New High Efficiency Washing Machine

[HappyDznyCamper]

I looked in the grocery store today and could not find HE fabric softener. What brand makes? I am thinking that I can just use regular fabric softner.

I have found it in Downy and Gain fabric softeners, you have to really look though, the only difference in the packaging in the small HE symbol somewhere on the bottle. They usually say HE compatible somewhere on the back in the directions area too.

 

[sookie]

i think that the very first HE washers you could use a tiny amount of regular soap.
now, you can't really do that. i have had both a neptune front loader and now an HE toploader.
you do have to be really careful, and make sure you leave the washer door open so it is allowed to air out.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

If you have left over regular laundry soap, you can use it to wash things like outdoor patio furniture. Scrub the garage floor, or drive way if there is a spill on the surface. I have put it in a bucket and used a long handled scrub brush and washed down the siding on our house.

You could donate it to a shelter.

I have also used reg. Tide in a pinch when I am out of dish washing soap.

As far as the mold/smell issue I every now and then wipe the rubber seal in the door with a clorox wipe. I keep a container on the washer as a reminder.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I had the same worry and to my surprise the clothes do come out clean. I loved being able to take my plastic shower curtain down and putting it in my old topload machine to soak off the soap scum. So the first time I had to do it in the frontloader I was worried. But as it turns out if came out sparkling clean.

If fact way back when, when frontload machines came out the laundry mat that I went to when I was single had these machines. I used them and noticed my white weren't as bright. So a ran a load in the top loader in my apt and they came out whiter. What the difference was back then was that I didn't use HE soap therefore the clothes did not get clean.

What I LOVE about my Samsung frontload machine. My water bill has gone down by 2ccf a month, it takes us 6 months to go thru a 170 oz bottle of laundry soap for a household with two people. I do monitor this. When I open the bottle I write on the bottle the date that it was opened.
Because my new machine spinns the clothes much dryer my drying time has be dramitically reduced. Mine you I did not replace my dryer. It use to take me a hour to get jeans dry now they dry in 30 minutes. All other fabric takes 20 minutes to dry. Therefore I am useing less natural gas to heat my dryer!

I was given a new washer/dryer set yesterday.

I didn't pick it. It's HE. I would never have chosen this. I like the regular old 'soap and water and swish that stuff around' system.

I'm so worried the clothes won't be clean enough.

I've been doing some online reading and have found that mold tends to be a problem. I can buy the washer-cleaner stuff and do that, but now I have a new worry.

I doubt anyone is going to say, "My clothes aren't clean", but I'm wondering about others' experiences with HE vs. Traditional.

Thanks!

 

[mhsjax]

IMHO, HE detergent is a big gimmick. I do buy it when I can, but if they don't have the kind I like I just buy the regular. I have been doing this for almost 3 years, never once did I have an issue with too many suds. You just have to use maybe half the amount. I also know many people that have used regular and nobody I know of has had a problem with too many soap suds. YOu just need to use less.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Purex makes a HE compatible fabric softner, which I think smells better than any other brand and I can get it at Walmart, Target, or Home Depot and it is very reasonable. I also use Wisk and Era HE detergent, they are the most reasonable priced and have worked better than the cheer I tried.

I do a pre-wash with the towels and with DH's clothes to make sure they are really clean.

Clorox makes a HE cleaner that you use monthly to keep your machine running well. It was like $3 or $4 for a small bottle, but worth it to keep my machine running like new.

Suzanne

 

[kaligal]

Thanks to all who replied!

I'm using the HE detergent. It specifically said that you have to use it and specified that you can't just use less of the regular kind. It might be a scam to get us to buy the HE stuff, but on the off chance it isn't, I'm using the HE stuff.

I always think of He-man when talking about this HE stuff, like now I have He-man washer and dryer.

I didn't know I needed HE Downy, too. Oops. Will look for it.

Thanks again!

 

[pennymom]

We got a new HE washer in April and I LOVE it! DS8 and DS6 get some seriously dirty clothes, as does DH, and the HE machine does a much better job that the old washer.

The instructions for it specifically state that using regular detergent will void the warranty.

 

[disneychrista]

I took a look at my Downey softener. It is the same as the regular but does have a sticker that says it is he compatible.

 

[sam_gordon]

I don't think you NEED to use an HE fabric softener.

Regarding HE vs. regular detergent, I think the prices are the same between the two. So what advantage do you have to using regular? I've also read (maybe on Dis) that using regular soap might void the warranty.

 

[disneychrista]

Regarding HE vs. regular detergent, I think the prices are the same between the two. So what advantage do you have to using regular?

I wondered that too.

 

[kaligal]

Regarding HE vs. regular detergent, I think the prices are the same between the two. So what advantage do you have to using regular?

I wondered that too.

The people who use the regular stuff are using less (about 1/3, generally) of it. The folks buying the regular stuff are buying 1 bottle for every 3 bottles the HE users have to buy.

So, you save about 66% off laundry soap using small amounts of the regular stuff.

 

[seashoreCM]

In addition, if the new machine uses much less water for each portion of the cycle compared with the old machine, you need to proportion down the amount of detergent if you try regular detergent. Otherwise you get the excessive sudsing and can also cause the clothes to deteriorate.

You will need to figure out the water quantities in question.

If there is no agitator or if the clothes are not swished around as vigorously, it may take longer to get the dirt out. Older machine instructions say to use more detergent but now we get back to the oversudsing and machine mechanism deterioration problems. So try increasing the wash time instead of increasing the detergent.

