People who are exposed newly to laundry chores face difficulty in many different things. Finding the right place to pour detergent is one of those difficulties. If you are facing the same problem, don’t worry, I am here for you.
Front-loader washing machines contain different compartments, each of which is used for a specific purpose. You need to pour laundry detergent into the detergent compartment. However, you need to pour the detergent directly into the drum in the case of a top-load washing machine.
The method of adding laundry detergent to the washing machine is different for different types of machines. Therefore, it is essential to add the detergent the right way to protect your washer from unwanted damage.
Top-Load Washing Machine
Top-load washing machines are somehow different from front-load machines. They are comparatively easier to operate. Older people and those with back problems are inclined more towards top-load washing machines since they are easy to load.
Due to a slightly different operating mechanism, the top-load washing machine also needs special care. However, it is less difficult to operate as it contains fewer buttons and knobs. Overall, top-load washing machines are a great choice, but you cannot use them as a table the way we can place things on the top of a front-load washer.
Where Do I Put Laundry Detergent in Top-Load Washing Machine?
The front-load machine contains separate compartments for fabric softener, laundry detergent, and bleach. But no such compartments are found on top-load washing machines. Therefore, a better method should be adopted to get the best cleaning results. Here is how you can add laundry detergent to top-load washing machines.
Laundry Detergent
Whether you use a liquid laundry detergent or a powdered detergent, don’t forget to add it initially. Since there are no separate compartments for laundry detergents and fabric softener, we have to add these products directly into the drum.
It is important to add the detergent before putting the clothes in the drum. This allows the detergent to submerge fully in the water.
If you pour the detergent on the top of the clothes, the detergent will not dissolve completely. Since detergent is added to the clothes, it stains the portion of the cloth where it falls.
Detergent Pods
Just like laundry detergent, detergent pods are supposed to be added before putting the laundry. You have to add the detergent pods directly into the drum. This way, they get the chance to dissolve entirely in water. It is also necessary to have the detergent mixed equally in water.
Detergent pods usually dissolve in both hot and cold water. Therefore, be careful while selecting the cycle. Also, don’t forget to read the label. The next step is to add the clothes to the washer. After the cycle stops, be very careful while taking out the clothes. If the clothes stay in the washer for a long time, the detergent starts forming stains on the clothes.
Front-load Washing Machine
People nowadays are putting more and more emphasis on reducing environmental pollution and conserving energy. As this trend goes on, people consider buying appliances that save energy and consume less time.
Front-load washing machines are in the spotlight these days. The people of the United States commonly use these types of washing machines. With the increasing demand, people are also tempted to learn the correct way of using these machines.
Read More: Is Liquid Detergent Bad for Washing Machine?
High-Efficiency
Front-load washing machines are all high-efficiency machines. If you have a high-efficiency washer, you need to be a lot more careful while using it. A high-efficiency washing machine easily gets ruined. Even using more than the usual amount of detergent damages it.
Since less water is used in such types of machines, less detergent should be used. Also, a special kind of detergent explicitly made for high-efficiency washers should be used. This will protect the machine from any mishap. Finally, make sure to add the correct amount of detergent to the washer. If you add more than the required amount, many suds will form that will result in an overflow. This overflow of suds is likely to damage the machine’s electronic system, which ultimately voids its warranty.
Compartments in Washing Machine
On the top bar of the washing machine, you will see a drawer. When you open it, you will find three compartments. These must be labeled as liquid bleach, fabric softener, and laundry detergent.
Each of these compartments should be used for the purpose for which it has been built.
Where Do I Put Laundry Detergent in Front-Loader Washing Machine?
Different compartments are made for different laundry products. Make sure to read the label every time before adding the detergent.
Liquid and Powder Detergent
You will add the detergent in the detergent compartment of the drawer. If you are using liquid detergent, don’t use more than one tablespoon of detergent. If your machine’s compartment cannot carry a tablespoon of detergent, don’t feed it.
These washing machines are made to automatically release the right amount of detergent in the drum at the right time.
The same method will be followed for the powdered detergent. You will add two tablespoons of detergent in the same compartment where you are supposed to pour the liquid detergent.
Read More: Can I Put Liquid Detergent in the Drum?
Detergent Pods
In the case of detergent pods, you need to follow different steps. First, place the pods directly into the drum while it is empty. After that, put the laundry. This allows the pods to spend more time in the water; therefore, they submerge entirely in the water.
Never attempt to place the pods in the detergent dispenser of the washing machine. This will ruin the washer. Instead, you can see the detergent pack department in the same drawer apart from the other three compartments. This is the place where you can put a maximum of two detergent pods. But before starting the wash cycle, make sure to turn the “pods” button ON.
What Happens if I Add More or Less Than Needed Amount of Detergent?
The amount of laundry detergent is one of the most crucial factors determining how well your clothes will turn out after getting washed. Washing laundry is like an art, which requires time and effort if you want the best results.
The amount of laundry detergent you add to the washing machine is as significant as adding it to the right place. Adding more or less than the needed amount will result in damage and poorly cleaned clothes. Let us see how.
When you add more detergent to the washing machine, more suds formation will occur. This can be damaging to the washing machines. Though it affects every type of machine, high-efficiency machines get the most damage.
Suds formation damages the electronic system of the washing machine and at the same time avoids the washer’s warranty as it occurs due to the user error. Less than the needed amount of detergent may result in poorly washed clothes. The clothes turn out even more dirty than they were before washing.
What Happens if I Add Detergent on Clothes?
Detergent is never supposed to add to the top of clothes. We need to add detergent directly into the drum in case of the top-load washing machine. But it would help if you were careful enough not to add it to the clothes.
When the detergent is poured on the clothes, it does not get dissolved in the water entirely and stays on the clothes for a longer time. As a result, the different parts of the clothes get stained. These stains are usually blue and appear in the form of patches. Try to treat these stains right when you see them. They become permanent if not treated at the right time.
What Happens If I Leave Detergent on Clothes?
Detergent contains harmful synthetic chemicals that can be damaging to the clothes. In addition, leaving the clothes in detergent for a long time can damage the fibers of the clothes, especially those thin fabrics. The other problem is staining. Whether you use a liquid detergent or a powdered one, the staining on the clothes always occurs.
Since both the clothes and detergent are inside the washing machine, this can affect the washing machine’s interior as well.
Read More: Laundry Detergent: Before or After Clothes?
In Conclusion
Front-load and top-load washing machines are made differently, and therefore, they operate differently. However, both of these are made to serve the same purpose that is cleaning laundry. However, front-load washing machines are more energy-efficient, which is why they require special care when you use them.
For a font-load machine, there is always a drawer with different compartments. One of those compartments is used for adding detergent. Pour the recommended amount of detergent into that compartment.
However, top-load washing machines do not have separate compartments for adding laundry products. Instead, you need to add everything directly into the drum before adding the clothes. This ensures that the detergent has been entirely dissolved in water.
Whatever type of machine you use, make sure not to exceed the recommended amount of detergent. Follow the steps carefully to get the best cleaning results.