Can You Substitute Shower Gel For Laundry Detergent In A Pinch?

We've all been there. Somehow, despite all of the packing checklists, you run out of socks, underwear, or undershirts while on vacation. Or maybe you've splashed a bit of red wine on your shirt sleeve while at a friend's dinner party and you need to remove the stain quickly. Without access to a washing machine or detergent, you're left to wonder what other bubbling agent you have immediate access to, and of course shower gel comes to mind. But can you use shower gel to clean clothes? 

The answer is that, while you can substitute shower gel for laundry detergent in a pinch, this product should only be used in a very limited number of circumstances. While shower gel can get rid of especially-pronounced odors and maybe even remove a few minor stains, it's not a perfect substitute for laundry detergent. Basically, if you need to treat a spot straight away or refresh garments in a bathroom sink, shower gel is okay and probably better than just using water because it has some cleaning agents and fragrance. But even if you extend the life of those socks an extra day, those clothes aren't really clean. Additionally, if you're out of laundry detergent but really need to run a load and are looking for a substitute, look elsewhere, as you should never put shower gel in your washing machine. 

Even though shower gel can give dirty socks a light refresh, this product is not a good swap for detergent simply because it's not formulated to eliminate odors, remove stains, and truly clean fabrics. It's meant to lightly cleanse and maybe even moisturize our delicate skin — nothing more, nothing less. Further, it has been discovered that washing a load of laundry with shower gel leaves lots of dirt in the fabric, meaning that it's not the most effective cleaning agent for clothes. Beyond visible dirt, improperly-cleaned clothes can be a breeding ground for bacteria, which can cause skin reactions in addition to being unhygienic. Additionally, many shower gels contain moisturizing ingredients that are great for keeping our skin hydrated and healthy but can damage your clothes' elasticity and fiber structure. 

The only time you should ever use shower gel to clean a garment is if you need to hand wash an item in a pinch and there's no suitable detergent around. This would be for cases like needing to clean intimates, socks, or a just-stained shirt sleeve. Even in these cases, you should wash the item with regular laundry detergent as soon as possible to get rid of any shower gel residue. 

Though the sudsy natures of shower gel and laundry detergent may seem similar enough, these products are fundamentally different on a chemical, microscopic level. Putting shower gel in your washing machine is disastrous because it produces a different reaction that the machine is not equipped to deal with. The shaking of the machine and wet conditions may over-agitate the shower gel and cause a bubble flood. Plus, the residue and bubbles of shower gel could cause damage to the appliance, which may require you to pay for expensive washing machine repairs. Therefore, this product is both ineffective and costly as a detergent substitute. 

Basically, if you're absolutely out of laundry detergent and desperately need to do a load or spot clean a garment, only clean your items by hand in a sink or tub. It's not advisable to ever put chemicals in any machine they weren't intended for, so keep the shower gel in the bathroom and never use it in the laundry room. Also, only use a small amount of shower gel when hand washing to limit the amount of suds produced.