Product test

Are you using too much washing powder?

8.2.2018

Translation: Eva Francis

If you’re like me, you throw washing powder or detergent into the washing machine without checking exactly how much it really needs. Chances are you’re using too much, which can damage your washing machine. Here’s a quick guide on how to use the right dosage of washing powder.

With all the terms and symbols printed on labels and washing powder boxes, doing the laundry can seem like a bit of a science. What exactly do water hardness and dirt levels have to do with washing powder? Let’s find out.

Why is it important to get the dosage of washing powder right?

Using too much powder or detergent isn’t only a waste of money, it also damages your washing machine and requires more water than necessary. If you use too much powder or detergent, the water struggles to rinse off all the soap, leaving a residue on your clothing. Using too little powder means your clothes may not come out of the machine completely clean and may wear out faster due to limestone residue. This will cause your clothing to develop an unpleasant smell and lose absorbency.

Does the information on the washing powder box apply to my washing machine?

How much powder or detergent you should use depends on the water hardness and dirt level. The dirt level is easy to determine: If you’ve worn your clothes and just want them to smell fresh again, you’ll need less powder or detergent than if your clothes are heavily soiled. This is why it’s important to go through your dirty laundry beforehand and separate lightly from heavily stained clothing. Determining water hardness levels is trickier. This is a handy guide, which tells you how soft or hard the water is in the town or city you live in. The harder the water, the more dissolved minerals such as chalk, lime, calcium and magnesium it contains. The dosing information on the powder box or detergent bottle usually refers to 4.5 kg of laundry. If you’re washing half this amount, you only need half as much powder or detergent.

You don’t have a dosing device? Order one here – it’s free!

What about self-dosing washing machines?

Most dosing systems take factors such as dirt level, load weight, water hardness and textile type into account when calculating the ideal amount of powder or detergent.