Liquid, capsules or Washo strips?
A comparison of laundry detergents and why Washo strips are the better alternative.
Laundry detergents come in all shapes and colors. But how do they differ in terms of washing performance, and which detergent is the most environmentally friendly? We took a closer look at the four most common types.
In Europe, we consume around four million tons of laundry detergent every year. With such an enormous amount, it's no surprise that there is a huge range of brands and types of detergent available. Consumers are spoiled for choice: should they go for concentrated or non-concentrated liquid detergent? Or is powder detergent better? Will the capsules meet my needs, or should I try the laundry strips?
Every detergent has its pros and cons. This applies not only to washing power, but also to ingredients, application, and environmental impact. In this overview, we show how different detergents work and what effect they have on nature. We refer to a typical load of everyday clothing.
Liquid detergents
Liquid detergents contain more washing-active substances, known as surfactants, than other washing powders or washing strips. Nevertheless, their cleaning power is lower compared to other forms of washing. This means that you ultimately need more detergent to achieve the same result, which leads to even more lugging around and even more harmful substances in the wastewater. One disadvantage for the laundry is that color liquid detergents leave a gray haze on clothing over time.
When detergent is purchased in large bottles, the liquid usually contains preservatives that are difficult to biodegrade and are intended to prevent microorganisms from multiplying. This can trigger allergies, asthma, or headaches due to the use of formaldehyde. Both the increased concentration of detergent surfactants and the preservatives are harmful to the environment. An assessment by Ökotest last summer showed that many liquid detergents contain boron compounds, which are suspected of damaging fertility in large quantities.
Compared to washing powder,
liquid detergent has one advantage: its production is less energy-intensive. However, liquid detergent performs significantly worse in terms of transport and use. In addition, liquid detergents do not contain bleaching agents, which cause colors to fade and have a negative impact on the environment.
Washing powder
Washing powder has better washing performance than liquid detergent. However, the powder often contains zeolite for water softening, which can lead to white spots on the laundry. Therefore, it is extremely important to measure the amount of washing powder accurately. Softeners such as zeolite A, citrate, or silicates are more environmentally friendly than phosphates, which pollute waterways. Other commonly used softeners are also difficult to break down. Unlike liquid detergents, powder must be spray-dried during production, which consumes energy. When used, the powder can also create dust, which can irritate the mucous membranes. Therefore, caution is required when handling it.
Washing powder usually comes in cardboard packaging that can be recycled. This is a clear advantage over the plastic bottles used for liquid detergents. However, large packs are not always the right choice: some contain salts as fillers, which are harmful to the environment. They prevent clumping, but have no effect on washing power. Compact products are therefore better – if you look at the label.
Laundry strips
Laundry strips are lightweight, firmly pressed, and dry strips. In the case of Washo, they weigh just two grams. They contain highly concentrated biodegradable washing substances. At Washo, we use a formula that contains ionic and anionic surfactants as well as water. For the Summer Breeze Edition, fragrances are also added to the strips. Washo laundry strips are completely plant-based and free from phosphates, palm oil, bleach, and microplastics. Thanks to their gentle ingredients, laundry strips are also suitable for people with allergies.
Laundry strips have numerous environmental advantages over conventional detergents. On the one hand, this is due to the use of completely biodegradable substances, and on the other hand, due to their low weight. This saves resources and reduces emissions during transport. In other words, if all laundry in Europe were washed with laundry strips, the four million tons of detergent mentioned at the beginning could be drastically reduced.
Laundry capsules
Laundry capsules, also known as liquid caps, are gel pads filled with liquid detergent. They usually come in a variety of bright colors, which can be attractive to young children. That's why safe storage is particularly important, as the contents are hazardous to health and anything but environmentally friendly.
The same disadvantages apply to laundry capsules as to liquid detergent, the only difference being that the capsules are pre-measured. This is convenient, but also expensive. As with laundry strips, the liquid capsule is placed directly in the drum with the laundry and dissolves during washing. However, this is only true visually: the microplastics in the laundry capsules end up in the wastewater and thus in our ecosystem. Sometimes the capsules do not dissolve completely and stick to the laundry as sticky residues.
Incidentally, there are also hybrid forms with capsules that contain both liquid detergent and powder. They are more effective in comparison, but require higher temperatures.
Conclusion
No matter what type of washing you choose, make sure that your detergent does not contain microplastics and comes in recyclable packaging. Biodegradability is extremely important in detergents to prevent substances and tiny plastic particles from entering the ecosystem. Vegan detergents usually meet this criterion. In addition, non-vegan detergents often contain animal ingredients such as slaughterhouse waste.
