The detergent market is overflowing with specialty and combination products that all promise the best for your laundry. From color detergents to mild detergents to special products for wool, sportswear or baby clothes – the choice is huge. But which detergents do you actually need for perfect washing results? Most households get by with far less than the advertising suggests. Here you can find out which three basic products are completely sufficient and what you can do without when buying. Which detergents do you really need? Just read on!

Which detergents do you need: These detergents are enough

Experts from the consumer advice center agree: For an average household, three different detergents are enough to cover all washing needs. This basic range is not only cost-effective, but also more environmentally friendly as it reduces the use of chemicals.

1. heavy-duty detergent (universal detergent):
Heavy-duty detergents are the all-purpose weapon for white and heavily soiled laundry. They contain bleaching agents and optical brighteners that keep white textiles bright and remove stubborn stains. Colored laundry can also be washed occasionally with heavy-duty detergent, but the colors will fade if used frequently.

2. color detergent:
Color detergent is the first choice for coloured laundry. It does not contain bleaching agents or optical brighteners, which protects the colors and prevents them from fading. Modern color detergents often contain special enzymes that clean reliably even at low temperatures.

3. mild detergent:
Delicate materials such as wool, silk or clothing with the care label “delicates” require a mild detergent without aggressive enzymes. Delicates detergents clean gently and preserve the structure of the fibers.

Superfluous special products: You can do without them

Many detergent manufacturers offer special products for certain applications. However, most of these are superfluous and can be replaced by the three basic detergents:

Sports detergent: These promise to remove sweat odors and are often significantly more expensive than conventional detergents. In fact, a good color detergent at 40 °C is completely sufficient to get sportswear hygienically clean.

Baby detergent: Even if the advertising suggests otherwise, special baby detergent is not necessary. A mild mild detergent or color detergent without fragrances cleans baby clothes just as well and is gentle on sensitive skin.

Black detergent: These products are designed to protect black clothing from fading. However, a high-quality color detergent serves the same purpose and is more versatile.

Wool detergent: A mild detergent is sufficient for occasional washing of wool sweaters. A special wool detergent may only be useful for very expensive or delicate wool items.

Additives and aids: What is useful?

In addition to the basic detergents, there are some additives that can be useful in certain situations:

Stain remover: Special pre-treatment agents can be helpful for stubborn stains such as blood, grease or grass. However, home remedies such as gall soap or a paste made from baking soda and water are often sufficient.

Water softener: In areas with very hard water, a water softener can improve the detergent effect and prevent limescale deposits in the machine. Check the water hardness in your region – this additive is often superfluous.

Hygiene rinse aid: These products promise special hygiene and bactericidal properties. They are superfluous for normal laundry, as modern detergents already wash hygienically clean at 30-40 °C. They can only be useful in special cases, such as illness or the need for care.

Powder or liquid: Which is better?

In principle, both powder and liquid detergents have their place:

Washing powder is usually cheaper and often contains fewer preservatives. It is particularly suitable for white laundry and heavily soiled textiles. However, it can leave residues at low temperatures.

Liquid detergent dissolves completely even at low temperatures and leaves no residue on dark clothing. However, it is often more expensive and contains more chemicals for preservation.

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Dosage: less is often more

A common mistake is overdosing detergent. More detergent does not automatically mean cleaner laundry – on the contrary! It can lead to residues that make textiles appear stiff and gray. Follow the dosage recommendations on the packaging and take this into account:

• The degree of soiling of the laundry.
• The water hardness in your region.
• The load size of the washing machine.

With the right basic set of three detergents, you can manage in almost all washing situations. This not only saves money and space in the household, but also protects the environment. Avoid superfluous special products and rely on proven, high-quality detergents.

Source: verbraucherzentrale

Is your washing machine wandering during the spin cycle, shaking a lot or even jumping out of place? You should fix this problem as quickly as possible. In the worst case scenario, the appliance could disconnect from the water supply and cause water damage in your home.

Washing machine wanders during the spin cycle: 8 helpful tips

Here you will find possible causes of the washing machine moving during the spin cycle and find out how you can solve the problem in just a few simple steps. And don’t worry – the washing machine doesn’t necessarily have to be broken, the problem can also have completely different causes.

