What is the Best Detergent for a Front Load Washer?
Front load washing machines require a different kind of detergent
than regular old top load machines.The
reason being that front load machines operate differently, using
much less water than a top load.There
are many tips available online citing ways to use regular detergent
in a front load. Some
of these include mixing equal parts fabric softener and detergent or
even adding foam down, which is used in spas, with your detergent. While
these may seem sensible they can actually cause substantial damage
to your front load washer and to your clothing.
Regular detergents are made for top load machines that
fill up with water, get your clothes all sudsy, spin the dirty water
out and then rinse your clothing. A
front load machine is made to wash your clothing with much less
water and energy and gets your clothing much cleaner without all the
suds. These
suds can actually get into the bearings of your front load machine
or leave a film that will eventually mold. A
front load machine is made for high efficiency washing and therefore
only high efficiency (HE) detergents should be used. Not
to mention that front load machines use far less HE detergent to
wash a load of clothing than regular detergent and therefore you
spend less money.
So, which is the best HE Detergent to use?Well,
there are a few things to take into consideration:
Powder_vs._Liquid
When considering whether to use powdered detergent or liquid
detergent there a few things to think about.Some
machines will state in their manual to use either powder or liquid
but that doesn’t mean that’s the final say on it.Some
machines with Delay Start options suggest using powder if using this
option so as not to risk liquid detergent pouring into the machine
too early.If
you do not use the Delay Start option than liquid would be fine.Also,
depending on the setting of your water temperature, if you use cold
wash settings most often than liquid detergent is your best bet as
powders do not always dissolve properly at lower temperatures.The
minimum temperature needed to dissolve detergent is 30 C.If
powder detergent is not dissolving properly it can cause build up
within the washer.Some
will argue however that the “chemical” makeup of your detergent used
to clean your close is more concentrated in a powdered state and
therefore cleans your clothing better.Using
liquid detergent requires less actual detergent per load and can be
more cost effective but one more thing to consider is whether you
have hard or soft water.Many
liquid detergents contain softeners and may not work as well if your
water is already soft.
Colors vs. Whites
There are many people out there that use several detergents
depending on what they are washing.One
for colors, one with a bleaching agent for whites, and there are
even detergents specifically marketed for black clothing.While
it is helpful to have a detergent with bleach to help keep white
clothes bright there are now many detergents that having bleaching
agents inthem
to keep your whites white while also being safe for colored
clothing.There
are powdered and liquid detergents that are made with OxiClean to
wash any color clothing and keep it looking its best.Most
people wash their black clothing with normal detergent and don’t
think about it for a second.If
you are concerned about fading you may purchase a special detergent
such as Woolite for those items but if you’re trying to compact your
laundry supplies, regular detergent should be fine.There
are also home made remedies that can be added to regular detergent
for colors to help with light or dark clothing.The
bottom line is how serious you are about your laundry.If
you want the absolute best and are willing to spend the time and the
money than you can buy a detergent meant to keep colors bright, a
bleaching detergent to keep whites white and a detergent
specifically made to keep black clothing from fading.If
you are looking for a one step, time and wallet friendly fix, try a
detergent with a bleaching agent that is safe for colors and whites.And
you could always use a regular detergent and add your own bleach or
OxiClean to loads of white clothing.
Scented_vs._Unscented
This is really a matter of personal choice.Most
people enjoy the fresh scent of clean laundry and some like their
laundry to smell down right flowery.Then
there are those who don’t want their clothing scented or can’t have
scented detergent due to sensitive skin or allergies. There
are many different choices when it comes to scent.Most
brands of detergent carry the same product in multiple different
scents so you can choose the one you like most.Some
have a scent all their own.It
is much easier to find scented detergent than unscented but it does
exist. Most major brands produce an unscented version,
such as ALL Free & Clear but they are not always carried in stores.It
may be easier to find a brand that makes detergent for baby clothes.These
detergents are not only unscented but are usually dye free and
sometimes chemical free as well. You
can also find some All Natural Detergents that come scent free.
Pricey
vs. Store Brand
Many name brand HE detergents are pricier than the same brands
regular detergent. On
one hand, you use far less HE detergent than you would regular
detergent per load so you do save over time but you can save even
more by purchasing a store brand or cheaper brand HE detergent.Detergents
are all basically made the same and while some have added bonuses
such as OxiClean you will find that some store brand cheaper
detergents can wash your clothes just as well as the name brand
detergent.Store
brands may not always come with the extras or the scent choice that
you’d like but they can definitely save you money.
Some recommended detergents to try:
2x
Tide HE Liquid Laundry Detergent
ECOS
Laundry Detergent
Sears
UltraPlus Detergent with OxiClean
ALL
FREE CLEAR
The bottom line to choosing the best detergent for you front load
washing machine is to always use an HE detergent, take these things
listed into consideration and then try them out.Think
about the water conditions and temperatures in your home, the color,
dirtiness, and size of the loads you do most often, what you expect
from your detergent, and how much you’re willing to pay.
Written by
-Tina Newberry Copyright 2008