25 Mar 2025
We’ve all been there. Standing in front of the washing machine with a basket full, heart hopeful… and the laundry detergent? Nowhere to be seen!
But don’t panic. You’ve got options because there are a few alternatives to washing powder that won’t ruin your clothes - or your mood in an emergency.
can you wash clothes without detergent?
Short answer: Yes.
Will your clothes smell as fresh as if you’d still used smol laundry capsules? Probably not. But you can still get them clean enough to pass the sniff test. Here’s what to use instead of washing powder when your detergent stash hits zero.
1. scrape the bottle.
If you’ve currently got an “empty” laundry detergent bottle? Fill it with warm water, give it a shake, and pour the soapy remains into the machine drawer. You get bonus points with this method for reducing waste like a pro.
2. bicarbonate of soda.
This pantry hero is a laundry lifesaver. Tip half a cup of bicarbonate of soda (per load) into the washing machine drum and then add your clothing. Wash as normal and ta’dah! You’re golden.
3. oxygen-based bleach.
You can also use just half a cup of oxygen-based bleach in place of detergent. It’s gentle but powerful so don’t be scared this is not the same as chlorine bleach (which you definitely would not want to wash your clothes in).
what NOT to use in an emergency.
Washing up liquid, shampoo, or body wash. It won’t be worth it. Whilst, they might seem like obvious swaps, they produce way too many suds. Bubble overflows = machine meltdowns. It’s how all good sud-soap horror stories start. Don’t do it.
And steer clear of household cleaning sprays for your clothing! They’re designed for floors and worktops - not fabrics.
hand-washing hacks.
What if you just need one clean shirt for tomorrow’s meeting? Try these:
- Baby shampoo: use a teaspoon in a sink of warm water.
- Bar soap: scrub some gently into your clothing or shave a bit into some water.
- Foaming handwash: this light foam can be a good substitute in a sink of warm water.
can you just wash laundry with plain water?
Washing with water alone is not ideal but works for very lightly soiled items. Pretreat stains if you’ve got smol stain gel to hand and let the washing machine’s agitation do its thing.
never run out again.
Of course the BEST scenario of all is NOT to have run out in the first place!
And that’s where smol comes to the rescue.
With smol laundry capsules or laundry liquid, you get planet-friendlier, powerful cleaning delivered straight to your door. Set up a flexible plan (that you’re FULLY in control of) and you’ll never face a laundry apocalypse again.
So go ahead, live your best laundry life. We’ve got your back (and your socks).