It is very common to think that the more detergent we put in the washing machine, the cleaner and better our clothes will smell. But this belief is not entirely true, and you may be throwing a few euros down the drain a year in the form of unnecessary detergent.
We live in the society of “the more the better”, we apply this maxim in many aspects of our lives, even in the most routine things like putting a simple washing machine.
It is normal to think that the more detergent we put in the washing machine, the cleaner and more odorous our laundry will be, but this is far from being true and it is one of the most common mistakes when putting the washing machine on.
It can even be counterproductive, not to mention the expense of all that unnecessary extra detergent throughout the year.
Laura Johnson, Research and Development Analyst at LG Electronics states that “the excess of detergent causes an excess of foam, increases the use of water and can cause in the long run an accumulation of residues that ends up producing bad odors”.
That is to say, a wrongly calculated dose not only causes a useless waste of detergent, it also affects water consumption, with the corresponding extra expense that it entails, and could damage our washing machine in the long term.
Even causing a rebound effect: not only will the clothing not be cleaner, it could also smell bad due to the remains accumulated by excess product.
How can we tell if we are using too much detergent in the washing machine? It’s relatively straightforward, as there are some unmistakable signs of it:
- If after removing the laundry from the washing machine it feels viscous or sticky.
- Wet clothing that feels stiff or stiff.
- If the washing machine drum smells musty or moldy.
- When colored clothing has lost its vitality and white clothing that has turned grayish.
Usually the recommendations indicated on the product packaging usually exceed the necessary amount, as you can see in this trick that went viral a few weeks ago.
In addition, they are usually indicated for conventional 5 kg washing machines, which makes those who have a larger washing machine weighing 7 kilos or more, think that they need a greater quantity of product.
We must also take into account the hardness of the water in our area, since it is a factor that has a very direct influence on the amount of detergent needed. Only if you live in an area where the water is very hard is it advisable to add a little more detergent.
Our recommendation is to try to ensure that the laundry has a similar volume and weight, that is, that the washing machine is more or less the same full every time, always use the same type and brand of detergent and adjust the dose little by little until you find the ideal measure, observing that the signals listed above do not appear.
You will be surprised that the amount needed to get a clean and smelling laundry is much better than what you are using right now.