(ARA) – Times have certainly changed when it comes to washing clothes. Long gone are the days of hand washing garments and hanging them out to dry in the backyard.

With the seemingly hundreds of products out there, choosing a detergent is more complex than ever. But what do all those advertising slogans mean?

And will anything really get clothes cleaner?

Don’t forget about all those garments with special needs.

Home care expert Gerry Luepke offers the following definitions and hints that even experienced launderers might need to know.

With so many to choose from, it’s hard to decide on whether to use a powder or liquid, etc. Here’s some advice from Luepke:

Liquid vs. Powder
Liquids work best on food, greasy, oily and everyday dirt.

Powders are most effective on ground•in dirt and clay, making it an ideal choice if you have children playing outside all day. But, use a liquid detergent for everyday laundry.

Ultra: The super hero of detergents?
Not quite. Ultra simply means concentrated.

These detergents do have their benefits: they come in smaller packages and require less detergent to be used per load.

Combinations
These may include an added fabric softener, color-safe bleach or color protectors.

The main benefit of these detergents is that they are cheaper than buying two different products. According to Luepke, the downside of these combinations is that the detergent may not clean as well and the bleach or fabric softener might not be as effective as they would be if they were put in the laundry separately.

Fragrance or Dye Free
The perfumes or dyes have been removed from a number of detergents. For those who have sensitivities, these are great products.

The Hard Truth About Water

Hard water is a problem in as many as 90 percent of homes, according Luepke. Hard water contains high amounts of minerals such as lime, magnesium and calcium that can interfere with a detergents’ effectiveness. In addition, fabrics tend to wear out more quickly and colors fade faster. It has also been found that washing machines using hard water wear out more rapidly.

"A liquid or powder water softener is one product that you should have in the laundry room," said Luepke. She suggests Calgon Water Softener as one good choice.

"Water softeners placed in the wash help detergents clean better by neutralizing the minerals that make water hard. By adding them to the wash cycle, the detergent is able to do its job completely."

Luepke also notes that hard water minerals trap dirt into fabrics and build-up on clothes as soap scum. A water softener will remove the minerals for much cleaner clothes.

Bleach: Add to the wash to sanitize and remove stubborn stains. Bleaches are available in either Chlorine or Oxygen formulas. Be sure to follow the label directions. Read garment labels as well; if something is not colorfast, there’s no turning back.

Fabric Softeners: These add-ins can decrease static cling, reduce wrinkles and drying time, and make clothes softer and fluffier.

Fabric Softeners come in many forms, but Luepke suggests using them in the dryer in the form of dryer sheets. This way, they won’t have to be added during the rinse cycle of the wash.

Stain Removers: Available in liquids, sprays and sticks. For best results, treat stains as soon as possible according to product directions.

When it comes to sorting your laundry, there are some common mistakes that people make.

"A lot of people think that doing one load of all jeans or all sweatshirts is the best thing, but it’s not," said Luepke. In fact, the best thing to do is to mix and match items to ensure thorough washing for all fabrics and colors.

Luepke suggests the following:

• Sort by color
  Whites with whites, darks with darks, etc.

• Pick out heavily soiled garments and wash separately.

• Mix small and large items together
  This lets clothes move freely, allowing for better washing.

• Watch out for new terrycloth, fuzzy sweaters, and chenille robes
  These fabrics deposit their lint on other garments in the wash. Place them
  in their own load.

• Do you have numerous pink socks that used to be white?
  That white shirt with the red trim might be the culprit.

When checking the colorfastness of new garments, don’t forget trims or other additional parts of a garment that contains dyes. Wash these items separately the first time around.

Always try to wash a full load of laundry, and save energy and water.