Removing the washing machine’s transport lock

Has your newly purchased washing machine started to move during the first wash cycle? Then the reason is usually the transport lock. It holds the free-swinging washing drum in place during transportation. If the transport lock of the washing machine is not released afterwards, the drum cannot swing freely during the spin cycle. To release the transport lock, you need to loosen four large screws on the back of the washing machine (six screws on a top loader). Modern models cannot be started at all with the transport lock tightened. With older models, however, it is worth checking this point.

Anti-vibration mats

Special rubber mats can absorb the vibration of the washing machine. Anti-vibration mats – also known as washing machine mats – are available at any DIY store.

Note: The higher the spin speed, the greater the risk of the washing machine jerking or wandering. Although a high speed ensures that the laundry is slightly drier, it does not ensure that it is also cleaner. For most washing cycles, a maximum speed of 800 revolutions is completely sufficient.

Optimal location

The washing machine often wobbles or wanders if it is not exactly level with the floor. As soon as the washing machine is tilted, the drum will also be tilted. In this case, try to adjust the support feet of the washing machine to the floor. Follow these steps to check whether the washing machine is level:

• Start a test spin cycle and place a pin on the washing machine. If the machine is tilted, the pin will always roll in the downward direction.
• As even small deviations cause the washing machine to move, you can use a spirit level for precise alignment or for checking.

Make sure the surface is clean

If the washing machine wanders, a dirty floor could also be the cause. If there is an anti-vibration mat on a greasy or dirty floor, the effect is even greater. Nobody cleans the floor under the washing machine after every wash cycle. After a few years, however, dust, dirt and moisture accumulate there. This can cause the washing machine feet to slip and the washing machine is then no longer perfectly aligned. It is therefore better to clean the floor under the washing machine at regular intervals.

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Loading the washing machine evenly

Unevenly loaded or overloaded washing machines are more likely to move during the spin cycle. Every washing machine has information on the maximum load volume. This makes it easier for you to estimate how much laundry you can wash at once. Also make sure to mix large items (e.g. sheets) with smaller items of clothing (e.g. socks and shirts).

Is the drum broken?

You cannot tell from the outside whether the washing drum is defective. Therefore, start a test run and let the washing machine spin at 600 to 800 revolutions without any load. If the washing machine moves at this low speed, the drum could actually be defective.

Defective shock absorber

Over time, the drum’s shock absorbers can wear out. The washing drum itself also suffers from this and an imbalance may occur. This means that the drum deflects too much in one direction during the spin cycle. In the long term, this will cause the washing machine to break down.

Check the drain pump and lint filter

If the drain pump is not working properly, excess water will remain in the washing machine. The extra weight could also cause an imbalance during the spin cycle. Before you call a technician, you should first clean the drain pump and the lint filter attached to it. Both parts are hidden behind a small flap in the lower section at the front of the washing machine. You should have a bowl and some kitchen towels ready to catch any waste water.

If you have checked all possible triggers and still haven’t found the fault, it’s high time to contact a technician or think about buying a new washing machine.

Source: t-online
Thumbnail: ©Flickr/Hannah and Simon ©IMAGO / Michael Gstettenbauer

After a party with lots of guests, the champagne and wine glasses pile up in the kitchen. You don’t feel like washing them all by hand. Can’t you just put the wine glasses in the dishwasher? Opinions differ on this question. Anyone who has ever had to pick up the shards of a champagne glass from the bottom of the dishwasher is more likely to use washing-up liquid and a washcloth to clean them. However, there is an ingenious trick that allows even delicate champagne glasses to survive every wash cycle without damage.

Putting wine glasses in the dishwasher?

They still exist: spontaneous inspirations that make the scales fall from your eyes. That’s what happened to X user Anna Klatsche. When she didn’t feel like washing her champagne glasses by hand, she simply put them in the cutlery basket of her dishwasher.

Not only do the champagne glasses get clean there – they are also much safer than in the sink. Killing two birds with one stone and not even lifting a finger! You praise tricks like this for everyday life.

Anna’s post caused a storm of enthusiasm online: “How incredibly good, simple!” it says. “This ingenuity almost makes me want to start drinking prosecco …”, writes another user.

But not everyone is thrilled. They are annoyed because their dishwasher doesn’t have a basket – or only one that isn’t the right size. For some it is too small, for others too big, so that the glasses would wobble dangerously with every jet of water.

