How to use powder and liquid detergents! What is the difference between them?

Sometimes you may wonder which detergent to use, powder or liquid.

In this article, we explain the difference between powder and liquid detergents.

Learn how to use the right detergent for the right occasion and make laundry your strong suit!

What is the difference between powder and liquid detergents?

The difference between powder and liquid detergent is “cleaning power” and “convenience”.

Powder detergents are characterized by their ability to remove dirt better than liquid detergents because they are in powder form and can contain a large number of ingredients in a stable formula. A disadvantage, however, is that they may remain dissolved at low water temperatures.

Liquid detergents, on the other hand, are easy to use and there is no risk of residual dissolution. A disadvantage, however, is that it is difficult to stabilize the ingredients in liquid formulations and they tend to have less cleaning power than powders.

There are significant differences between powder and liquid detergents in terms of cleaning ability and convenience. Other differences are summarized in the table below.

123123

What are the characteristics of powder detergents?

Powdered detergents are characterized by their high cleaning effectiveness in removing acidic stains when clothes are slightly alkaline. However, since powder detergents do not mix well with water, they may remain dissolved after washing if rinsing is not sufficient or if the water temperature is low.

Powder detergents – Advantages

Two advantages of powder detergents are their high cleaning power and low price.

When weakly alkaline, powder detergents can clean acidic oil and sweat stains on clothes by neutralizing them. Therefore, compared to neutral liquid detergents, powder detergents can be said to have a higher cleaning power for stains on clothes in daily life.

Powder detergents are less expensive than liquid detergents. This is because liquid detergents are packaged in plastic bottles, the cost of the container is higher and the shape of the bottles means they are less loaded than powder detergents, which means higher transportation costs.

Powdered detergents – Disadvantages

The three disadvantages of powder detergents are that they cause detergent residue, are less convenient and cause fading.

While there are attractive advantages, there are also disadvantages. First, powder detergent does not mix well with water, making it difficult to remove after a single rinse and causing detergent residue.

This makes it less convenient than liquid detergents since you have to rinse twice. Powders can be difficult to mix, especially in winter when the water is cold and chilly.

In addition, the high cleaning power of detergents may cause colors to fade. Try to avoid using powder detergent to wash items that are prone to fading or fragile items.

What are the characteristics of liquid detergents?

Compared to powder detergents, liquid detergents mix more easily with water and leave little to no detergent residue after washing. This makes it very convenient to rinse only once. Although their cleaning power is lower than that of powder detergents, they are suitable for colored and delicate fabrics.

Liquid detergents – Advantages

Liquid detergents have two advantages: they mix easily with water and leave no detergent residue, and they can be used on colored and delicate fabrics.

Compared to powder detergents, liquid detergents mix easily in water and require only one rinse to wash. There is no risk of dissolving residues, a feature that makes it easy to use.

Especially in the cold winter months, powder detergents sometimes remain unmixed, while this is rarely the case with liquid detergents. This makes it easy and convenient to use. It also saves time and water, as it only requires one rinse.

Liquid detergents tend to have less cleaning power than powder detergents when they are neutral. This means that even colored or delicate items can be cleaned without fading or damaging the fabric.

Disadvantages of liquid detergents

The two disadvantages of liquid detergents are their high price and low cleaning power. The disadvantages of liquid detergents are the opposite of the advantages of powder detergents.

Liquid detergents tend to be more expensive than powder detergents. They are easy and convenient to use but cost more. However, they rarely leave a detergent residue like powder detergents, they save water, and the refills are sold separately from the host, so there is no big difference in cost-effectiveness.

In addition, liquid detergents tend to have lower cleaning power than powder detergents. Therefore, if the stain is too severe, liquid detergents may not remove the stain and may leave an odor. In such cases, it is recommended to use powder detergents with high cleaning power. Liquid detergents are sufficient for everyday soiling.

How to choose between powder and liquid detergents

Powder and liquid detergents have their own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is very important to make a good distinction between the two. Here are some examples of when you should use each type of detergent.

When powder detergents are recommended

Powder detergents have strong cleaning power and are recommended for heavily soiled items, especially white clothing and children’s sportswear and uniforms.

In the cleaning industry, there is a category called linen. Linen here does not refer to linen, but to items such as bed linens, bedspreads, tablecloths, and hand towels in hotels, hospitals, and restaurants. Many of these items are soiled to such a degree and in such quantities that inexpensive, powerful powder detergents are often chosen.

Recommended when using liquid detergents

Liquid detergents are recommended for cleaning colored items and items made of delicate fibers.

The reason for this is that liquid detergents have less cleaning power than powder detergents when they are neutral. Although powder detergents are stronger and can clean stains, it is better to use liquid detergents for clothes that fade easily because you need to be careful.

In addition, in cold weather such as winter, when the water temperature drops, powdered detergents are difficult to mix and can cause detergent residue. Detergent residue can eventually damage clothes and cause fresh smells, so it may be a good idea to use a different detergent depending on the season, such as using liquid detergent in cold weather.

Or by way of gel balls!

Gel balls are a new form of detergent in which the detergent is packaged in a special film that dissolves when wetted by water. Since 90% of detergents are made up of detergent ingredients, they have more cleaning power than liquid detergents, and the difficulty of mixing powder detergents with water has been improved, making it a mixture of powder and liquid detergents.

It is very easy and convenient to use because you only need to throw a granule into the washing machine without measuring with the lid. However, there are some disadvantages such as the inability to adjust the dosage, slightly higher cost than powder and liquid detergents, and in homes with children, the risk of children eating the detergent if it is placed where they can touch it.

Powder and liquid detergents have a good balance of these two advantages, so it is best to make good use of them.

Summary

This section has introduced the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of powder and liquid detergents.

If you understand the characteristics of each detergent and can use them well in different situations, you will be able to make the most of the advantages of each detergent and become good at washing clothes.

In addition, there is a new form of detergent called gel balls that you should make good use of.