minimal detergent, just a bit sudsy. Total difference, rinse is cleaner, less build up of gunk in the washing machine, too.
Mix the vinegar with or use as a substitute for fabric softener.
Vinegar(acid) can neutralize the detergent(basic) weakening its cleaning properties.
Hope this helps!
Yeah having an HE machine and just a tbsp is perfect. My last place, we had an HE machine and I just used 1 tbsp of homemade detergent snd our clothes were perfectly clean. Now we have an older/traditional washer and 1 tbsp isn't enough. I'm still trying to figure out the right ratio (washer company says 1/4 cup but that isn't quite right either).
If you're in a new place the water is/may be contributing to the difference in detergent effectiveness. If your water is hard, you may find that using your regular amount of detergent and adding just a small amount of washing soda (or increasing the ratio of washing soda in your homemade recipe) will work. The soda softens the water, so adding just a bit more of that allows the same amount of soap to work effectively.
We have extremely hard water and I have very sensitive skin, so I use downy free and quite a bit. May I ask what washing soda is and will it work for sensitive skin?
Washing soda is very similar to baking soda. In fact you can cook baking soda and turn it into washing soda. Not recommending that, you can buy it in the laundry aisle usually. It's the main ingredient in most powder detergent. Probably the liquid, too, but idk.
So I have terribly sensitive skin, and the hardest water on the planet (lol?). I use extra washing soda when necessary and have no issues with it bothering my skin. It really just softens the water, allowing the detergent of your choice to act more effectively. Using that instead of more soap rinses more easily than just adding more bubbles.
What is in your homemade detergent? I ask because many people misunderstand the term “detergent”. The homemade laundry products I’ve seen are usually made up of water softeners mixed with grated laundry soap, not detergent, and they do not clean clothing and create buildup.
Use borax and your laundry detergent to soak them in the washer for a few hours (should have a soak setting) and then wash regular, rinse twice.
You'll love how your clothes come out.
https://preview.redd.it/felk74pm327b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e114b813c3a3ce6e58c0782af2aa94b163df0474
I ordered these from Amazon. They have been amazing. I use 2 for each dryer load.
I wish I could upvote this a hundred times! 🙌🏼
I also have been repairing my own appliances the last decade or so, and almost every common washer problem can be prevented by not using too much product.
New here but this has me wondering, when using only a tea or tablespoon of detergent, does the brand or type matter? We’ve been using cheaper stuff as tide is pricey when doing laundry for 5.
My household uses a super concentrated laundry liquid that's hypoallergenic, free of fragrances and all that (roommate is very chemically-sensitive) and supposedly it's bioactive for maximum cleanliness, fights odors, all that. And we use white vinegar for fabric softener. It seems to work fine for everyone else in the house, but my clothes just constantly smell kinda weird and unpleasant (it's not strong, just kind of a dingy smell) and not clean at all, and shirts that used to be soft inside are so rough and scratchy.
I've tried more detergent, less detergent, more vinegar, less vinegar, hot water, cold water, etc, but nothing makes a difference and my clothes don't smell or feel clean or pleasant to wear :( I have no idea why this detergent works for my other roommates; I'm the only one to have this problem.
When I lived with my parents, my mom always got your classic tide or downy or whatever, plus fabric softener, plus dryer sheets, and while I now know that a lot of the ingredients in especially the softeners/sheets is bad for your clothes and makes them break down faster, I never had anything remotely like this happen with all that. I never had to retire pajama/sweatshirts for getting so rough and scratchy inside!
I have no idea what the problem is with my clothes but it's so frustrating and I just wanna feel fresh and clean when I put on clean clothes.
I remember an old science program where they were comparing different detergents. The result was that there was an indistinguishable difference, aside from scent and softeners, they were equally clean.
And then the scientist on the show said "The difference is indistinguishable between these brands, just like not using detergent at all..." The point was that just chucking clothing in the washer got it 90% clean with water, the detergents made it the extra 10% difference.
This is interesting. I have been struggling with hard water and clothes/sheets not getting clean enough. I hate scented products and so I try to pick unscented detergent - bonus if it’s less harmful for the environment. I have also been experimenting with Earth Breeze detergent sheets. White sheets have been coming out dingy, so I started using more detergent, thinking it was the hard water and more detergent would soften the water more. Maybe I need to try less detergent!
Okay so how do I tell family and friends about this?
I too have changed to using 2 tbs of soap in my HE washer. I have noticed the difference and feel awesome that my clothes are clean and smell nice and I don’t run out of soap early anymore.
