Be sure and mend all snags and rips before laundering because washing will make them worse. Pretreating is also an important part of doing laundry correctly. Quick stain removal is essential for easy stain removal. Heavy soil on collars and cuffs should be pretreated with a liquid detergent, a paste of granular detergent and water or a special pretreat product. Some sprays may soften fingernail polish so be careful to avoid rubbing your nail polish off on the clothes you are treating.
Granular forms are the more traditional type of detergent, and it is still the most popular.
These generally remove mud and clay better than liquids. Liquid detergents are gaining popularity because they are good for cold water washing, and they clean greasy, oily stains better than granulars. All detergents wash best in warm water temperatures, and they are not effective in temperatures below 65 degrees fahrenheit. Follow package directions to determine the correct amount of detergent to use. Enough detergent must be used to get the increased number of clothes clean and prevent lint and soil from redepositing.