What is better for washing - regular washing powder or liquid detergent?

To keep our things clean, manufacturers of household chemicals offer you a wide range of various washing products to choose from. Any housewife has certain requirements for the characteristics of household laundry chemicals, which include:

• quality of washing things.
• rapid solubility of the washing substance in order to save time and energy.
• gentle effect or its complete absence on the mechanisms of the washing machine.
• economical use of funds.
• complete rinsing.
• moisture resistance of the product.
• no allergens.
• safety of household chemicals.
• aroma.
• price.

Advantages of liquid product

One of the practical advantages of liquid products is the cost-effectiveness of their use. As a rule, such powders are sold in capsules that dissolve when washed. This results in the entire product being used, while regular powders remain partially in the dispenser. Or you can purchase the powder in a bottle or other container and add it to the dispenser tray/drum at your discretion.

In addition, when using liquid powder, laundry does not need conditioning. Its components are already included in the product. At the same time, you are freed from purchasing additional products and receive linen with a pleasant light aroma. For young parents, the main advantage is the absence of allergic reactions that children can be susceptible to, and which are very often caused by dry powders. The product not only does not contain allergens, but is also sometimes available without phosphates in the composition (of your choice).

Important! In addition to the above advantages, liquid powders also have the ability to not leave whitish marks on your clothes, as happens when washing with dry powders. Liquid-based products are more gentle, due to which the fabric is exposed to less chemical attack.

Liquid washing gels

Gels have become commonplace. Replace powder and classic laundry soap. Liquid products with a narrow focus (for delicate fabrics, wool, cashmere, dark-colored clothing, children's and sportswear) are popular among Russian consumers, but universal ones are used less often. In European countries, half of housewives prefer gel-like universal products.

The best qualities of gels are:

• convenient packaging that is easy to store even in a small bathroom;
• safety for the respiratory tract when opening the packaging and dosage of the gel;
• the product does not change consistency during storage;
• does not deform things, acting delicately on the fabric;
• no white spots on clothes after washing;
• the cap closing the container serves as a dispenser, which allows you to save product;
• does not contain phosphates.

A number of significant disadvantages prevent gels from completely replacing dry powder:

• high temperatures lead to destruction of the structure of the product, which reduces the cleaning ability of gels;
• soapy liquids do not cope well with difficult stains (oily stains) and are completely ineffective when working with old stains.

The nuances of using a liquid product

Liquid powders are suitable for both machine and hand washing, since they contain components that do not cause allergies or irritation. In addition, they easily dissolve in water from 30 to 60 degrees, so you don’t have to burn your hands with hot water when hand washing: the gel will dissolve even in lukewarm water.

Due to its gentle composition, the liquid powder does not leave white marks on colored fabrics or streaks on dark ones. Plus, if you put a stain on something, you can simply wipe it off with gel. However, as mentioned above, liquid powder does not contain aggressive detergents, so it is better to rub stains together with a stain remover.

store a bottle of product or a box of capsules anywhere. The capsules are airtight and the containers seal well, so it is completely safe, even if there are children in the house.

However, in addition to the advantages, there are also several disadvantages. For example, price. Liquid powders are not cheap, and spending a lot of money without knowing whether the product will work or not is risky. But the market is full of powders from various manufacturers and volumes, which affects the price category. If you want to try it, find a smaller container and try the product to decide.

Which washing powder is better to choose?

We choose a detergent depending on the end goal:

• Gel washing powder does an excellent job of washing delicate fabrics or giving things freshness.
• Dry detergent for washing at high temperatures can remove old stubborn stains.
• Cotton and linen products can only be washed with a dry detergent.
• don’t doubt the gel if you don’t know how to choose washing powder if you have allergies.

This information is enough to decide which washing powder is better for a washing machine: liquid or dry.

Prepare a home remedy

Some housewives prefer to use liquid powder, however... made independently. Yes, this is quite possible, and it will cost you several times cheaper than buying imported goods in a store. So, in order to make your own liquid detergent, prepare:

• any soap, preferably a larger bar;
• bucket with a volume of 20 liters;
• pot;
• kitchen grater;
• baking soda;
• sodium tetraborate;
• any essential oil.

Let's start production. To begin, take a bar of soap and grate it all off, then put the resulting mass in a saucepan and cook the mixture over medium heat until the soap is completely dissolved in the water. Next, remove it all from the heat and set it aside.

Now take a bucket and add soda (a glass), tetraborate (half a glass), fill half with boiling water and pour in the liquid with dissolved soap. Stir the resulting solution and fill it with boiling water until the end. After this, cover with a lid and leave to infuse and cool for a day/night.

When the soap has cooled, do not forget to add essential oil for scent, and then pour the product into separate sealed containers with a lid. This makes it easier to store the powder. It takes half a glass of product to wash.

Capsules

For many Russian housewives, capsules are still a new product.

Reference! They are miniature boxes that contain a special gel. During the washing process, the protective layer dissolves, and the contents are poured out and dirt is removed.

There are many types of capsules.

The following advantages of this product can be highlighted:

• The product is already dosed, so you don’t have to measure anything.
• Compact sizes. Sold in small plastic containers that do not take up much space.
• The capsules already contain air conditioning, which is an additional saving of money.
• Gentle effect on fiber structure and fabric coloring.
• They dissolve even at low temperatures, which does not affect the washing result.
• Significant savings in water and energy, as the gel is easily washed out of clothes.

A significant disadvantage is that when washing even a small amount of laundry, it will not be possible to divide the capsule into parts. Therefore, they are not suitable for hand washing. In addition, the strong and long-lasting smell of the product causes allergies in some people.