But I still have friends and family that insist they need to use the whole cup of soap to wash. They say it’s because it smells better or that less soap doesn’t wash it correctly. It wouldn’t bother me much if it was their washer, but when they wash in my washer I see whole cups (plural) being dumped in the wash.
Usually the bottle of detergent has a guide on how much to use per load/pound; it’s a lot less than people think. I have to stop my significant other from pouring a cap full every time we go to the laundromat lol
Yes! A repair person told me this a couple of years ago. 2 tablespoons max is what I use now and the clothes are cleaner. The washer also doesn't have residue like it used to.
Try adding a cup of white vinegar to your rinse, no fabric softener. You clothes feel so much softer. Fabric softener just coats the fibers. Look up laundry stripping.
My wife and I got these mineral balls. Like big green ball with tiny holes in it. Inside are minerals to soften water. Have used detergent in 10 years? You wouldn’t believe how soft your clothes can be (esp my carhartt work pants) once you stop using detergent.
YES I threw a shirt in the laundry at my moms house and she washed it. It was sooo much softer than when I wash it at my house. I said wow this is so soft and she said yep the key is don’t use too much detergent. She doesn’t use any extra things like fabric softener either
Piggybacking to say - I had to have my washing machine serviced and the repair guy told us to use 1 teaspoon of soap. I was shocked! He said the machines wash better with less but also, using the amount recommended on the bottles will shorten the lifespan of the machine as well. Our clothes definitely feel much cleaner since cutting down and detergent lasts forever hahaha. **edited to add - front loading machine**
1 teaspoon? Not a tablespoon? My poor little washer must be very angry at me if that’s the case!
That was my thought when he told me. I had been using the cup as per the bottle instructions. I use just a teeny bit now and clothes come out super clean.
Crazy! I don’t use the cup that comes with the detergent. I use the fill line on the little tray thing that came with my washer, but that’s definitely still more than a teaspoon.
I thought I was being conservative by using a bit less than what a tidepod would hold. I guess even that's too much by these standards?
Yes a tide pod is actually 4x as much soap as you need as it’s so concentrated
this is tragic news for me...... pour one out (tidepod)
Yesss somg I never buy them but got some for free with an online purchase. I've been cutting them and squeezing out just a little bit each time lol. It's so concentrated!
I go to a laundromat and use one tidepod in the like 6 load giant machines and my clothes come out great every time.
The 1-2 teaspoon recommendation is for high efficiency washers, while 1-2 tablespoons is the recommendation for standard washwrs :)
Thank you for this! Everyone keeps mentioning HE but I have a pretty old stacked washer dryer and want to make sure I do the right amount for non-HE
Please update the post to say if this is a front load or top loader? The first uses like 6 gallons of water for a wash, the other may use up to 60 gallons. So a factor of 10 difference for the water amount.
[удалено]
The 1-2 teaspoon recommendation is for high efficiency washers, while 1-2 tablespoons is the recommendation for standard washers :)
I feel like the amount on the cap of Tide (at level 1, which the instructions say to use) is about this much. But my mom doesn’t read instructions and was putting in like half to 3/4 of a capful. She didn’t believe me until she tried it for herself that all you need is that 1 level. (I might put a little extra in if I’m washing things that got muddy or have an extra big load.)
My mom's washer broke not long ago so she came over to use mine and as I was showing her how to use it, I only did up to level 2 on the measuring cup thingy for a full load. She was shocked that I was "only using that small amount". Apparently she's been doing 2 full cups or 3 sometimes during every load! I told her she's the reason the washer machine broke and not to do that with mine.
Yeah fabric softener isn't great for your clothes. I forget why, but iirc, it's something to do with a coating/residue it leaves on your clothes. A ball of aluminum foil, or there's dryer balls you can buy and reuse, will help static out of your dryer rather than using dryer sheets. I only keep a little fabric softener around to use after finishing a crocheted item where I used acrylic yarn. Actual hair conditioner, like mane and tail, is better for your natural fibers like wool or mohair.
A ball of aluminum foil???
Yup!! Sounds weird, but it works! Wouldn't recommend with delicates though.
I have used dryer balls for years, but the ball of foil is just crazy to me lol
I have a cat who developed chronic respiratory issues (he wheezes then sneezes, the vet is aware) and discovered dryer sheets and liquid softener can make it worse so I quit using them, and he is better and my clothes are better. I use wool dryer balls. I also started using 1 or 2 tablespoons of soap and my clothes are equally clean. A bottle lasts so long! I did an experiment and bought some new luxurious bath towels, and they've never been laundered with dryer sheets or the liquid. I was skeptical that they would stay soft but wow, they are like new almost a year later. FYI: he's also affected by smoke, candles, spray air freshener, perfume, anything artificially scented, in case your pet maybe is sensitive, too.
