Mixing laundry detergent with other solutions can be a great way to boost the detergents cleaning properties. There are, however, a few agents you should avoid mixing with your detergent.
Generally, you can mix different detergents together, you can also mix it with bleach in a 6:1 ratio, as well as borax, and baking soda. You should avoid mixing detergent with fabric softener, vinegar, lemon juice, and alcohol.
You can also forgo detergent entirely if your laundry is not visibly dirty, and smells neutral.
Keep on reading for more detailed explanations, and feel free to move onward to the full articles for a complete explanation on mixing various cleaning agents.
Can You Mix Different Laundry Detergents?
If you’ve ever found yourself with a near-empty laundry detergent container after you purchased a fresh one of another brand, you’ve probably asked yourself if it is ok to mix them together in the washer.
You can mix different laundry detergents. First, however, make sure they’re compatible with each other by checking both detergents’ ingredients lists. Then, look them up online and see if any ingredient from one detergent will react adversely to the other.
More detailed explaination mixing different laundry detergents here
Can You Mix Laundry Detergent and Bleach?
If you’re anything like me, when there are heavy stains to be eliminated, bleach is always the go-to cleaning agent to use. But sometimes it is just easier to measure it up and put it directly in the washer together with the detergent.
You can safely combine bleach with household detergent or water. However, it all depends on the mixing ratio you use. The rule of the thumb is to add six parts water to one part bleach (6:1 ratio). Anything more than that might generate undesirable outcomes.
More on mixing laundry detergent and bleach here
Can You Mix Laundry Detergent and Baking Soda?
What is so great about baking soda is that everybody has it in their house. What makes it even greater is that baking soda is a fantastic laundry booster as well!
Mixing baking soda, a widely used agent, with detergents creates a powerful combination for use in the laundry. Its uses include stain removal, clothes softening, and hard water softening. However, mixing the right ratios of water, baking soda, and detergent is essential for the best results.
More on mixing baking soda and detergent here.
Can You Mix Laundry Detergent With Fabric Softener?
Doing laundry in the washing machine would be even easier if we could just toss the laundry detergent and fabric softener together into the machine.
You can’t add laundry detergent and fabric softener to your washing machine simultaneously. The cleaning agents in the laundry detergent will wash away the fabric softener during the wash cycle, rendering it ineffective.
I wrote a detailed article on mixing laundry detergent and fabric softener here.
Thankfully, there are some alternatives. Head over to the detailed article for more information.
Can You Mix Laundry Detergent and Vinegar?
Vinegar is a fantastic cleaning product, so mixing it together with detergent would make a lot of sense right?
You can’t mix laundry detergent and vinegar when washing clothes. A mixture of both substances will result in a neutral solution that may impede washing because most detergents are alkaline, whereas vinegar is acidic. However, you can use both during a single wash, provided you use them separately.
More details on mixing laundry detergent and vinegar in this guide
Can You Mix Laundry Detergent and Rubbing Alcohol?
Mixing laundry detergent and rubbing alcohol may seem like a logical idea after these trying times we have just been through the past few years. It is however not a good idea.
You can’t mix laundry detergent with rubbing alcohol as it can cause a dangerous chemical reaction or a possible fire. The reaction can also irritate your skin and eyes and damage your clothes. Also, you shouldn’t mix rubbing alcohol with bleach either, as it can create toxic fumes.
A more detailed explaination on whether you can mix laundry detergent with alcohol here
Can You Mix Laundry Detergent and Dish Soap?
If you’re in a pinch, mixing laundry detergent with dish soap may seem like a great idea. But there are a few thing you need to be aware of before you start washing your clothes.
Generally, mixing laundry detergent with dish soap is not advised. For handwashing clothes, it is OK to use in a pinch. But you should avoid putting more than a drop or two of dish soap in your washing machine as it will suds up heavily, and can damage your washing machine.
More on mixing dish soap with laundry detergent here.
Can You Mix Laundry Detergent and Borax?
Mixing borax with your laundry detergent works very well. Borax is commonly used as a booster for many cleaning products. You can safely mix half a spoon of borax with your regular detergent to increase its effectiveness.
More on mixing borax with detergent here.
Can You Mix Laundry Detergent and Lemon?
You can not mix laundry detergent and lemon as the acidic lemon will neutralize the base laundry detergent making both ineffective for cleaning. If you want to use lemon for washing, it is better to add it together with the fabric softener near the end of the washing program.
More details in my full article.
But if you want your clothes to smell like lemon, you’re better off using dryer sheets or essential oil as they have a stronger smell, and won’t leave your clothes soaked in lemon juice.
Adding Salt to Laundry: A Complete Guide
Salt is a fantastic addition to your laundry cleaning arsenal. It is cheap, readily available, and surprisingly useful.
Adding salt to laundry can be quite effective in removing different types of stains, including wine, gravy, rust, blood, grease, and ink, among others. Salt also prevents color runs, yellowing, and color bleeding. You can use table salt with baking soda as a fabric softener.
More on adding salt to laundry here.
Can I Do Laundry Without Detergent?
Doing laundry without detergent may seem strange to some. But in a pinch, you have to work with what you got.
Laundry washed in water alone, without detergent, will be clean, but deep stains and odors may persist. Washing soda, borax, vinegar, vodka, lemon juice, and hydrogen peroxide may be added to hand or machine washing. Dishwashing liquid, shampoo, body soap, or bubble bath can be used for handwashing.
Here’s my full article on doing laundry without detergent
When we think about the bad environmental effects most detergents have, it isn’t necessarily a bad idea to ditch the detergent from time to time.
Can You Mix Different Fabric Softeners?
Mixing different fabric softeners will often seem logical if you have one container near empty, and another one that is full.
You can mix different fabric softeners. Since the main ingredients in most fabric softeners are similar, combining them is usually not an issue. However, note that if you mix too much, you may cause your clothes to become oily or stained. Therefore, always ensure you measure the mix correctly.
Visit my full article on mixing different fabric softeners for more details
I’m an expert wardrobe organizer and a bit of a clean freak. I created this website and its YouTube channel to share practical guides about laundry and organizing. My teachings have been featured in multiple large news publications, and I’ve self-published two wardrobe organizing books and an entire course on the subject.
