Washing with laundry soap in a washing machine

Washing with laundry soap in a washing machine Thanks to low prices, persuasive advertising and flashy packaging, it is increasingly difficult for housewives to decide on the right detergent. Some powders are suspiciously cheap, others are frightening because of their dangerous composition, and others cause allergies with all the ensuing consequences. All this increases mistrust of store-bought chemicals and creates a strong desire to return to time-tested “folk” recipes. One of them is to wash with laundry soap in an automatic washing machine. We suggest you figure out how effective such washing is and what to do for a brilliant result.

Is automatic washing possible?

Laundry soap has many advantages compared to household chemicals. Firstly, it is several times cheaper than the most inexpensive powders. Secondly, it contains no dangerous ingredients, harmful impurities or prohibited substances - complete safety. Thirdly, this product is absolutely natural, since it is based only on fatty acids, animal fats and vegetable oils. Fourthly, there is no need to worry about the environment - everything is easily recycled and does not harm the environment. Also a “plus” will be the ability to perfectly remove dirt and disinfect laundry.

Pediatricians recommend washing children's clothes with laundry soap.

But many are accustomed to the fact that washing with soap instead of powder is only possible by hand. Fortunately, this is not the case. If the process is organized correctly, there is no need to bend your back over a basin for an hour. You can wash it in a "master's" machine. Unlike other types of soap, it does not produce strong foam, which is extremely important for a washing machine.The main thing is to follow the dosage when loading woolen products into the drum, which enhance foaming. can soap harm the machine?

The disadvantage of soap is that the fatty acids it contains are more difficult to wash out. If synthetic concentrates are easily and quickly removed from clothes and internal parts of the washing machine, then the household “bar” leaves behind a sticky residue. In order not to damage the machine, you need to remember this feature of the product, paying attention to control and prevention.

Maintenance of the machine after washing with soap

If you plan to occasionally replace regular powder with laundry soap, then you don’t need to worry about a possible breakdown of the machine. In one-time cycles there will be no thick adhesive layer, so you can safely wash baby clothes, diapers and towels with a brown bar. To completely protect the machine, it is enough to run another program after finishing washing, adding a little vinegar and baking soda to the dispenser.

Those who want to completely replace household chemicals with laundry soap will have to take the prevention of possible contamination more seriously. Now you will need careful care and regular cleaning. The nature and extent of cleaning procedures depends on the quality of tap water.

Hard tap water accelerates the formation of plaque and increases the “sticking” of fat to the parts of the washer.

With soft water, no special intervention is required. You just need to rinse the machine as often as possible: run a “idle” cycle after each wash, plus an additional cycle when you finish using the washer. It is also recommended to constantly wipe the drum, cuff and detergent tray. It is important to carefully examine the “insides” of the machine for the presence of suspicious deposits and scale. Regular cleaning will not hurt either: once every 3-4 months, turn on the “empty” program, adding vinegar, citric acid, soda or a chemical cleaner to the dispensary. vinegar to remove soap residue from the machine

If the water is too hard, then the risk of contamination of the machine due to the sticky soap composition increases. The fact is that the impurities and substances present in such a liquid accelerate the formation of plaque and increase the “sticking” of fat to the parts. The frequency of preventive cleaning is increasing - it is better to clean the washing machine every 2-3 weeks.

In any case, it is not difficult to keep the machine safe and sound. Many years of experience of housewives shows that it is possible to switch to environmentally friendly soap without unpleasant consequences. The main thing is to control the process, be responsible and follow the dosage.

Soap preparation and washing

Laundry soap dissolves very slowly, in which it is much inferior to chemical gels and powders. It’s easy to get around this “obstacle”: it’s enough to properly prepare the bar for machine washing. To do this, we turn to folk recipes.

Shavings. The piece is grated on a coarse grater and poured directly into the drum onto the items. How much to add per wash depends on the type of fabric of the load. As a rule, 1 tablespoon is enough for every kilogram of dry clothes.
Washing liquid. Add the previously obtained shavings to boiling water and stir thoroughly. We dilute approximately 50 g per glass of water. Pour the homogeneous mixture into the powder receptacle, in the main wash section.
Gel (method 1). Grate a 300-gram piece of soap and pour the resulting shavings into 2 liters of hot water. Bring until smooth, then add 4 tbsp. l. sodium carbonate and leave to cool. Pour the cold product into an empty bottle and use it as needed.Recommended dosage is 100-150 ml per standard drum load.
Gel (method 2). Pour a liter of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Next, set the minimum temperature and add the ingredients one by one: 50 g of crushed soap and soda solution (per 100 g of powder per 250 ml of water). It is important to stir the mixture so that there are no lumps left and the liquid does not boil again. Stir for about five minutes, remove from heat and cool. If desired, add natural flavoring - 3-5 drops of scented oil.

If the soap foams too much, you need to add 1 teaspoon of borax to the washing drum.

The dry mixture is recommended for single use. Pieces of soap easily leave the drum and stick to the heating element and other parts of the washer. All this leads to overheating of the elements and further breakdowns. Much safer are liquid forms - solutions, mixtures and gels.

Soap selection

The quality of washing depends not only on the dosage and preparation, but also on the composition of the soap used. To wash things well, you need to choose something real and safe. A few useful recommendations will help you find the best product.

Solid soap should contain 65-72% detergent. On the shelves you can also find formulations with increased concentrations and various additives. Among the latter, oils, glycerin, herbal extracts and bleaches are often found.
Liquid laundry soap contains less acids - 30-40%. Due to its lightweight composition and soft formula, it does not require preparatory manipulations and is immediately poured into the tray.
Soap with the addition of palm and coconut oil is characterized by reduced foaming, quick leaching and hypoallergenicity.Such products are odorless and do not cause residue on the washing machine.
A safe alternative to laundry soap is baby soap and tar soap, which have a similar composition, are hypoallergenic and antibacterial.

If the soap contains enzymes, then washing silk and woolen items with it is prohibited.

As for choosing a program, it all depends on the items being washed. You just need to remember that laundry soap loves high temperatures. When choosing a delicate mode with water heating to 30 degrees, the product will dissolve more slowly, so additional rinsing will be required.