Simple Test to Determine If You're Using Too Much Laundry Detergent

When it comes to laundry detergent, the phrase "Too much of a good thing" rings ever so true. If you use too much, you'll shorten the life of your laundry. It can make your laundry look dull and dingy, and feel stiff and rough. Use too much laundry detergent and the residue will accumulate over time and damage your washing machine. The accumulation can also cause mold and mildew to form in the machine. Here is a simple test to determine if you're using too much laundry detergent:

First-
Place 4 to 6 laundered bath towels in a front-loading washing machine. Use just 1 towel if you have a top-loading machine. Set the water temperature to "Hot". Set the load size to "Medium".
Don't add laundry detergent.

Second-
Start the machine on a regular wash cycle. Allow the towel(s) to wash for 5 minutes. Then, check them. If you see soap suds in the water, you're using too much laundry detergent. The suds are created by the detergent residue in the towel(s).

Third-
To remove excess detergent from your laundry, you'll need to wash it 1 or 2 times in water alone. Use the hottest water possible- check the care tags on the laundry for recommended temperatures- to dissolve the residue. To help remove the detergent residue, you can add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the last rinse cycle of a full load. The vinegar will also help clean the washer tub.

To better clean the tub- run the washing machine through a regular, hot-water wash with 1 cup of white vinegar added to it. If that doesn't work, you can use a packaged washing machine cleaner.

Remember-
Newer types of washing machines that use less water, plus concentrated products, mean you don't need to use as much detergent nowadays. And, even if you measure the detergent and use the amount recommended by the manufacturer, that may be too much. You may be able to use an eighth to a half of the amount, depending on how soft or hard your water is. An abundance of suds in your washing machine water doesn't mean the laundry is getting clean. It just means there's too much detergent being used.

Resources
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/your-money/13shortcuts.html
http://www.mgservices.ca/page_washer.htm#wash how much detergent