Washing clothes is a daily chore for some people, while others reserve it for the weekend. Moreover, regular washing of clothes is necessary to maintain good physical and mental health. Therefore, knowing when to put detergent in the washing machine is vital to ensure proper washing.
Depending on the washing machine, it’s vital to know when to put the detergent. If your machine is a front loader, add detergent before clothes. And for top-loading machines, you can put detergent in the washing machine after placing clothes in the drum and adding water.
Owning a laundry machine simplifies your life. However, improper use, like adding too much or little detergent can cause the machine to break down and end up with dingy clothes.
However, if you’re unsure when to put detergent in the washing machine, it’s your lucky day as this post seeks to answer this question.
When to add laundry detergent
You may be debating when to put detergent in your washing machine, but after reading this post, there will be no need to worry. When to put detergent is mainly determined by the machine, which can be a regular top-loader or a front loader.
While a High-Efficiency front loader requires you to put detergent before loading, it’s OK to put detergent after loading the drum for the regular top loader. In the latter, you can add water, clothes, then the detergent to ensure perfect distribution to all clothes.
How to put detergent in washing machine
It’s imperative to be cautious when adding laundry detergent to a washing machine. This is because too much of it doesn’t help wash your clothes better, but it can cause issues like machine breakdown.
Additionally, excess detergent leaves residue on clothes which can crease clothes or cause contact dermatitis in other cases. Read instructions on the detergent packaging, adhere to them fully, and check the cap measurements when pouring it.
Today deterrents are more concentrated, and a wrong move can be costly. Also, if your machine is HE, use the suitable detergent for the washer and follow the measuring guidelines they provide. Follow these steps to put detergent in the washing machine.
Liquid detergent
Reading instructions on your liquid detergent packaging makes it easy to use. Use low sud liquid detergent in front load washing machine to avoid overflow.
Also, liquid detergent is excellent for pre-treating to get stains out of clothes like grease. Below are the steps to put liquid detergent in washing machine.
- Apply a small amount of laundry detergent to the fabric and rub it in gently.
- Load clothes to the machine, then measure the appropriate amount of detergent using the dosing ball.
- Now, put the dosing ball in place – covering clothes in the drum.
- Set the wash cycle and temperature and initiate the washing process.
Powder detergent
Using the traditional washing powder requires you to be more careful to add the right amount to the drum. Although placing powder detergent on the drum helps it dissolve fast, you can decide to do it in one of the two ways below.
- Check your washing machine manual to determine whether to add detergent before or after clothes and the right compartment to place it.
- Use the mesh bag to put in powder detergent because it allows it to dissolve quickly, ensuring even distribution. Don’t forget to check the instructions your manufacturer provides.
NOTE: If you’re using a washing tablet, load them in the same compartment as the powder detergent is also available as washing tablets.
Can you put the detergent in a regular washer?
Yes, you can put detergent on a regular washer. Remember that standard washers use more water, and if the detergent is HE detergent, you’ll need to use more in each load for best results.
Do you put liquid detergent directly on clothes?
Putting detergent directly on clothes is not recommended because it may not dissolve completely and leave a film on clothes. A HE or regular washer has a dedicated compartment for detergent.
If you use a standard washer, fill water in the washing machine, add the right amount of detergent, and load clothes. This process will ensure even distribution of the solution to all clothes.
Can You put detergent on top of clothes?
Laundry detergents are concentrated, making them acidic, and pouring them directly on clothes can stain clothes. However, you can measure the detergent and hold the cap under running water when filling the cycle to dilute it.
Don’t put detergent directly on white clothes because they may not stain, but the residue will attack the fabric, causing decay. However, if the detergent instructions specifically indicate rub in the concentrate on tough stains like grease when pre-treating, it’s safe to do so.
Why do your clothes have blue stains after washing?
If your clothes have blue stains after washing, this indicates that there’s laundry detergent on the clothes. Blue colors on clothes after washing can also suggest that you’re overfilling the detergent compartment.
The blue stains are detergent residue meaning you’re using too much detergent. In a regular cycle, water in the drum cycles to wet clothes before introducing detergent.
You can manage the situation by adding detergent to the washing machine in the right amounts as the manufacturer guides. Also, you can run a clean cycle without clothes to rid the washer of excess detergent or suds, then load the clothes for an extra cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can you put too much detergent in the washing machine?
No. You can’t put too much detergent in the washing machine because it will stain your clothes and make cleaning them hard.
How much laundry detergent is too much?
Every washing machine has directions on how much detergent to use for different loads. Exceeding the given instructions is using too much detergent.
How do you know if you put too much laundry detergent?
You’ll know if you’ve put too much laundry detergent by the overflowing suds in the washer. Also, you can see if you’ve put too much laundry detergent if your clothes have blue stains after washing.
Which detergent to use in the washing machine?
You can use regular detergent for washing or mashing or the HE detergent. The only difference is that for the HE detergent in a typical washer, you’ll need to use more of it to clean clothes.
Where does detergent go in the top-loading washer?
A top-loading washer has a detergent dispenser. However, if not provided, you can add it to the tub before loading. For HE washers, only use HE detergent, which you add directly to the tub.
Conclusion
Knowing when to put detergent in the washing machine is crucial because it ensures proper use. Read guidelines on the detergent packaging to make the right call on the amount to use and where to place it.
Find the right compartment to pour detergent, depending on your washer. For example, HE washers have a detergent compartment while the same is put in the tub after filling water in top loaders. Adding detergent to water allows for adequate distribution of detergent to clothes.
Also read about can you use laundry detergent as bubble bath?