Powdered laundry detergents and bars usually leave a rancid chemical smell on our clothes:  detergent residues that accumulate within the fibers of the fabric are the main cause of this.  Detergent odor is not the only thing residues leaves:  it also causes fabric brittleness that damages your fabric clothes and shortens its lifespan.

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But there is hope.  Not all laundry detergents leave harmful residues, some detergents contain surfactants that does not only lift the old residue build-up left behind by powdered detergents and bars, but maintains the original condition of the fabric itself usually these types of laundry detergents are available in liquid form.