Overview
- Consumer bodies and the IKW urge a three-detergent setup — Voll/white, Color/coloured and a wool-delicates formula — rather than an array of specialty products.
- IKW warns against mixing fabric softener with detergent or using the wrong drawer, noting poor dissolution, residue and potential softener-compartment clogs.
- Overdosing is flagged as a widespread error that leaves films on textiles, causes odors and can irritate skin, with experts advising dosing to water hardness and soil level.
- Umweltbundesamt data underpin lower-temperature washing for most loads, with about 230 g CO2 at 30°C versus roughly 680 g at 60°C, and appliance experts recommending occasional 60°C powder cycles to keep machines hygienic.
- Guidance highlights fiber care and pollution risks, advising wool-specific detergents, avoiding machine-washing embellished items or shoes with spikes, and using microfibre-capture options such as Cora-Ball or Guppyfriend.