POLL - How much laundry detergent do you use per load?

[FriedClams]

For the sake of simplicity, this poll is limited to the following criteria:

 

Using store bought soap

A large load

Warm/Cold water

 

And here's the real point of this. I normally make my own soap, but using a wicked good sale and coupons I bought some liquid soap. It's Purex Natural stuff. I like it, but I am cheap and want to stretch it out as long as possible - but not at the risk of getting the clothes clean. So - how low can I go??

[JEJE]

When we had our washing machine serviced, the Sears repairman told us that the quickest way to kill your washer was to use too much soap. He recommended using *1/2* what the bottle recommends. We have a front loader and I use 1 tablespoon of soap, for a normal load, with good results.

[KS_]

I use half or less of what's recommended most of the time.

[Ellie]

I checked #1, even though I don't use liquid. Probably I could have checked, um, whatever the choice was for "less than the recommended amount and it's fine."

 

I use Amway laundry products. I cannot imagine that home-made laundry detergent would be so much less expensive that I'd want to go through the trouble of making my own. Also, Mr. Ellie was allergic to every brand on the market that I tried back in the day, and I hate to mess with him, poor guy.

[rdolphingirl]

When I used store bought liquid stuff ... I only used about 1/3-1/2 of the suggested amount. But I added in some Washing Soda. Baking soda would work also, but takes more. Both "boost" the cleaning power of any soap.

I now use Charlies Soap, powdered laundry soap. It comes in a 5 gal bucket and is pretty economical.

Here is their website:

http://www.charliesoap.com/index.asp?cartID=C4DE9A0E069D4EE881432D3DE0238765

 

Of course you can get it elsewhere also ... like Amazon ;)

[elise1mds]

I saw an article on this very thing the other day. It stated that many people use way, way too much and that one way to check is to throw some towels into the washer with NO soap and open the lid while it's agitating. If there are suds, you're using too much soap and it's drying into the fabric (which can lead to skin irritation and other issues, especially in those who are sensitive). I use the recommended amount or less, depending on what I feel the load needs. I get the dye-free version. Unfortunately, I have to use liquid. Solid detergent clogs my pipes faster than you can say boo.

[emubird]

We use All Free and Clear liquid because it's the only one that doesn't cause too much skin irritation here. I used to use powder, but had to be sure to put the powder in first, then some hot water to dissolve it, then fill with clothes and the rest of the water. The powder didn't dissolve in our water which tends to be about 32 degrees F a good chunk of the year (how they keep it from freezing in the pipes is mystery to me. Is it because it's under pressure?). And then the scent free powder disappeared from our store.

 

And what is the recommended amount? I love how the detergent comes with a cap for handy measuring -- but the bottle in small print informs you that you're really only supposed to put in less than half a capful. But they don't have any markings on the cap to guide you. Very sneaky.

 

I currently put in a little less than the recommended, but I'm working my way down to using even less, if we can get away with it. The problem is getting my kids on board with this as they seem to think a capful is the right amount.

[MeaganS]

When I started using cloth diapers everyone recommended using half of the amount you're supposed to. I figured that if I can get cloth diapers clean using half, then by golly I can get normal clothes clean using half. And I do. I get All Free & Clear for no more than $2 for a 36 load thing (and I use maybe 1/2 or 1/3 the recommended amount). It lasts a while.

[Laura Corin]

I use about a soup spoon of powder and I wash on cold. The clothes are clean and they don't smell of soap - I think of that as a good thing.

 

Laura

[Parrothead]

I am a free-thinker and do not follow directions at all. I know I usually use way less than recommended, but I don't measure it. I'm sure that there is never a load washed exactly the same in my house. I do bleach whites in the summer because I will wear my white socks outside with no shoes, and I bleach bed linens. So laundry is done free-style here.