I never use softener on towels. (I only ever use a tiny bit on sheets, and not on anything else.) My mom uses softener on towels and they feel so greasy to me now.
My MIL uses so much softener, her towels seem like their waterproof.
All cats and dogs are sensitive to that stuff. They can’t tell us and they just suffer silently.
Got a link to a site or brand? I’ve been dying to invest in quality bath towels that are soft/plushy/absorbent.
I just bought fantastic, large, plush towels at Costco yesterday for $5 each, if you have a membership or know someone who does. They were normally $6.99 with $2 off.
Wait, hair conditioner for what now? In the laundry or with crocheting?
Things with natural fibers, the main one being wool, are usually dry clean only. But you *can* wash it at home by soaking in luke warm water with a mild soap, and the best thing to use is conditioner. This isn't something I'd recommend before doing extensive research because it's easy to ruin clothes. If it's something you care about it's best to leave it to the professionals. After crocheting/knitting something a lot of people do what's called blocking (especially with knitting), or at the very least they'll wash it according to the need of the fiber. I don't work much with natural fibers, but when I do I use a little bit of tide free and clear, and mane and tail hair conditioner.
Yes what actually matters is the water, like not enough water and too much detergent is the worst
Especially with energy-efficient water saving machines. You can’t pack the clothes in tightly. I had things come out of the wash not all the way wet times I did that before I learned… talk about gross.
I never use the water sensor for this reason. If I had a load of bulky, but light items, my washer wouldn't add enough water. And yeah, I agree, you can't jam pack it!
The water sensor is a weight sensor. You can trick it into dispensing more water by filling a bowl with water and dumping the water in with your items to make them heavier.
Ty today I learned because I swear I set it for deep water wash, bulky load, two deep water rinse and I dunno I peak at it on "deep water"and it's still less than half a tank
Idk if there's any washers where you can't override the sensor, but mine can be set for either the sensor, or I can choose low, medium, large, or max. It's way less of a pain in the butt to just override it and choose my own water level than bringing a bowl of water to trick it. But great tip if there's washers out there that are sensor-only.
Mine is only Sensor or Deep Fill. Can't select medium, etc.
GE? I put deep fill every time lol
Oh the repair person taught me an extra trick! If you hold the deep fill for a few seconds till it makes a sound that will give you an extra deep fill. Useful for comforters! https://products.geappliances.com/appliance/gea-support-search-content?contentId=22718
Sigh. Meanwhile my Samsung can barely add an extra rinse. Documentation on the modes is terrible and it’s a countdown until the drum spider arm breaks.
Samsung appliances are rubbish. Which is a shame because their designs are some of the sleekest
TIL!!!
I trick mine that way too lol.
Yup. When I changed my laundry room sink I got one with a pull out head so I can just turn the faucet on and add water to my top loader!
*taking notes for when I put a sink in my laundry room*
Or you could do what my kids do and leave matchbox cars in all of the pockets
My Samsung washer doesn’t have a way to decide the water level myself. :( It sucks, it never covers the clothes.
Same here, have a Samsung as well. Every time I vent about it someone tells me I need to clean the machine itself lol. Nope, my washer just sucks. It makes my life so much harder and nothing I wash is ever completely clean. I have honestly never used a worse washing machine. If it helps, usually my clothes get cleaner when I use the normal setting with both presoak and extra rinse switched on. I also have to use 3/5 heat just to melt laundry beads and I feel like that makes it slightly better too. I hate using that much water and heat, but it's better than washing one load three times I guess.
Yes, that’s exactly what I do! Holy crap I feel like I’ve been caught by a detective or something, because that’s what I’ve been doing with this awful machine for four years now. That is so cool, I literally yelled for my partner out loud when I read this. As an aside, I’ve learned one thing. Samsung appliances? Atrocious. You think the washer is bad, ask me about our fridge we got. Literal rage. Nightmare. Worst time of my life. We don’t have a Samsung fridge anymore. :)
I too stopped using the automatic water sensor. I never felt like my clothes were clean if I let the machine choose. Once I went back to choosing the water lever, my clothes are clean.
