You're Probably Doing Your Laundry All Wrong, According to an Expert
Unless you're unthinkably wealthy or fortunate enough to have someone else handle your household chores, you're likely doing laundry at least a few times each month. You might assume this frequent practice means you've mastered the art of getting clothes perfectly clean while saving time, energy, and money. Unfortunately, there's some sobering news: you're probably making critical errors in your laundry routine.
The Shocking Truth About Laundry Detergent
Patric Richardson, known as The Laundry Evangelist and host of HGTV's "Laundry Guy," recently shared insights on HuffPost's "Am I Doing It Wrong?" podcast. He revealed that most people use far too much laundry detergent, which ironically leaves clothes less clean. Richardson recommends using only about two tablespoons per load, suggesting a single bottle could last an entire year with proper measurement.
"I think you only need about two tablespoons of detergent for a load, so a bottle of laundry detergent might last you a year because you only need a couple of tablespoons for your clothes to come out clean," Richardson explained. He compared excessive detergent use to oversalting food during cooking.
"When you're cooking and the recipe says a half tablespoon of salt, and you put it in, it's delicious," Richardson said. "But if you're like, 'I love salt,' and you put in a whole cup, it's ruined, it's not better. So that's how to think about detergent: A little bit is really good, because it does what it's supposed to do. If you add a whole lot more, you actually ruin it."
The Science Behind Dirty Clothes from Too Much Detergent
There's a scientific explanation for why overusing detergent backfires. Richardson, author of the bestselling book "Laundry Love," detailed how detergent works and what happens when you use too much.
"The dirt and germs come off the clothes and go into the water," Richardson explained. "They get trapped in the surfactant [compounds in detergent that lift dirt and stains from clothes] and then, when the rinse comes, the surfactant goes down the drain. If you use too much detergent, it can't rinse out, so the surfactant actually resettles back in your clothes, and all of the dirt resettles back into your clothes with it. So more detergent means your clothes are actually dirty."
This phenomenon is why Richardson advises against using detergent pods, which offer no control over quantity. "I don't like pods because I don't like that you can't control the amount," he said. "You don't need a pod's worth of detergent to do a load of laundry."
Additional Laundry Tips and Common Mistakes
Richardson's revelations extend beyond detergent usage. He shared several other counterintuitive tips that could transform your laundry habits:
- Use Only the Express Cycle: Richardson claims the "express" cycle is the only washing machine setting you ever need, challenging conventional wisdom about different fabric types and soil levels.
- Avoid Dryer Sheets: He identifies dryer sheets as an enemy in laundry care, though he didn't specify alternatives in this discussion.
- Combat Static with Aluminum Foil: Richardson recommends using aluminum foil to eliminate static electricity from dried clothes, a simple household solution.
- Prevent Pit Stains with Vinegar: He suggests vinegar as an effective method for avoiding underarm stains on clothing.
These insights come from Richardson's extensive experience as a laundry specialist who has dedicated his career to perfecting clothing care techniques. His approach emphasizes simplicity, efficiency, and understanding the science behind cleaning processes rather than following marketing claims or traditional practices.
For those looking to improve their laundry routine, Richardson's advice represents a paradigm shift. Rather than assuming more detergent equals cleaner clothes, he demonstrates that precision and moderation yield better results while saving money and reducing chemical usage. His recommendations about machine cycles and laundry products challenge common household habits that many Canadians have followed for decades.
As laundry remains an unavoidable chore for most households, implementing these expert tips could lead to cleaner clothes, lower utility bills, and more sustainable cleaning practices. The key takeaway is that sometimes doing less—using less detergent, choosing simpler cycles—actually accomplishes more when it comes to effective laundry care.
