Powder Detergents Archives - All About Detergents

What is the difference between liquid, powder, and pod detergent? When you learned about different detergent forms, this question must have hit your mind. If you still have perplexed thoughts due to these products, don't worry; I am here to help you. All three forms of detergents come in different packaging and sizes, which may or may not be environmentally friendly. Liquid and powder detergents mainly treat different types of stains. This is what makes them different from each other. Apart from that, these products also have varying prices. Not all three forms of detergents are suitable for everyone. Stains on your clothes are the best indicator of which type of laundry detergent you should use. This guide will help you understand the use of all these detergents and their pros and cons. Interested? Read to the end. Liquid Laundry Detergent Liquid detergent is not as old as powdered ones, yet they are commonly used in this era. They appeared in the scenes around the 1950s, and today, around 75% of the detergent sold includes liquid detergent. People are inclined more towards liquid laundry detergent for many reasons. Since liquid detergent gets quickly mixed with water, it become trendy. Liquid detergents are available in a variety of scents. However, you can also find a scent-free option if you or somebody at home is allergic to synthetic fragrances. Other than that, liquid detergents are also better because they do not clog the washing machine. With so many other benefits, liquid detergents are more expensive than powdered ones. It's still cheaper than the pods. The packaging of liquid detergent makes it easier to use and store. They come in plastic bottles. A new design of these cans includes a faucet, which makes the pouring process easier. The best thing about liquid detergent is that it can be used as an effective stain pretreat. You do not need to make much hassle to pretreat the stain; pour the detergent on it and leave it for a while. Wash it, and Voila! No stains left. Read More: Do You Pour Liquid Detergent on Clothes? How to Use Liquid Laundry Detergent? Liquid detergents are strong at combating oil and grease stains. If you get greasy stains often, it is recommended to go for liquid detergent. You can use liquid detergent for two purposes: pretreating stains and washing clothes. Pretreating Stains: A spoonful of liquid detergent on the stain is enough to fight it. You can add the laundry detergent, rub it with a brush, and then leave it for a while. After that, rinse it with water. Washing Clothes: For a small load of laundry, just two tablespoons of liquid detergent is enough to wash the clothes. You should avoid using the cap that comes with a bottle, as it is larger than the actual amount of detergent we need. Pros and Cons Pros Best for pretreating all kinds of stains Less expensive than pods Available in a variety of scents Scent-free detergents are also available for allergic folks Treats oil and grease stains effectively Cons Plastic bottles make liquid detergent less of an eco-friendly product. A lot of water in the product makes shipping costly. Liquid detergent makes oxygen bleach almost ineffective. Overdosing can be expected due to the size of the caps. It is pretty expensive compared to powder detergents. Read More: How to Use Liquid Detergent and Dosing Balls? Powder Laundry Detergent Powder detergents are the oldest in the market, but these days, liquid detergents and pods replace them. They are less expensive than any other form of detergent, but this is not the only trait that decides the winner. The environmentally friendly cardboard packaging of powder detergent is a win-win for our ecosystem. Powder detergent is comparatively good at treating mud stains. However, it is not a good choice for pretreating colors, as we need to put extra effort into making a paste. Powder detergents are a great choice when dealing with hard water. However, these detergents can be problematic as they do not dissolve in water easily. Other than that, the effectiveness of powder detergent may vary depending on the formulation and brand. You can always get a sample of detergent to check it for colorfastness. Powder detergents are for you if you tend to get outdoors and bloodstains more. Considering the eco-friendly trait of powder detergents, we see that the boxes are made of cardboard. However, the weight and size of these cardboard boxes make the shipping expenses. This, in turn, causes the same pollution from which we were running. Read More: What are the Benefits of Unscented Detergent Powder? How to Use Powder Laundry Detergent? The dosage of laundry detergent matters in bringing the best results. This dosage varies from type to type. The amount you use for powder detergent can be less or more than liquid detergent. Powder detergent does not dissolve easily. As a result, we sometimes add more than needed detergent to the washing machine. Extra detergent forms a layer of film on the clothes and increases the amount of suds. Similarly, if you add less detergent, the clothes will not be cleaned; the clothes will turn out even dirtier and smelly. It would be best if you also considered the dirt on the laundry. If the laundry is dirtier than usual, add more detergent to clean the clothes. 