Doing the laundry is something many of us first learned about as children. Whether it was watching our mothers and grandmothers hand washing clothes, or helping to load the washing machine, washing clothes is one of those things that we are naturally familiar with.
This is why we're sometimes afraid to admit when there's something we're not quite sure about, such as how to use washing powder correctly. Understanding the correct dosage for your detergent is sometimes tricky. After all, there are different dosing recommendations for powders, liquids, capsules, and tablets, for different levels of water hardness, for varying levels of dirt, and so on. So how much powder should you be using?
Dosing Guidelines
- It's recommended that around 110ml of powder is ideal for a single load of washing in the machine. Adding an extra 100ml of powder is advised, if your clothes are very heavily soiled, or if you're planning to use the pre-wash setting on your washing machine.
- For liquid detergents, the recommended dose is only 35ml (rising to 52ml for heavily soiled clothing) because it is far more concentrated than powder.
- For capsules, it's one capsule per wash, and for washing tablets, it's between one and four tablets depending on water hardness.
- Getting the correct dosage of washing capsules and tablets is simple – the dosage is already pre-measured so all you have to do is pop the correct number into the washing machine. However, for laundry powders and washing detergents, a little more effort is required. The washing powder scoop perfectly measures out 110ml, while the dosing ball measures 35ml.
- It's important to remember that these dosing guidelines are just that – guidelines! Nothing is set in stone, and you may find that different manufacturers recommend different amounts of product. Use your initiative when it comes to your washing, but remember that the manufacturer's recommendations are the best way to use these products safely and effectively. If your clothes are very heavily soiled or stained, or if you're in an area that's known for having particularly hard water, you may need to use a little more detergent.
How to use washing powder in a machine
Not only can washing detergent dosage be a source of confusion, but knowing the best way to use detergent in a washing machine can also be tricky. Here's how to use the powder in the machine.
- Add the clothing into the washing machine
Pop your clothing into the washing machine. Make sure to add any delicate clothing into a laundry bag to prevent it being damaged by other clothing, or by the washing machine.
- Choose and select your washing programme
Remember that if you're opting for a pre-wash cycle, this will affect how much detergent you use (you'll need around 100ml more).
- Measure out the correct dose of washing powder
Measure out the correct dose of washing powder for your load of laundry, using more or less than recommended if you either have very dirty clothes or simply want to do a quick refresh.
- Pour the washing powder into the correct compartment
Pour your washing powder into the correct compartment in the drawer of your machine. Pre-wash and main wash compartments are often labelled as ‘I' and ‘II' respectively.
