Skip the convenience of laundry pods when washing these fabrics.

With pre-measured doses of detergent, they make the chore ofdoing laundrya breeze.

Key ingredients typically include surfactants, enzymes, builders, and fragrances, she explains.

hand holding laundry pod in washing machine

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Many detergent brands offer options with additional benefits, such as color protection or fabric softening.

Regardless of what you use, Romine says that different detergent methods work well for different fabrics.

Romine explains that high-quality pods and liquidlaundry detergentsare usually good for tackling greasy stains.

For that reason, there are some items and fabrics that should not be laundered with laundry pods.

Delicates and Vintage Items

It goes without saying that you should always treat fragile garments with utmost TLC.

These materials can be sensitive to enzymes, which are commonly found in most detergents for their stain-fighting properties.

This applies to all detergent typesnot only podsso look for an enzyme-free detergent when washing delicates.

Tough Stains

Since laundry pods are pre-packaged in a pre-determined dosage, theyre not ideal for tacklingheavily soiled items.

Also, pods cant be used to pre-treat stained clothing.

Suppose youre running a small load of laundry and use a pod.

This can not only make items look misshapen but also affect their ability to keep you warm.

Always launder them with a mild liquid detergent, preferably one labeled as safe for use on down-filled items.

This can reduce the ability of your leggings, sports bras, and zip-up jackets to keep you dry.

Items with Zippers or Velcro

Speaking of zip-ups, avoid washing anything you own containing zippers with pods.

Similarly, excess detergent can adhere to velcro while in the wash and reduce its effectiveness over time.