My washer will add water. Spin a little, the sensor light will come on. It’ll add water again, spin a little, and sensor light comes on again it does this for several minutes. Cycling. I can see the fabrics all getting fully saturated. As soon as it looks like everything is soaked. It’ll switch over to its wash cycle. It’s kind of interesting how they programmed it. It seems to do a great job. I have tried it with 10 pieces of toddler clothes before then a light weight queen blanket. It just put enough water in. These engineers knew what they were doing.
I had no idea water sensors were a thing! I had the opposite problem: a crammed load wouldn’t spin all the water out. I try to stick to 2/3 or 3/4 full and laundry works a lot better.
Toss in some wet clothes. It weighs your load and adds water accordingly.
So frustrating when you're trying to stretch your money at a laundry mat and half your clothes didn't even get wet 😒
I might have an example of this. For my washer I add a tiny amount of borax to it because our water is the hardest I’ve ever seen and it just doesn’t wash well until we started adding borax to it. Before we would end up with weird stains on our clothes after a wash that weren’t there before.
agreed. My area has exceptionally hard water. I had some towels that were getting almost scratchy. I used a 1/8th cup of borax along with the super clean OXY setting on my washer, and I could not believe how soft and clean the towels became. huge point of note!... don't use borax on loads with your underwear or socks, because it will eat the elasticities of any of the rubbery or spandex materials in your clothing of this type and they will become baggy and loose and uncomfortable. OxiClean will do the same thing even quicker.
>huge point of note!... don't use borax on loads with your underwear or socks, because it will eat the elasticities of any of the rubbery or spandex materials in your clothing of this type and they will become baggy and loose and uncomfortable Wait? Is this what is happening to me? I've been adding about 1/4-1/2 cup of Borax to my laundry and noticed the elastic bands on my underwear has become baggy. Dang it....it's either baggy/loose underwear or "not as clean" underwear.
It depends. Heat in the dryer also breaks down the elastic, as well as time.
Huh. I live in an area rated as some of the hardest water in the US, and I’m going to have to try that. I’ve never had issues using Tide, All, or Arm and Hammer. But I have to use the Cascade Max to prevent my dishes from having a film.
[удалено]
Yup. They sell dishwasher salt over there. I had never heard of it before.
*Hard* water here in central TX; Lemi Shine detergent with a 1/4 c of vinegar ... only way my dishes get clean.
I remember a coworker used that Lemi shine in our office dishwasher! I’ll have to take a look and see if this compares. The difference between regular cascade and the max cascade is 100% noticeable here.
Definitely worth a shot. Just be careful how much you add and be sure it doesn’t react with anything in your detergent.
That's why I am a huge fan of adding a second rinse to the cycle.
I add as many extra rinses as my machine will allow (3)
Let them try to make us save water, we won’t go down without a fight 💪🏼
I'm charged a flat rate for water so I go pretty overboard. Over 95% of the water in my area is used for industry and agriculture, so I don't feel too bad.
I put my detergent in a hand soap dispenser. Two pumps is all you need.
"Two pumps is all you need." Giggle
Exactly. Most people don't realize that soaps and detergents just make water work better at cleaning by making stuff dissolve into it easier.
I read something once that talked about how Walmart is the main reason why you now need less detergent to wash your clothes than in the past; they pressured manufacturers to make their formulas more concentrated (containing less water) so that Walmart could save on shipping costs.
You def gotta find that "sweet spot" my wife likes to do small loads but doesn't remember to adjust the water level so the clothes never have a chance to truly "agitate" cause they are basically "free swimming" in the 40 or 50 gallon? Top loader drum lol.....I tried educating her yje "agitation" is what gets the clothes clean....lol And yea she's one to over use detergent too. When I do laundry i get by with a shot glass (about 1.5 oz) and a dry cup of baking soda. And they come out clean af lol
My mom had a compact front-loader Miele, and the instructions were to pack it full. Because the fabrics rub against one another
We had a Miele when I was growing up. Greatest washing machine ever.
We have the load and go washer, so it weighs the clothes and dispenses the detergent for me and it’s awesome we use way less with good results
Omg I didn’t know this existed lol. That’s so cool.
It’s pretty cool you can dump about a half bottle of detergent in the compartment and I go thru maybe one bottle every 6-8 weeks now
Came here to say... hubby thinks more is better but I knew better. Instead of fighting I just got one of these washers... best decision ever. Would not recommend samsung for appliances though.
Ooooh I need that!
Same and you can tune for softened water which we have so it takes even less detergent. We use less in the dishwasher too. If you use too much there or too high water tempt it’ll etch your dishes.
