Soap suds in a washing machine (pls help settle an argument)

jenster

Does a washing machine have to have lots of soap suds to be cleaning properly

I had a friend pop in for a cuppa this morning and i had my washing machine going
Now i am of the mind set 1/2 the recommended powder bit of soda crystals and lower temp still does a good job
but my friend whilst standing in the kitchen noticed not a lot of soap suds and said your never get any thing clean with out them ??? she says she actually uses more then the scoop full of powder sometimes even doubles up

what is everyone thoughts on this personally i hadnt even thought about it but do u need suds to get clothes clean ?

jackieblack

I agree with you.
I use about 1/2 - 2/3 the 'recommended' amount and the clothes always come out clean. If they've had mud/blood/tomato ketchup on I find that soaking overnight in cold water before washing(and possibly a squirt of Vanish) sorts out any marks.

Using more than the recommended amount of washing powder/liquid is idiocy IMHO (and not at all Money Saving!)

newthrift

I use 1/2 - 3/4 the recommened amount and our clothes are always clean.
If they are extra dirty or I am doing OH's workstuff that's oily and got tarmac on I give them a rub with a little washing liquid and pop some vanish in with them.

mummyroysof3

I read something about shampoo that said the bubbles indicate you are using too much. I use less than recomended in the washing machine unless something is actually visible filthy

Gigervamp

Washing powders/liquids are made to be low suds anyway. If you used too much the bubbles would ooze out of the machine.

Mojisola

jenster wrote: »

Does a washing machine have to have lots of soap suds to be cleaning properly

my friend whilst standing in the kitchen noticed not a lot of soap suds and said your never get any thing clean with out them ??? she says she actually uses more then the scoop full of powder sometimes even doubles up

Powders for automatic machines are designed not to have so many suds - if you use too much powder/liquid, the clothes won't be rinsed properly and the pipework will get clogged up with residue.

AnnieO1234

Aren't suds in shampoo, detergent etc just a marketing ploy? As in the consumer sees bright white soapy bubbles, and expects to see them but they serve no cleaning purpose.

Xx

LameWolf

I never use the full recommended amount of powder - probably about two thirds, on average; and I get tomato sauce stains out of white serviettes washed at 40 C with no trouble, without any pre-treating.

My machine never has a load of suds in, so I'd say the OP is right on this one.

MsHoarder

If your clothes come out reliably clean then you are using enough. The solution to your friend's "problem" is a door over the washing machine so you can't see what its doing.

My machine spends far longer rinsing/spinning than washing anyway, at those stages you definitely don't want to see suds.

DigForVictory

Historian Ruth Goodman, researching for the Tales From The Green Valley project (& TV series & book), found it isn't the soap that cleans things as much as the agitation.

http://www.giyinternational.org/blogs/detail/surprising_way_of_saving_money_and_protecting_the_environment

So I'd see if I saved washing powder budget on longer washing machine cycles.

[Deleted User]

too many bubbles and suds will damage the machine, the idea of soap suds comes from the days when we hand washed with block or flake soap.

Before those days (eg. going back to Pepys' diary in 1660) some people used collected urine to soak and initially wash clothes as the ammonia helped to lift some stains.

It's always been the physical action of washing & the heat of the water that has cleaned clothes as much as what was in the water but these days laundry has to be 'perfect' rather than just clean enough