Am I Using Too Much Detergent?
We’re sure that, like most people, you love the feeling of putting on freshly-cleaned, soft clothing, right out of the dryer. But sometimes, if you don’t do your laundry the right way, that’s the last thing you’ll get. One of the biggest sins a lot of people commit when they do laundry is adding too much detergent, so how do you know if you’re guilty of that?
Signs You Use Too Much Detergent
Your Clothes are Still Soapy
This is typically the easiest sign to spot. If you go to transfer your clothes from the washer to the dryer and notice they still have suds in them, you’re using too much detergent. If there’s too much suds in the washer, it won’t be able to wash all of them out of your clothes.
Your Washer Overflows with Suds
You’ve probably seen a movie scene where someone’s laundry room floods with suds. Believe it or not, that can actually happen if you add too much detergent to your laundry. Not only does that make a big mess, but it can ruin your clothing and washer too.
How to Use the Right Amount of Detergent
Buy the Correct Detergent
Not all detergent is suitable for every type of washin machine. Especially if you have a high-efficiency washer, make sure to only buy detergent meant for your specific model.
Follow the Label’s Instructions
Brands will tell you how much laundry detergent to use depending on the size of your load. If the label says to use one cup, only use one. You won’t get your clothing cleaner with more detergent — you’ll simply make a mess.
Hard Water and Detergent
If you have hard water in your home, you’ll probably notice that your clothes aren’t getting as clean, and you may end up needing to add more detergent to your laundry than you’d like. Since hard water doesn’t work as well with soap as soft water does, your laundry is going to suffer as long as hard water runs through your pipes.
For any water softener or conditioning problems or questions you may have, we encourage you to give us a call. Contact a water specialist online or call toll-free: 1-888-741-9025 for a free quote and in-home water analysis.