What is HE Detergent?
Your local grocer is making room for laundry soap specifically designed for use in front-load and HE washers.
The initials ‘HE’ stands for high-efficiency and that’s exactly what you get. All front-load and high-efficiency washers use 20 to 66 percent less water and 20 to 50 percent less energy than traditional, top-loading washers. As a result, the soaps you use need to be more efficient as well.
Not sure if the bottle on the store shelf is HE – just look for the blue, oval-shaped logo stating the product is for high-efficiency washers only.
WHY SHOULD YOU USE IT?
Because you’ll have cleaner clothes, use less soap, and use less water. HE detergents create fewer suds than traditional laundry detergents. Fewer suds mean better cleaning performance. HE detergent is better for the internal workings of the machine, and they cost about the same as regular detergent because you use less per load.
WHAT IF I USE MY OLD DETERGENT?
With the increased agitation of the front-load design, using traditional soaps can cause an excess suds error in your washing machine’s sensors. The error means the sensors aren’t detecting enough water in the tub (faux error).
Although most machines have an automatic program in their software to deal with this, in extreme cases you might have to stop the washer. Then you’ll need to remove your over-soaped clothes, rinse them in the sink, then put them back into the washer and start over. The easiest way to avoid this problem is to use the soap designed for your HE washing machine – HE laundry detergent.
DO THEY HAVE HE IN MY FAVORITE BRAND?
Popular brands such as Tide® and Ultra Sunlight® carry HE versions of their traditional detergents in both liquid and powder form. For allergy sufferers and people with sensitive skin, HE detergents are available free of dyes, perfumes, and enzymes. Even companies like Melaluca, Amway, and Seventh Generation are now offering HE laundry detergents. Also included in the HE laundry soap realm are eco-friendly soaps like NaturOli Nuts.
When you upgrade to a high-efficiency washer, upgrade your laundry detergent, too!
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you’ve just purchased a new high-efficiency or front-loading machine, don’t add any soap the first time you put your laundry in the washer. You’ll be surprised how much residual soap is embedded in your clothes from your old top-loading machine!
Still have questions? – feel free to speak with an hhgregg associate. We offer the best-educated associates in the business who are smart enough to make it simple. Price and Advice Guaranteed!
