The use of a sufficient amount of detergent is one of the most
important things you can do to make sure your wash comes out clean.
Always follow the detergent manufacturer’s recommended amount.
Amount required varies
If the recommended amount of
according to:
detergent produces too many suds,
1.
Water hardness
switch to a lower
sudsing
detergent
2. Amount of
soil
brand, and follow instructions
3. Size of load
on package.
4. Type of detergent
Using too
little
5. Wash temperature
detergent is a
Use more detergent if
common cause
you have...
of laundry
1. Hard water
problems. Always
~
2. Large loads
measure detergent
w
3. Greasy or oily soils
in a standard measuring cup.
4. Lower wash temperature
5. Low phosphate detergent
How to use
detergent—
granular, powdered or liquid:
For best results, add detergent to
the wash basket before loading
clothes. If you load your clothes
first, add detergent next to the
agitator.
~RD
WATER—DO YOU
~VE
IT?
Before you can decide what to do about hard
If your water is SOFT, you have no problem. You
water, you need to know if you have it and, if so,
can use soap or detergent as you prefer and forget all
how hard it is.
about hard water. If you have HARD water—less than
“
If you live in a municipal area, contact your
10 grains—and you use phosphate detergent, you also
water company.
have no problem.
● If you live in a rural area, or in some suburban areas,
But, if you have more than
10
grains, you will need
contact your county agent.
to soften your water with either...
The answer
will
be “you have ‘so many grains’ per
1. An installed water softener in your home, or
gallon (3.8 liters).” This means:
2. The use of a packaged water softener.
O to 3.5 grains per gallon (3.8 liters)—SOFT
For information on water softeners, see the
3.6 to 7 grains—HARD
manufacturer’s recommendations.
7.1 to 10.5 grains—VERY HARD
10.6 grains and over—EXTREMELY HARD
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