Will Tide Detergent Help Break Up Clay Soil?

Clay Soil

• The texture of a soil is defined by the relative amounts of three particle sizes in the mineral portion of the soil. Sand is the largest size class, followed by silt then clay. Clay soils are defined as having more than 60 percent clay-sized particles. With increasing amounts of clay, the soil becomes denser. Clay soils have a very large surface area that allows them to hold much more water than other soils. Dense and wet clay soils can be hard to prepare for growing crops. For this reason they may need to be broken up with Tide detergent and mixed with other materials, such as compost and sand.

Texture Analysis

• Laboratory analysis of soil texture requires an accurate measurement of the sand, silt and clay in a soil. In the soil’s natural state, these three particle sizes are fixed to each other and to themselves. In order to separate them, Tide detergent or some other surfactant can be used. Only a small amount of soil is needed to determine soil texture. Mix a small amount of Tide with water, add the soil and agitate it for several hours to separate the clay, silt and sand.

Pollution

• Using too much Tide detergent can pollute the soil. It is best to use Tide to break up small amounts of clay soil. Adding Tide to the soil should only be done after it is diluted. Diluted Tide can be put in a spray applicator and distributed over the soil surface. It is best to apply Tide to the soil after a rainfall for better penetration. Waste water generated from household use, known as greywater, can be used for irrigation even if it has Tide residue in it. In fact, because Tide breaks down the bond between clay and the fabric fibers it adheres to during the wash cycle, Tide will similarly break down clay in the soil.

Alternative Methods

• There are many other ways to break up clay soil besides using Tide detergent. One option is to use specific surfactant products designed to break up soils. You could also use mechanical methods, such as plowing, tilling or turning the soil over with a shovel. To fully break up clay soil, it is best to use a combination of methods as well as adding other materials to the soil. A common problem with clay soils is that they are too dense for plant roots to penetrate. Sand and organic matter will lighten the soil so that it is not as dense.