Washing laundry without detergent

Replacing detergent

You probably also wash your laundry with liquid or powder detergent, or perhaps you use tablets. But if you run out of detergent and still need to do laundry, or if you generally want to avoid industrial cleaning agents, there are some alternatives to conventional laundry powder. In this article, we explain what these alternatives can do—and what they cannot. Because unfortunately, washing without any additives does not really work.

How does detergent work?

Detergent in the washing machine ensures that the minerals contained in the water do not deposit on the clothing, that stains are removed that would not come out without a cleaning agent, and that odors and the bacteria causing them are eliminated from the laundry.

Detergents often contain a variety of ingredients with different functions. Particularly important are surfactants, which reduce the surface tension of water and allow it to penetrate fabrics more effectively. They surround dirt and grease and “carry” them out of the textile. In addition, detergents usually contain water softeners to protect both the washing machine and the fibers from minerals in the water. Sometimes bleaching agents or specific enzymes are added to remove stains and dirt. There are also components that reduce foam, prevent corrosion, and provide fragrance.

The interaction of these active substances ensures that foreign particles are washed out of the laundry—this does not work with plain water alone.

Can towels be washed without detergent?

In principle, you can use your washing machine without detergent. However, only water-soluble stains will be removed—little else will happen.

Without detergent—or an alternative—you should therefore not wash your towels. After all, odors, bacteria, and possibly mold spores should also be effectively removed. Always check the care labels on the product: towels can often be washed at up to 60 degrees—and should be.

Washing without detergent: alternative cleaning methods

Detergents place a burden on the environment and are often overdosed. Certain allergies can also mean that conventional detergents should be replaced with alternatives.

Below are some alternative cleaning methods:

Soap nuts: Crack open Indian soap nuts and place them in a laundry bag before washing.
Horse chestnuts: Crush and peel 5–8 chestnuts, boil them in 300 ml of water, let the mixture cool and steep in a jar, then use the liquid as a natural detergent.
Ivy: Wash 10–15 ivy leaves (they contain natural soap-like substances) in a laundry bag.
Laundry balls: Use minerals and magnets and can simply be washed along with the laundry.
Baking soda: Add one packet of baking soda directly into the drum with the laundry.
Vinegar: Dilute vinegar essence with water (ratio 1:5) and use it to wash the laundry.

With all these methods, note that they usually only remove light, surface dirt and are not suitable for stubborn stains. These should be pre-treated separately or removed using other methods.

In addition, some of these techniques are quite labor-intensive and not all are truly environmentally friendly. However, strict regulations in Europe ensure that detergent manufacturers continuously improve environmental compatibility, and there are now many more sustainable products that deliver very good results even at low temperatures while saving energy.