The product has bright color and attracts children. Therefore, it is advisable to keep the capsules away from small children, because when opening the capsule, severe irritation may occur.

Attention! The average market price for capsules is much higher than for other drugs.

Advantages and disadvantages of washing gel

So, let's systematize the data on the pros and cons of gel powder in order to finally understand whether it is worth purchasing or not. It is worth noting that some people prefer to use proven products in any case, and for some, habit is very important. However, if you still decide to choose a product, then here are the characteristics of the liquid gel. Advantages.

1. Economical consumption. In order to wash the same amount of laundry you need much less gel than regular powder. Therefore, one container of liquid chemicals will last much longer than a package of dry ones.
2. Rinsing. Dry powders are difficult to wash off from clothes, can settle on fabrics and cause irritation on the skin. This will not happen with gel powder, as it instantly dissolves and goes away with the water when rinsing.
3. Safety. The liquid powder is completely hypoallergenic and does not cause any reactions.
4. Storage. Packaging of gel powders is much more airtight and more convenient than cardboard packaging of regular powder. Nothing will spill accidentally, that's for sure.
5. Gentle composition. Dry powders are concentrates of aggressive detergents. They destroy fabric covers and lead to fading. In this regard, liquid powders are more gentle on clothing.

6. Low temperature. To wash an item with dry powder, the water must be hot. With gel this condition is not necessary. You can even hand wash the item with warm water, and the product will perform its functions perfectly.

Flaws.

1. Efficiency. Yes, gel powders take care of clothes very carefully, but because of this they may not always cope with heavy stains. Sometimes you can't do without dry powder or stain remover.
2. Price. Liquid household chemicals, due to their wide range of advantages, are much more expensive on the market. However, as you can see, you can make it yourself. Therefore, this paragraph applies only to purchased funds.

We have introduced you to the main features of using washing gels. However, each housewife has her own priorities and wishes for detergent. Therefore, the choice of detergent for a washing machine depends entirely on who will use it.

Benefits of laundry detergent

Laundry detergent, a more common and traditional laundry detergent, has its own benefits.

• Versatility of use.
  These products are available for various modes: hand washing, activator-type machines and automatic ones. The powder washes all types of textiles.
• Efficiency.
  Washing powders, due to their composition, are able to cope with stubborn stains and old dirt.
• Wide temperature range.
  The powder “works” successfully and shows good results in the temperature range from 20 to 90⁰C. Ideal for high-quality washing of cotton and linen items in hot water.
• Suitable for soaking.
  Some of the contaminants are removed at this stage.
• The shelf life of powdered laundry detergents is usually longer than liquid detergents.
• Affordable price range
  compared to gel products.

The washing ability of powder compared to gel is much higher, but the result is achieved through the use of surfactants that are harmful to the environment and health. When choosing a product, set your priorities.

Disadvantages of powder

Despite the obvious advantages, compared to other types of laundry detergents, powder has several serious disadvantages.

• Inconvenient storage and use.
  Powder packaging takes up a lot of space. In addition, it is easy to spill it or make a mistake with the dosage.
• The powder can become damp and clump
  , making it more difficult to wash out of the machine.
• Health hazard.
  Powder dust entering the air can provoke an allergic reaction in the respiratory tract and eyes. Left on the fabric, particles of the product can lead to skin allergies.
• Rinse quality.
  Powder takes longer to dissolve and remove, and undissolved particles can leave streaks on items.
• Aggressiveness.
  Substances contained in powders can destroy artificial synthetic dyes used for fabrics. When using to wash delicate items, use conditioner.

The aggressive effect of the powder can play a positive role where other means cannot cope: it perfectly washes work clothes with oil and grease stains.

Washing powders at competitive prices

Best prices for bulk purchases

View in the catalog

About participants and verification rules

The study involved ten brands of washing gels that are most popular among Russians. These samples are Ariel , Amway Home SAB, BiMax “100 spots”, BioMio , Losk “Mountain Lake Active Zyme 6”, Meine Liebe , Persil Deep Clean, Tide , “Eared Nanny” and Synergetic .

According to the test conditions, each of the samples was tested twice: one wash was at 40 degrees, and the other at 60. In both cases, the “Cotton” mode was used. The dosage of the gel was taken in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations on the packaging.

For the purity of the experiment, absolutely identical fabrics (cotton) with identical stains were used in all 20 washes. By the way, there were 11 types of them on each canvas. All contaminants were applied in a strictly defined manner.

Price

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The most budget-friendly washing gels were from the brands Ariel , BiMax , Losk , Tide , Ushasty Nyan , and Synergetic . The latter is the cheapest in terms of the cost of one wash (12-15 rubles). The price for one serving of BioMio is 18 rubles, and Persil is 27.

The most expensive gel is Miene Liebe . The cost of one wash with it is over 50 rubles. And this despite the fact that this sample has become an outsider in the text on efficiency. The second most expensive brand is Amway - about 40 rubles per wash. And this gel also did not prove to be particularly effective. Therefore, such a high price is not justified.

By what principle to choose

When choosing this product, most people evaluate the profitability of the purchase according to the following criteria:

• Material side;
• Efficiency;
• Interaction with the washing machine (should not have a negative impact on its mechanisms);
• Pleasant smell or lack thereof;
• Safety, hypoallergenicity of the product (this is especially concerning for those who have small children);
• Beautiful packaging;
• Personal choice (some people are used to using washing powders and are not able to take something new, while others liked the product in the form of a gel).