What is citric acid used for in the washing machine? Why to always keep some to hand

We all love the scent of freshly washed laundry, which gives us a pleasant sensation of cleanliness as well as taking us back to the days of our childhood. Behind this fresh smell, however, there are often chemical detergents that are not so good for our health or the environment.

For this reason, many people prefer to rely on natural products for their laundry. In addition to natural laundry detergents, there are also very effective ecologically sound alternative additives such as citric acid. Citric acid is a compound naturally present in citrus fruits and commercially available in the form of a white powder with a slightly fruity smell. Ecologically sound, this product can effectively replace a commercially made fabric softener (which are known to cause allergies and damage to the ecosystem). 

Let's find out how citric acid can be used to do the laundry and why we should always have some at home.

Citric acid for doing the laundry

Citric acid can easily replace your regular, commercial fabric softener and gets equally effective results for reduced ecological impact. You will need to prepare a 15% solution of citric acid by pouring 150 grams of the powder into a 1 liter bottle and diluting it with 850 ml of demineralised water (which you can also get from your air conditioner/dehumidifier).

You can use this citric acid solution in the fabric softener dispenser compartment; for 4-5 kg laundry you will need 100 ml in soft or medium water, 150 ml in case of hard water.

But the advantages of citric acid don't end here: you can also use it during a wash by putting 1 tablespoon directly into the drum to eliminate stains and whiten fabrics. In case of particularly stubborn stains, you can also pre-treat your clothes by making a thick paste with citric acid and water and rubbing the paste on the area to be treated.

Citric acid for cleaning and maintenance of the washing machine

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The 15% solution you prepared to replace a fabric softener is also an excellent limescale remover and can be used for domestic cleaning to remove limescale buildup. You can also use this mixture to wipe down the washing machine and its component parts.

Furthermore, wash cycles can leave detergent residue in your washing machine which, in turn, can encourage the proliferation of germs and bacteria. Once or twice a month, you should run an empty, high-temperature wash cycle and put 2 teaspoons of citric acid and 1 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate directly into the drum. This practice will also allow you to prevent or eliminate any bad odors that may form in the appliance.

Always keep a pack of citric acid at home: it's good for your fabrics, your wallet, your health and the environment.