HE washer and bleach? And do the clothes get really clean?

[Mickey527]

I have an HE washer and the fact that I am saving water does make me a bit happy but I am wondering if my clothes really do get as clean as they did with the agitator.
I always use bleach when I am washing whites and towels. Some of my clothes have been ruined since I got my HD washer becaue no matter how I dilute the bleach it seems to still only wind up on some of the clothes, not all.
I just did a load of towels thast were mostly white but had light beige stripes on them. Very light beige. when I took them out of the wash the light beige had turned like tie die, where the belach had bunched on that area but no problems on other areas.
How can I use bleach now and know that it dispursed into the entire wash and not just on some of the clothes?
Last week my grandson vomited on his sheets. I cleaned all the vomit off but the sheets still had a slight stain like area, not thick, but still some parts not totally cleaned. I washed the sheets in the sanitizing load (extra long and hot wash) and when I took them out they still had the light pink vomit stains on them. I had to re-wash them again and the stains were then gone, but what a waste of electric and water now that I had to do them again. No savings there.
I haven't had to wash really dirty clothes with mud etc on them, just normal clothing with slight stains and sweat etc and haven't noticed them not clean until the vomit incident. I wonder if my clothes are really coming clean or are just getting rinsed.

 

[Cora]

I have an HD washer and have never had a problem. For the bleach, I have a specific Bleach button that I press that distributes it at the right time. Maybe you have a lemon, I would contact the manufacturer. Good Luck

 

[dex08]

Do you mean HE for High Efficiency? I'm not sure what an HD washer is.

I never had a problem with my bleach dispenser for my front loading Whirlpool washer and never ruined anything.

I used to use bleach in it all the time but then someone told me to try baking soda instead because it doesn't wear out fabrics like bleach tends to. I put about 1/2 cup of baking soda in the drum before I load my clothes and my whites really turn out clean!

 

[akcire]

Are you using the HE bleach? & HE detergent?

I have had my HE washers for 2 years, and have been super impressed by how clean everything I wash has been.

 

[battricia]

are you using a top loader or a front loader? I got my HE front loader at the end of august/beginning of sept and my clothes have never been so clean. I only use about 1.5 tbsp of HE tide and it works out perfectly. I never use bleach.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

I have not experienced this with my front loader HE washer. I know that Clorox now makes an HE bleach, maybe try that and see if it helps?

Is it possible the load is too large and it is getting trapped?

 

[ZPT1022]

I use a non chlorine bleach and it works well and no worries about bleach spots either- just a thought

 

[kellydizfan]

I have a Front Loader that only takes the HE detergent. I have noticed on several occasions having problems with CLorox 2 being left after doing towels, etc. and ruining a couple of pairs of my work pants - I know I didn't use any when I washed them for this reason.

 

[of the seas]

I thougt I was the only one who thought that about the bleach on my clothes. When i got my HE front loader I loved how nice and clean every load that came out-until I washed whites with bleach. I use the Clorox HE and dilute it and put it in the special bleach compartment and use the setting for white whites. For me it seems that it really weakens the fibers and doesn't seem to be white white, but I've always used bleach for whites to kill germs and get things really white-that's how I was raised!

 

[Mickey527]

I didn't know about the HE bleach but I will look for it now. I was also raised with the "Bleach for whites" mentality. We seperated our clothes into lights. whites, and darks. Bleach went into all white loads.
I did do a load of my clothes today that usually are not dirty just "worn" and need to be washed of body stuff, etc...
I made fried chicken the other day and must have gotten spattered with oil because the nice dark green shirt I wore that day came out of the dryer with oil stains on it. I washed it with a normal load, medium dirty setting and warm,cold. I have put pre-treatment on the oil stains now because I didn't see them when I washed the shirt. I hope the oil stains come out, I love that blouse.
I have never noticed anything until the past few times I used the washer, maybe because the 1 year warrenty just expired and I am noticing now how much I really don't like the $3,000 investment for the Washer/dryeras much as I would have if I had bought a washer for under $500 and a $300 dryer.

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

I used to use bleach in it all the time but then someone told me to try baking soda instead because it doesn't wear out fabrics like bleach tends to. I put about 1/2 cup of baking soda in the drum before I load my clothes and my whites really turn out clean!

I haven't heard of this before! (I sometimes use baking soda in addition if stains are bad or if clothes are smelly or something icky) We just recently got a HE front loading washer, so we're still figuring it out, but I'm going to try that!

 

[Swimalie]

I didn't know about the HE bleach but I will look for it now. I was also raised with the "Bleach for whites" mentality. We seperated our clothes into lights. whites, and darks. Bleach went into all white loads.
I did do a load of my clothes today that usually are not dirty just "worn" and need to be washed of body stuff, etc...
I made fried chicken the other day and must have gotten spattered with oil because the nice dark green shirt I wore that day came out of the dryer with oil stains on it. I washed it with a normal load, medium dirty setting and warm,cold. I have put pre-treatment on the oil stains now because I didn't see them when I washed the shirt. I hope the oil stains come out, I love that blouse.
I have never noticed anything until the past few times I used the washer, maybe because the 1 year warrenty just expired and I am noticing now how much I really don't like the $3,000 investment for the Washer/dryeras much as I would have if I had bought a washer for under $500 and a $300 dryer.

My parents have a top loading HE washer that they've had for over year. I finally got to see it last week and fell in love. I plan to buy one in a few weeks. Some tips I got from her. Yes, buy HE bleach (although she doesn't use bleach at all and her whites are white). She separates in to light, dark and hot water (hot water wash would be underwear, socks, things that you sweat in and go against the body directly). The lights and darks are washed in COLD only. No warm. Try that and see if it helps.

 

[SalandJeff]

I have also noticed that my whites do not seem as clean and bright with my front loader. I use hot water, he tide, and bleach. I've started doing a soak load on underwear, socks, washcloths. I put them in the washer, add bleach directly in with the clothes, and put on the soak cycle for 25 mins. Then wash them as usual in white/white, hot water, he tide and bleach. At least I feel like they are really sanitized if I do this.

I solved the problem of bleach ruining colors years ago by buying all white towels/washcloths/sheets. I just keep a few sets of special colored hand towels for company.