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Very well. A single trick – however ingenious it may be – rarely solves all the world’s problems. But there is a clever alternative to Anna’s idea. Many dishwashers have their own wine glass holder – without their owners knowing about it. Simply open the holder on the sides of the upper basket and lean your wine glasses against it at an angle.

You can safely store both wine glasses and champagne glasses here. Annoying washing up and broken champagne glass stems in the sink are now a thing of the past!

Note: Wine glasses and champagne glasses should not be washed too hot. Therefore, select the eco or gentle program of your dishwasher.

Source: twitter/Wirrbelkind

Every well-stocked cleaning cupboard also contains a bottle of glass cleaner. You can use it to make your windows shine again and ensure a clear view. But did you know that you can also use glass cleaner as a universal household cleaning agent? Thanks to its ingredients, the cleaner ensures that smooth surfaces anywhere in your home, such as your bathroom tiles, become streak-free.

But before you grab the all-rounder and spruce up your home, you should know that glass cleaner is not suitable for all surfaces. In this article, we tell you which surfaces should not come into contact with it.

6 surfaces that you should never treat with glass cleaner

Used incorrectly, glass cleaner can damage some surfaces instead of cleaning them. Find out which ones here:

Mirrors

Admittedly, this sounds a little unusual at first, as you are probably one of those people who clean their mirrors with glass cleaner. But you’d be better off not doing that in future. This is because the substances contained in the glass cleaner attack the silver coating and dissolve the film over time. This is shown by the mirror suddenly getting brown stains that look as if they have been burnt in. Particularly with old mirrors, it is therefore better to use warm water or, for more stubborn stains, white spirit.

Granite worktops

Unfortunately, using glass cleaner on granite or marble worktops is not a good idea. The porous stone surfaces are corroded by the ingredients, causing permanent damage. Glass cleaner also causes stains on these surfaces and makes them look dull and dirty.

Car windows

Very few people know that car windows should not be cleaned with standard glass cleaner. This can lead to streaks and stains, which are not only unsightly but also impair visibility. It should also never be used on tinted windows, as the ammonia it contains can damage the film. It is better to use a cleaner specifically for car windows that is less aggressive.

Screens

To remove fingerprints or grease stains from a laptop, computer or TV screen, many people like to use glass cleaner. Although this degreases and cleans well, its ingredients are too harsh for sensitive screens. Instead, use a microfiber cloth with a little water or a special cleaner for electronic devices.

Wood

Care should also be taken with wood. Untreated wood should never be cleaned with glass cleaner. It can be used on varnished wood from time to time, but a thin layer of varnish may well be attacked. In the case of leached or oiled wood, the glass cleaner draws the protective oil out of the wood, making it much more sensitive to stains and water. It is better to use special wood care products such as oil or wax.

Skin

Some time ago, there was a tip circulating on the internet to reverse unsuccessful self-tanning results with glass cleaner. However, this is not recommended as it damages the skin’s protective acid layer and dries it out extremely. Sensitive people may even develop a rash or allergies.

Some products that are effective and harmless to health when used on their own can have unexpected consequences when used in combination with other cleaners. As a general rule, you should therefore never mix glass cleaner, especially not with bleaching agents. This is because the ammonia contained in glass cleaner releases a potentially toxic substance called chloramine, which irritates the eyes, nose, bronchial tubes and throat.

So when cleaning, be careful which products you use for which things, as not all of them are universally applicable. Chemical cleaning agents in particular can damage the surfaces in your home by causing stains and streaks and thus have exactly the opposite effect to what you want to achieve.

Source: tippsundtricks

Many families do their dirty laundry at the weekend. If you don’t have a tumble dryer or garden, you’re probably familiar with the situation where the freshly washed laundry hangs on the drying rack for what feels like ages and just won’t dry. But this has now come to an end! A simple TikTok trend promises a shorter drying time. Read here how you can dry your laundry faster in your home to make room for the next load of laundry.

Drying laundry at home: these basics make all the difference

Before you search the internet for tricks to dry your laundry faster in your home, you should consider a few basics:

Insert an extra spin cycle
The drier the laundry comes out of the machine, the faster it will dry completely on the rack. For heavy fabrics such as jeans and towels, it can help if you insert an additional spin cycle.

Ventilate correctly
In a room with closed windows and doors, the moisture from freshly washed laundry cannot escape. Make sure you keep the windows and doors open so that your laundry can dry in your home.

