Is liquid detergent better than powder?

Detergent for white clothes only, laundry gels in soft capsules, a whole myriad of washing soaps with Alpine meadow scent or without - these days the market can surprise with its many choices.

However, such a variety of detergents can often confuse modern day consumers.


How to choose what you actually need and what will be most effective for household consumption?


Here we’ll compare such a relatively new phenomenon as liquid laundry detergent with the well-known powder laundry detergent.


From the first soap of ancient Babylon to the present days


Detergent is almost 150 years old.

The first person to have created it was a German chemist Fritz Henkel.

In 1876, his company Henkel produced a detergent based on sodium silicate. It was the first powder bulk laundry soap packaged in bags, and it quickly gained wide popularity due to its low price. And in 1907, the first active powder for washing machines, Persil powder, appeared.

After that, the production technology of detergents did not change much.

And by 1990s, the first liquid-type detergents came about.


Is liquid or powder detergent better?


Powder and liquid detergents are quite different in many aspects. Let's look at both kinds by comparison.


Which is more economical: It should be noted that a liquid detergent is more expensive than detergent powder, but at the same time the shelf life of powder is longer. However, liquid laundry detergent saves you more - 1.5 kg of liquid product can easily replace 3 kg of powder one, since liquid products are presented in a highly concentrated form. But such strong concentration requires additional caution in how much detergent to use - it is important to not over pour.

Which is safer: Liquid detergents wash out really well, and therefore are safer for skin - this factor may be very important when choosing baby clothes detergent. Laundry powder, on the contrary, is capable of causing allergies (after all, it washes out not so well), and when used, one may inadvertently inhale powder particles. Powder detergent is often “rich” in phosphates (compounds that soften water) that can be harmful for both nature and the human immune system. Japan does not use phosphates in powder detergents since 1966. Germany and the United States have developed a temporary more eco friendly detergent solution to this problem - powder detergents with zeolites.

What is more effective on stains: Best powder cleaning detergents are capable of getting rid of very complex stains, such as from oil and grease. Where a temperature of 95 degrees Celsius is required for washing, a powder detergent is needed. Liquid detergents are ideal for delicate fabrics and washing modes, respectively, but they do not deal as well with heavy stains. Liquid gel substances dissolve perfectly in lukewarm water, and when used in cold water, they do not leave white stains than dry powders often do. The ideal temperature for liquid detergents to work is from 30 to 60 degrees Celsius. Such low-temperature modes can significantly reduce energy consumption, so if your item is not badly stained, liquid detergent would be suited better than powder one.


Powder vs liquid detergent: what to choose for washing linen textiles?


The strong composition of quality flax linen allows it to safely get washed at high temperatures. If your linen product turns out to be seriously stained, then traditional laundry powder and high-temperature washing will suit.

When hand washing linen using powder detergent, you must first mix it with a small amount of water and only then add it while still mixing. After washing, you need to thoroughly rinse your linen items in plenty of warm water.

When using a washing machine, you would need to use the “additional rinsing” setting so that the fabric is free of small particles of detergent.

For light daily washing, experts recommend using liquid detergents only, as it dissolves and rinses out better.


Remember that you need to load the drum up to 2/3, as linen absorbs a lot of moisture and gets more voluminous. The number of rotations should be reduced to a minimum so that it wrinkles less. And if you’d like to make your linen nicer to touch, you can safely use fabric softeners.

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