[missmoe]

Hardly ever any! I use a little bit of laundry soap when something is really dirty or smells, but usually I use no soap at all! :001_smile:

[Alexandra]

Hardly ever any! I use a little bit of laundry soap when something is really dirty or smells, but usually I use no soap at all! :001_smile:

 

I just treat stains with a little stain treatment and wash the rest w/out soap.

Saves a little money and less stuff going into the environment imho.

[Renee in NC]

When we had our washing machine serviced, the Sears repairman told us that the quickest way to kill your washer was to use too much soap. He recommended using *1/2* what the bottle recommends. We have a front loader and I use 1 tablespoon of soap, for a normal load, with good results.

 

:iagree:

[coffeefreak]

I answered less, but I also think it depends on the detergent. I use the Purex powder and LOVE it. We used All Free and Clear religiously because of our allergies, but a friend moved and left her Purex. It calls for 2 cups of detergent?!?!:001_huh: I use maybe a scant cup for each load, no problem.

 

HTH!

Dorinda

[Tap]

I use way less than they recommend. I just put a squirt in the dispenser, so I don't know how much. I would guess a tablespoon or two.

 

We have front load washers that seem to do a really good job washing. If I have a load that is really dirty, I prewash it in just water before I wash it with soap. Most of our really dirty clothes are just dirt and not grease. If they were greasy, I would use more soap.

[delaney]

I generally use less because how dirty do clothes really get? If they have been outside or to sports them I wash that stuff together with a bit more. I try to avoid bleach but sometimes the socks are just SCREAMING for it. I do that like once every 2 weeks. Dirty socks irritate me:D

[Brindee]

 

When we had our washing machine serviced, the Sears repairman told us that the quickest way to kill your washer was to use too much soap. He recommended using *1/2* what the bottle recommends. We have a front loader and I use 1 tablespoon of soap, for a normal load, with good results.

:iagree: We were told that too. He said there are some regulations where they have to put certain amounts, but that 1/2 or even 1/3 of that amount is really good enough. So that's what we do, and our clothes are nice and clean! We use All Free & Clear also. Edited March 25, 2010 by Brindee

[Mommee & Baba]

I have been making my own laundry detergent for over 3 years now.

 

It's advised in the recipe to use 1/4 cup per average load and 1/2 cup per large load.

 

I usually throw in 1/2 cup for average load and 1 cup for large load.

[AngieW in Texas]

I use 7th Generation because of assorted detergent allergies. Once I found a soap that nobody was allergic to, I stuck with it.

 

The scoop that comes with it is probably 1/2 cup. We have very hard water (over 21 grains), so I use 1/4 cup of 7th Generation and 1/8 cup of 21 Mule Team Borax.

 

The water in Dallas was hard, but not nearly as hard as it is here. I just used 1/8 cup of detergent and no borax to achieve results at the same level.

[Garga]

I use the recommended amount, but I think we have hard water or something. If I use less, our clothes just aren't clean. I also couldn't use homemade soap, either, because of the hard water (and the clothes didn't get clean.)

[swellmomma]

I use about 1/2 a capful of whatever brand I have at the moment, which means all the caps are different sizes. My kids clothes do get filthy most days, especially right now with all the mud and such outside. DS6 is currently building an ant hill for the ants to save them trouble in the spring. He is using bits of board and mud and has been working on it all week which means he has been through at least 2 outfits a day covered in mud. a tiny tablespoon of detergent is useless against that lol We have extremely hard water here in my city so maybe that plays into too. I guess I will find out at the new house because it has soft well water.

[ElizabethB]

1/4 to 1/3 the recommended amount, depending on the dirtiness of the clothes being washed.

 

Things being washed with a lot of sand get a second rinse but the lower amount of detergent, sand doesn't need extra soap to come off, dirt does.

 

I've found that you can use a lot less liquid, I use liquid. I also hate crunchy crystals left in my clothes, I used to think it was cheaper and used that, but found that liquid is actually cheaper per load because you can use a lot less and still have the clothes come out clean and smelling fresh.

[Melissa in Australia]

I have a front loader. I use one heaped teaspoon per full wash