Keep your distance!
Items of laundry that hang close together on the line dry more slowly than those that can move freely. So don’t hang your laundry too close together on the line.

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Simple trick shortens the drying time

Have you considered all the basics and want to shorten the drying time of your laundry even further? Then this trick from the internet is just the thing for you! All you need is a nylon stocking 🛒 or a pair of nylon tights and some cat litter 🛒.

Fill the stocking with cat litter, tie a knot in it and hang the whole thing on the clothes horse together with your damp laundry. The cat litter draws the moisture out of the air – like a mini dehumidifier! This speeds up the drying process considerably, especially in small or poorly ventilated rooms.

Cat litter also has the advantage of neutralizing unpleasant odours. If your laundry smells a bit musty after washing, you can simply hang up the litter sock!

Tip: If you don’t have any cat litter to hand, you can also put rice in the nylon stocking. This also absorbs the moisture.

The trick with the cat litter is not only ingenious, but also extremely cheap and easy to implement. Try it out and your laundry will finally stop drying forever!

Source: gofeminin.de

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Tidying up your home is one thing, but keeping it tidy over a longer period of time is another. If you want to keep your household tidy in the long term, it’s no good just cleaning up the occasional mess. Instead, you need a functioning organization system that you can use to keep your household tidy. Read here about the mistakes you are sure to make when tidying up and the tidying tips you should know.

Tidying up the household: these mistakes cause chaos

A tidy household has less to do with discipline than with a clever organization system. Unless you’re a born cleaner, you should avoid the following mistakes that make keeping your household tidy unnecessarily difficult.

Keeping things tidy is difficult if they don’t have a fixed place

Every item should have a fixed place and not simply be quickly hidden away in a drawer as soon as a visitor arrives. If your possessions have a fixed place, you will no longer have to search for them in future. Because now you always know exactly where the remote control or key is. What’s more, your home will be less cluttered as you can put everything back in its designated place immediately after use.

Store items in hard-to-reach places

Probably the most common reason for clutter is leaving items you use every day in hard-to-reach places. Hanging the key that you regularly need on a hook that is too high will ensure that you put it somewhere else next time to save you having to stretch and reach.

Clutter builds up, especially in cupboards, when you first have to pull out lots of other things to reach exactly what you need. Then, due to a lack of time, everything is stuffed back into the cupboard. You should therefore store your belongings in such a way that the items you use most often are easy to reach.

Store different categories together

If you store different categories that have nothing to do with each other together, it’s easy to lose track of where things are. You should therefore divide your belongings into suitable categories and store them separately.

Do not use transparent storage boxes

If you store a lot of things in storage boxes, you quickly lose track of what is actually in which box. If you are looking for something, you have to search through all the boxes until you finally find the desired item. You can counteract this by simply using transparent boxes. This allows you to see at a glance what is inside without having to rummage around.

Leave labels on cosmetic products

A mistake that pretty much everyone makes: leaving labels on cosmetic products. These are a visual distraction in the bathroom and unconsciously create the illusion of clutter. It is therefore advisable to simply remove the labels. The shape and color of the packaging is usually enough to distinguish the different products from one another.

Leave piles of paper on the desk

There’s nothing worse than a huge pile of paper on your desk. It makes the whole study look messy, even if the rest of the room is tidy. So in future, simply store your paperwork in binders or folders, label them and then put them on a suitable shelf.

Do not use storage jars for food

Do you have food packaging all over the place in your cupboard and everything falls out as soon as you open the cupboard door? You can prevent this by simply using storage jars. Not only do they save a lot of space, they also look much tidier in the kitchen and keep your household tidy. You can see what’s inside at a glance.

Keep unused items

That old laptop that no longer works, or that souvenir from 10 years ago that you never liked but are keeping out of courtesy: If you no longer need or even like items, you should either sell them, give them away or dispose of them properly. Because if you own less, it will be much easier for you to keep things tidy in future.

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Not using space properly

Many people have so much space in their home, but don’t use it properly. Some drawers remain half empty, while others are bursting at the seams. It is advisable to empty the cupboards once to see how much space is actually available.

Don’t get rid of the chaos in your closet

Organizing your closet by category is also helpful. T-shirts are on one shelf, pants on the next. Dresses and skirts are hung on the clothes rail. This way, you know immediately where things are and can put your outfit together in seconds.