1/4 to 1/3 cup of laundry detergent is enough to wash the clothes. Just open the detergent dispenser and add ¼ cup of powder detergent to it. The washing machine is made to use the detergent during a specific time. If there is no dispenser in the washer, you can add the detergent directly into the drum. In such a situation, add the detergent to the water before adding the clothes. This way, the detergent will get the required time to dissolve in the water. Pros and Cons Pros Save more money per load It comes in cardboard packaging, which is more eco-friendly. Powder detergent has a longer shelf life. Works best on outdoor stains Good performance with hard water The ingredients are formulated well, so they give perfect cleaning results. Cons Storage can be complex due to extensive packaging Leaves residue in the washing machine, which may cause damage to it over time Spot cleaning is exhausting, comparatively. Cardboard boxes easily get damaged when water falls on them. It does not dissolve in cold water quickly. Detergent Pods Not very long ago, in 2012, detergent pods were introduced in the market. It did not take much time for the pods to gain popularity. They are available in a variety of sizes that are in different scents. The travel-friendly nature of these pods is the one reason they got into the limelight. Pods are made initially with a polyvinyl film packet that contains all the detergent ingredients and sometimes softening agents. This small pack, when added to water, dissolves readily. Pods are gaining popularity quickly and are thought to outsell other forms of detergents very soon. The best thing about these pods is that there is no risk of overdosing as it is in powder and liquid detergent. All the pods are premeasured, which makes them safe to use. There is no mess of spills and measuring cups: just a pod and your washing machine. They are prepared with almost 90% active ingredients that give the same brightness and cleanliness as any other type of detergent. Some pods come with many different technologies. With such pods, you do not have to purchase bleach or fabric softeners separately. The pods will do the job for you. How to Use Detergent Pods? Pods are easy to use. Just pick a pod, throw it in the washer, and it will do its job. However, some washing machines also contain a dispenser where you can quickly drop the pod. The rest is up to the washing machine. If you travel more often, you should get some pods for yourself. Instead of carrying heavy detergent bottles and boxes, you can keep the pods in different pockets of your backpack. Though pods are convenient, they can be problematic in a household with children. Children often mistake pods for sweets and candies and expose themselves to hazardous chemicals. You should store the pods carefully if you have kids and toddlers at home. Pros and Cons Pros Travel friendly Easy to carry Easy to store Compact sized Premeasured sizes Several cleaning technologies Variety of scents No risk of overdosing Lightweight makes them beneficial for older people. Cons Pretreat is not an option with pods. Pods are the most expensive of the three detergent types Higher health hazards as kids can mistake pods for candies It needs to be stored with great precautions. It May not dissolve properly. Liquid vs. Powder vs. Pod Detergent – The Difference All the liquid, powder, and pod detergents have some differences. One way or another, all three are better than one another. We are fortunate to live in times when thousands of options are available for a single product. To prevent yourself from getting trapped by the commercials, it is essential to do your research. By now, you might know what each product looks like and how to use them. Let us dig more to find the difference between these products for a clear winner. Convenience We all want to save time by making the tasks as easy as possible. It is a fact that some laundry detergents take extra effort to clean effectively. Powder and liquid detergents are both on the same page in this regard. Both of them need to be measured before adding to the washing machine. All this creates lots of mess. On the other hand, detergent pods are premeasured, and you do not need to make an effort to measure the equal quantity. Just grab it and add it to the washing machine. Detergent pods are, therefore, the most convenient of the three. Spot Cleaning Pods cannot be used as a pretreat since they come in a pack added directly into the washing machine. Hence, pods are a big NO for spot cleaning. Powder detergent requires it to make a paste before treating the stains. In contrast, liquid detergent is already in the form of paste. For spot cleaning, liquid detergent is the best choice. Storage Powder detergents come in cardboard packaging, which gets wet over time and tears away. It would be best if you got airtight jars to store them. While liquid detergents come in plastic bottles and cans, that is a safer option unless you lose the cap. Detergent pods are already packed so that you can keep them anywhere. When it comes to storage, pods are easy to store, provided that you keep them away from the reach of children. Read More: What is the Best Way to Store Your Laundry Detergent? Stain Types Powder detergents are good at treating muddy stains, while liquid detergent fights greasy and oil stains effectively. Pods can work great on either type of stain. Now, it is up to you to consider the types of stains you get the most and then choose the detergent accordingly. Budget If you are low on budget, you should go for powder laundry detergents, which are the cheapest. Liquid detergents are moderately expensive, while pods are the most costly. In Conclusion Each type of detergent has some pros and cons. The suitable detergent is not heavy on your pockets, is easy to use, and treats the stains effectively. If you are a travel enthusiast, without any doubt, you should opt for detergent pods. But if you are more of a home person and can spend a few extra bucks, you should use liquid detergent. It has many advantages over powder and pod detergent. If you cannot afford the other two options, powder detergent is the only choice. It is undoubtedly great at removing stains and keeping the clothes bright and fresh.