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How to Use Liquid Laundry Detergent Properly

Liquid laundry detergent is surprisingly versatile. It tends to perform well in all water temperatures and most machine types, can be useful for pre-treating stains, and can be used for both machine washing and hand washing fabrics. 

Types of Liquid Laundry Detergent

Unlike powder detergent, liquid laundry detergent is available in multiple variants depending on the brand, including options for things like sensitive skin detergent, stain fighting detergent, and stronger fragrance, with popular variants also being available in single-dose formats. Or concentrated formulas.  

How Much to Liquid Detergent to Use

Your washing load will need a different amount of detergent depending on several various factors, including which type of formula is being used, the size of your load, and the wash cycle you've chosen. Thankfully, the answers to these questions can be found on our helpful page on how to dose laundry detergent.

How to Use Liquid Detergent, Step By Step

If liquid laundry detergent is a mainstay in your laundry day regimen, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind for your next wash cycle:

  • Liquid laundry detergent is great for pretreating stains. To pretreat, make sure to check the care label, and then simply apply detergent directly to the stain, rubbing detergent into the fabric.
  • You can use the cap to measure detergent based on your load size. Pro tip? Toss your detergent cap into the washer drum with your clothes to clean off any detergent residue. Just make sure to retrieve the cap before placing your clothes in the dryer.
  • Liquid laundry detergent works in both top-load and front-load machines. When using a top-load machine, add the detergent directly to the drum. For front-load machines, add the detergent directly to the detergent section of the dispenser.
  • Detergent should be stored out of reach from children and pets and should always be kept in its original packaging.

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