Can You Use Body Wash as Laundry Detergent?

It happens to all of us. You load your clothes into the washer only to realize you’re all out of laundry detergent. If you’re in urgent need of clean clothes, you’ll need to find an alternative cleaning solution.

Body wash is a natural consideration due to its cleaning properties. If it can be used on the skin, it’s likely to work on clothes, right? Find out if you can use body wash as a laundry detergent alternative and the effects of doing so.

Can Body Wash Replace Laundry Detergent?

If you’re in a pinch and have run out of laundry detergent, you may consider using what you already have handy. You may even try to make your own solution. Body wash seems like an obvious choice, too. After all, it’s designed to clean your skin, so it’s reasonable to believe it could do the same for your clothing. However, body wash is not a like-for-like replacement.

Laundry detergent is specially made to break down stains and remove odors. Body wash contains different ingredients that support its primary purpose: removing dirt, sweat, and excess oils from the skin. These ingredients are not as effective at removing dirt and stains from fabrics.

While laundry detergent is formulated to rinse out of fabrics easily, shower gel can leave a residue behind, leaving your clothes stiff or sticky. This residue can cause skin irritation, especially with the moisturizers and fragrances present in body wash.

Why Body Wash Isn't Made for Your Washing Machine

Excessive Suds

Certain cleaning products, like body wash, are designed to produce a large amount of suds. On the other hand, washing machines are designed to work with laundry detergent, which produces minimal sudsing.

When using body wash to do laundry, excessive suds can overflow and damage your washing machine. They can clog the machine’s drain pump and potentially overflow and damage electronic components.

Detergent Residue

Because body wash suds up so much, the excess detergent can prevent clothes from rinsing properly and leave residue behind. This buildup can not only leave your clothes feeling stiff and scratchy, but can also cause odors inside the washing machine.

What Makes Laundry Detergent Different

Laundry detergent is specifically designed to remove dirt, stains, and odors from fabric. It contains ingredients different from body wash and has a higher pH that helps break down stains. Body wash has different ingredients and a different pH level that isn’t as well-suited to cleaning fabrics.

What Can I Use Instead of Laundry Detergent?

The Baking Soda and Vinegar Solution

Baking soda and vinegar have long been used in the laundry room. They’re both adept at breaking down stubborn stains, removing odors, softening fabrics, and brightening colors. While baking soda and vinegar are an effective laundry solution, they shouldn’t be mixed.

Baking soda is a base, while vinegar is an acid. When mixed, they neutralize each other, canceling out their cleaning benefits. Instead, they should be used individually to maximize their cleaning properties.

To wash clothes with baking soda and vinegar, add half a cup of baking soda to the washer drum, then add your clothes. You can also add half a cup of vinegar to the fabric softener compartment or manually during the rinse cycle.

While baking soda is typically added to boost the effectiveness of laundry detergent, adding it alone can work in an emergency. Plus, there’s a good chance some residue detergent has been left in the washer that will give a bit of a cleaning boost.

Laundry Sheets: The Convenient Emergency Option

Laundry detergent sheets are highly effective when you need an emergency wash. They’re much easier to carry with you than a bottle of detergent, and they provide a thorough clean without the mess. There are even fragrance-free options for those with sensitive skin.

Freddie laundry detergent sheets are light and compact, making them easy to carry on the go. Whether you need a cleaner while traveling or a quick stain-removing solution, Freddie detergent sheets can provide a solution without sacrificing cleaning power.

When Hand Washing with Body Wash Makes Sense

You should only wash your clothes with body wash if you need to clean a few articles ASAP, and no alternative is available. If you’re washing with shower gel, don’t use the washing machine. Instead, manually wash them by filling a clean basin with cold to warm water. Hot water can damage delicate fabrics.

Add a small amount of body wash and swirl the water to distribute it. Too much gel can produce a sud overflow and make it harder to rinse your clothes thoroughly. Submerge your clothes and gently swirl them around to agitate and loosen dirt. Drain the basin, add more water, and gently swirl the clothes again to rinse them. You’ll likely need to rinse a few times, as body wash can be harder to wash out than laundry detergent. Once they’re rinsed thoroughly, set them to dry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Body Wash Considered Detergent?

Yes, body wash is considered a detergent. Detergents are synthetic cleaning agents designed to remove dirt and grime from various surfaces. Body wash is a skin-focused detergent, and it differs from soap in that soap is usually made from natural fats. Though body wash is a detergent, it is not a laundry detergent.

Freddie Sheets Offer a Simple Laundry Solution

Body wash can be used as laundry detergent in an emergency, but should not be added to your washing machine. Handwashing a few articles of clothing with shower gel can buy you some time before your preferred laundry detergent is replenished.

Avoid sacrificing cleaning power by switching to Freddie laundry detergent sheets. These sheets can provide a reliable cleaning when you’re in a pinch. Whether you’re traveling or need to tackle a stain ASAP, Freddie’s laundry detergent sheets are convenient and provide a powerful clean. They’re premeasured so you can use just as much as you need.