Which section in the washing machine drawer is for what?

https://i.imgur.com/9NAJoDL.jpg?1

I recently had to start doing hand-wash cycle as apparently my wardrobe repertoire is expanding.

When I turned it on, some water came into the far right drawer for about 10 seconds.

Then a lot of water came into the far left drawer for about a minute.

After that I don't know what is what.

For regular cycles I have usually put the detergent into the drum of the machine with the clothes.

But there's a more precise way to manage things?

I use stain remover (granules for "tough stains") and fabric softener/conditioner/scent, also.

eeepaulo

The one on the left is for the main wash detergent, middle is fabric softener, right is for pre wash stuff. (at least on every washing machine i've ever used)

Liquid detergent i put in the drum on top of the clothes. Powder detergent i use the drawer. Although i dont think it matters.

Read the manual for the machine. It will say on there.

(To complicate things not all washing machines have prewash. Some only have it on certain programmes, and some like mine, don't actually have a prewash on any programme, they just wash that out of the prewash drawer a bit before the main wash detergent, my bosch manual says to soak just pause the programme after 10 minutes, i'm sure the main wash detergent has been put in by then, not sure i'd trust it.)

AMKC

The one on the left is for powder emergent the one on the right fir liquid detergent and the one in the middle is softener.

My whites have gone horribly ghrey.

So I bought some Ariel original (normally use non-bio gel), as apparently it's the best for whites.

Should oxy-action whitening granules be mixed in the left drawer with the Ariel powder?

Is that necessary, or is Ariel enough by itself?