Laundry Question... How Do You Do It? :)

I live in a condo building with commercial washers. I put the soap in, then the clothes, then shut the lid and push the quarters in which starts up the water. Works fine. I always thought you were supposed to put the soap in first so it gets mixed in sooner and better.

I put the soap in first (we use a powder detergent, it needs to dissolve), let it fill some, then put the laundry in.

My front loader decides for me! Just a little vent......I have had my front loader for 2 months and I hate it!!! Nothing ever seems to smell clean! *sigh*

Frontloaders. The machine decides lol. However, before I had them. I followed your method.

I always load the laundry in the washer, then start the water and put the soap in while the water is filling. This way I know how full the washer is because I don't always have a full load and can regulate how much soap and water goes in (heavy load, full load, small load, etc). I also always use liquid soap so it doesn't clump and leave soap spots on the clothes.

I put the clothes in, add water, then the soap. =)

If you read the instructions it says to pour the laundry detergent in first (unless it is a front loader) let the water begin filling up as you place the laundry in the bin.

I agree with your way! if I add the soap after the clothes I tend to get soap scum stains. My mom says I don't do the laundry right because I don't sort white, colors and darks...it all goes in. I have never had a problem.

Laundry, water on, soap, occasionally a downy ball :D

Add clothes,then soap then shut the load then the water fills up,thats how I do mine. :)

I do it the same as you. I also add downey to my son's clothes and all sheets.

I go to the laundromat because our septic system can't handle laundry at home, so I just follow the directions on the machine, which has a dispenser on top. I can't remember what I did when we did laundry at home. I haven't touched my washer in 2 years :-( but if that's my biggest complaint in life, I'm a lucky woman!

Well first I let it build up to the point where no one has clean clothes and I have to do it. Then I sit and stare at my overflowing laundry baskets for about 15 mins. I add the water and half the soap add the clothes and the over half of the soap.

Before my current machine (top load, no agitator, high-efficiency with a *specific* place to put the detergent), when I had a very basic top-loader, I used to start the water, add the detergent, dissolve all the detergent in the water and then add the clothes as the water kept filling. Like you, I guess...

I don't know...hubby does all our laundry! =)

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Usually I throw the laundry in first, then the soap and then the water comes on. Our washer won't start the water til the lid is down. If we add bleach, it is added first with a bit of water but the water is off when the clothes actually go in and doesn't restart til the lid is down.

I do sort by color, generally, but we usually have enough laundry to find enough pinks/darks/greens, etc. to make a load.

I have he front loaders, so there's a drawer compartment I add the detergent to before the wash. It dispenses during the cycle by itself. Back when I had a top-loading machine, I did it like you do: water, then soap, then laundry. It would be strange to pour the detergent right over the laundry, IMO. :)

I have a front loader and you would think I would load first, but I actually have to load the soap first. There have been a couple times that I loaded the machine, turned it on and left, forgetting the soap. Now I do soap first, then load, then turn it on.

The instructions to our washer recommends to put the soap in first then the clothes then add the water - but then again I hate my washer, hehe

Start the water, then the soap, then I go get the laundry while the washer is filling. I had a problem with the soap leaving little spots when I poured it on top of the laundry. Plus I like my soap to be dissolved and bubbly before I put my clothes in.

I do water, soap, then when sudsy, the clothing.
I just feel like the soap works better when it is mixed up first ;)

I have a front loader now too, but before I did it "your" way!! ;)

Depends if I am using liquid or powder. If powder, then water, then powder and then clothes. If I am adding Oxyclean to the wash, then that goes in before the clothes so it can dissolve first.

Soap goes in, then the clothes, then the water. That's what the machine says to do. In the old days you loaded the clothes and sprinkled your dry detergent on top. I dont think anyone even uses dry anymore do they?

I do water, detergent, then laundry. The only thing about this method is there is a tendency for me to overfill the washer. The other way is probably better, but habits are hard to break.

I do it your way. ALWAYS.
It drives me nuts if I forget and put the clothes in and then have to add the soap.

