Have you ever taken your laundry out of the washer and discovered that it has gotten slightly abrasive and itches like hell? Or perhaps you cannot recognize your delicate clothing anymore, right after washing it for the first time.
Many detergents today are manufactured with irritant chemicals that tend to cause these issues in the laundry. Mild detergents to the rescue! If you’ve never used mild detergent, you’re in for a pleasant surprise.
I’ll discuss what mild detergents are and some of the best products out there.
What Are Mild Detergents?
Mild detergents are detergents that are suitable for sensitive skin and contain fewer chemicals like bleach and ammonia when compared to regular detergents.
They are mainly composed of surfactants that help your laundry and other home materials by reducing the surface tension to dissolve the dirt in them.
While regular detergents are also used to remove dirt, milder ones do the same thing but do it with fewer chemicals and therefore less irritation to the skin, reducing any risks of allergies or other skin conditions.
And since they’re mild, they’re great for delicate pieces of clothing like baby clothing.
In What Forms do Mild Detergents Come?
Just like your regular detergents, mild detergents may come in different forms, such as liquid, powder, or tablet.
They typically include laundry cleaning materials, dishwashing detergents, baby shampoos, and any detergents that are less harsh compared to regular detergents.
Dishwashing liquids like Dawn Ultra Dishwash detergent and baby laundry detergents such as Attitude baby laundry detergent are popular mild detergents. Generally, mild detergents have got a lower PH value from 7 downwards.
They are hypoallergenic and safe for your skin, and also eco-friendly, so it’s a good choice for individuals who prefer green laundry alternatives.
How To Use Mild Detergents
Using mild detergents is pretty much like using regular or HE detergents. Although they’ll differ depending on what you use them for. Since we’re talking laundry, you can use it just like normal detergents.
It’s easy. Simply pour the detergent into the detergent compartment of your washer. If your washer does not have that, you can pour it directly into the washer drum.
After that, set your cycle to cold wash. Mild detergents like The Laundress liquid detergent are best suited for delicate laundry. You wouldn’t want to ruin your nice fabric.
Apart from laundry, you can pretty much use them for any home cleaning activity. To use them, you might need to check the manual to know the right quantity for each type of laundry or load.
Why Do I Need A Mild Detergent?
You might wonder why you need mild detergents when you’ve got a ton of regular detergents to choose from.
The truth is mild detergents have many advantages compared to regular detergents. Some of them include.
- They’re environmentally friendly
Some detergents at your grocery store may contain some items and chemicals that may not be decomposable. That’s quite harmful to the environment.
Many mild detergents, on the other hand, are produced with ecologically sustainable materials.
They are great for you if you are very enthusiastic about environmental sustainability and protecting the planet we live on.
- Mild detergents are better suited for sensitive skin
Sometimes, after doing the laundry, you find that your body becomes quite itchy whenever you put on a piece of clothing just laundered. That’s the effect of the abrasive nature of regular detergents.
Some of the chemicals found in regular detergents are not properly rinsed during laundry.
Mild detergents, on the other hand, are mild on the skin and really do not compose any of such risks. They have fewer chemicals and are hypoallergenic. Some mild detergents are specifically made for sensitive skin. One such detergent is the Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin detergent; it’s suitable for sensitive skin.
- Mild detergents are suited for easy wash
Mild detergents contain surfactants that remove dirt from your laundry. Surfactants are surface-active agents that help reduce the surface tension on the water to make dirt on your laundry dissolve easily and faster.
As a result, they’re pretty much suited for removing nasty oily stains. You might want to consider detergents like Tide Purclean laundry detergent for removing set stains from your favorite dress.
- They’re good for delicate laundry
Some types of regular detergents are not suitable for cotton, wool, or sensitive clothing like baby clothing that require a delicate wash cycle. Most people just prefer to handwash these.
But you can use mild detergents for these sorts of delicate clothing. All you need is to add it to your washer, set it to a gentle cycle, and leave the rest to the washer.
- You can use them for a variety of purposes
Apart from laundry, they can also be used in other forms of mild detergent, such as dishwasher detergent or baby shampoos.
You can use them for normal home cleaning activities. So, it’s a very handy cleaning material and mostly affordable too. You should consider getting one when you go to the grocery store.
Can I Make My Type Of Mild Detergents And How?
Of course, you can make your mild detergent. You’ll create the type of mild detergent that’s best suited to your taste. It’s also very easy to accomplish.
Ingredients you’ll need
- A bar of soap (Castille or Coconut soap)
- A large bowl
- A stirrer
- Some baking soda
- A bottle of essential oil
Method
- First, you’ll need to get a big bowl on the table to mix in the ingredients.
- Next up, take the soap and grate it or crush it. You can use Castille soap or coconut soap. They contain fewer chemicals and are preferable for this function.
- After you’ve crushed the soap, take some baking soda, about 2 tablespoons, and pour it into the bowl containing the crushed soap. Baking soda acts as an odor remover.
- Stir the mixture thoroughly and add a few drops of essential oil. You can use any scent you like.
- You can now use your Homemade mild detergent for your laundry.
How Should I Store Mild Detergents?
After laundry use of mild detergents, it’s best to keep them in safe spaces to ensure their cleaning properties are long-lasting. Since they’re mild detergents, you need to keep them in areas with less moisture and heat to prevent their preservatives from going bad.
You can keep them in the laundry room if the room is at temperatures between 93 to 98° Fahrenheit.
Also, if you’ve got kids or pets at home, keeping them far away from their reach is a good idea. You should use dark-colored bottles or plastic cans with proper seals to store them.
Mild detergents are designed to help you get the best out of the laundry process. Just remember to use the detergents according to the specifications on the detergent pack and your washer.