This is how much laundry detergent you should actually use—and yes, it’s shocking

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Unless you’re unimaginably wealthy or lucky enough to have someone in your life who does the housework, you probably do your laundry at least a few times a month. You’d think that would mean you’d know exactly what to do to make sure you get your clothes as clean as possible—and maybe even save time, energy, and money while doing it.

Unfortunately, we have some bad news for you: you’re probably doing your laundry wrong. Or at least us — Raj Punjabi and Noah Michelson, co-hosts of HuffPost’s “Am I Doing It Wrong”? podcast — we discovered we are when we recently chatted with Patric Richardson, aka The Laundry Evangelist.

Not only did Richardson reveal that the only washing machine cycle we should ever use (and he means ever) is the “express” cycle and that dryer sheets are our enemy, but also informed us that we’re probably using the wrong laundry detergent as well. More precisely: we use way too much.

“I think you only need two tablespoons of detergent (for a load), so a bottle of laundry detergent could last you a year because you only need a few tablespoons to get your clothes clean,” Richardson, the host of the publication. HGTV’s “Laundry Guy” told us.

He compared using too much laundry detergent to using too much salt when cooking.

“When you’re cooking and the recipe says half a teaspoon of salt and you put it in, it’s delicious,” Richardson said. “But if you say, ‘I like salt,’ and you put in a whole cup, it’s spoiled, it’s no better.” That’s how to think about detergent: a little is very good, because it does what it’s supposed to do. If you add much more, you really spoil it.”

There’s also a scientific explanation for why using too much detergent can actually mean you end up with less clean clothes.

“The dirt and germs come off the clothes and into the water,” explained Richardson, author of the bestseller “Laundry Love.” “They get trapped in the surfactant (compounds in detergent that lift dirt and stains from clothes) and then when the rinse comes, the surfactant goes down the drain. If you use too much detergent, it can’t be rinsed out, so the surfactant actually settles back into the clothes and all the dirt settles back into the clothes with it. So more detergent means your clothes are actually dirty.”

This is why Richardson advises against using detergent capsules.

“I don’t like pods because I don’t like that you can’t control the amount,” he said. “You don’t need detergent (to do a load of laundry)”

Richardson also gave us tips for eliminating static electricity using aluminum foil, how to avoid pit stains using vinegar, and more.

After listening to the full episode here or wherever you find your podcasts, subscribe to Am I Doing It Wrong? so you don’t miss an episode, including our investigations into the downsides of tipping, how to get the best deals on airline tickets, how to apologize or beat credit card debt, how to find love online or overcome anxiety , online shopping, tips for taking care of your teeth, pooping like a pro, secrets to booking and staying at a hotel, how to deal with an angry person and more.

Need help with something you’ve done wrong? Email us at [email protected]and we might investigate the subject in a future episode.

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