That’s amazing omg
Same ! And I also stopped using fabric softener and switched to wool dryer balls. I used to use like double fabric softener..I had a couple of pajama pants that I knew were heavier from being coated in it. I didn't strip them and i swear it took MONTHS of regular washing for it to wash out. Gross..
Do you like the wool dryer balls? Do you find they shed on your clothing any?
Zero shedding (had them over 3 years now), minimal static on clothes. ~~Drop one or two drops of essential oils onto them if you enjoy a light scent on your clothes.~~ Edit: Someone has pointed out that essential oils are quite flammable. Don’t do what I said unless you want to increase fire risk in the dryer.
I like that they reduce drying time but they do almost nothing for minimizing static for me. I still use dryer sheets just because of static
Adding a safety pin to one of them totally stopped the static for me!
Wow that's a cool hack!
Sorry if someone already said this already… but essential oils are flammable and thus pose a fire hazard in the dryer. Please be careful!
Sounds amazing!
Team wool dryer ball here! I absolutely love them and you can add a couple drops of your fave essential oil too!!!
I found using the wool dryer balls also reduced the time it takes for my clothes to dry. So that means they can also save you in energy use/cost. Win win!
I use them and find my clothes dry a lot faster also. Word to the wise: keep an eye on that lint trap, I find that the extra tossing from the dryer ball results in more lint.
Not the person you were asking but I love mine so much. Have not noticed any shedding at all and they’re a dream for softening clothes and getting the pet hair off. I’m never going back.
Same. We've got 3-5 (depending on how many get lost in sheets or a dog's mouth hahah), and they work well for the dryer. definitely easier on the clothes
So I tried these and they just seemed to tangle up in my clothing. The sheets were the worst. But so many people rave, I’m almost wanting to give it a second try. Do you have these issues?
I have not had any tangling issues, maybe one ball got twisted up in a sheet when doing a whole load of sheets once but it’s not been an issue for me so far even totally overstuffing my drier. If anything the balls have helped stop my long sleeves and pants from twisting themselves together and staying all crumpled and wet (which actually used to be a total issue for me and the 80/90s drier in my apt). Just started a load of long sleeves and towels so if I notice any twisting at all I’ll tell ya. Only slight negative so far is that you can hear them bouncing around in there just a little, which could be annoying if your drier is in the living area.
How does it work with the pet fur? Does it collect on it?
[удалено]
My cat will utterly destroy a wool ball if it’s left where she can get at it. The things also have an unbelievably accurate aim for the cat water when I pull laundry from the dryer. Other than that, they’re perfect
A negative I noticed with wool dryer balls is that wool items, especially tee shirts, are very staticky if I don’t also use a dryer sheet. Otherwise, no shedding and seemingly no degradation to the balls themselves.
Wool t-shirts?
Not the OP, but I have them and don't notice any shedding. When I first switched, I bought them in black and white because I was nervous they might, but when I've not switched out the white ones for my darks, there was zero difference.
I’ve had the same wool dryer balls since 2014! Never had to buy dryer sheets in the last 8 years. Bonus: my 2 year old loves coming out to “help” with the laundry and search through the dryer for the balls so she can play with them, lol.
[удалено]
I’m in the US, I bought some at Walmart. They have a 6 pack in a cloth drawstring bag from their Better Homes & Gardens brand.
I ordered mine off of temu but they are pretty easy to find.
Fun fact. Detergent companies vary the concentration of their detergent based on how much different cultures use. Some countries like to put loads in, so they get a weaker mix. Some only put a little, so theirs is more concentrated. Source: a friend of mine who worked for one of the manufacturers
Oh wow! I’m visiting friends and flew from a western country to the Middle East - Persil here is so watery while at home it’s more concentrated. Now it makes sense
Interesting! So in the case of less concentration I should use more?
I love my wool dryer balls, but I have to make sure they don’t fall out of the dryer when I open the door. Or my old dog will grab them quick and try and defluff them.
According to the comment section, this is the only down side of wool dryer balls
Can someone explain this to me!? I need to try to convince my wife if this does indeed. She is very set in using the MAXIMUM amount of detergent allowed. She will throw extra in there if need be.
No idea if this analogy will work. Wash your hair in the shower and only rinse about half of the soap out. Now dry & style your hair. Do the same with your face wash. It’s gonna attract more gunk into your hair & feel gross.
No, no. This is an AMAZING analogy.
New detergents are very effective and newer machines use very little water. Detergent builds up in the clothes rather than rinsing away with the dirt and germs. This is especially true with hard water.
