Did you know that although most people buy and use just one type of detergent you should get better results using at least two different types, possibly even three, and if you want to use ecological detergent too maybe even four?
Before you write this article off as trying to get you to use more detergent – it’s not. There are no brand names mentioned and no affiliate links. This is about getting the most effective wash results and the best care for your laundry. It shouldn’t really cost more to use different detergents for different jobs anyway apart from the initial outlay of buying and stocking more than one type. You wouldn’t use any more, you’d just share the same amount between different types of wash load.
The main argument for using more than one type of detergent is that washing white and dark laundry are two different jobs, and ideally require specialist detergents.
For whites you need a detergent containing bleaching agents to keep them bright white. You also need this type of detergent for the essential maintenance washes designed to keep your washing machine in good health these days (causes of grease, slime, smells & black mould inside washing machines). However, detergent containing bleaching agents is not so good for dark laundry because it can fade the colours.
- If you only use a detergent that contains bleaching agents, your whites will be lovely and white, but your darks can fade in colour
- If you only use a detergent that doesn’t have bleaching agents your colours will keep their colour much longer but your whites will not remain as bright and white, and can start to look dingy
- Liquid detergent does not contain bleaching agents, neither does detergent designed to look after colours in your laundry such as Ariel colour powder
- Biological detergents should not be used on silks and woollens (see article link below)
- An ecologically friendly or 30 degree wash detergent could also be used occasionally for lightly soiled laundry. It’s early days for them yet and they aren’t so good for heavier soiling, or bedding and underwear etc. but whenever you are just washing something lightly soiled you could use it effectively
I hope to delve much deeper into laundry detergent subjects sometime soon. There’s a lot more to the subject than meets the eye. You may be interested in this thread in my washing machine forum – Which Do You Prefer Washing Liquid Or Washing Powder And Which Brands?
Related: If you have valuable silks to wash or lots of woollens you may need to stock another type of detergent too – Biological washing machine detergents can damage woollens & silks (cause holes)
Liquid Detergent Tabs Safety Warning
Safety warning about liquid detergent tabs used in washing machines & dishwashers
OK – I see your point on liquid detergents not containing a bleaching agent – most of them don’t – but I see no mention anywhere about using liquid detergents with an added product that contains oxygen based bleaching agents…
Personally I use a ‘green’ liquid detergent and add a product with an oxygen based bleaching agent to every wash and have no problems getting my laundry clean.
Any additional advise on those?
I would recommend that if using liquid detergents to also use such additional products although I would expect this would make it more expensive than using a similar powder based detergent with bleaching agent already included.
I see no advantage in using liquid detergents other than if having big problems with normal detergent dissolving properly
I logged onto this site because my white clothes come out looking white, but with small grey spots on them. At one time the cure for this was to rub the spots with soap (not detergent) and wash them again. But this no longer seems to work. Anybody got a solution?
Choosing the right detergent is very crucial. It is true that you should have different choices of detergents for delicates, whites and colored clothing. But whatever you choose, make sure it is compatible with your washer. If you are using a front load washer, stick to HE detergents as they are less likely to produce too much suds. Regular detergents may easily mess up the functions of your front load washer.
When putting white clothes in machine ( new clothes ) there coming out looking grey and old has any one got and suggestions what this could be and how to stop this from happening thanks
I have an article on this Lisa – Whites coming out of washing machine looking grey, coloureds losing their colour