Laundry detergent... do you use a full cap?

[Papa Deuce]

Or, like me, do you skimp a little, figuring that the company wants you to use more than you need so that you buy more product?

 

[Sandy22]

I'm the opposite - I usually use a full cap plus a little bit extra. I just really want CLEAN clothes! And laundry detergent is one product where I think you get what you pay for. I like Tide - not the cheap stuff.

 

[IloveDMB]

I also use a full cap. I never really thought about using less because I want my clothes to be as clean as they can be.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I'm the opposite - I usually use a full cap plus a little bit extra. I just really want CLEAN clothes! And laundry detergent is one product where I think you get what you pay for. I like Tide - not the cheap stuff.

We buy the "good stuff" too, and we have those super duper high efficiency washer dryer combos. But we bought them most for the HUGE cacpacity, not so much the cleaning power.

 

[Beth76]

I have a water softener and I believe they told us to use 1/2-1 oz of soap. That just doesn't seem like enough to me. So, I don't use the whole cap, but I use more than what they told me to use. I don't necessarily think more soap makes it more clean.

 

[Charade]

It all really depends on your water and how hard it is. I have a water softener and I use about 1/2 (or less) of the recommended amount. Using too much detergent will shorten the life expectancy of your clothes and it's not good for your plumbing or septic system.

Instead of using a little more to get the clothes clean, you should pretreat the heavier stains first (like collars and cuffs).

If you look at the different name brands of detergents, they are usually made by the same 3 or 4 companies. Proctor and Gamble, Dial, Lever Bros, etc. Sometimes, house brands (like supermarket or superstores) are the exact same product as name brand versions but for a cheaper price. But beware, some of the cheaper no name brands do not clean as well as the more popular name brands so in the end they cost about the same because you tend to use more per wash.

 

[Charade]

I have a water softener and I believe they told us to use 1/2-1 oz of soap. That just doesn't seem like enough to me. So, I don't use the whole cap, but I use more than what they told me to use. I don't necessarily think more soap makes it more clean.

You may want to check the setting on your softner to see if it's running often enough or the proper capacity for your water hardness. Sears has a free (I think) water testing kit.

 

[Melrosgirl]

I use 1/2 a cap b/c I have a front loader and I don't like to buy the h/e stuff. 1/2 cap works well.

 

[golfgal]

We have a water softner and I use Tide Powder. I use about an 1/8th of what they recommend and my clothes come out very clean (I am really picky about my laundry). If I use more, then there is too much left in the clothes. Having a softener really helps keep soap usage down (same with dish soap, shampoo, etc).

 

[Lynn CC]

I have a wash motion machine which calls for 1/4 cup and high efficiency detergent. I have to use Ivory Snow because DS is allergic to everything else. I use 1/4 cup with Hot water.

 

[pw2pp]

I don't even measure it...... I just pour it is straight from the bottle.

 

[SeeDisney]

I use about a 1/2 cup as well. Agreed with Papa's comments.

I find 1/2 cup still gets all my clothes clean just as well.

 

[cgcw]

I don't use an entire cap full -- somehow our clothes don't seem dirty enough to warrant it. If they are, then yes, I'll use the recommended amount but for the most part, they are just everyday dirty clothes. Nothing heavily soiled.

I like Tide - not the cheap stuff.

I like Tide too. It seems thicker to me than other detergent.

 

[Christine]

I've been known to cut back on my detergent thinking the same thing "they probably want me to use more than I need."

 

[CynJ]

It depends on what I am washing.

I use Clorox2 in just about every load as a "booster" to get stains out so I generally use about 3/4 of a cup of detergent with it.

But if for some reason I am not using Clorox2 then I use a full cup of soap.

BTW - I use generic versions of Clorox2, All Free&Clear, and Downy and never have a problem

The only thing laundry wise that I insist on buying brand-name is actual bleach - I only buy Clorox

 

[Serena]

I've never had a problem using less than they recommend. I'm not exactly outside playing in the mud.

 

[MELSMICE]

I like Tide - not the cheap stuff.

LOL - I used to buy the "cheap stuff" until I used Tide once. I am totally converted. Tide always - it's a great stain remover. I'm a no-name brand girl, but there are a few things, including Tide, that I just have to have.

 

[WilmaBud]

I remember watching an Oprah show years ago, and they tested people's clothes to see how clean they were after washing. It was one of those shows where she goes into people's houses and checks cleanliness (like in the fridge, the dishcloths, etc.). Anyway, they said most people didn't use enough laundry soap, and their clothes weren't really clean. It grossed me out, and I've used more than a full cap ever since.

I guess I'm really bucking the trend on this thread, too, because I don't like Tide. It makes our clothes fade too quickly. I don't like All or Cheer, either because they make me itch. I use Purex, Bold, or Arm & Hammer. Sometimes I throw a little Borax in there, too, if the load is really dirty. I also always bleach my whites. I'm real picky about my laundry.

BTW, how can you tell if there's too much soap left in your clothes?

 

[mickeyboat]

DH is a carpenter and was talking to one of his plumber friends one time. The plumber said people use way too much detergent in their clothes. He ran the rinse cycle only on a load that had been sitting in our washer, and you wouldn't have believed the amount of soap bubbles!

That being said, I use almost a whole cup full.

Denae

 

[bananiem]

We have a water softener and if I use the recommended amount the clothes still have little soap bubbles on them after the rinse/spin cycle.
I use Tide with Bleach, powdered. It gets my ds's grass stains out without pre-treating.