How much detergent should I use?
Hi
After recently noticing extra suds in my wash, I'm wondering if I'm dosing my detergent correctly. My detergent's dosage instructions give two measurements, based on soiling, load weight and water hardness. My water supplier states that my water is "moderately hard" and I tend to do loads of 4kg or under (particularly if a specific wash) that are not heavy soiled.
The detergent has one measurement for light soiling, in soft/medium water, for 4-5kg of clothes and another measure for heavy soiling, hard water, up to 8kg. I've always though of my water being hard (but now not sure) and I regularly do under 4kg, not heavy soiled loads.
I appreciate this may not be an exact science, but also appreciate over longer periods the usage of detergent can impact on the machine and clothes etc. The physical properties of the clothes I'm washing seem to indicate a smaller measure, but I am wondering if the water hardness indicates the larger measure. I may use white boosters, stain removers too, and am questioning the use of these too. My machine is a washer dryer, although only occasionally used for drying on a very short drying programme.
Thanks in advance
Solution Summary
AI-generated from this discussion
This thread was marked as solved. Here's a summary of the problem and the fix, generated from the discussion below.
Detergent dosing query for moderately hard water and small loads
- The problem
- The user was seeing extra suds and was unsure whether to use the smaller or larger detergent dose for loads usually 4kg or under, lightly soiled, with a water supplier rating of moderately hard water.
- Likely cause
- The accepted advice was that water hardness is the main factor in dosing because detergent contains water softener. The strongest supported explanation was that under-dosing in moderately hard water can lead to grease, slime and limescale build-up, and may even produce residue that looks like suds. It was also noted that automatic washing machine detergent should not produce many suds.
- What fixed it
- Use the larger detergent dose, dosing as for hard water despite the supplier describing the water as moderately hard. The user agreed to continue using the larger dose. No repair was needed.
- Checks to try
- Checked the water supplier classification, reported as moderately hard water
- Considered that most wash loads were 4kg or under and not heavily soiled
- Advised to inspect underneath the door seal and at the lip of the drum for gunge or limescale build-up
4 Answers
Hello. Yes over time the dosing of detergent can have an impact on the washing machine, particularly if not enough is used. Many people try to use as little detergent as possible and are seemingly content with the wash results.
However, over time a build up of horrible grease, slime and limescale can ruin a washing machine and cause unpleasant smells. Water hardness is the key thing because the detergent contains water softener. If there isn't enough detergent to deal with the level of water hardness you will get a build up of limescale on the element and inside the machine. I would dose for hard water if your water is reported as moderately hard. Ironically, if you under-dose you can get something that looks like suds but isn't.
A good way to check your machine is to look underneath the door seal at the lip of the drum to see if there's any gunge or limescale building up.
Read more about it here - what causes washing machine smells and gunge?
Need Professional Help or Spare Parts?
Hi, thanks for your reply.
I have actually been using the larger dose, particularly as I though larger loads were on the heavier side - however after actually checking, even these larger loads seem to weigh in for the smaller dose, I'll carry on using the larger dose.
You comment about "suds" associated with under dosage is something relevant, I've been using the larger dose but will smaller loads, but often don't see much in the way of suds...?
Detergent for automatic washing machines shouldn't have many suds. People complain about it because they associate suds with cleaning but suds actually interfere with efficient cleaning by overly cushioning laundry from each other.Ideally some suds should be present but not too much. It may vary depending on what wash cycle is used as drum agitation levels vary, what temperature and how long it washes etc.
Need Professional Help or Spare Parts?
Hi, thanks again Andy
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