Is it possible to wash without powder: old and new methods of safe washing

Not only environmental activists are now talking about the dangers of household chemicals (and not without reason). But the idea of ​​washing without powder clearly belongs to either the most economical person or a level 80 allergy sufferer. The problem with this approach is clear: washing powders began to be used for a reason. If you refuse them, you will have to sacrifice the purity of the fabric.

Is it possible to wash without using powder? Of course you can. Will washing be effective? Only if there are no visible dirt on the fabric. If your goal is to get rid of stains, you will have to use something other than water.

Washing in vain

According to experts, the effectiveness of machine washing consists of three parameters:

• mechanical impact;
• temperature conditions;
• quality of the detergent.

Will the washing machine start if you don’t “feed” it with powder? Yes, it will start and even honestly run the full cycle.

But machine washing without powder entails two problems:

• Contaminated items cannot be washed. If there are stains on the fabric, you will have to remove them in advance.
• This is not safe for the device. The fact is that modern washing powders add components that soften water. If you do without them all the time, the heating element will quickly become covered with scale - and the machine will fail.

The compromise is seen in the following: you can start washing without powder if you need to refresh clothes that are not seriously soiled or are simply very wrinkled.In this case you will get the desired result.

If your washing machine has a “Steam Wash” mode and the composition of the fabric allows it, you can use it: it perfectly eliminates the smell of sweat.

If the water in your region is soft, then the washing machine does not require additional care. If not everything is so rosy, then from time to time you will need to run it without things, adding a product like Calgon instead of powder to protect against scale.

One step forward and two steps back?

So, getting by with just water when washing is problematic. But the ranks of opponents of household chemicals are constantly growing with young parents, radical minimalists and people with sensitive skin. They are all looking for a worthy alternative: some buy expensive “safe” powders, some use soap nuts, some prepare their own products.

Older people sometimes wonder: is it possible to wash only with conditioner? The answer is no, you can’t. Conditioner is not a replacement for washing powder, but an auxiliary product for softening fabrics and giving a pleasant aroma.

We have collected the top 10 products that can replace standard washing powder:

1. Washing gels. It would seem that they have changed the “awl for soap.” But this makes sense if a person has an allergic reaction when inhaling tiny particles of bulk chemicals that rise into the air when the cuvette is filled. In addition, gels are easily rinsed, unlike powders, particles of which can remain on the fabric.
2. Korean powders. They have almost no odor and do not have aggressive components. Suitable for those who do not require a radical rejection of chemistry, but simply a milder remedy.
3. Powders without phosphates. Usually produced in lines for washing children's clothes.Examples: “Stork IVF”, “Eared Nanny”, “Faberlic House”.
4. Sheets and plates for washing. In terms of effectiveness and safety, the Korean ones are again in the lead (for example, Hanzhan). Contains no parabens, no phosphates, no zeolites. The active ingredients are of natural origin.
5. Universal washing liquids based on plant-derived surfactants. Such products are produced by Zero Ecover, Seventh Generation and others. But when buying such a concentrate, you need to carefully read the instructions: not all of them are intended for use in a washing machine.
6. Gel made from laundry soap and soda. Soap (100 g) is grated, added to 2 liters of water and, stirring, melted over low heat. Then add soda (100 g) and mix thoroughly until completely dissolved. After a day you can use it. The gel is more suitable for hand washing. Sometimes you can put it in the machine (in the drum along with things), but you will also have to use a means to protect the heating element.
7. Baking soda, salt, borax and wine vinegar. Proportions: 2:2:2:1. Bulk components are mixed and poured into the powder compartment, vinegar is poured into the conditioner compartment. This method is suitable for washing if there are no stubborn stains on the items.
8. Soap nuts. Several pieces are placed in a canvas bag and sent to the drum along with things. They do not remove heavy stains, but they make washing completely environmentally friendly.
9. Soap root decoction. Suitable for hand wash only. 50 g of dried roots are crushed (can be broken with a hammer), poured with boiling water (0.5 l), left for a day, stirring occasionally. Then put on fire and boil for an hour, cool, filter. Things are washed in two stages, each time adding 250 ml of broth to the washing basin.
10. Bile soap. In fact, this is a remedy according to an old recipe (not suitable for vegans, as it is made on the basis of ox bile). Used to wash dirty items, after which they can be put into the washing machine without powder.

So, you can wash without powder, but it is difficult to do without detergents altogether. If this issue is urgent, there are two options left:

• Use detergents based on natural ingredients for washing. The downside is that they are much more expensive.
• First, wash things with laundry, baby, gall or other suitable soap, and then put them in the washing machine without powder. The downside is that the method is labor intensive and archaic.

The ideal solution, as always, is difficult to find. It remains to be advised not to lose sight of the innovations offered by washing machine manufacturers - for example, the steam wash function or Eco Bubble technology, which allows you to use much less household chemicals.