If you’ve ever reached the bottom of one bottle of laundry detergent before finishing a load, you may have wondered whether it’s OK to combine it with another. Or maybe you’re hoping to create a stronger cleaning formula by mixing two detergents with different benefits. While it may seem harmless, cleaning experts in the Good Housekeeping Home Care & Cleaning Lab generally recommend sticking with just one detergent per load.
The biggest issue is that laundry detergents aren’t all formulated the same way. “Different detergents have different concentrations and dosing instructions, so mixing two together could easily lead to using too much or too little detergent,” says Noah Pinsonnault, a reviews analyst in the Home Care & Cleaning Lab.
Using too much detergent can create excessive suds that don’t rinse away completely, leaving residue on your clothes and inside your washing machine. Oversudsing can even interfere with the machine’s cleaning performance or, in rare cases, contribute to leaks or overflow. On the other hand, using too little detergent may leave behind dirt, body oils, and odors.
There’s also little evidence that combining detergents improves cleaning performance. Today, most detergents are carefully formulated to work on a wide range of stains and soils, so mixing formulas isn’t likely to provide a meaningful boost.
What to do instead if you…
If you’re considering mixing detergents to solve a particular laundry problem, there are better—and more effective—solutions, depending on your goal.
Want a deeper clean
Instead of combining detergents, follow the manufacturer’s dosing instructions to make sure you’re using the correct amount for your load size and soil level. If your current detergent isn’t getting the job done, consider switching to one designed for heavily soiled laundry or tougher stains.
Want to remove stubborn stains
For best results, pretreat problem areas with a stain remover before washing. For an extra cleaning boost, add a color-safe oxygen bleach to colored loads or chlorine bleach to white fabrics if the care label allows.
Want to get rid of smells
Rather than adding another detergent, try a product specifically designed to eliminate odors. A citric acid rinse like Downy Rinse & Refresh or a laundry odor-remover like Silverworks Deodorizing Sheets can help tackle lingering smells.
Want a nice scent
Mixing two scented detergents may not produce the fragrance you’re hoping for and could leave clothes smelling overpowering. Instead, use scent beads, scented dryer sheets, or a fragranced fabric softener to customize your laundry’s scent.
The bottom line
While mixing two laundry detergents isn’t likely to cause a dangerous chemical reaction, it’s also unlikely to improve your results. It can also make it harder to properly dose your detergent.
For the cleanest, best-smelling clothes, pros recommend sticking with a single detergent and using targeted laundry additives, such as stain removers, oxygen bleach, odor eliminators, or scent boosters, when you want to address a specific laundry concern.
Brigitt is a writer, editor and craft stylist with nearly 15 years of experience. She specializes in lifestyle topics, including home, health, parenting, beauty, style, food, entertaining, travel and weddings. She has written for Glamour, People, Good Housekeeping, Women’s Health, Real Simple, Martha Stewart, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, and more.
Source: Home Ideas - goodhousekeeping.com