If you avoid the mistakes mentioned here, it’s not that difficult to keep your household tidy in the long term. You’ll see that with these tidying tips, even unannounced visitors will no longer cause you any worry lines.

Source: brightside
Thumbnails: © flickr/Ulleskelf © flickr/Marné Lierman

You love your houseplants, water them regularly – and yet some of them seem sad or simply wither away? Sometimes you literally drown them, sometimes they are left to dry out for weeks. You’re not alone! Many plant lovers experience exactly that. So it’s no wonder that more and more are turning to a little gadget: the Moisture meter for plants. But does it really help? Or does it rather cause confusion?

How do moisture meters for plants work?

A moisture meter for plants shows you how moist the soil around your plant currently is. At first, this sounds like the perfect solution for all watering problems – but it is only partially so.

The device does not measure moisture directly, but the electrical resistance of the soil. The wetter the substrate, the better it conducts electricity – and this is exactly what the moisture meter shows you. Sounds clever, doesn’t it?

But there are a few catches that you should be aware of.

What a moisture meter cannot do

A big misunderstanding: many people think that a moisture meter for plants tells them exactly when they need to water. This is not true. You have to know for yourself what the optimum value is for your particular plant. And that’s not so easy.

There are also some disruptive factors:

• Different soils conduct electricity to different degrees. Organic soil often shows higher moisture values than sandy mixtures.
• The harder you press the soil into the pot, the more moist it appears according to the measuring device – even if it is not.
• Fertilizers and mineral salts distort the measurement. They collect in the soil over time and influence the resistance.
• The depth at which you insert the device also plays a role. The moisture differs significantly depending on the soil layer.
• Calibration is not possible with most devices. This means that if your moisture meter displays incorrect values, you cannot correct them.

And then there are plants for which you should completely dispense with the device – such as succulents or orchids. Their soil is either too dry or too airy to display meaningful values.

Measuring devices as a useful addition, but not as the sole aid

A moisture meter for plants can help you get a better feel for your soil – especially if you are just starting out with gardening. However, it does not replace your common sense or your powers of observation.

So don’t blindly rely on the display. Instead: Do the finger test regularly, feel with your finger about two centimeters deep into the soil. Lift the pot – that way you can quickly feel whether the plant needs water.

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A Moisture meter for plants can be a useful aid if you use it correctly. It will give you an indication, but not exact watering instructions. Combine it with the finger test and a scrutinizing look at your plants. In this way, you will develop the right watering feel over time – without any technical frustration.

Source: Feey

On the shower head, on the sink, on the tap and in the sink – limescale builds up over time in all areas of the home that come into contact with water. A simple household trick using baking paper should now help affected areas to regain their shine and remove limescale stains.

Baking paper is a versatile household helper. Not only can you use it to decorate your cappuccino or replace muffin tins, but you can also fry a fried egg without a pan. But did you know that you can even use it to remove limescale stains? Find out here how this ingenious household trick works.

Remove limescale stains with baking paper

To remove annoying limescale stains, crumple the baking paper up a little with your hands. This makes the paper more stable and easier to hold. Now rub the limescale stains on the tap, in the shower or in the sink with the baking paper in your hand. After just a few seconds, the limescale stains and other discoloration will disappear, giving your bathroom a new shine. Cleaning can be so easy!

Reading tip: Have you ever tried cleaning your shower with a potato? This unusual cleaning trick shows how it works.

Before you start, make sure that the surfaces are dry. If the limescale stains cannot be removed immediately, apply a little more pressure with the baking paper. Simply rub the spots with the paper until you are satisfied with the result.

You can also use this household trick to remove limescale from the sink, kettle and all stainless steel surfaces. Light soiling in the oven can also be tackled in this way.

Long-lasting shine

Another advantage: this trick not only removes limescale stains, it also ensures a long-lasting shine. The treatment with baking paper acts like a protective layer and new limescale cannot build up so quickly.

For water stains and light limescale deposits, you can achieve remarkable results with this household trick. For stubborn limescale deposits, however, it is better to use one of the following household remedies. The baking paper is then used to polish the surfaces!

Reading tip: Here you can find more tips for cleaning stainless steel surfaces.

Sources: ruhr24, brigitte
Preview image: ©Media Partisans/FUNKE Digital