 

[herdtoDisney]

I was given a new washer/dryer set yesterday.

I didn't pick it. It's HE. I would never have chosen this. I like the regular old 'soap and water and swish that stuff around' system.

I'm so worried the clothes won't be clean enough.

I've been doing some online reading and have found that mold tends to be a problem. I can buy the washer-cleaner stuff and do that, but now I have a new worry.

I doubt anyone is going to say, "My clothes aren't clean", but I'm wondering about others' experiences with HE vs. Traditional.

Thanks!

I have found my HE machine to get the clothes about as clean. Not better IMO, but not worse either. The only thing I had to get used to was, once the machine starts, the door locks-whereas with my old top loader, you could always lift the lid and toss in something. I did run my load this morning through a second rinse, as I had some yucky work stuff in there, but usually I don't need to do that.

I have never had problems with mold or stink, unless dh or the kids close the door after use-I leave it open (I would NOT do this if small children had access to the machine!!! it was always in the basement so it wasn't a safety issue for us) I've never used the washer-wash stuff.

I have NOT found myself to use more soap, or three bottles of HE to the one regular (as a PP stated)-it really works out to about the same for me. I used Tide free n clear liquid when I had the top loader, and I use Tide free n clear liquid HE now. I don't buy any more than I did before, and I use less than the label says-I have a large capacity machine but I only fill the cup to the 'regular' line and it cleans fine. I'm allergic to fabric softener so this is not something I buy.

The front loader really has saved a lot of water and it spins the clothes so well, that they take less time to dry which saves electricity for the dryer (if I can't hang them out, like in rain or winter). But I admit, it did take a while to get used to the new machine!

 

[luvdisney14]

Well, I got my new machine today. It is a top load with front load capabilities. It certainly sounds much different than my old machine. My first load, the dress shirts were very wrinkled, 2nd load I used a low spin and wash cycle and they were better. I think I have a little adjusting to get used to.

 

[sameyeyam]

I've been using front loaders for about 8 years now and I just use whatever detergent is on sale. I find that I use about less in the front loader then I would with a top loader. But other then that no problems.

 

[delmar411]

OMG I am soooooooooooo glad I saw this post! We are having our new HE washer/dryer set delivered tomorrow and I would have loaded it up with regular soap w/o even thinking about it!

I'm going to have to remember to tell DH not to touch the machine until I get home from class. Better pin a note to my shirt right this second so I don't forget!

 

[ChickieToo]

Got a GE front loader for free from a friend who works for GE. He told me to only use all HE products including bleach and fabric softener. According to the GE repairman, if you use the regular stuff, even in small amounts, the drum can become "bubble bound" with all the gunk that will stick between the drum and and the frame, eventually not being able to turn.

You really need only small amounts of the HE soap as well. For the first couple of weeks I added way to much and has bubbles in my drum even after the cycle was done. I would frequently have to do additional rinse cycles. I think I've gotten the hang of it now. Additionally, the mold thing is also a real problem. If you leave your clothes wet in the washer too long (I forget clothes once and went away for the weekend and they got moldy). I had to rewash with white vinegar as the fabric softener and the smell went away. Now I just leave the door open when I'm done and it is fine.

 

[tnhillbilly]

I have had my washer, Kenmore elite he 4t for 4years this Nov. I have not had any problem at all with it. I was afraid when I got it that my clothing would not be clean because of the reduction in water and soap that the machine uses. I have had no problem at all, in fact if I see stains on some of the items going in, I just push the stain treat button and the washer takes care of it, no added expense of shout. I do only use he detergent (tide, powder, arm and hammer powder) and Downey fabric softener he also. My washer came with instructions to leave the door open when not in use and to run a cleaning cycle once a month. The directions for the cleaning cycle were in the operator’s book. I have never had a problem with this washer smelling, and it only gets the cleaning cycle ran about every 6 months. Only thing is besides just adding the bleach to the cleaning cycle I also add ¼ cup of powder automatic dish washing detergent to it. A repair man’s wife told me about doing that.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

My machine locks too but all I have to do it press the pause/power button wait 15 seconds and the door unlocks. Therefore I am able to toss a last minute item in.

I have found my HE machine to get the clothes about as clean. Not better IMO, but not worse either. The only thing I had to get used to was, once the machine starts, the door locks-whereas with my old top loader, you could always lift the lid and toss in something. I did run my load this morning through a second rinse, as I had some yucky work stuff in there, but usually I don't need to do that.

I have never had problems with mold or stink, unless dh or the kids close the door after use-I leave it open (I would NOT do this if small children had access to the machine!!! it was always in the basement so it wasn't a safety issue for us) I've never used the washer-wash stuff.

I have NOT found myself to use more soap, or three bottles of HE to the one regular (as a PP stated)-it really works out to about the same for me. I used Tide free n clear liquid when I had the top loader, and I use Tide free n clear liquid HE now. I don't buy any more than I did before, and I use less than the label says-I have a large capacity machine but I only fill the cup to the 'regular' line and it cleans fine. I'm allergic to fabric softener so this is not something I buy.

The front loader really has saved a lot of water and it spins the clothes so well, that they take less time to dry which saves electricity for the dryer (if I can't hang them out, like in rain or winter). But I admit, it did take a while to get used to the new machine!