Most people will usually say that they know how to use their washing machines. But when you really start noticing people’s habits, very few of them truly know what they are doing.
Some people even pour liquid detergent directly on their clothes! You should never pour liquid detergent straight onto your clothes. It can leave a film on your clothes and even damage your garments if the detergent isn’t properly dissolved before touching your items.
Even if you feel you are getting good results, it is a good practice to know what you might be doing wrong. Trying to follow these rules will not only be better for your clothes but for your bank balance as well.
Let’s take a look at how you should use your liquid detergents while doing laundry.
Now you know you should not put liquid detergent directly on your clothes, ever. For top loading machines, you should first let it fill with water and then pour the detergent, the clothes will go after this. For the front load variant, there is a specific compartment where you need to pour the detergent. Pouring detergent directly on clothes can leave a layer of film on them and potentially ruin your laundry.
Can You Pour Liquid Detergents Directly On Your Clothes
No, you should not pour your liquid detergent directly on top of your clothes. This is because of multiple reasons, first, the detergent might not get a chance to dissolve properly before the washing begins.
This also leads to the second problem, if too much detergent comes in contact with your clothes directly, there is a possibility that it might leave a film on your clothes.
The process for putting detergent in your washing machine is a bit different depending on the type of washing machine you have. The two most popular types are the front load and the top load. The reason for the difference in pouring mechanism is because of the difference in the washing mechanism.
While the top load washing machines use a lot of water and foam build-up while cleaning, so much foam might harm a front loading washing machine. This is why it is always recommended that you use specific detergents for your washing machines.
How To Use Your Laundry Detergent and Washing Machine Properly
There are some minor differences when it comes to using your detergent for the different types of washing machines.
The first step in learning how to use the detergent is finding out which washing machine model do you own?
It will most probably be either a front load or a top load.
According to this, make sure you have the correct type of liquid detergent as well.
I have met so many people who have been using the wrong type of detergent for years and then they complain when their machines break down or if their clothes come out dirty.
How Much Detergent Should You Pour For Your Loads
These days, most of the instructions related to the amount of detergent to be used for load sizes can be read from the back of the detergent bottle.
Make sure you go through the instructions on the back of your bottle before you start your laundry. Each brand may have slightly different instructions.
The usual measurement goes like this, if your drum is filled up to 25% it is considered to be a small load, if it is filled up to half then it is considered to be a medium sized load and anything above that should be considered a heavy load.
One thing to keep in mind here is that you should never fill your drum to its maximum capacity.
If the drum is too full then the detergent won’t be able to be mixed properly. Always remember that using too much detergent is never a good decision.
Contrary to popular belief, your clothes don’t get cleaner. On the other hand you will be left with an unpleasant residue on your clothes.
When and Where To Pour Liquid Detergent
This is where most of the people tend to make mistakes. They either pour in the detergent too early or in the wrong place. The process and timing is again a bit different for top and front load washing machines.
For the top load machines, you should first let the drum get filled with water and then pour in the detergent. This way it will get a good chance to be mixed with the water. Do not put in the clothes first and then detergent. Way too much detergent will end up being stuck between the clothes rather than getting mixed with the water.
In some top loading models, you will have to pour the detergent in the machine bowl or at the agitator. Make sure to read the manual to be perfectly certain of this.
When it comes to the front loading machines, there is usually a specific compartment where you will need to put the detergent. This compartment is further divided into an area for the fabric softener, the pre-treatment and the detergent.
This might be a bit different depending on the brand so make sure to identify these compartments carefully.
Can You Put Liquid Detergent Directly In Front Load Washer
You should not be putting the liquid detergent directly on the clothes or in the drum while using front loading machines. The detergent has to be poured in the specific detergent compartment.
With some brands of liquid detergents, you might have to first mix it with a little water before pouring it in the compartment.
Detergent Powder vs. Liquid Detergent
This is a question which a lot of people are interested in. Some people prefer to use the liquid detergents because of its ease of use.
You won’t face any issue while measuring the amount of detergent while using the liquid variant as well. The liquid variant is also very good in removing some hard stains, as you can pre-treat your clothes with liquid detergent.
On the other hand, the powder variant is very good at overall cleaning of your load. There are also pods in the market which makes the hassle of measuring out your detergent negligible.
But one thing to keep in mind with the pods is to keep them away from pets and kids. I have heard a lot of stories of children swallowing detergent pods mistaking them for candies.
In Conclusion…
It is very important to know the basics of using a washing machine. A lot of people feel they know how to operate them, but it might be possible that they might miss something.
Make sure you are using the right kind of detergent which is suitable for your machines while keeping in mind when, where and how much should you use at once. Also keep in mind to not use the detergent directly on clothes.
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