Is it possible to wash powder for hand washing in an automatic machine?

A washing machine is a necessary thing, but expensive. They buy it for more than one day, and every housewife wants such a useful unit to serve as long as possible. A lot depends on detergents. There are a lot of various powders, gels, liquids in stores, each with its own marking. Is it possible to wash with ordinary powder for hand washing in an automatic machine? This will be discussed in the article.

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Take a walk to the hardware store

Is regular powder suitable for washing? You started the first wash in your life in an automatic machine. The first thing to do is to go to a good hardware store and see what detergents are there. Despite the fact that manufacturers of household chemicals produce both gels and washing liquids, there are most powders on the shelves. And it’s very easy to get confused.

Do not grab the first packet you get, even if you really like what is written on the price tag. First, consider it properly. You can find the marking that the powder is intended for:

• for hand wash;
• for hand and machine wash;
• automatic machine wash

Important! On the pack will also be marked that the product is intended for white, black or colored linen. So it’s better to immediately buy several different packs - the main thing is that they are for automatic machines.

As for the means for hand and machine washing, they are most often intended for machines of the activator type. But there are exceptions. If the package contains instructions on how to wash such powder in an automatic machine, you can use it.

Important! You may also find the following information from our articles useful when using the washing machine:

• Where to put detergent for washing in a typewriter?
• How much powder to pour into the washing machine?
• Where to pour air conditioning in the washing machine?

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What happens if you mix packs?

It may happen that you inadvertently poured powder for hand washing into an automatic machine, and noticed an error when the process has already begun. How to be Stop the unit, pour out water, restart the laundry? The first thing is not to panic.

To the question whether it is possible to machine wash powder for hand washing, the answer is not so simple. This should be avoided, but if you made a mistake once, nothing bad will happen. Continue washing. The result may surprise you unpleasantly, but nothing will happen to the machine itself. The main thing is not to repeat mistakes.

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What is the difference between a hand wash powder and a machine?

Why is it written on one package that the product is for hand washing, and on the other - for automatic machines? What is the difference? There are actually several differences, although there is a general one. Both types of powders act with surfactants, which are referred to as surfactants in the documentation. But only that.

Each tool has its own characteristics:

• the amount of foam and the intensity of its formation;
• structure;
• concentration;
• dissolution rate;
• quantity and quality of washing.

Talk about foam

Try to dissolve a little powder in a basin for an automatic machine.You will see that there will be almost no foam, while any means for hand washing foams instantly. Why?

A substance that prevents intense foaming is specially added to the composition of detergents for automatic machines. The fact is that:

• foam can harm some parts of the unit - for example, an electric motor. it tricks the “brain” of the machine when it calculates the amount of water or temperature.

As a result, the washing mode is violated and the result is not at all what you expected. Harmful to the laundry, but also to the typewriter.

Important! If you are often mistaken in the choice of powder, do not be surprised if the heater or control system fails at the most inopportune moment. Repair is expensive, and it is not always possible.

Structure

An automatic machine is a delicate and moody thing. She really does not like hard water. Scale is formed from the salts that are in such water, and this is death for any such device or, at best, a serious illness.

Therefore, special additives (most often Kalgon) are added to detergents that prevent the formation of scale.

Handwash powders do not contain such additives. But then they add substances that protect and soften the skin of the hands, and sometimes also soap. But hand cosmetics are not at all suitable for an automatic machine. On the contrary, it negatively affects some internal parts of the unit.

Important! Handwashing detergents may contain chlorine and all kinds of solvents. Well, this shouldn’t get into the machine at all. Even in powders for white things there is no chlorine - other substances are used there. Chlorine is just death for rubber parts.

Concentration and Dissolution Rate

Detergents for automatic machines make more concentrated. This is easily explained, because such powders have to cope with a large amount of work. Therefore, the dosage should be less. In this case, the tool dissolves for a long time. But it is easier to rinse.

Accordingly, it is necessary to accurately calculate how much powder to put in the tray. The calculation is indicated on the package. What happens if the powder gets more or less:

• If the funds are too much, it may simply not dissolve.
• If not enough - not enough active substances.

That is precisely why the answer to the question of whether it is possible to wash with a powder for hand washing in an automatic machine will be negative. You will not be able to calculate the correct dosage, and the consequences of such a washing will be far from your expectations.

Washing quality

Different powders give different washing qualities. The fact is that manufacturers are constantly examining the quality of the tools that they offer consumers. This is done on special equipment.

During tests, experts increase and add the number of certain components. The production of household appliances also does not stand still, and what was harmless to the activator machines or automatic machines of the first generation, a modern unit can ruin in two. Therefore, substances are added that improve the quality of the wash, but do less harm to the machine.

Manufacturers of handwashing detergents face a completely different task. These powders are also tested, but experts are concerned about how to improve quality and reduce the intensity of physical effort, and save hands. And the further markets for household appliances and cosmetics develop, the greater the discrepancy.

So is it possible to wash “automatic” powder manually? Theoretically possible, but you most likely will not like the result. Although with a hand wash, the effect depends not so much on the quality of the detergents, but on the strength of the hands.

Important! No matter what means you will wash your clothes, do not forget to take into account other rules for caring for different things, described in the following articles:

• How to wash clothes from different fabrics?
• How to set the ironing mode?

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Special additives

There are detergents that can be used for hand washing, although the word “automatic” is on the marking. Different ingredients are added to the powders, which work effectively only at a certain temperature. For example, enzymes that dissolve stains from organic pollutants. These additives are effective only at temperatures not exceeding 40 ° C.

As for whitening, in automatic machines it is carried out in two ways:

• using active oxygen;
• optical way.

What is the difference between the two:

1. Bleaching with active oxygen is possible at a temperature not exceeding 60 ° C. Cold bleaching is also used in both hand and machine wash - products that allow this are indicated by the TAED marking.
2. As for optical bleaching, the spots in this method do not dissolve, the reflectivity of the clothes simply increases. But all these funds are used not so much for washing in a basin, but for soaking. When loading the machine, these substances are placed in a special compartment of the tray, indicated by a snowflake or flower.

Important! It is impossible to completely rinse the optical bleach, so it is not worth using it for baby and bedding.

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Powder requirements for automatic machines

The powder that you put into the tray must meet a number of requirements:

• linen after washing should be perfectly clean and fresh;
• the product must be completely washed out of the tray;
• it is necessary that the powder or gel is effectively dissolved and washed off completely when rinsing;
• detergents should not contain hazardous ingredients and allergens;
• the powder should not clog the filters, corrode the internal parts of the machine and even settle on them.

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Stock footage

Consider these considerations, and your machine will last for many years, and the laundry will always be in perfect condition.