Use of the wrong detergent will confuse your wash cycle, your clothes will not rinse thoroughly, and you could potentially create a big problem (read: mess) with your machine. You want to be sure to use only HE detergents in you High-Efficiency washer.
Regular detergent shouldn't be used in HE washers because it produces too many suds in low water levels. This can potentially lengthen the wash cycle, affect the cleaning performance or overflow the machine. High-efficiency washers work at peak performance with HE detergent.
Use of any other kind of detergent in a high-efficiency washer, not only can confuse your washer cycle and stop the machine but can prevent it from washing properly or rinsing thoroughly.
Overall, high efficiency washers are highly recommended, but there are a few drawbacks. For starters, they cost more than regular washers. They also take longer to wash, and in most cases, they're larger than traditional washing machines.
HE (high-efficiency) laundry detergents are specialized formulas made to use in HE washing machines. The main difference between a HE detergent and a regular one is the amount of suds. HE detergents produce less suds and are designed for the lower water environments of HE machines.
However, being able to hold up to 40% more clothes also means that there is 45% more soil to remove. For this reason, HE washers require more detergent to achieve a thorough clean, especially when it comes to large and extra-large HE loads.
But our tests of dozens of laundry detergents show there are significant differences from one formula to the next. Some detergents are effective at getting clothes clean while others barely clean better than running a wash cycle using nothing but water.
But, HE Washers Have Longer Wash Cycles.
Since they use less water, they take longer to wash and rinse clothes to get them clean.
HE detergents are also formulated to hold soils and dyes in suspension in low water volumes, so they don't re-deposit onto cleaned laundry. Detergents formulated for HE washers work with energy-saving technology to provide the best possible cleaning in only 20% to 66% the amount of water used in traditional washers.
In a high-efficiency (HE) washer, load capacities are generally larger than with a traditional washer, partially because the agitator is gone (or much shorter). This means fewer washloads to process and less water, detergent, and energy to wash and dry.
Too much detergent also creates a surplus of suds that can prevent your garments from rubbing against one another (which helps release trapped dirt from your clothes), according to Tide's website. Though it seems counterintuitive, the more detergent you use past a certain point, the dirtier your clothes become.
Don't put detergent in the fabric softener drawer
For one thing, it would miss the actual wash cycle. Putting detergent in the wrong compartment can also result in detergent residue remaining on the fabric, which can cause skin irritations, according to the IKW.
You use too much laundry detergent.
Adding too much detergent can create extra suds that don't completely rinse out of clothes, leaving behind a sticky residue that attracts more dirt, dust, and bacteria—and that you'll have to remove using borax and washing soda in a process called laundry stripping.
If you've accidentally used regular detergent in your HE washing machine, cancel the cycle. Set a spin cycle and then a rinse/spin cycle to remove all the suds. Resume washing the load using cold water. If there are suds left over after a wash, that's a sign you've used too much detergent.
Lucky for you, many of Tide's detergents are HE compatible: In addition to lifting soils off from clothes and preventing them from redepositing on the garments, they're also formulated to control and reduce sudsing, saving you time, water, and energy.
The simplest cleaning technique involves bleach. Set the HE washer to a hot water cycle and add laundry bleach. Set the appliance to run for two cycles, allowing the washer to naturally wash the bleach out of its system.
Using too much detergent can leave residue on clothes, especially when it comes to high-efficiency (HE) washers. These washing machines use much less water than a standard washer during the wash and rinse cycles. Using more than 2 teaspoons—yes, 2 teaspoons—of HE detergent will leave residue on your clothes.
Do Laundry Sheets Save You Money? Laundry sheets work with all types of washers, including high-efficiency machines.
Since it cleans with less water, an HE washer usually takes longer to clean a load of laundry than a standard washer.
If your wash cycle is taking a long time to complete, or if there is an error message, it may be because the washer is off balance or overloaded. Wait until the cycle has completed before attempting to open the door. Try rearranging items inside the machine, or removing bulky items, and manually re-centering the tub.
Compared to normal top load washers, these HE bad boys use far less water while also extracting more water (thanks to its faster spin mechanism) so it takes less dry time and provides more savings to your wallet. HE top load washers come without an agitator so there's room for more laundry per load.
Energy-saving tips for your washing machine
Use a cold water or 30°C cycle where possible. You're only likely to need warmer temperatures for particularly dirty clothes, bad stains or underwear. A cold wash will not only save energy but help the planet too.
Using a non-he laundry detergent in an HE washer can create a sudsing problem that can cause detergent bubbles to fill the washer tub and start to overflow from the detergent drawer.
Washing machines clean clothes in part by allowing clothes to rub against each other; this friction helps work dirt and stains out of fabric. Using too much soap can reduce this friction, which means that your clothes may not get as clean as they would otherwise.