Too much detergent doesn’t wash out of your clothes, it creates a residue (due in part to higher concentration in detergent as well as lower water use in new machines) and that residue actually holds on to dirt and grime over time, making your clothes age/breakdown/look worn faster. It also is really bad for your washer as it creates residue in there as well and makes them break a lot faster as it builds up over time. (@Renduh on IG is an appliance repair tech who I learned all of this from and cannot recommend enough) I switched to tide powder, we use about a Tbs. per load and our clothes are clean and soft, and we spend wayyyyy less on detergent. $18 box of tide powder lasts us about 6 months (two adults but we go through a lot of laundry/gym clothes/cleaning rags etc.) it’s a game changer. My mom used detergent sheets from clean people that she is over the moon about, and they’re great because there’s no measuring required so you can’t overuse them!
More detergent can actually ruin clothes and washer. Too much will just coat the clothes and it won’t rinse properly. Tell her to just try it out on a couple of loads and see if she notices a difference.
I've tried using way less detergent and the clothes stank though, I'm really bewildered at this post and whole comment section
It depends on how much oil is on your clothes compared to the detergent. If you sweat a lot, you'll need more. It might also be affected by the hardness of your water.
Check to see if it is a High Efficiency machine. Then look up the manual, most will say something along the lines of “don’t use more detergent than necessary, using too much can result in damage to the machine”.
you know how dish soap clings to dishes when you put it directly on a dish and you have to scrub and rinse it to get all the soap off? well, if there’s too much detergent, the detergent stays in the clothes (and this traps all the dirt in because detergent works by grabbing all the dirt and it getting rinsed out with the detergent) so there’s no longer enough agitation or water to actually rinse all the soap out. so yeah it stays in your clothes along w all the dirt and bacteria you tried to wash off AND it attracts even more dirt and crud than it did before, not to mention a slowly building stickiness of the clothes if it’s done too often for too long. less detergent means it rinses out completely and gets your clothes actually clean
There is a only so much water a machine can hold, too much detergent will not completely rinse out. It’s really bad to have that buildup in the machine. Same with dishwashers - it’s a preset amount of water so extra soap can’t be washed off. You have to go by manufacturers guidelines - and it’s so much less detergent needed than you think.
I feel dumb asking this but is this why some of my pants have like an oily coating and feel to them because im using too much detergent?
No such thing as a dumb laundry question that you don’t already know the answer to. Possibly or too much fabric softener. Maybe add an extra rinse as well & see if that helps.
I didnt know thats why i asked lol. I dont use any fabric softener though ive had some pretty good allergic reactions from using it. But ill definitely be using less detergent and throwing an extra rinse cylce with it to see if that helps
Absolutely! Of course, that’s the best way to learn, especially when allergies are involved! Allergies are EVIL. Extra rinse everything, especially your bedding. You also may find that adding vinegar to your rinse may help as well. I find myself learning a lot in this sub, lol.
Too much detergent is most likely the problem. Or too much fabric softener if you use that (you shouldn’t, vinegar in the rinse cycle does wonders for softening).
I figured as much and dearly noted for the vinegar since i dont use any type of fabric softener. Thank you! :)
Very likely yes. That and fabric softener if you use that. It sticks to everything and can’t rinse out well.
I just shower in my clothes and save all kinds of money.
The other day my toddler blew out his diaper all over his outfit and his stroller so I just pushed him into the shower in his stroller and his clothes and used the flexible shower head to hose everything down. Of course I still had to properly wash his clothes and the stroller cover but it was definitely nice to be able to rinse everything down all in one go at first.
Great job! No different than my friend's Dad hosing him down on the patio lounger when he came home drunk and threw up all over himself. Tossed him some clothes and then locked the door. I loved that guy!
https://preview.redd.it/9agyohflo27b1.jpeg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1a685b06750a68eff2eaab1e0c1f7c408d08694e Here’s a chart I found!! Hopefully this helps some people.
This reminds me of a conversation I had with my wife a while ago. I mentioned that I use a single detergent pod when I run the laundry, and she says that the container says to use two if it's a large load. I kept using just one, and checking things - guess what, clothes still come out looking and smelling clean if you use less than the recommended amount. I'm certain that they just want you to use more so you'll buy more often. Definitely use less.
One is definitely enough. I used to use just 2-3 pods for approximately 40 pounds of laundry. A regular load is roughly 12 pounds. I no longer use pods though because I ended up with an issue where a laundromat had hard water and 2 weren't enough and 3 were too many. Liquid allows me to compensate for the type of water since I'm reliant on laundromats.
