Do you put soap in laundry first?

[RossMAN]

I used to put clothes in first so the soap is directly on top of them.

But now I pour soap (CostCo Kirkland liquid detergent) in first, let it suds up a little THEN put all the clothes in, heavy clothes (jeans, towels) first.

 

[shiner]

Clothes, liquid Tide, the water...never had a problem. What the hell kind of soap are you people that have had stains using, something granny cooked up out back?

 

[toant103]

Originally posted by: Rob9874
My wife berates me if I don't pour the soap in the laundry before the clothes. She says the soap, if poured directly on the clothes, will stain them. I don't have any proof, but it's my understanding that soap does not ruin clothes, but washes them. I need others' opinions.

soap in first, then water, then clothes

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: TwinkleToes77

Originally posted by: dabuddha
i just put soap in the little compartment

What little compartment? the only compartments are for fabric softener and bleach.

You've never used any of the new front loaders, have you?

BTW, that's the same thing I do, I put the soap in the little tray where it's supposed to go on my model.

In a front loader, you cannot start the water first and then add soap. So the machine adds the soap to the water as it it fills the washer.

In my old top-loaders, I started the water, put the soap in, and then the clothes.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I'm an idiot. I put the clothes in first. It's usually because I'm too lazy to read directions. I sometimes do it the other way around, but I only do laundry once every month and a half. I have more clothes than any other straight male alive.

 

[compudog]

I start the water, add the soap (dry or liquid) then add the clothes.

 

[DrPizza]

guys who rarely wash clothes:

If you forget to put the soap in before the clothes, don't despair! Just add the usual amount of laundry soap to the top of the clothes. But, to keep the clothing free of laundry soap stains, add about a cupful of dish soap... the concentrated kind works best.


bwuhahahaha

psssst don't tip them off... I can't wait for next week's OT post: "What's the best way to eliminate 1000 cubic feet of soap suds?"

 

[conjur]

Start washer, put in clothes, when water is above the clothes I slowly pour the detergent into the water right where the water pours in and it forms all kinds of suds

Fabric softener goes in the top of the agitator and don't have to worry about when/how to add that

 

[AzNmAnJLH]

I'm doing laundry right now

start it off on hot water for 10 seconds
switch it to cold water or warm then add detergent
wait until the washer is 1/5 full of water then add clothes

it's that easy

reason for the hot water is so the powder detergent will dissole giving you a better clean.

 

[Spac3d]

I have a side loading washer, so I can't start it, then add the clothes.

I put the clothes --> soap --> start ... no stains.

 

[FoBoT]

i do 98% of the laundry in our house

i dump the soap on top (dry soap, not liquid)

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: minendo

Originally posted by: Rob9874
My wife berates me if I don't pour the soap in the laundry before the clothes. She says the soap, if poured directly on the clothes, will stain them. I don't have any proof, but it's my understanding that soap does not ruin clothes, but washes them. I need others' opinions.

It does not stain them persay, but if you look at the clothes under a blacklight you can tell where the soap was poured directly on the clothes.

Staning of the cloths only applies to liquid deterents---I have tested it

 

[dullard]

It depends. If you put the soap before the clothes, it will dissolve better (assuming you use powdered soap). Quicker dissolving means you can run the washer for less time. Also some liquid detergents can stain (especially things like silk), so if you poor it directly onto your clothes, it can cause a problem.

However, you need to use less soap with small loads. Occasionally I don't know how much will fit until I put the clothes in. So how do you know how much soap to use in those rare cases? When that happens I just load the clothes, put the powdered soap on top, and let it run a couple more minutes.

I need to find a new detergent though. I used powdered Tide with bleach since in the Consumer Reports tests it had the best cleaning and was by far the cheapest of any of the good detergents. But I just bought some on Sunday, and the price has doubled .

 

[Marauder-]

Originally posted by: TwinkleToes77

Originally posted by: dabuddha
i just put soap in the little compartment

What little compartment? the only compartments are for fabric softener and bleach.

You obviously have not seen a "tech" washer before. We had these front loaders in school where you would have seperate compartments for everything. Quite useful.

 

[Darein]

Soap as its filling, works good for me. Don't forget the Downy ball. Good stuff.

 

[SnapIT]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: TwinkleToes77

Originally posted by: dabuddha
i just put soap in the little compartment

What little compartment? the only compartments are for fabric softener and bleach.

You've never used any of the new front loaders, have you?

BTW, that's the same thing I do, I put the soap in the little tray where it's supposed to go on my model.

In a front loader, you cannot start the water first and then add soap. So the machine adds the soap to the water as it it fills the washer.

In my old top-loaders, I started the water, put the soap in, and then the clothes.

All washers i have ever owned or used have been that way...

The soap and the fabric softener goes into respective compartment, the water flushes the soap out of the compartment as it fills...

 

[Garet Jax]

1)Water
2)Soap
3)More Water
4)Clothes
5)More Water

 

[Atrail]

The washing machine says put the soap in first, so that is what I do.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: SnapIT

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: TwinkleToes77

Originally posted by: dabuddha
i just put soap in the little compartment

What little compartment? the only compartments are for fabric softener and bleach.

You've never used any of the new front loaders, have you?

BTW, that's the same thing I do, I put the soap in the little tray where it's supposed to go on my model.

In a front loader, you cannot start the water first and then add soap. So the machine adds the soap to the water as it it fills the washer.

In my old top-loaders, I started the water, put the soap in, and then the clothes.

All washers i have ever owned or used have been that way...

The soap and the fabric softener goes into respective compartment, the water flushes the soap out of the compartment as it fills...

Yeah, Europe has been using front loaders for years. They are pretty new here in the US.

 

[Booster]

Originally posted by: TwinkleToes77

Originally posted by: dabuddha
i just put soap in the little compartment

What little compartment? the only compartments are for fabric softener and bleach.

??? There are at least 3 compartments (if you take a Whirlpool washing machine) - for prewash, main wash where detergent should be put and the little one for fabric softener. And if it's a handwash, I think one ought to dissolve the detergent in water prior to putting laundry in there, that's out of the question IMHO.

 

[TheNinja]

Originally posted by: Sid59
i add a bit of water, soap, then clothes.

me too

 

[melly]

step one
set temp to warm wash, cool rinse

step two
start water, then soap

step three
add clothes


i'm the laundry wiz.

 

[shopbruin]

i miss my parent's maytag neptune washing machine. that thing was awesome.

at my ghetto apt's washing machine, i put the soap in first. especially with powder detergent or some of the crystals may not dissolve all the way.

 

[brtspears2]

Use as directed on box (well at least on this box of Tide with Bleach). Soap in first, run water to dissolve, clothes in.

 

[johnjohn320]

Hmmm I've always put the clothes in first. You learn something everyday.