Travel & Lifestyle: TikTok Laundry Detergent Hack Goes Viral

After doing what feels like 5 million loads of laundry in your life, you might think you know all the tricks and hacks. But as a viral TikTok is demonstrating, there are always new methods to learn.

On Wednesday, a TikTok user named Iluka shared a video of her boyfriend at home during laundry time. In the video, the user implies that her partner tossed the cap of the laundry detergent in with the load of clothes.

“I just asked my bf where the cap for the detergent is and he said ‘Oh I just fill it up and throw it in?’” she wrote, calling this “mental behaviour.”

But the comments section is filled with responses defending the boyfriend. Many noted that this method prevents the cap from getting gross and sticky from detergent residue.

“I do this. Everyone thinks I’m crazy, but their detergent caps are disgusting and mine is always clean,” wrote TikToker @wendyflucas.

Others like @squirllz were similarly puzzled, however. “There’s no way this comment section is real. Do you people also bake your measuring cups inside your bread?”

It turns out laundry experts aren’t opposed to the cap-in-the-drum approach.

“It’s totally common,” cleaning expert Becky Rapinchuk told HuffPost. “This method works great at keeping the drips off the bottle and off the shelf.”

Patric Richardson, aka The Laundry Evangelist, said he also prefers to toss the cap filled with detergent into the washing machine.

“I kind of love it because it keeps the bottle clean, and I like anything that makes things easier,” he said. “I mean, you just throw it in, it comes out clean, and you put it back on the bottle.”

Richardson emphasized that he feels comfortable using this method because he uses smaller “boutique bottles” of detergent, like The Laundress Wool & Cashmere Shampoo.

“I’m not using this giant Tide cap or anything,” he said. “The cap I’m using is little. Some of those big caps might be rough around the edge, and I wouldn’t want the big rough plastic in my washing machine. That would be the biggest thing I’d worry about.”

He recommended checking the cap in question to see if you think it’s smooth enough to toss in with your clothes without fear of potential damage to the fabrics. Some experts worry about potential harm to the machine as well.

“Detergent caps are designed to dispense the detergent and are not made for the wash cycle,” said James Joun, the co-founder and chief operating officer of on-demand laundry and dry cleaning company Rinse. “Most detergent caps are not designed to withstand the agitation of a washing machine. It could crack, break, or get stuck in the drum or filter, leading to potential damage to both your clothes and the machine.”

Joun expressed concerns about the effectiveness of the detergent-in-cap method as well.

“By throwing the whole thing in, you risk not getting the detergent to fully dissolve, which could lead to spots or residue on your laundry,” he said. “Throwing the cap in the drum will also concentrate the detergent in the area it’s thrown in, leading to uneven application and a poor wash.”

“In short, while it might seem like a clever hack, it could create more issues than it solves, especially in the long run,” Joun added.

There’s also the question of the cap-less detergent bottle.

“Leaving the detergent package open can lead to spills or contamination,” said Kim Romine, a fabric care scientist and expert for the baby detergent brand Dreft.

If you have small children or pets at home, you might not want to leave an open detergent container out, waiting to be knocked over.

“It’s great as long as you have a safe place to keep the open bottle ― definitely don’t keep it on top of the washer or dryer in case it moved and fell,” Rapinchuk said. “Alternatively, keep an extra cap and put it on the bottle as one is in the wash.”

Richardson also suggested a hack that could prevent the problem of potential spillage, as well as rough plastic edges mixed in with clothing.

“You could get silicone measuring spoons and use the tablespoon to measure out your detergent and just toss that in the washer,” he said. “Then you could put the cap back on the bottle, and it would stay clean because you’re not using the cap to measure. And because the measuring spoon is silicone, it would be soft in the machine.”

If you’re tossing your cap of detergent into the washing machine, that means you’re bypassing the little designated drawer. But is this also a problem?

“I don’t use that compartment,” Richardson said. “I’d say the only reason to use it is if you’re using a lot of detergent ― and using too much detergent is a terrible thing to do. But if you want to put a lot, you really need to use the compartment because you can actually get detergent stains on your clothes depending on the brand you use and its ingredients.”

But some argue there are other reasons to use that designated detergent drawer.

“The compartment is designed to ensure the detergent is dispensed at the right time during the wash cycle, allowing it to properly dissolve and mix with water,” Joun said. “This way, the detergent has time to break down stains and clean effectively.”

Using the compartment can also help avoid detergent buildup directly on your clothing, he added.

“Pouring it directly onto the clothes could result in uneven distribution, meaning some areas might get too much detergent, while others get too little,” Joun said. “This could lead to excess detergent residue, which is harder to rinse out. It’s best to use the designated compartment to ensure the detergent is dispersed correctly and your clothes get the best clean possible.”

Although most machines have those special dispensers these days, you could still encounter one without it.

“If your machine doesn’t have a dispenser or if you prefer to add detergent directly to the drum, it’s important not to pour it directly on top of your clothes,” Romine advised. “Instead, always add any detergent ― whether liquid, powder, or laundry pacs ― to the drum before loading your clothes. Since water collects at the bottom of the machine first, this method allows the detergent to mix with water more quickly and thoroughly, activating it in the wash water for optimal cleaning performance.”

And whenever you’re in doubt, it might be simplest to go straight to the source for answers.

“For the best results, we always advise following the manufacturer’s instructions for proper use and storage of laundry products,” Romine said. “This ensures optimal cleaning performance and safety.”