It’s a chore that many of us dread.
And now it turns out you’ve probably been washing your clothes wrong this entire time.
An expert from Which? has revealed why you should never use fabric softener on your laundry.
Instead of making your clothes softer, Rebecca Jakeman, a senior researcher and write at Which? has warned that this liquid can actually cause skin irritation.
‘I’d never use fabric softener,’ Ms Jakeman explained.
‘It leaves a residue on fabrics that builds up over time.
‘Not only does this make it harder for detergent to penetrate and clean your clothes, it will also reduce the absorption of towels.
‘Fabric softener can also irritate sensitive skin.’
An expert from Which? has revealed why you should never use fabric softener on your laundry
It’s a chore that many of us dread. And now it turns out you’ve probably been washing your clothes wrong this entire time
In a new advice column, Ms Jakeman also explains that you’re probably using too much detergent on your clothes.
‘Chucking in a bit of extra detergent might not sound like the end of the world, but it could make all the difference to your favourite outfits,’ she said.
‘While stains might be tackled effectively, lots of pesky detergent will be left lurking in your clothes following the rinse phase of the cycle.’
On light items, this likely won’t be a huge issue.
However, if you wear lots of dark clothes, evidence of ‘overdosig’ will be more obvious – with either flecks of detergent powder of smears of liquid detergent visible.
‘It’s not a great look,’ Ms Jakeman joked.
Some detergents can also irritate the skin, the expert added.
‘Using too much detergent could also be a problem for you if your skin is sensitive to any of the chemicals used in the detergent,’ she said.
Instead of making your clothes softer, Rebecca Jakeman, a senior researcher and write at Which? has warned that this liquid can actually cause skin irritation (stock image)
So, how much detergent should you use?
Roughly speaking, you’ll need just one tablespoon for small loads, or two tablespoons for larger loads, according to Ms Jakeman.
‘Your washing machine manual will tell you how much detergent you should be using for your appliance,’ she added.
‘This will be detailed on a program-by-program basis, so you’ll use more for a full load than you will for a half load, for example.’
While you might be tempted to eyeball your detergent, this probably isn’t wise.
Ms Jakeman concluded: ‘Measure the amount you use.
‘Most of us get this wrong when using guesswork and end up using far too much.’
