Laundry is often a mess for all of us. Usually, apartments are small where we do not have a separate laundry room, so we have to keep the washing machine either in the bathroom or in the kitchen. In that case, we can’t think of a space for laundry products and the proper method to store laundry detergent. That is why I am here for the rescue.
Laundry detergent should always be kept in a cool place at a temperature between 10 to 25°C. It is best to store the detergent in an air-tight jar to prevent the hardening of detergent. Also, keep the jar on a shelf or a cabinet away from the reach of children.
You can follow some simple storing tips to retain the effectiveness of detergent for almost a year after opening it. Interested in finding the best ways? Read to the end.
Keep Away from Damp Places
Powdered detergents should be given additional care as they are likely to go bad easily. Powdered detergents usually come in plastic bags. When you open it, there is no way back. It stays open.
There is a double threat in this case. Firstly, bacteria and other microorganisms can fall into it. Secondly, if the cabinet is damp, the detergent gets hard and becomes a house for molds. Since mold and other insects love damp places, they can invade the detergent pack.
It is necessary to check the place for dampness before storing detergent there. The shelf should be completely dry and should not hold the presence of any insect. Also, it is better to keep the detergent in an open area rather than placing it in a closed cabinet. This ensures the passing of air, which keeps the powder detergent dry.
Read More: Are Liquid Detergents Better than Powder?
Store Detergent in an Air-tight Jar
Since powdered detergent comes in bags or cardboard boxes, we cannot close them once they are open. As a result, dampness is most likely to invade the detergent.
The best method is to buy some big air-tight containers. Then, every time you purchase powdered detergent, store it in air-tight jars. This way, there will be no risk of detergent getting wasted.
Air-tight containers do not let the air pass through them. As a result, dampness cannot hit the detergent, thereby, keep it dried.
These air-tight jars are also a good option if you have a leaking liquid detergent bottle or lost the cap. You can pour the detergent into this jar and cover it with its cap.
Liquid Detergent Bottles with Caps
There are some big bottles of liquid detergents that have a tap attached to them. These taps are made to make the process of pouring easier. It works simply like any other tap in your home. Open the faucet and place a measuring cup underneath the tap; the detergent will start coming out of the tap.
This tap can be a problem as detergent keeps on dripping from the tap even when the faucet is closed. There are two solutions to this problem.
You can pour the detergent into an air-tight container and discard the original bottle. Other than that, you can attach the measuring cup below the tap by keeping it on a support made out of the plastic can. This way, all the dripping detergent falls in the cup, which you can use next time you do laundry.
Read More: What to Do When You Lose Your Laundry, Detergent Cap?
Keep the Detergent Covered
No matter what type of detergent you use, it is mandatory to cover it with a lid. Detergents contain toxic chemicals. If left open, the chemicals may evaporate and spread in the air. This can lead to serious health problems. Also, open detergent becomes a home for several bacteria when you wash clothes with such detergent, the bacteria transfer to your clothes.
We all know that powdered detergents are almost always sold in packets that cannot be sealed or closed again. This situation demands a separate container. You can use an air-tight container as mentioned above. If the detergent is in plastic packaging, you can attach the clip to close it by rolling the packet onwards.
Liquid detergents come in a bottle with a lid, which can be removed and placed again. If the lid somehow gets lost, you can use a measuring cup to cover it. If you can, find a similar lid in your home. You can easily get one from an old empty detergent bottle.
It completely depends upon you how you cover the detergent. The main point is to keep detergent away from the dampness and covered all the time.
Read More: Is Liquid Detergent Harmful to Our Health?
Keep Out of Reach of Children
Detergent is a toxic chemical product, which should not be ingested at any cost. The harmful ingredients in it do not spare our skin, let alone the organs. This is why detergent should be kept out of the reach of children.
Ensure that the cabinet or drawer in which you store the laundry detergent is at a height where no child can reach. If ingested, the chemicals in detergent can cause damage to the internal body organs. Children have weak immune systems and weak organs. Therefore, they can get damaged quickly, even with a lighter and less toxic chemical.
Therefore, it is better to keep the detergent out of reach of children to prevent any mishap.
Read More: Can Your Detergent Impact Your Acne and Skin?
Store at Cool Temperature
Detergents contain biological enzymes that work at a specific temperature. Fluctuation in temperature denatures the enzymes, and they become ineffective. When enzymes do not function properly, the detergent does not remove stains from the clothes.
Detergent should never be placed at extreme temperatures. Placing it in a hot place softens the detergent resulting in the loss of oxygen, which ultimately makes the detergent lose its effectiveness. If detergent is kept at a low temperature, the detergent becomes hard and does not function properly.
The above situation is true for powder detergent. However, liquid detergent also suffers a somewhat similar fate. Suppose it is placed in an extreme temperature, liquid detergent freeze. On the other hand, detergent loses its active components if it is placed at a very high temperature, thereby losing its effectiveness.
Install Cabinets
Always keep the laundry products locked in the cabinet if you have kids at home. If you don’t have any cabinets installed, you can install them on the wall above the washing machine to store all the laundry products.
The good idea is to make a shelf right above the washing machine to keep detergent, bleach, fabric softeners, etc.
This gives you a quick reach to all the items you need without wasting your time running here and there looking for products.
Close the Lid after Use
By now, you might have understood the importance of keeping the lid closed in the detergent container. This is really important, which most of us do not pay attention to.
Right after using the detergent, close the lid carefully and tightly so there is no space for the air to pass through. After that, don’t forget to wash your hands to get the chemicals off your hand. In case of a spill, clean it up immediately using a muff.
It is also necessary to wash the tool that you have used to measure the detergent. This is because the detergent left on the measuring cup becomes a home for bacteria and mold.
How to Store Different Types of Laundry Detergent?
The basic rule for storing detergent is the same for all kinds. Here is how you should keep the laundry detergent.
Liquid Detergent
If liquid detergent is kept open, it may become a victim of microbial contamination. These microbes transfer to clothes when you wash them with detergent. Therefore, make sure to cover the lid of the detergent bottle.
Also, the detergent gets freeze when it is placed at a cold temperature. So try to keep it in a cool environment at 10 to 25°C.
Powdered Detergent
Keep the detergent in its original packaging or an air-tight container. Damp places make the detergent ineffective. Place the storage box in a dry place away from the moisture to ensure maximum efficacy for a long time.
Detergent Pods
Detergent pods dissolve in water. Therefore, it is essential to keep them in a dry place. The pods come in a bag. You can close the bag fully and place it in the cabinet. The cabinet should not be damp and must be away from the reach of children.
In Conclusion
Laundry detergent is made with lots of chemicals, most of which are toxic to our health and the environment. Therefore, it is necessary to store it rightly and in a safe place.
No matter what type of detergent you use, the method for storing is similar in every case. It is really essential to cover the lid of the detergent bottle as it can evaporate and spread in the air. This poses a risk to the lives of people living in the house.
Lastly, build a shelf in your laundry space and keep all the items on it. Keep everything organized so that you enjoy doing laundry.