Fact – laundry detergent helps to clean your clothes and linens. So, that means using more detergent will make them even cleaner, right? Wrong!
When it comes to laundry time, 'overdosing' is a big problem. You may feel putting in more laundry detergent is doing a better job. In fact, using too much laundry powder or laundry liquid has the opposite effect on your clothes. And, it's not that great for your washing machine, either.
The many problems of overdosing
The problems using too much laundry detergent:
- Too much detergent means not all of it will rinse away. So, it leaves residue on what's being washed, which can appear as chalky marks on your clothing and give your laundry a crunchy or sticky feeling.
- Excess detergent can hold dirt pulled from clothes and get caught in areas that won't always rinse clean (like under a collar). If it can't rinse away from your clothing, it breeds bacteria there instead.
- Detergent residues in clothes can irritate your skin (and that's why we don't use fillers, by the way...as these do exactly the same thing!)
- When you overdose your machine by adding too much detergent, leftover powder acts as a cushion in your machine as it tumbles, reducing the mechanical action that causes agitation. This results in a lower cleaning performance.
- Excess residue also becomes trapped in your washing machine, in the seals and pipework. This allows bacteria and mould to breed.
- Overdosing actually increases wear and tear on your washing machine's pump and motor. The excess suds act like a brake, so more energy is needed to wash.
- It also means your load doesn't have a chance to drain properly, leaving your clothes wetter.
- And finally of course, you'll waste money by needing to buy detergent more often.
How do you tell if you're overdosing?
There are a few common signs:
- A smelly washing machine: Overdosing can leave a residue in the machine, leading to bacteria and mould breeding.
- Your clothes look dull. Because too much detergent won't properly rinse out of clothing, it leaves behind spots, making your laundry appear dull. Clothes may also feel itchy when you wear them.
- Washing machine has too many suds. If there's still suds left behind in your machine when it's finished, you've overdone it.
The correct amount of laundry detergent
So, how much laundry detergent SHOULD you use. It's really quite simple – just check the instructions on the label and follow them. It's that easy.
Both our Australian Lemon Myrtle Laundry Powder and Australian Eucalyptus Laundry Powder are completely filler-free. In fact, they're so pure, you don't need to use as much as other laundry powders, so don't be tempted to increase the dose because you're used to using more with another brand. Ours give you 50 washes per kilogram – that's twice the number of washes of Australia's leading brand!
If you prefer liquid, our Australian Lemon Myrtle Laundry Liquid is super concentrated, giving you up to 40 washes per litre.
Find out how much to use according to your laundry load here.
So, when you use SimplyClean for your laundry and follow the instructions, you're caring for your clothes, being kind to your washing machine and saving money. That's a win all round!