Skip to content
logo The DIY portal for home and garden
In the kitchen, bathroom, and living room

Do you know everything you can clean with washing powder?

A hand holds washing powder in a ladle
Washing powder can be used not only to remove stains from clothing, but also from other textiles Photo: Getty Images

October 10, 2024, 10:38 am | Read time: 3 minutes

Washing powder is for washing clothes – that’s a well-known fact. However, the powder, with its cleaning and bleaching properties, is also suitable for other areas of the household.

Share article

Instead of using washing powder only in the laundry room for dirty laundry, it can also be used in the bathroom, kitchen, or living area for cleaning. It effortlessly removes deposits in the toilet, for example. Ten more household tricks with washing powder are revealed by myHOMEBOOK in this article.

What can you clean with washing powder?

1. Vacuum cleaner

If your vacuum cleaner smells a bit unpleasant, this problem can be quickly solved with washing powder. Simply sprinkle a little on the floor and vacuum.

2. Grout

Discolored grout can also be lightened with washing powder. To do this, mix it with a little water and apply it to the relevant area. Leave the mixture to work for around 45 minutes, and then wipe it off.

3. Burnt food

If food burns in a pan or pot, discoloration often remains. However, the residue can be easily removed with washing powder. After the powder has been applied to the area, a little water can be added. Then, bring it to a boil briefly and wipe away with a sponge. Finally, rinse the pans and pots thoroughly with water so that no detergent residue remains.

4. Laminate

Flooring can also be cleaned well with washing powder. Mix washing powder with water in a bucket and moisten a microfiber cloth with the solution. While laminate is given a new shine with baking soda, this method is unsuitable for wooden floors.

5. Oil stains

If an oil stain is fresh, you should quickly apply washing powder to it. After a short exposure time, wash the powder out thoroughly, and the oil stain is gone. This trick is not only suitable for clothing but also if oil drips onto the floor.

6. Textiles

Washing powder is designed to wash dirt out of clothes. However, it can also remove stains from other textiles, such as upholstery, carpets, or shoes made of fabric. Simply rub the washing powder onto the stain with a little water. To ensure that no white edges remain, clean the area with water afterward.

7. Range hood

The all-rounder washing powder also has a grease-dissolving property. This allows the grease film on the extractor hood to be removed. Simply sprinkle the powder onto a damp sponge and use it to treat the hood. Finally, wipe the surface with water.

8. Mold

For black mold, you can apply a mixture of washing powder and water. Always wear gloves and a respirator to protect the skin and respiratory tract from the mold. After several hours, rub off the paste.

9. Odors

Unpleasant odors in the home are difficult to get rid of. But with washing powder, your home will smell like freshly washed laundry. Add a small amount of powder to water and soak a cloth in it. Hang it over a heater for a night. This spreads the fresh smell throughout the home and masks unwanted cigarette or cooking odors.

10. Bathtub, sink, and toilet

The brightening power of washing powder makes it ideal for cleaning bathtubs, washbasins, and toilet bowls. Sprinkle the product on the surface and clean it with a damp sponge.

More on the topic

What you should bear in mind when cleaning with washing powder

If you come into contact with the powder, it can dry out your skin. This is because washing powder, in combination with water, forms an alkaline solution that attacks the surface of the skin. Gloves should, therefore, be worn when cleaning with the detergent. Alternatively, you can apply cream to your hands before and after cleaning.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of MYHOMEBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@petbook.de.

Topics Cleaning
Your data privacy when using the share function
To share this article or other content via social networks, we need your consent for this .
You have successfully withdrawn your consent to the processing of personal data through tracking and advertising when using this website. You can now consent to data processing again or object to legitimate interests.