How do you deal with the detergent left in the caps in a FL machine?

last year

With all our previous TL machines, we would measure out the liquid in the cap, pour it in as the machine was filling, then rinse out the cap in the fill water stream. But now with the FL machine, we can't do this as the door is locked as soon as the cycle starts. We have taken to pouring some water into the cap from the sink faucet and chucking it in the open machine before we start, just to clean out the caps. Seems like a hassle, but putting caps with liquid in them back on the container is a recipe for drips and a mess in the cupboard.

We never thought of this complication in going to a FL machine.

What do you do?

Featured Answer

M Miller

last year

last modified: last year

"but putting caps with liquid in them back on the container is a recipe for drips and a mess in the cupboard"

Is it though? I have been doing this my entire adult life, and not had a problem. My Tide Free liquid detergent container has a small extra hole in the top, in addition to the hole that you pour from, that allows the drips from the cap to go back into the bottle when you put the cap on.

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Comments (16)

dadoes
last year
Toss the cap in with the load (most of them are large enough to not fit past the door/drum boot and jam-up the works). Or wipe the residue out with one (or more) of the items in the load before starting it.
wcjo
last year
We also throw the cup into the machine, top or front loader. It comes out clean.
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georgect
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I don't even use the cap. When I use liquid detergent (I cycle between liquid and powder) I pour it directly into the detergent cup in the washer.

I don't use their "suggested" lines on the cap. I've measured out how 2 tablespoons looks like in the machines detergent cup and pour that amount.

I never buy big bottles of detergent because I'll never finish it.
dadoes
last year
Depends on the design of the cap. Screw-on caps will drain into the bottle. Larger containers that are set on the side for dispensing through a trigger spout have snap-on measuring caps that may drip. Some are embossed with text advising "Toss in Wash or Rinse After Use."
armjim
last year
I like george's suggestion. It is like cooking-you start to eyeball proportions because of the experience you accumulate, and it becomes instinctive.
ken c
Original Author
last year
Dadoes, Yes, both our detergent and color bleach (and the damn softener) are on their sides for easy dispensing, hence the drip factor. Enough good ideas here for us to go with. Kind of fun to see everyones approaches.
Cavimum
last year
Our detergent dose is measured in a Tablespoon or half-Tablespoon, depending on load size. Cups and screw caps are wasted here. The spoons are rinsed out in the sink.
luna123456
last year
Our detergent is dispensed automatically by the machine. There are zero drips.
always1stepbehind
last year
I'm a recent front loaders convert and I am dealing the same issue. My plan is to put the liquid detergent in a pouring container like one made for juice and just pour out of there eyeballing the amount dispensed not going over the "fill line" in the dispensing compartment.
dadoes
last year
The "Fill" or "Full" line in the dispenser compartment is the maximum capacity of the compartment. It is not intended as a measurement reference.
M Miller
last year
You mentioned a softener. Have you tried not using a softener?
ken c
Original Author
last year
I would happily not do so, but I am not in control of the laundry, I have to fight the battles I think I can win!
whirlpool_trainee
last year
In Europe, we typically get "dosing balls" from each detergent manufacturer. I've only ever seen an orange one from Tide that had a roller ball built in to it.

https://youtu.be/wmI7LKgi_D8
whirlpool_trainee
last year
Found it: it was called Tide Kick.
always1stepbehind
last year
I picked up one of these bottles this weekend for the detergent/softener etc. You still deal with the drip of the edge of the opening but I'll figure that out. I'm working out of a pantry right next to the stacked washer and dyer to so I don't have any counter or flat space that I can set things on.

How do you deal with the detergent left in the caps in a FL machine?

M Miller

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How do you deal with the detergent left in the caps in a FL machine?

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