What are detergent fillers?
It turns out, lots of washing detergents contain something called fillers.
Fillers are made from chemicals and ground down into a sand like consistency and added to detergent as a bulking agent.
Common fillers include:
- wheat and other grains
- limestone and chalk.
The experiment: how to tell if your detergent contains fillers
Nicole says the easiest way to tell if your detergent contains fillers is to test it yourself.
“Use a tablespoon of your laundry detergent in 1 cup of water. Use an old jar and shake!!” she writes on Instagram.
If your detergent fully dissolves, then it is filler-free. However, if there's a bunch of gunk left in your water, then your detergent contains fillers.
What’s wrong with fillers?
Nicole explains on Instagram that fillers:
- do not dissolve⠀and⠀cause grime to build up in your washing machine
- can remain on your clothes after a wash. (Nicole says, “After 10 washes your garment will be 2% heavier as fillers get lodged in fabric fibers.”)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
- get washed into our waterways.⠀⠀
How to cut back on laundry detergent
If you're using regular store-bought detergent, Nicole recommends using less the what's recommended and adding bi-carb soda.
- Top loader washing machine: 1/4 of the recommended detergent, plus 2 Tbsp of bi-carb soda.
- Front loader washing machine: 1/8 of the recommended detergent, plus 2 Tbsp of bi-carb soda.
- It also helps to look for a low-sud laundry detergent.
If you have a stubborn stains you need help removing, Nicole is happy to help. Contact her via the @sokaaustalia Instagram page.
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