What is the difference between hand washing powder and machine washing powder?
Modern products are divided into powders for hand and machine washing. Each type has its own characteristics.
Saturation with active components
The composition of the substances is the main difference between the powders. Designed for vending machines contain special chemical compounds to soften water. They prevent the formation of sediment and the appearance of scale on the heating element. In addition, powders are much gentler on materials, since they do not contain chlorine and other aggressive components that harm equipment.
Anti-scale agents are not added to hand wash products. But there are other components: harsher ones, with an abrasive effect, as well as substances to protect the skin. Such compositions have a bad effect on machine parts, leading to scale formation and accelerated wear.
Foam quantity
Hand washing powders contain substances that form a lot of foam. It penetrates the fibers easier and faster, softens the dirt and then pushes it out.
An automatic operation, unlike a manual one, does not need it, since washing occurs in a different way. The laundry moves along the drum, hitting the ribbed walls. Thanks to this, dirt is knocked out of the material.
If there is too much foam, the movement of things will become difficult, the force of the blows will be dampened, and the laundry will not be cleaned well.
But something else is much more dangerous: foam fills the entire space in the washing machine, penetrating inside the parts. This can lead to a short circuit or damage to the electronic module.
Comparison
When choosing a washing powder, you should pay attention to the inscription on the packaging: “for hand washing” or “automatic”. A mistake or a desire to save money can lead to the fact that the washing machine will have to be repaired or even bought a new one. The thing is that hand washing powders are characterized by increased foaming, while automatic washing powders contain special defoamers (foam stabilizers), which do not allow the foam to exceed the level permissible for an automatic washing machine. This was done to prevent foam from creeping out from under the drum cover and powder compartments, from clogging the machine hoses, and from getting into the electric motor.
In addition, automatic washing powder and hand washing powder have several more differences:
| Powder machine | Hand wash powder | |
| Additional substances | May contain calgon - a product that softens hard water and prevents the appearance of scale on important parts of the washing machine. Does not contain solvents and chlorine (the latter is harmful to the rubber parts of the washing machine) | May contain hand care products and soap. The latter component is often included in baby laundry detergents. |
| Dissolution rate | Takes longer to dissolve than hand wash powder. Automatic powder is more concentrated | It is recommended to wash clothes after the granules have completely dissolved in water, which occurs quite quickly. |
| Washing quality | A deterioration in the quality of washing is typical when the amount of washing powder is increased/decreased. It is necessary to pour the amount of powder indicated on the package | The quality of washing largely depends on its intensity (on the work of the hands) and thorough rinsing. Having poured more powder, you will need to rinse things longer than usual |
What happens if you put hand washing powder in the machine?
Machine manufacturers advise washing only with special products so as not to damage the equipment. If you do not follow their recommendations, then several options are possible, from the series: “what will happen if you put hand washing powder into an automatic washing machine”
- the laundry will remain dirty, since the force of impacts on the surface of the tank will decrease;
- Additional rinsing will be required, since copious foam cannot be rinsed out in one go. Accordingly, the load on the machine will increase, and the consumption of water and electricity will increase.
Recipes for making your own washing powder by hand
Our grandmothers washed their clothes with mixtures they prepared themselves. Homemade washing powders contained natural substances; this did not reduce the quality of hand washing.
The advantages of a homemade product are its composition that is harmless to health, time-tested effectiveness, and the absence of phosphates.
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Below are recipes for preparing mixtures for soaking and washing:
The recipes listed are also used by modern housewives. A good quality of homemade laundry detergents is their versatility and harmlessness. This powder can be used for soaking and machine washing. For use in an automatic machine, it is worth including 50 g of citric acid, a natural “anti-scale agent”. In this composition you can wash any material, varying the mode and temperature of the water. It is important to rinse your laundry well, regardless of the type of wash.
Blog author. Experience in the field of cleaning services - 11 years. I love cleanliness and order in all areas of life. Beloved wife, mother of 3 children and attentive housewife. I have tried in my practice all the methods listed on the site. glad to meet you
