• By Eduard Holdsworth
• Published 01/31/2013

Laundry detergent liquids are particularly good for washing coloured clothes, as they don’t contain bleaching agents, which break down the coloured dyes in the fabric.

They are also better at removing fatty stains. Clear fatty stains (like vegetable oil) are more obvious on colourful clothing, creating darker blobs than the surrounding material.

Powders take the lead when it comes to cleaning stains such as tea, blueberry and wine as they contain bleaching agents. White and pale clothes also benefit from the optical brighteners in powder that slow down the rate at which they go grey.

Powder tablets and liquid sachets can certainly give boxed powders and bottled liquids a run for their money, but per wash they can cost a little more – the price you pay for the ease of popping detergent in to your washing machine without measuring.

For free-flowing powders and liquids, manufacturers suggest the amount of laundry detergent you should use with each load on the packaging, including advice for lightly/heavily soiled loads and soft/hard water areas.

You can normally get a free scoop by ringing the detergent brand’s customer care line.

For liquitabs and tablets, most manufacturers recommend using two tablets in your wash for a normal soiled load. But the amount can depends upon the hardness of water where you live. In hard water areas, you may need to use more detergent.

Refer to the manufacturer’s guidance on the number of tablets recommended for the hardness of your water and dirtiness of the clothes that you’re washing.

And finally, recent research shows most of the energy associated with clothing is used when washing them. By washing at 30°C instead of 40°C you can shave a few pounds off your energy bills and help to lower emissions from power stations. Over a year, this can cut between £8 and £18 off your electricity bill.

About the Author : Eduard Holdsworth is writing about Laundry detergent