Why You Shouldn’t Use Dishwashing Liquid in Your Washing Machine
There’s a reason some social media cleanup hacks are only emerging now, decades after domestic scientists and economists developed many of the products and methods still in use today: they don’t work, and may even do more harm. than good.
Such is the case with the laundry hack , which has been circulating on TikTok and other platforms for over a year now. This method involves you pouring one tablespoon of Dawn dishwashing detergent onto a clean rag and then putting it in the washing machine with a load of laundry – supposedly leaving whites bright without the use of bleach.
But according to laundry experts, this is a bad idea. Here’s what you need to know.
Why You Shouldn’t Use Dishwashing Liquid in Your Washing Machine
Here’s the thing: Dishwashing liquid is a great way to pre-treat food stains on clothes because it’s designed to create a lather that removes grease and stuck-on food particles. So it’s no surprise that people have decided to take it one step further and use dishwashing detergent instead of detergent when fully loaded in the washing machine. Here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t:
It may damage your washing machine.
According to the Dawn website , dishwashing detergent is “not meant to be used directly in the washing machine” because “too much suds can create a waterfall effect as your washing machine goes through a full cycle.”
Sounds nice, but two laundry experts from Consumer Reports say all that suds can damage your washing machine, which was designed to work with low-sudsing detergents.
Washing machines can add more water and lengthen wash times, but there can still be too much foam and splatter on the sides. Over time, highly foaming dishwashing detergent can build up inside the washing machine drum, causing an unpleasant odor and reducing the efficiency of the machine.
May irritate sensitive skin
Dish soap may contain fragrances, harsh chemicals, or other irritants that can be problematic for people with sensitive skin, explains Consumer Reports’ Jodhaira Rodriguez .
It may damage your clothes.
When highly foaming dishwashing detergent builds up in the washing machine drum, it can coat clothes with soapy film, making them stiff, Rodriguez notes .
In addition, laundry detergents are designed not only to clean fabrics, but also to protect them during the washing process. Dish soap, on the other hand, is designed to remove grease from hard surfaces like glass, ceramic, and plastic, not from soft ones like fabric.
As a result, Rodriguez says that using dish soap on delicate fabrics like silk can damage the material. She adds that dishwashing detergent can remove stains but does not contain fabric-protecting ingredients.