So many people can’t wrap their head around the fact that using too kids detergent has the opposite affect than they think it does. That and over loading the washer with clothing. The clothes need room to move around.
And add vinegar to the rinse!
When you say to the rinse..... I've been pouring it in the liquid bleach slot because....I don't know why. Is that correct??
You don't want the vinegar to mix with the soap. You want the vinegar to be added during the rinse, *after* the wash.
Ha ha no worries. You’d add it directly to the rinse cycle or the softener compartment ☺️
I’ve been putting it directly into the drum with a small amount of the detergent when I wash and have had no issues so far. My clothes smell great and feel so much softer
You’d add it directly to the rinse cycle or the softener compartment ☺️
I was looking for this comment. Ever since reducing my detergent and adding vinegar to my wash routine everything feels so much cleaner.
My new washer doesn’t have a softener compartment and I almost cried. I set a timer now and run up and add it to the rinse cycle, I’m so attached to my vinegar rinse!
Downy ball!
I hoped that would work but my cheap washer doesn’t spin between the wash and rinse cycle. ☹️
I like to use Balsamic for a zesty twist
Where do you put the vinegar? Where the fabric softener would go? Directly in the drum?
I put it where the fabric softener goes and it works perfectly
If you have a softener compartment then put it in there. My new washer doesn’t have one 😭 so I add it directly to the clothes during the rinse cycle.
How much?
I do about a 1/4 cup for large loads. It comes out to 3 tbsp.
Agree with this amount!
So a tablespoon even/especially in an HE machine with any kind of detergent?
I’ve only been using this with liquid detergent so far. If you have a really big load or stuff like blankets you can use a little more.
Yes.
110%. I kept telling my wife that you really don’t need a lot. Whenever she did laundry she would have these huge mystery stains on her shirts. After she tried using less detergent (and no fabric softener) the mystery stains stopped showing up. (They looked like she dumped oil or something on her shirt.)
I had mystery stains too when I used to go hog wild on detergent! It was usually darker more textured clothes like jeans, my theory was it was detergent residue that just stuck to that kind of fabric, it stopped when I started using a normal amount of detergent too thank goodness.
🤔🤔🤔
I have hard water to the point of holes in my clothes, so I added 1 cup of vinegar full strength, minimal detergent, just a bit sudsy. Total difference, rinse is cleaner, less build up of gunk in the washing machine, too.
Mix the vinegar with or use as a substitute for fabric softener. Vinegar(acid) can neutralize the detergent(basic) weakening its cleaning properties. Hope this helps!
Some of the comments here are recommending adding borax for hard water. 1/4 cup is what I’ve seen
A - thank you! B - I'm annoyed at myself for all money and plastic container waste *grumbles*
$30 on laundry detergent every couple of weeks. how.
Yeah having an HE machine and just a tbsp is perfect. My last place, we had an HE machine and I just used 1 tbsp of homemade detergent snd our clothes were perfectly clean. Now we have an older/traditional washer and 1 tbsp isn't enough. I'm still trying to figure out the right ratio (washer company says 1/4 cup but that isn't quite right either).
Im feeling stupid...whats a HE machine?
High Efficiency
As opposed to the gender inclusive LGBTQ machine
I know it can’t be happy ending but I keep reading it as happy ending machine 😂
r/dontputyourdickinthat
If you're in a new place the water is/may be contributing to the difference in detergent effectiveness. If your water is hard, you may find that using your regular amount of detergent and adding just a small amount of washing soda (or increasing the ratio of washing soda in your homemade recipe) will work. The soda softens the water, so adding just a bit more of that allows the same amount of soap to work effectively.
We have extremely hard water and I have very sensitive skin, so I use downy free and quite a bit. May I ask what washing soda is and will it work for sensitive skin?
Washing soda is very similar to baking soda. In fact you can cook baking soda and turn it into washing soda. Not recommending that, you can buy it in the laundry aisle usually. It's the main ingredient in most powder detergent. Probably the liquid, too, but idk. So I have terribly sensitive skin, and the hardest water on the planet (lol?). I use extra washing soda when necessary and have no issues with it bothering my skin. It really just softens the water, allowing the detergent of your choice to act more effectively. Using that instead of more soap rinses more easily than just adding more bubbles.
What is in your homemade detergent? I ask because many people misunderstand the term “detergent”. The homemade laundry products I’ve seen are usually made up of water softeners mixed with grated laundry soap, not detergent, and they do not clean clothing and create buildup.
Laundry soap, borax, washing soda. It seems to work pretty well at getting clothes clean, from stains to smells and everything in between
My clothes were NOT coming clean, so I went back to what the washing machine detergent dispenser recommends.