Start water, add laundry soap and dissolve into water, add fabric softener, turn off water and add my laundry and then turn my water back on.

You were seriously "debating" this??? :)

I usually dump in dirty clothes and try to shake them out first so they're not balled up. I turn the water on sometime before, during, or after loading. I measure out and dump in my [homemade] soap, then close the top. Sometimes I measure and dump half the soap mid-load, sometimes I don't. If my dehumidifier is full, I dump that water in, too, rather than hauling it upstairs to dump.

Today I grabbed an armload of clothes that had been tossed down the basement stairs and crammed them right into the washer without sorting them in any way, turned on the water, poured in the soap, slammed down the lid. If my kids are awake I turn things on last so I can keep an ear open in case they start killing each other.

I have no system or order for doing it whatsoever. Ever since I found that clothes seem to wash the same whether they are sorted or not, I have also stopped sorting unless I have a load full that needs to be washed in hot or is really gross.

Start water, add 1/2 soap, add clothes, add other 1/2 soap. :)

I actually do opposite of both of you, lol, I put laundry then soap then water :))

I turn the water on, dump the detergent in and then add the clothes while the tub is filling. Those are the directions on the washer lid. I'm with those that say the soap doesn't get evenly distributed if you pour it on top of the clothes. Happy washing!

I start the washer, add detergent, and let it fill about halfway before I add clothes. That way the detergent is completely dissolved before I put the clothes in.

I do water, detergent, then clothes as the tub fills.
I'd rather have the soap have a chance to mingle with the water before adding the clothes than just pour soap on top. Especially if you're using a dry detergent.

That's just the way I do it anyway.

I usually do it like you do, but sometimes I'm in a hurry and forget the soap, so it's not uncommon that I'm adding it last on occasion! As long as you don't over-stuff the washer, I'm sure it doesn't really matter.

If I want to use a little chlorine bleach in a mixed load that has color, I do the water, bleach, and then add the lighter colored items to dark as it fills. But mostly, I do the clothes, water, and then soap.

I throw the clothes in first, then the soap, and lastly the water. I use a front loading machine with liquid soap.

Each manuafacturer has a particular method that is best for the type of machine you have and the type of soap you use (dry vs liquid). Refer to the manufacturer instructions for the proper use for your machine type.

At my house, clothes are added to the washer in "batches". When it is full, I add soap, then start the machine to add the water. I do up to 3 loads per day this way. I've never had a problem with soap residue in my 30 years of doing laundry :) Honestly, I don't think theres a wrong way to do it, but it would seem that once the machine is filled with water, it would be difficult to add a full load of clothes to it...? Add the water last, it soaks into the clothes as it fills so this way seems easier to me.

Usually Water, Soap then clothes. Every once in awhile: Soap, Water, clothes. I don't think it matters but could be wrong. I don't use a lot of soap though.

The proper way is to add the soap first so it has the opportunity to get wet and distribute through the water as you add clothing. Most people that don't do it this way end up with spots on their clothes that are soap residue or other stuff that didn't get washed and rinsed out well.

I taught laundry skills to adults with developmental disabilities and they have book after book of just about everything and how to teach it to this population of people depending on their level of functioning.

I do it the way you do-- water, soap, clothes. I'm convinced the soap doesn't get evenly distributed properly if its dumped on the top. :)

Definately soap and water then the clothes. That way the soap doesn't soak into just one or two pieces of clothing and is more evenly distributed.

Laundry, soap, water. However, my mother did water, soap, laundry. Go
figure. Do I think it matters, nope. A great JFF question.

Traditionally this would've been a GREAT question!! However, now with the popularity of front loading machines...it can be a moot point for some!! LOL!!!

We still have the traditional top loading machine...it depends upon my mood and what I'm washing...if I'm washing whites - it's clothes, water soap, bleach...

USUALLY I turn the water on, put the soap in and start putting the clothes in - but I'm weird and I do it different every time!! Can't let laundry get boring!!

GOOD QUESTION!!!