How Much Laundry Detergent to Use

July 20, 2026

Ever seen white residues on your clothes after washing and thought... “I’ve used too much detergent in that load!” Well, not necessarily! Despite the evidence, chances are that you’ve actually put too many clothes in the load rather than too much detergent.

How Much Should I Use?

Doing the laundry is a little more sophisticated than eyeballing how much detergent you need and turning the machine on. Using too little or too much detergent often leads to poor laundry results. Whether it’s the washer you’re using or the size of the load, not all laundry is created equal, so it’s important to get the right dosing for your wash.

For example, take a high efficiency (HE) washing machines. Since they use less water, putting in too much laundry can soak up all the water so there isn’t enough to completely dissolve the detergent.

Tip: It is important to dose correctly, since under- or overdosing can result in poor cleaning and stain removal.

How dirty the clothes are The more heavily soiled your clothes are, the more detergent you will need to use in a load. This helps to remove dirt and prevent it from going back onto your clothes.

Size of the load Detergent dosage directions are based on the drum size of a conventional washing machine, but machines are always getting bigger so if you have a new washing machines, it may have a bigger drum. Larger wash loads bring in more dirt, so to get great results on every wash you need more detergent.

Water hardness Water hardness varies throughout the country. To get the best results, people in hard water areas need to use more detergent.

What dosage should I use?

For best results, refer to the dosage instructions found on the package of your Tide detergent, taking into account the three key factors above. Be sure to read and follow care label instructions for your clothes. Always test an inside seam for colorfastness.

Want to Know More?

Watch our video on how to use Tide PODS® for the best results!

Make sure you get the best out of your liquid detergent. Watch our video on how to use Tide’s liquid detergents.

Help your powder detergent work for you. Watch our video on how to use Tide’s powder detergents.