*this post may contain some affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you chose to purchase from the links*
Laundry, laundry, laundry. It can be the bane of a mama's existence, am I right? So how do we take one of the dirtiest jobs in the house and clean it up? (see what I did there)
Mamas, HEAR me when I say when I first traveled down this road I made many costly mistakes. I tried the whole DIY laundry soap and dang near broke my $2500 washer machine and went through hundreds of dollars in clothing, towels and bedding because I couldn't keep them clean. I'd end up ditching them, starting fresh only to find them disgustingly dirty once again.
All because I didn't understand what soap or detergents do AND how hard my water is. They play a crucial roll in how to keep your clothes fresh and *really* clean.
It All Boils Down To...
Your water. This is where the problems start. Is your water hard? If your shower is prone to soap scum, you've probably got hard water.
Pssttt.......Hard water just means your water has a high concentration of minerals from filtering down through deposits of limestone, chalk or gypsum. These minerals are largely calcium and magnesium carbonates, bicarbonates and sulfates.
Why Does This Matter?
The minerals in your water bond with the detergent. So not only is the minerals "eating" your detergent, it's actually making a slurry that draws MORE dirt and grime into your clothes than before you threw them in the washing machine. Talk about a major head slap.
So if you're anything like me and pulling freshly laundered clothing from the dryer and it's looking worse than before you popped it in the wash, you've probably got hard water my friend.
So How's A Scrunchy Mama Going To Get Her Clothing Really Clean?
Quickest, cheapest way to battle your hard water for your laundry is to use 1/2 cup Borax per load. Be sure to check your machine's manual on where to put it. It's definitely NOT going to be in your water softener slot though!
A long term, whole house solution would be to get a home water softener system. You'll want to consult a professional for this step.
NOW ONTO THE DETERGENT!
I bet you thought we'd be done with the hard water thing already.....NOPE!
Powdered detergents tend to bind with the minerals in hard water which mean you'd actually have to use more powdered detergent so it's just a safe bet to stick with liquid detergents.
To Soap or Not To Soap......That is the Question
Soaps are made from natural ingredients, while detergents are generally made from synthetic chemicals. The problem with soap is that, if not properly rinsed, it can leave behind a residue on fabrics and inside your washer- especially if there is ....drum roll please.....hard water present. This dang hard water just won't quit!
Detergents will rinse away more cleanly and are generally more effective at cleaning than their soap counterpart, especially in hard water. Soaps are also less efficient in high efficiency washer because there isn't as much water in the rinse cycle.
Anything Else??????
Enzymes....Most commercial detergents have enzymes in them. Enzymes help speed up the breakdown of stains and dirt. Whatever brand you swap to, make sure that your new detergent contains enzymes for a more powerful clean
Don't Know If You Have Hard Water?
If you don't know if you have hard water or not, there are a a few ways to find out If you're on municiple water you get your answers from them. If you're on well water you can grab a water test kit from a local pool supply store or grab a simple test or a comprehensive test from Amazon.
WHAT I USE
My personal preference is Dirty Labs. They have an A rating on EWG's Skin Deep plus it's a liquid detergent that has enzymes. It checks all the boxes that I have for my non-toxic criteria. The 80 load bottle is more economical than the 32 load bottle (of course) and it's almost neck and neck at Tide's price point. That's what I call a win/win/win!!!
xoxo,
If you like this post you're probably gonna dig my free guide!