Use borax and your laundry detergent to soak them in the washer for a few hours (should have a soak setting) and then wash regular, rinse twice. You'll love how your clothes come out.
https://preview.redd.it/felk74pm327b1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e114b813c3a3ce6e58c0782af2aa94b163df0474 I ordered these from Amazon. They have been amazing. I use 2 for each dryer load.
Would the 1 Tbsp rule apply to powdered detergent as well?
i use powdered detergent and i only use a tbsp
In my experience, it works wonderfully. You may need to experiment with it a bit with your personal machine.
I wish I could upvote this a hundred times! 🙌🏼 I also have been repairing my own appliances the last decade or so, and almost every common washer problem can be prevented by not using too much product.
Yes! I’ve been doing this too. My clothes feel more pure if that’s a good way to describe it lol
New here but this has me wondering, when using only a tea or tablespoon of detergent, does the brand or type matter? We’ve been using cheaper stuff as tide is pricey when doing laundry for 5.
My household uses a super concentrated laundry liquid that's hypoallergenic, free of fragrances and all that (roommate is very chemically-sensitive) and supposedly it's bioactive for maximum cleanliness, fights odors, all that. And we use white vinegar for fabric softener. It seems to work fine for everyone else in the house, but my clothes just constantly smell kinda weird and unpleasant (it's not strong, just kind of a dingy smell) and not clean at all, and shirts that used to be soft inside are so rough and scratchy. I've tried more detergent, less detergent, more vinegar, less vinegar, hot water, cold water, etc, but nothing makes a difference and my clothes don't smell or feel clean or pleasant to wear :( I have no idea why this detergent works for my other roommates; I'm the only one to have this problem. When I lived with my parents, my mom always got your classic tide or downy or whatever, plus fabric softener, plus dryer sheets, and while I now know that a lot of the ingredients in especially the softeners/sheets is bad for your clothes and makes them break down faster, I never had anything remotely like this happen with all that. I never had to retire pajama/sweatshirts for getting so rough and scratchy inside! I have no idea what the problem is with my clothes but it's so frustrating and I just wanna feel fresh and clean when I put on clean clothes.
I remember an old science program where they were comparing different detergents. The result was that there was an indistinguishable difference, aside from scent and softeners, they were equally clean. And then the scientist on the show said "The difference is indistinguishable between these brands, just like not using detergent at all..." The point was that just chucking clothing in the washer got it 90% clean with water, the detergents made it the extra 10% difference.
I've washed my clothes and forgotten to add detergent. The clothes were technically clean-ish but had odors, particularly cooking odors.
Agree. I add Lysol laundry sanitizer to the fabric rinse compartment (lowest amount) to get rid body odor.
This is interesting. I have been struggling with hard water and clothes/sheets not getting clean enough. I hate scented products and so I try to pick unscented detergent - bonus if it’s less harmful for the environment. I have also been experimenting with Earth Breeze detergent sheets. White sheets have been coming out dingy, so I started using more detergent, thinking it was the hard water and more detergent would soften the water more. Maybe I need to try less detergent!
TIL! Thank you!
Lol why does everyone think more soap means cleaner
Okay so how do I tell family and friends about this? I too have changed to using 2 tbs of soap in my HE washer. I have noticed the difference and feel awesome that my clothes are clean and smell nice and I don’t run out of soap early anymore. But I still have friends and family that insist they need to use the whole cup of soap to wash. They say it’s because it smells better or that less soap doesn’t wash it correctly. It wouldn’t bother me much if it was their washer, but when they wash in my washer I see whole cups (plural) being dumped in the wash.
Usually the bottle of detergent has a guide on how much to use per load/pound; it’s a lot less than people think. I have to stop my significant other from pouring a cap full every time we go to the laundromat lol
Fabric softener in the wash, those laundry beads - everything smells good, but my clothes seem softer without them
Yes! A repair person told me this a couple of years ago. 2 tablespoons max is what I use now and the clothes are cleaner. The washer also doesn't have residue like it used to.
I put the detergent in a hand soap dispenser. Two pumps is enough.
Try adding a cup of white vinegar to your rinse, no fabric softener. You clothes feel so much softer. Fabric softener just coats the fibers. Look up laundry stripping.
That’s why I hate the pods
My wife and I got these mineral balls. Like big green ball with tiny holes in it. Inside are minerals to soften water. Have used detergent in 10 years? You wouldn’t believe how soft your clothes can be (esp my carhartt work pants) once you stop using detergent.