Getting Detergent Dosage Right at the Laundromat

One of the most common laundromat mistakes is using too much detergent. It seems logical — more soap should mean cleaner clothes, right? Actually, the opposite is true. Excess detergent causes several problems, and the correct dosage for a commercial laundromat machine is often less than you’d expect.

Why Too Much Detergent Is a Problem

• Residue: Excess detergent doesn’t rinse out completely and leaves a soapy film on fabrics. This can make clothes feel stiff, look dull, and even irritate skin.
• Suds overflow: Commercial machines have suds sensors. Too many suds can trigger the machine to add extra rinse cycles (costing you time) or display an error.
• Environmental impact: Excess detergent ends up in the wastewater system unnecessarily.
• Doesn’t clean better: Beyond the effective concentration, more detergent simply doesn’t improve cleaning. Correct dosage is the sweet spot.

How Much Detergent to Use

For commercial laundromat machines, use about half to two-thirds of what’s recommended on the detergent packaging for a home machine. Commercial machines use more water and have stronger agitation, meaning they need less detergent to achieve the same result. As a general guide:

• Standard 8–10 kg load: 30–40 ml of liquid detergent, or one pod.
• Large 14–20 kg load: 40–60 ml of liquid detergent, or two pods for very large loads.
• Delicate items: Reduce to half the standard amount.

Where to Add the Detergent

Laundromat machines have a detergent drawer at the top, usually divided into compartments:

• The largest compartment (often marked ‘I’ or with a wash symbol) is for the main wash detergent.
• The compartment marked ‘II’ or with a star is for pre-wash detergent (rarely needed for normal loads).
• The compartment marked with a flower is for fabric softener — add it here if you’re using it.

Liquid pods can go directly into the drum before loading clothes — this is the simplest and most foolproof method.

What Love Wash Vending Machines Offer

Our vending machines stock detergent in single-use sachets sized appropriately for our machine capacities. If you’re using vending machine detergent, follow the pack instructions — they’re pre-dosed for our machines. No guesswork required.

Hard Water Considerations

Sydney’s water is relatively soft to moderate in hardness, so excessive detergent adjustment for water hardness isn’t usually necessary. If you’re visiting from an area with hard water and have brought your own detergent, standard dosage should be fine at any Love Wash Sydney location.